Rays eliminate Yankees after Mesa homer and fan-interference review

Tampa Bay ended New York's postseason on Wednesday, winning 4-3 at Yankee Stadium to complete a three-game American League Division Series sweep. According to Field Level Media, Victor Mesa Jr. supplied the decisive swing with a two-run homer in the sixth inning. The Rays advanced to face either Cleveland or the Chicago White Sox in the AL Championship Series.

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The game was level before Junior Caminero singled with two outs in the sixth. Mesa then drove Max Fried's next pitch into the right-center-field seats, recording his first postseason home run. Fried finished with four runs conceded over five and two-thirds innings, striking out seven and walking none, Field Level Media reported.

New York appeared to have an immediate response when Anthony Volpe sent a ball toward the left-field stands in the bottom of the inning. The Associated Press reported that the initial home-run decision was changed after video review found fan interference. Volpe received a run-scoring double instead, leaving the Yankees one run behind rather than tied.

That proved to be New York's last scoring play. According to AP, no Yankees runner advanced beyond second base after Volpe's double. Spencer Jones struck out to end the sixth-inning threat, and a later opportunity also disappeared: Paul Goldschmidt reached on a throwing error to begin the eighth, but pinch-hitter Giancarlo Stanton struck out at the end of that inning.

The elimination extended the Yankees' wait for another World Series championship to 17 years. AP reported that New York batted .130 and was outscored 10-5 during the series, never holding a lead after sweeping Boston in the wild-card round. Aaron Judge was absent from both postseason rosters because of his calf injury, leaving the Yankees without their captain throughout the playoffs.

Tampa Bay's pitchers protected the narrow advantage through the final innings. Field Level Media reported that Ian Seymour contributed one and one-third scoreless innings, while Bryan Baker finished the ninth for his third save of the series, striking out Trent Grisham with a runner stranded. The Rays will host the opening game of the best-of-seven ALCS on Monday.