by Owen Hetherington
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2004 ALCS Interference Call (October 19, 2004)
Although Rodriguez had his share off the field controversies during his 22-year career, he also had some on the field displays that showed how far he was willing to go to win ballgames.
During the eighth inning in game six of the AL Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox, Derek Jeter reached first base after his RBI single scored two runs to bring the game to 4-2, cutting Boston’s lead in half. Rodriguez came to the plate and hit a grounder to Boston’s pitcher Bronson Arroyo. On the play, Rodriguez reached his left hand up and slapped the ball out of Arroyo’s hand as he was trying to tag Rodriguez out. The ball rolled down the right field line as Jeter came all the way around to score the Yankee’s third run of the ballgame as Rodriguez was called safe at first by umpire Randy Marsh.
The umpires then met and reversed the call to interference as Rodriguez was called out on the play.
Jeter was called back to first base on the call where the Yankees went on to lose the game and the ALCS.
