Yankees beat Orioles as controversy strikes on potential Pete Alonso go-ahead home run in 7th

BALTIMORE — The Yankees received one of the biggest breaks of their season in the bottom of the seventh inning Wednesday night when what appeared to be a go-ahead home run hit by Pete Alonso was twice ruled foul — once on the field and once after the play went to replay in New York.

The Yankees took advantage.

After the questionable call, a half-inning later the Yankees got a two-out, infield RBI single from rookie George Lombard Jr. and a wild pitch that scored Jazz Chisholm Jr. later, helping them to a 5-3 victory over the Orioles at Camden Yards.

The Yankees (71-55), who have won seven of their last 11, remained five games behind the Rays in the AL East.

With two outs and the bases loaded in the eighth, Lombard hit a chopper to third that Coby Mayo had no play on. Heliot Ramos scored and, with Austin Wells at the plate, Yennier Cano’s wild pitch brought in Chisholm to make it 5-3.

David Bednar pitched a scoreless ninth for his 29th save in 32 chances.

Still, the events from the bottom of the seventh stole the headlines.

With two outs, Alonso, — who hit his 29th homer earlier in the game — skied one down the leftfield line off lefthander Brent Headrick, the ball sailing well above the foul pole. Much to the consternation of Alonso and the entire Orioles dugout, third-base umpire Will Little called it foul. Though replays appeared to show the ball fair, replay umpires in New York ruled the call should stand. Headrick recovered to strike Alonso out and escape the inning.

“We have Hawk-Eye,” Alonso said, according to the Baltimore Sun. “Like, football, you have the pylon camera with the plane where it shoots right across the goal line. And I feel like, for us, we could easily have a laser or a camera that shoots straight up . . . we have all the technology, analytics and whatever and funds. I don’t see why we can’t do it.”

Orioles manager Craig Albernaz, clearly miffed, did not get ejected after speaking with the umpires.

After Wednesday’s game, Boone said Brett Weber, who runs the Yankees replay room and is considered one of the best in the game at initiating challenges, had Alonso’s ball as “foul.”

So did Boone think his team caught a break? “No,” he said with a smile. “I think it was foul.”

By Erik Boland

erik.boland@newsday.comeboland11

Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.