Controversial Calls Shadow Yankees’ Victory Over Royals

The New York Yankees edged past the Kansas City Royals in a tightly contested Game 3 of the playoff series, but the victory was marred by controversial umpiring decisions. One pivotal moment occurred in the seventh inning with the game locked at 2-2 and Aaron Judge at the plate.

Judge, attempting to check his swing on a full-count slider from Brady Singer, was deemed to have crossed the plate by first base umpire Mark Carlson. This decision ended the inning and left the Yankees visibly frustrated, with manager Aaron Boone and bench coach Brad Ausmus visibly upset after reviewing the play on an iPad, as seen on the TBS broadcast.

Ron Darling, the TBS color commentator, supported the Yankees’ frustration, stating, “The entire bench was enraged and they should be,” adding that he disagreed with Carlson’s call, describing Judge’s action as a “check swing all the way.”

Another contentious decision occurred earlier in the game. Gleyber Torres‘s potential RBI double in the third inning was ruled a foul ball both initially and after a review, despite the ball appearing to touch the foul line. The decision prevented the Yankees from taking an early lead, as Oswaldo Cabrera would have advanced closer to scoring.

Regardless of the officiating debacles, the Yankees managed to secure a victory, largely thanks to Giancarlo Stanton, who boosted the team with a strong performance in the eighth inning. Stanton went 3-for-5 and drove in two RBIs, while the Yankees bullpen maintained control to seal the win.