Two calls overturned at Comerica

Two calls overturned at Comerica

DETROIT -- The first home run-call reversal by replay in Comerica Park history was quickly followed by a sequel, this time the other way around, in Friday's 10-4 rain-shortened Tigers win over the Brewers. It was the first time in Major League history that two home run-call reversals have occurred in the same game.

One inning after replays showed Miguel Cabrera had indeed homered over the left-field fence to tie the game, contrary to the initial call, Dusty Ryan's home run was overturned under review. It was a baseball oddity in a ballpark that didn't have a review in its history until last homestand.

Milwaukee starter Braden Looper retired the first two batters of the third inning and had an 0-1 count on Cabrera, who pounced on a slider and launched a line drive deep to left over Ryan Braun. Second-base umpire Ron Kulpa initially ruled the ball as in play as Cabrera rounded the bases. Tigers third-base coach Gene Lamont immediately started up the argument before manager Jim Leyland came out of the dugout to ask for a conference.

Only the umpiring crew can call for a review, which third-base umpire and crew chief Dale Scott did quickly following a meeting. Replays showed the ball hit off the back wall and bounced back into play. A couple minutes after going into the bowels of the ballpark to look at the replay, the umpiring crew came back out with a reversal.

That briefly tied the game until the Brewers scored a run to pull back ahead in the top of the fourth. Looper again retired Detroit's first two batters in the fourth before Josh Anderson's single extended the inning for Ryan, just called up from Triple-A Toledo on Friday afternoon.

Ryan drove Looper's 1-1 pitch deep to left and seemingly off the top of the left-field fence before it bounced back in play. Umpires initially ruled it a home run, sending Ryan trotting around the bases after he stopped at second base, but conferred again after Milwaukee manager Ken Macha came out to discuss.

This time, replays confirmed the ball hit off the top of the fence, marked by a yellow line, and stayed in play, rather than hitting off the back wall. Once umpires saw the replay, they gathered back on the field to decide where to place Anderson. By their discretion, they decided Anderson would've scored on the play had it continued.

Two pitches later, Adam Everett singled in Ryan, rendering the impact minimal on the scoreboard.

"They got both calls right, and that's what's important," Braun said. "It's probably the first time I've seen two wrong calls in the same night, but they got them both right in the end. I think that's the reason Major League Baseball implemented the replay calls. They just want to get them right, and they did that tonight. It worked."

Comerica Park hadn't had a review at all until June 4, when then-Tiger Jeff Larish launched a ball down the right-field line that was initially ruled foul. Replays confirmed the ruling.

"I think the biggest thing is that what was accomplished was exactly what it's there for," Leyland said of the two replays. "Everything was gotten right, and I think that's the most important thing."

Jason Beck is a report for This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.