YANKEES MLB rejects request for forfeit win

The Devil Rays were extremely late to Monday's doubleheader.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Tampa Bay's hurricane-delayed trip from Florida had fans waiting up to eight hours for a day doubleheader that became a single night game and had the New York Yankees asking unsuccessfully for the commissioner's office to award them a forfeit victory.
Gates at Yankee Stadium opened at 11 a.m for what had been a doubleheader first set to start at 1 p.m.
On Sunday, the start time was pushed back to 3 p.m., and because the Devil Rays were late leaving Tropicana Field on Monday due to Hurricane Frances, the commissioner's office told the teams to play one game at 7 p.m. and said it would decide later on when to reschedule the second game.
While the Yankees asked to be given a forfeit win for the unplayed game, commissioner Bud Selig has no intention of doing so.
"Given the stage of the season we are in, and the exciting pennant races, it is critical that we do everything to decide the championship on the field," he said in a statement.
Finally
About 20,000 fans appeared to be on hand when Orlando Hernandez (7-0) finally threw the first pitch to Julio Lugo at 7:02 p.m., and about 30,000 appeared to fill the seats later on. The Yankees said 44,422 tickets were sold.
"The rule states that if your team is here and ready to play, and the other team isn't here and not ready to play, there should be a forfeit, and we believe there should be a forfeit," Yankees president Randy Levine said.
"There were plenty of opportunities to get out of Tampa on Saturday. The airports were open until 3 or 4 o'clock," Levine said after Yankees officials checked with airlines.
Devil Rays general manager Chuck LaMar said the team never intended to leave for New York until Sunday night or Monday.
"We decided, and we made the right decision, we'll stick by that decision, to stay with our families," he said. "We wanted to stay in the Tampa Bay area, wait out the storm with our families."
DuPuy said Devil Rays owner Vincent Naimoli had told the commissioner's office over the weekend that his team was trying to make arrangements to leave Florida but couldn't.
"We have learned since that it may have been possible to get out on Friday or Saturday, although we were advised by Mr. Naimoli at the time that they were unable to obtain a charter," DuPuy said.
Naimoli refused to address the issue.
"Get everything down in print as you will. I have no comment," he said as he walked into Yankee Stadium.
DuPuy would not say whether the commissioner's office would penalize the Devil Rays, saying the matter was between baseball and the team.