Wednesday, June 27, 2012
By PAUL HOYNES
Cleveland Plain Dealer
NEW YORK
When a team goes bad, it can’t catch a break — even when the opposition and umpires not only drop the ball, but admit it.
The Indians are going bad, as bad as they’ve been all season. They lost, 6-4, to the Yankees on Tuesday night to extend their losing streak to a season-high four games.
Here’s where the Indians are right now.
The Yankees, who lead the big leagues in homers, took a 3-0 lead in the second inning against Justin Masterson on four singles, two of which didn’t leave the infield. To make matters worse, third baseman Jack Hannahan said the hit that set the inning in motion was a foul ball.
Masterson had two outs and runners on first and third. Chris Stewart, who tried to bunt twice, sent a liner to third. Hannahan dove for the ball, but had it go off his glove. Third base umpire Mike DiMuro called it fair as one run scored.
“I asked him about the foul ball down the line,” said Hannahan. “ He said it was hugging the line all the way, which was incorrect. It was a foul ball all the way. You could tell where I slid. I let it go.
“Umpires are human. They make mistakes.”
The Yankees added two more runs in the inning. Derek Jeter, celebrating his 38th birthday, singled off Masterson’s body to load the bases. Curtis Granderson followed with a soft two-run single into left center.
What Hannahan couldn’t live with was DiMuro’s call in the seventh. They Indians were trailing Phil Hughes, 4-0, with two outs and a runner on third. Hannahan sent a fly ball down the left-field line. Left fielder Dewayne Wise gloved the ball and dove into the grandstand.
DiMuro, late to the play, immediately called Hannahan out as Wise climbed out of the stands and ran toward the Yankee dugout. Replays showed that Wise dropped the ball and a fan in a red shirt grabbed it and was holding it over his head as DiMuro investigated the scene.
“He blew the call in the second inning that led to three runs and that was right in front of him,” said Hannahan. “I can live with the fact that he didn’t see him drop the ball. Or the fan jumping up and down two feet away, excited that he got a foul ball. For him not to ask to see the ball is absolutely inexcusable. It’s frustrating.”
After watching a replay, Hannahan went out to third in the eighth and was ejected.
“He gave me an early hook,” said Hannahan. “I tried to discuss it with him. I didn’t swear or anything.”
After the game, DiMuro, upon reviewing the play, told a pool reporter: “Now that I see the tape it’s obvious that the ball fell out of his glove. In hindsight, I should have asked him to show me the ball since he fell into the stands and out of my line of vision.”
Said Wise: “To be truthful, the ball popped out. The umpire called it right away so I just started running to the dugout.”
Manager Manny Acta didn’t blame Wise for trying to win an Oscar.
“If you can get an out, why not?” he said.