New York Yankees pitcher Max Fried missed a no-hitter in the eighth inning when the official scorer changed a previous decision to a hit in the Yankees’ 4-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays, in a game that included the first ejection of the season for manager Aaron Boone.
Rookie Chandler Simpson hit a grounder into the hole between first and second with one out in the sixth inning and reached when the ball bounced off the glove of first baseman Paul Goldschmidt.
The official scorer, Bill Mathews, had initially ruled the play as an error by the Yankees first baseman.
Fried had not allowed any hits for seven innings and was about to make his first pitch of the eighth inning, when Mathews announced that he changed the decision from an error to an infield hit.
Mathews argued that he reviewed several video replays and determined that Simpson would have beaten any throw to first.
Jake Mangum opened the eighth inning with a clean single to center field. Fried (4-0) allowed two hits in 7 2/3 innings, and the Yankees won for the fifth time in six games.
The Bronx Bombers are in action
Trent Grisham, Cody Bellinger and Austin Wells hit solo home runs, while Aaron Judge hit a long drive in the eighth inning that the Yankees thought was a home run, but was ruled foul, a decision confirmed by video review.
Tampa Bay is 10-9, including 9-10 at Steinbrenner Field, the Yankees’ spring training home that the Rays are using because of hurricane damage to Tropicana Field.
The Rays have been shut out in three of their last five games.
Fernando Cruz finished the game without allowing any damage for his second save of the season.
Tampa Bay starter Ryan Pepiot (1-3) allowed three runs and six hits in six innings of work.
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