Victor Mesa Jr. was in the right place at the right time in the top of the second inning of Game 2 of the American League Division Series. Spencer Jones lifted a towering fly ball in St. Petersburg, Fla., and the ball caromed off the B ring on the catwalk at Tropicana Field before Mesa caught it in short right-center field.
The unusual play drew an immediate reaction from Jones and Aaron Boone, who asked for an explanation and received one from the umpires. According to Rays.com’s rule explanation, a ball that hits the catwalk can still be in play if it is caught, which is why Mesa was credited with the out after the ball bounced off the structure.
It was another example of how Tropicana Field can create uncommon in-game moments in October. The Rays have long dealt with the stadium’s catwalk quirks, and this one quickly became part of the Game 2 discussion because it involved a postseason at-bat, a high fly ball and a ruling that affected the inning. For more on Mesa’s power production, see Rays 7, Braves 2 behind Victor Mesa Jr.'s long homer — Rays Vs Braves.
For the Yankees, the sequence was a reminder that not every well-struck ball turns into a routine extra-base hit at Tropicana Field. For the Rays, it was a clean example of how awareness and positioning can turn an odd bounce into an out. In a tight 1-0 game, every unusual break mattered.
