NEW YORK — After the Minnesota Twins opened up a three-run lead in the top of the first inning, New York Yankees shortstop Didi Gregarious batted in the bottom half of the frame with two men on base. Twins catcher Jason Castro set up on the outside corner of the plate for the two-ball, two-strike pitch but had to stretch low and toward the inside corner to make a backhand catch of Ervin Santana’s errant fastball. Castro’s mitt tapped the ground while receiving the pitch.
To the naked eye, the pitch appeared to be an obvious ball, which was the call of home-plate umpire Alfonso Marquez.