KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Royals fan who grabbed Mike Moustakas' controversial home run at the top of the right-field wall Friday night during Game 6 of the American League Championship Series insists the drive had the distance to clear the wall.
Caleb Humphreys, 19, of Blue Springs, Missouri, was sitting in the party deck at Kauffman Stadium when Moustakas' second-inning drive off Toronto Blue Jays pitcher David Price took a path right toward him. His only thought was whether the ball had the distance to leave the park.
Humphreys caught the ball as it reached the top of the wall, with umpires immediately calling it a home run. Right fielder Jose Bautista protested, though, and the Blue Jays asked for a replay review. After umpires gathered during the replay process, the home run call was upheld.
"It was gone," Humphreys said. "He hit a legit home run. I just tried to give him a little extra support."
As play was halted, Humphreys' concern not only was that the home run would be taken away, but that the umpires actually would give the Blue Jays the out.
"When they decided to replay it, I just sat down and said, 'If they overturn this, I'm never going to forgive myself,'" he said. "I was just shaking and hoping they would keep it a home run."
As far as tracking the ball into his glove, Humphreys said that part was easy. The sophomore at Blue River Community College said he no longer plays baseball, but has 14 years of experience in the sport.
"It was a pretty routine play," said Humphreys, who was attending his first game of this postseason, and just his second game all season. "I was a pitcher. But we pitchers do it all."
The Royals added two more runs to top the Blue Jays 4-3 and advance to their second straight World Series.
