MONTREAL – Luis Rivas hit a disputed home run in the 11th inning, sending the Minnesota Twins to a 5-4 win over the Montreal Expos on Wednesday night.
Rivas’ drive over the wall in the left-field corner was called fair by third base umpire Brian O’Nora. However, television replays clearly showed the ball sailed to the left of the net that serves as a foul pole at Olympic Stadium and should have been ruled foul.
Expos left fielder Brad Wilkerson immediately jumped up and down when he saw O’Nora signal a fair ball. Wilkerson ran in to join third baseman Tony Batista and manager Frank Robinson, who came out of the dugout to argue.
O’Nora was joined by umpires Phil Cuzzi, Mike Fichter and Brian Knight, who conferred but let the decision stand.
Robinson was ejected after repeatedly berating the entire crew.
He kept arguing for several minutes and came back out of the dugout to renew his dispute with Fichter. The manager made a series of choking gestures before he was ejected, bowing toward O’Nora to the applause of the tiny crowd of 3,763.
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