John Smoltz carrying water for umpire's insane gaffe is prime example of Yankees bias

Tuesday night's epic Game 3 comeback in the Bronx was such a rich tapestry of moments, storylines and celebrations that it was easy to forget there was a layer of umpiring malfeasance that threatened to undermine the Yankees at any moment.

Aaron Boone and the Yanks found themselves without a challenge for the final six innings of a potential elimination game, the kind of flub that usually falls on the manager's shoulders. In this case, it was hard to blame anyone other than the umpiring crew and replay review center — but don't tell that to John Smoltz, who invented his own interpretations of the rulebook to defend the umps and cast doubt on the Yankees' intelligence.

The Yankees' first challenge of the day was blown attempting to overturn a Carlos Rodón hit-by-pitch of Andrés Giménez in the top of the second inning. Upon second viewing, it looked like there was some space between the ball and Giménez's hands. It was "tough to tell," and the call on the field stood. Fine. Borderline annoying.

The second challenge they lost was patently absurd, with even the impartial Joe Davis agreeing with Boone's resulting meltdown.

Somehow, the replay center watched Alejandro Kirk's glove sneak in front of Trent Grisham's bat and stop his swing short by thudding into it, and still couldn't find it within their hearts to call catcher's interference.

"Ball's in the glove," Smoltz said pompously after the call wasn't overturned.

"Yeah, but the ball was in the glove because he stuck the glove in front of the bat," Davis retorted, to which Smoltz replied, "Yeah." Defeated, but still fightin' for the anti-Yankees cause!

"The intent to hit the ball, I guess, was not there? And he didn't make a full swing?" Smoltz continued, barely audible over the sound of grasping at 100 straws.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone had every right to be furious at umpires, but John Smoltz did not care in Game 3 vs. Blue Jays

Notably, this was almost the exact same call that was made against Carlos Narvaez and the Red Sox in Philadelphia, and resulted in a walk-off loss for Boston. "Intent to swing" didn't matter then, in the tightest possible game. Apparently, in this instance, the umpires and Smoltz could read Grisham's mind.

The Yankees' disappearing challenge didn't seem terribly important in a 6-1 game, but after a feverish comeback and Austin Wells' insurance single to make it 8-6 in a blink, it suddenly became a looming threat of powerlessness. Wells slid into second on the throw safely — we thought! — but was called out in what may have been the least-close play of the three. Of course, the Yankees had no recourse, the inning ended, and they had to hope that a two-run edge would be enough to survive.

In the end, they tacked on a third, but two miraculously would've been enough anyhow. Surely, this was a tough pill to swallow for Smoltz, who's been eliminated at the Yankees' hands enough to know that a painful door has now been opened for the Blue Jays.