After Howard stole second in the bottom of the fourth inning, Pedro Feliz brought him home with a single to leftfield. At first glance, it looked as if Howard would be out by a mile. Howard, gunning it around third base, knew it would be close.
But Johnny Damon's throw bounced twice before landing in Jorge Posada's glove. Howard dove headfirst to try to separate Posada from the ball. Posada didn't get it in time and no part of Howard actually touched home plate.
Multiple replays showed Howard's right leg, which was dragging in the dirt, fly over the plate.
According to Rule 7.08 (k) in the Major League Baseball playing rules:
"In running or sliding for home base, he fails to touch home base and makes no attempt to return to the base."
Despite pleading from Shane Victorino and Jimmy Rollins on the bench, Howard never turned around to tag the plate. He played it cool and walked to the dugout, high-fiving teammates as he walked down the stairs.
It is the second part of that rule, though, that Posada and the rest of the Yankees missed.
"When a fielder holds the ball in his hand, while touching home base, and appeals to the umpire for a decision."
Posada never turned around to Everitt to question the play. The Yankees, possibly with the help of a quick TV replay and urging from the dugout, had a right to appeal the play until CC Sabathia threw the next pitch to Carlos Ruiz.
If Everitt - umpiring in his second World Series - believed that Howard never touched the plate, he would have waited for an appeal from New York or called Howard out once he left the field of play when he touched the steps of the dugout.
Everitt, usually known for his fiery and poignant strikeout calls, made it a moot point when he weakly and subtly signaled Howard safe. The tally tied the game at 2.
