He then fumbled away Jason Giambi's solo shot in the second, which bounced out of right fielder Casey Blake's glove, off Marchese, and back onto the field. Blake then flipped the ball back into the stands, but over Marchese's head.

"The first one, I was zoned in," Marchese said while talking to friends on his cell phone. "I had it locked. But the speed was faster than I thought.

"It hit me right on the wrist," he said, showing his bruise.

On Giambi's homer, Marchese's right pinky finger was cut by Blake's glove as Marchese reached for the ball.

"The next time, I'll bring my glove," he said.

Blake thought he had the ball when his glove hit the wall.

"It should have been fan interference," he said jokingly.

Rodriguez said after the game that he noticed the coincidence.

"I think I hit it to the fan in the gray shirt who almost got two balls," he said.

Giambi was unaware until told by a reporter.

"He was in the right spot tonight," Giambi responded.

In over 30 years of going to Yankees games, Marchese has caught only one ball, a foul, but he seemed undisturbed about his misfortune.

He expressed one regret, though.

"My son is going to kill me because I'm always telling him to keep his eye on the ball," Marchese said. "He's 9 years old and he plays Little League."