Noonan denied first homer by video review

PITTSBURGH -- Nick Noonan lost his first Major League home run in Thursday night's ninth inning when umpires reviewed the ninth-inning, leadoff drive he hit off Pittsburgh right-hander Vin Mazzaro.

After Noonan was allowed to circle the bases -- second-base umpire Wally Bell signaled that the rookie had homered -- Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle challenged the ruling. Television replays indicated that Hurdle was correct: The ball struck the yellow padding atop the right-center-field barrier and didn't clear it, which is required for a home run to that section at PNC Park.

After the umpires reviewed video and overturned the initial call, Noonan was awarded a double and eventually scored the Giants' final run in their 10-0 victory.

"Who invented that, anyway?" Noonan jokingly said of the replay rule.

Noonan felt as if he had homered anyway.

"I had all the experience of hitting one except for the numbers," he said. "I jogged around the bases, [got] high-fives."