What did Zack Hample do during Angels vs. Rays Game 1? All you need to know about the controversial baseball collector's action at Steinbrenner Field

An incident unfolded between outfielder Christopher Morel and known baseball collector Zack Hample in the Angels-Rays game tonight. In the top of the second inning, Rays outfielder Christopher Morel tried to reach a ball that was hit by Angels second baseman Kyren Paris. However, baseball memorabilia hunter and influencer Zack Hample snagged it instead.

Given the minor league dimensions of the Steinbrenner Field, it seemed that Morel would have caught the ball had Hample not laid out his glove. The Rays challenged the call for fan interference, but the umpires decided to award the two-run home run to Paris. The crucial decision ultimately decided the game as the Angels edged out the Rays in the end, 4-3.

Hample, who used to be admired for his passion for the game of baseball, has recently drawn the ire of the community for his aggressive ways of collecting memorabilia. The 47-year-old collector and social media content creator has been documented going as far as stealing balls from kids for his personal collection.

Some of Hample's notable collection pieces were the last home run hit at Shea Stadium, Alex Rodriguez's 3,000th career hit, and Mike Trout's first major league home run.

Morel, on the other hand, bounced back from the earlier incident as his RBI double tied the game up for the Rays in the seventh inning. However, his eventful night wouldn't end there as he was ejected in the eighth inning for smashing his bat in frustration.

Los Angeles Angels lead AL West

Your eyes are not deceiving you—with their 4-3 victory against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Los Angeles Angels are now the leaders in the American League West with a 7-3 record. The win was capped off by Kenley Jansen's 450th save in the MLB.

The Anaheim-based squad, which many expected to be the bottom feeders of the division, has proved the naysayers wrong under the tutelage of new mentor and baseball genius Ron Washington. Anaheim is currently within the Top 10 in the league in terms of home runs and RBIs and is shaping up to be one of the most consistent hitting contingents in the majors.

Kyren Paris' explosion to the scene is currently propelling the team's charge to the top of the division and the American League. The 23-year-old currently has three home runs and four RBIs with ten base hits in 21 at-bats. His current slash line is at .429/.538/.952 with an OPS of 1.490.

The rookie's blazing start is also complemented by catcher Logan O'Hoppe, who has five home runs, and Nolan Schanuel with ten base hits in 37 at-bats.