ST. PETERSBURG. Fla. — Baseball's first use of instant replay backed an onfield call of a home run for Alex Rodriguez during the ninth inning of the New York Yankees game against the Tampa Bay Rays tonight.

Third-base umpire Brian Runge signaled a home run after A-Rod's towering, two-run shot off Troy Percival caromed off the catwalk behind the foul pole in left field. Rays catcher Dioner Navarro protested the call, bringing manager Joe Maddon out of the dugout.

The umpires convened before leaving the field to check the replay on a monitor not far from the field. It took 2 minutes, 15 seconds to uphold the homer that gave the Yankees an 8-3 lead.

Rodriguez was denied a homer on May 21 at Yankee Stadium on a ball that cleared the fence but was not ruled a home run.

Baseball instituted replay for home run calls only last Thursday.