NEW YORK — The Yankees used three relief pitchers in the final two innings. None of them could throw strikes consistently. The last pitcher was a fielder who walked two batters. Fans, naturally, streamed toward the exits. The game was over. An out had to be made and the game officially called.
As the clock struck 11 p.m., you’d be forgiven for wondering why anyone was sticking around, and it quickly became clear that the majority of fans remaining in their seats weren’t rooting for their hometown team — Los Angeles Dodgers fans were there to enjoy every moment, as the Bronx drew a huge crowd for this highly anticipated weekend series.
“The only time I saw that was when I was with the Blue Jays and we went to Seattle,” said Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez, who had six RBIs in the Dodgers’ 11-3 win Saturday. “That was the only time. I never thought it’d be here in New York with the Dodgers, but it’s unbelievable and we love them.”
Before the match, a large number of fans Clip aired on YES NetworkThey approached the stadium, chanting “Let’s go Dodgers” as police vehicles appeared to hold off an oncoming wave of people in blue uniforms, many of them members of a fan group called Pantone 294 (a reference to the color of the Dodgers’ uniforms).
Good luck Dodgers! pic.twitter.com/YX9loYi1Kn
— Adam the Last Starfighter 🇺🇸 🇮🇹 🇪🇸 (@AStarfighter) June 8, 2024
This series is one of the most exciting in the first half of the season. Both teams are ranked first in major market divisions. All three games were nationally televised on a beautiful early summer weekend in New York. Both teams feature five former MVP players.
The Dodgers won the first two games of the series, the first one a close 2-1 loss after 11 innings, but Saturday’s game was a laughing matter.
“It was fun,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It’s not every day you get to take over Yankee Stadium.”
The Yankees are no strangers to away favorites. Their fans are known to overwhelm a city, and while New York fans were still in sizable numbers, the Yankees got what they deserved.
“Every time we go on the road, we go through that,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said after the game. “We knew this series was going to be a big one, so you definitely notice the presence of Dodgers fans here.”
The excitement for the three games will only grow as the Dodgers will be playing at Yankee Stadium for the first time in eight years. The Yankees played in Los Angeles last year and won two of the three games.
With one game left to play on Sunday night, the Dodgers will be looking to pull off a sweep. There have been some cheers for the Dodgers all around, but a sweep of the best team in the American League would certainly mean a lot, and give Southern California fans even more reason to celebrate.
“That’s pretty clear,” Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo said, “the crowd was loud. I know that. Of course I know that. At the end of the day, we had a chance to take over the ballpark again, right? When you get a big hit, when you score a bunch of runs, it gives the fans something to cheer about, the noise’s a little bit different.”
(Photo: Vincent Carchietta/USA Today)