NEW YORK — What happened to Dodgers star Mookie Betts in the right field corner of Yankee Stadium in the bottom of the first inning of Game 4 of the World Series, an 11-4 loss to New York on Tuesday night after fan interference and misdemeanor assault. Perhaps, as the latter, there is a possibility of being eligible to participate.
“I’ve never seen anything like that,” Betts said after the game, although he was frustrated that the Dodgers couldn’t beat the Yankees for the fourth straight time, he was happy that they avoided injuries on the field. . “But there is always a first time.”
For the record:
October 30, 2024 3:08 p.m.
(Wally Scully/Los Angeles Times)
(Wally Scully/Los Angeles Times)
(Wally Scully/Los Angeles Times)
(Wally Scully/Los Angeles Times)
(Wally Scully/Los Angeles Times)
(Wally Scully/Los Angeles Times)
(Wally Scully/Los Angeles Times)
In the bottom of the first inning, Gleyber Torres took the lead with a right flyer that drifted into the foul area. Betts, a six-time Gold Glove Award-winning outfielder, jumped against a high, padded wall in the foul area, meeting Yankees fans wearing road gray No. 99 Aaron Judge jerseys and Aaron wearing home white No. 99. -I played catch between another Yankees fan wearing a Judge jersey. 42 Mariano Rivera pinstripe jersey.
But as Betts tried to secure the ball, a fan wearing a road jersey, identified by The Athletic’s Brendan Kuti as Austin Capobianco, 38, of Connecticut, reached into Betts’ glove in an attempt to pry the ball away. stretched out. Another fan, identified by ESPN’s Jesse Rogers as Jon Peter, grabbed the wrist of Betts’ throwing hand to prevent the outfielder from grabbing the ball, but the ball flew out of Betts’ glove. , warning truck fell. Right-field referee Mark Carlson immediately called for fan interference, and Torres was ruled out.
Capobianco and Peter were escorted out of their seats by stadium security and walked down the aisle, high-fiving and at least once hugging applauding fans. The Yankees announced Wednesday that fans will not be allowed in the stadium for Game 5.
“The safety and security of our players, fans, and stadium staff is a fundamental element of any event held at Yankee Stadium and cannot be sacrificed,” the Yankees said in a statement. “The Yankees and Major League Baseball “We are maintaining zero combat,” he added. -A policy of tolerance for the kind of behavior displayed last night. These fans will not be allowed to attend tonight’s game in any capacity. ”
Tony Clark, executive director of the MLB Players Association, said in a statement: “Since last night’s incident, we have been in regular contact with the league’s security personnel and will be closely tracking both the response to the incident and the protective measures taken going forward.”Starting tonight. ”
“Yeah, it looked ridiculous to me,” Dodgers shortstop Tommy Edman said. “The guy was pulling his wrist and trying to pull his gloves off. … It looked like he was ejected, but I’m glad he was. I’ve never seen anything like that. It was unacceptable.”
Betts is used to being the object of scorn in the Bronx, having played his first six seasons with the Boston Red Sox, one of baseball’s fiercest rivalries. But he had never seen fans act so aggressively toward players.
He was clearly upset after the play, but had no ill will towards the fans.
“We lost. It doesn’t matter,” Betts said of the play. “I’m fine. [The fan] it’s okay. Everything is cool. We lost the game, but we’re focused on that.”
Dodgers relief pitcher Ben Casparius, who pitched the first two innings of Tuesday night’s bullpen game, allowing one run, one hit, three walks and one strikeout, grew up as a Red Sox fan in Westport, Conn., and is a 50-year-old Red Sox fan. He said he participated in the match. As a kid, he played in 60 games at Yankee Stadium, always wearing Red Sox gear. Was he surprised by what happened?
“No, not at all,” Casparius said. “I think it was an interesting moment because we were just a few pitches into the game and obviously this team has some history. [Mookie] He played for the Red Sox as long as he was around. It was kind of a “let’s go” moment early on. ”
In the top of the first inning, with one out, Betts hit a double into the right field corner, and Freddie Freeman hit a two-run home run into the right field seats, giving the Dodgers a 2-0 lead. . It was déjà vu all over again for Freeman, who hit a two-run homer in the first inning of Monday night’s 4-2 Game 3 win.
However, the Yankees got a run in the second inning when shortstop Anthony Volpe hit Dodgers relief pitcher Daniel Hudson’s ill-placed first-pitch slider into the left field seats, with two outs and the bases loaded for a 5-2 lead.
The Dodgers scored two runs in the top of the fifth inning to close the gap to 5-4, but in the sixth inning, New York catcher Austin Wells hit a solo home run into the second deck of the right field seats for a 6-4 lead.
After that, the Yankees got the game started with Dodgers right-hander Brent Honeywell scoring 5 points and 8 points. Torres’ three-run home run to right-center field highlighted his performance.
Yankees slugger Aaron Judge capped off the rally with an RBI single to left after reaching and flying to center field on a walk, a hit-by-pitch, and an error in his first four at-bats.
“They’re going to fight,” Betts said of the Yankees. “When you’ve made it this far, you have resilience in you. You’re going to fight all the way. We expected that. Obviously we didn’t play well today, but… So did they. That’s why they won.
“Right now we’re up 3 games to 1, which feels really good. But any lead isn’t safe until we win Game 4.”
