Over the final two innings, the Yankees used three different relievers on the field. They were all unable to throw strikes consistently and effectively. A position player walked two hitters in the final one. It seems sense that fans headed for the exits. The match was finished. All the outs had to do was seal the deal.
It is reasonable to ask why anyone stayed when it was getting close to eleven o’clock. And it was immediately evident that the great majority of people who were still seated were not supporting the home team. Throughout this historic weekend series, Los Angeles Dodgers fans, who have been a boisterous presence in the Bronx, stayed to enjoy every moment.
“The only time that I’ve seen that was when I was with the Blue Jays when we went to Seattle,” said Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández, who had six RBIs in the Dodgers’ 11-3 win on Saturday. “That was the only time. Never expected it here in New York, with the Dodgers. But that’s incredible, and we love them.”
A sizable portion of the crowd base was shown in a YES Network shot even during the pregame. They chanted “Let us Go Dodgers” as they got closer to the stadium, and a police car appeared to be halting traffic so that the horde of people wearing blue could get closer. A large portion of the audience belonged to the fan club Pantone 294 (named after the color of the Dodgers uniforms).
Lets go Dodgers! pic.twitter.com/YX9loYi1Kn
— Adam The Last StarFighter 🇺🇸 🇮🇹 🇪🇸 (@AStarfighter) June 8, 2024
In the first part of the season, this is one of the most anticipated series. The two major-market teams are leading the pack. Over a gorgeous early summer weekend in New York, all three games were shown on national television. There are five past MVPs between the two clubs.
The Dodgers have taken the first two games of the series. The first was a 2-1, 11-inning nail-biter, then the laugher on Saturday.
“It was fun,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “You don’t take over Yankee Stadium too often.”
The Yankees, in and of themselves, are accustomed to road love. Cities are known to be overrun by their supporters. With a sizable number of New York fans still present, this was a taste of their own medicine.
“We experience that a lot whenever we travel,” said Yankees manager Aaron Boone after the game. “You knew this was going to be a big series. So, yeah, you certainly notice the Dodgers fans here too.”
The Dodgers are playing at Yankee Stadium for the first time in eight years, which will only increase the excitement for the three-game series. Last year, the Yankees played in Los Angeles and won two out of three games.
One more game is scheduled for Sunday night. The Dodgers intend to complete the sweep. One has noticed the pockets of Dodgers chanting. However, eliminating the top team in the American League would undoubtedly make a statement. And there would be even more cause for celebration for these SoCal supporters.
“I mean, it’s pretty clear, right,” said Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo. “They were loud. We know. Obviously, we know. At the end of the day, we had chances to take over the stadium again, right? If we get that big hit, get those big runs across, we give our fans something to cheer about and the noise is a little bit different.”
(Photo: Vincent Carchietta / USA Today)
