On Tuesday night, two enthusiastic New York Yankees supporters seated in prime spots for World Series Game 4 were obliged to follow most of the game on a screen after they were expelled for attempting to snatch a ball from Mookie Betts‘ glove.
This unusual event took place in the opening inning of the Pinstripes’ contest against the Dodgers at Yankee Stadium when Gleyber Torres struck a pop-up towards the first-base line.
“Well, A for effort.”
Fan interference was called on this play where a Yankee fan tried to take the ball out of Mookie Betts’ glove after an out. pic.twitter.com/iZ6taImncd
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As the ball descended, it fell into foul ground, but Betts managed to secure it in his glove just before it reached the hands of fans nearby. However, as soon as he caught it, two Yankees fans made a move to pry it from his grip.
Take a look at the footage … one individual grabbed Betts’ glove and attempted to force it open, while the other held onto his throwing arm. Ultimately, the ball was dislodged, and Betts was furious.
Despite the uproar, the umpires still classified it as a catch and ruled Torres out. Moments later, the two fans were seen being escorted away from the seating area.
Austin Capobianco, one of the individuals reportedly involved in the incident, shared his account of what transpired to ESPN from a nearby bar later that night.
“We often joke about the ball in our section,” Capobianco indicated to the news outlet. “We don’t intend to be aggressive. If it comes our way, we’ll make a play.”
“One person guards, another tries to grab the ball. We discuss it. We’re prepared to engage in this.”
Capobianco noted that while he and his companion were removed from Game 4, they were informed they could return for Game 5 on Wednesday.
Mookie Betts wasn’t keen on discussing the incident with the two fans in the first inning, deeming it “irrelevant” to the game’s outcome. pic.twitter.com/t1TJKdvG25
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Regarding Betts, he minimized the incident after the Dodgers’ 11-4 defeat, informing reporters, “It’s not significant. We lost.”