The New York Yankees successfully extended the MLB season on Tuesday night, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 11-4 in Game 4 of the World Series. New York pried open a 6-4 game with five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to pick up their first win in the Fall Classic since 2009. However, that outburst wasn't the most notable prying incident of the evening.
In the bottom of the first, Yankees leadoff hitter Gleyber Torres sent the ball skyward down the right field line. Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts chased it into the corner, and made a leaping catch up against the wall in foul territory. But, as he came down from his jump, a pair of New York fans grabbed his glove and jostled the ball away.
"Well, A for effort."
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 30, 2024
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
Umpires correctly called Torres out on the play, and the Yankees fans in question were promptly ejected from the game.
Amidst the ensuing chaos from the incident, one fan on Twitter/X asked Athletics' All Star LF/DH Brent Rooker - who attended Game 3 as an MLB correspondent - what goes through players' minds when these types of situations unfold.
The five-year veteran offered a consummate response, simultaneously understanding fans' natural instincts while not supporting their involvement in extracurriculars.
Try to catch the ball. If instinctually that causes you to accidentally reach a little over the wall, we get it. The second you forcefully grab a player you should be kicked out and not let back in. https://t.co/fjQH6da3gy
— Brent Rooker (@Brent_Rooker12) October 30, 2024
After initially reporting late Tuesday night the fans who latched onto Betts' glove said they "were told they would be allowed back for Game 5", ESPN's Jesse Rogers reported Wednesday afternoon that MLB asked the Yankees to ban them from the contest. He said the league did not have to twist New York's hand in the matter.
One added note. The Yankees have been on this page as well. In other words, there was no convincing needed to ban them. https://t.co/8arTF2RBLH
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) October 30, 2024
First pitch of Game 5 is set for 8:08 p.m. E.T. on FOX.
A Yankees victory in Game 5 would be unprecedented
Baseball fans young and old are aware there has only been one instance of a team recovering from a 3-0 series deficit in MLB history. Those same folks also know New York was on the receiving end of that comeback in the 2004 ALCS. What the Yankees are trying to pull off tonight, though, would technically be just as historic.
Per Arash Markazi - Founder & CEO of The Sporting Tribune - no team has ever forced Game 6 when trailing 3-0 in the World Series. In fact, just 16% of Fall Classics' where one side took a 3-0 lead reached Game 5.
There have been 25 teams to take 3-0 series lead in the World Series:
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) October 30, 2024
- 21 teams have won in a sweep in Game 4.
- 4 teams have won the series in Game 5.
- No team has ever been forced to play Game 6 or 7 after going up 3-0 in the World Series. Wednesday will be interesting.
New York is in solid position to send the series back to Los Angeles. They have ace Gerrit Cole on the bump this evening, and are presumably backing him with an offense that finally awoke from slumber in Game 4. AL MVP favorite Aaron Judge also got his first hit since the seventh inning of Game 1 late in yesterday's matchup.
The Dodgers are once again countering Cole with Jack Flaherty. Los Angeles' trade deadline acquisition has had some ups-and-downs this postseason, but fired 5.1 innings of two-run ball against the Yankees in the series opener. The Yankees will have to get to him earlier and more often in order to make a flight back to LA for Game 6.