Vulgar and direct, New York Yankees fans cranked up a baleful cacophony for the scandal-tainted Houston Astros — thunderous heckles that belied their COVID-19 pandemic-restricted numbers.
“It sounded like a packed house,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said.
About the only thing louder? Maybe the ball coming off Giancarlo Stanton’s bat.
Photo: AFP
Boos and bad words streamed from the seats in the Astros’ return to the Bronx, and Stanton had a homer and four hits to help New York sate those spiteful fans in a 7-3 victory on Tuesday night.
In Houston’s first visit to New York since the Astros’ sign-stealing scam was exposed, an error by third baseman Alex Bregman in the sixth inning let New York blow the game open.
“That was intense,” Stanton said. “I wouldn’t want to be on the other side of that. They brought something heavy.”
A sellout crowd of 10,850 skipped subtle barbs for salty language, aimed especially at 2017 American League Most Valuable Player Jose Altuve. Several brought signs insulting the Astros, and security confiscated multiple inflatable trash cans.
“That was playoff energy, even though we’re not at full capacity,” Stanton said. “That was fun. They brought the noise.”
Bregman momentarily hushed the haters when he homered in the first inning off Domingo German, but Bregman’s miscue in the sixth with the game tied 3-3 doomed Houston.
He barehanded D.J. LeMahieu’s bases-loaded slow roller, but skipped his throw past first baseman Yuli Gurriel. Three runs scored on the play, the last Rougned Odor, whose left knee slammed into catcher Martin Maldonado’s head as he reached the plate. Odor appeared to be trying to avoid LeMahieu’s bat, which was lying in the right-handed batter’s box.
LeMahieu was credited with a single and an RBI, and one of the runs was unearned. Stanton made it 7-3 when he scored LeMahieu with a single.
“Looking back now, I probably should’ve ate it,” Bregman said.
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