When my cousin texted on Monday asking if I wanted to go to Game 4 with him and his wife it didn’t take long to respond—Yes! They live in Houston, season ticket holders for the Texans, and are the kind of dedicated sports fans who love rooting their teams on but don’t lose sleep when they lose. They wore Astros hats and orange jackets last night while I sported a crumbling El Duque Yankee T-shirt over a long sleeve shirt just so I wasn’t associated too closely with the enemy.
Scorecard in my lap.
Funny how games are always harder to follow when you are there. There was that strange sequence of events with Aaron Judge in the fourth—and later, was that fan interference on his double, and if so what did that mean? We didn’t have TV screens near us so it was all unclear. All we could tell was that there was some low comedy—a ground ball slowly rolling up the third baseline, sure to stay fair, that kicked foul at just the last minute and was snatched by Todd Frazier, and a pair of bumbling errors by Starlin Castro. Later on, of course, Chase Headley slipped on a banana peel rounding first and turned excitement into peril into relief when he recovered and reached second safely with a deft tag.
The Astros struck first with a bases clearing double after the Yanks had loaded them on a couple of walks and an error. They added another on Castro’s second Benny Hill move. And so my cousins were feeling good, their boys up 4-0.
Now, I am not an In-Your-Face kind of rooter. Not unless provoked I suppose. So it wasn’t as if there was any trash talking going on. But a rowdy Yankee crowd was quieted. It was the simmering quiet of angry New Yorkers.
And while we saw some other Astros fans they were not a noisy bunch.
Once Aaron Judge hit a moonshot to start the seventh, the crowd woke up, and you can say it didn’t relent until after the final out, well past the moment when the Yanks scored six unanswered runs to win the game and even the series. (Final Score: Yanks 6, Astros 4.)
All I know is that it was loud. The Stadium didn’t shake the way Yankee Stadium II did—where the thrill was mixed with terror—but it was impressive. I didn’t let out one yell, I stayed calm—jumping and clapping on the inside—didn’t want to be rude to my cousins. Instead I took great satisfaction looking out over the Stadium and seeing everyone stand and waves their arms and yell and scream. My cousins left with two outs in the 9th but I stayed and after the last out put my fist out to fans passing by, enjoying the hard thump of hearty congratulations.
I stayed and listened to Sinatra and everyone sing to Sinatra on repeat. I sung a little myself.
So many big at bats, but was most thrilled for Gary Sanchez and Judge for coming through in the heat of the moment.
Today gives that sombitch Keuchel who just owns the Yanks. He’s got a beatin’ coming to him one of these days. Hopefully, that time is now. Those Astros are bound to up jump the boogie and score a bunch of runs sometime soon, too. Let’s hope that ain’t today.
Never mind the shadows:
Let’s Go Yank-ees!
So awesome that you were there. Here's my quick story.
I'm sure the early start is great for all you folks in New York, but a 2:00pm start on the West Coast is less than ideal, especially since I don't work in a cubicle designed to hide internet feeds from prying eyes. I was teaching at 2:00, and while I'll admit to sneaking peaks at the score during down moments and between classes, I was pretty much in the dark for the first four or five innings.
I still wasn't free after school -- supervision duty in the tutoring center until 5:00. At least in the library I could sit and grade papers with the game on my phone sitting next to me. There's something surreal about watching a big play -- Guriel's bases loaded double -- in the complete silence of a school library.
I missed Judge's homer when a text from a friend at the game ("That didn't suck.") dropped my feed, but I watched Didi scamper around the bases with his triple, pumping my fist under the table in silent celebration.
But my battery was draining rapidly, falling into single digits, so I pocketed the game and closed down the library. By the time I was done and opened the MLB At Bat app, there were dots on second and third with no one out!
So how to balance a dying battery with a team that refused to die? Cross your fingers and hope for the best on both fronts. A few minutes later my daughter and I were sitting in the back seat of a Lyft on our way home, and the game was tied at four, the phone holding strong at 1%. Sanchez was at the plate with runners at first at third, and then the At Bat app started messing with my head:
In play, no outs.
No runs had been scored, according to the app, so for thirty seconds or so I sat there trying to imagine a scenario in which Sanchez could've put the ball in play without recording an out or plating a run. Just as my head was about to explode, the score clicked to 6-4 and there was Sanchez-shaped dot standing on second base. Silence in the back of the Lyft, bedlam in the Bronx and in my heart.
We got home in time for the last couple out of the eighth, then we watched Chapman dominate the ninth. I kinda love this team.
Wow, we get both Alex and Hank in one blog post!!!
AB, this is one of those games you're gonna be hearing about till you're an old man, and you'll say, "Yep, I was there."
I too was at work in LA. Thankfully, we had a big mailing project to do, and usually I am not assigned to help but we are short handed right now. I reserved the conference room and turned on the tv, and it took 20 minutes to figure out how to get the cable to work. Thankfully, I only missed the pre-game. A new co-worker just started working with our small department a few weeks ago, and today I found out he grew up in upstate NY and was a Yankee fan too. We stuffed envelopes and took in the game and at inning breaks went back to our offices to check emails.
When the Yanks were down 4-0, I used that old Torre line. Just try to knock in two runs and cut the lead in 1/2 and that was what they did.
For the 8th and 9th, since it was now past work hours, I went to our gym in the building and turned on the tv and it was just static, after 5 minutes, I found another tv, and Frazier was already on first. Such a great AB by Headley and it reminded me of the Indians game when Knoblauch argued an interference call in 1999 and that guy flopped down on the way home and made it anyway. Headley has handled his inconsistent playing time really well, and he has such a sad face, you want to root for the guy, just to get a smile on that pathetic mug.
Judge was amazing and Sanchez delivered with the double. Gregorious going for 3rd gave me agita n the 8th.
During the broadcast they were talking about how fans at the stadium should be told what is being reviewed. It probably looked like Judge was lucky to get back and be safe and then he lost his mind and tried to steal 2nd. He almost f'n made it too.
Keuchel is one bad mofo, but I kind of think the 2nd time pitching to a team in such a short time might favor the Yanks. Either way, Giles has to be shitting himself after the Bird dinger and last night's blown save.
Poor Sonny Gray. That dude has pitched over 21 innings in the postseason and gotten o run support.
Let's go Yang-keys!!! Clap, clap, clap clap clap.
Love you Al Bell!
I am loving the 5:00 starts. I know it doesn't work out for everyone, though. One of the benefits of social media today is bringing the stadium experience into my house. Last night's highlights on the MLB channel show a bunch of fan videos from where they were sitting. I then saw one twitter video from a guy in the bleachers going crazy for the Yanks right after the final out. Lol.... And to hell with keuchel. Go Yankees!
Funny how games are always harder to follow when you are there.
During the 1996 Jeffrey Maier game, there may have been no one farther from the play than we were – last row in the upper deck, backs against the concrete, just to the 3B side of home. We didn’t know what had happened until we were in the car later listening to the radio. Live, it was just a bunch of gestures and yelling.
All I know is that it was loud. The Stadium didn’t shake the way Yankee Stadium II did—where the thrill was mixed with terror—but it was impressive.
How I wish I could bottle that old feeling. For my kids, for anyone. Or just for me to relive. A full house in the playoffs and you catch those opening notes of Sandman? Yes, Virginia, a concrete building can sway. I try to tell people about it and I just start thousand-yard staring.
I know you were talking about the architecture itself, but I think the emotional power of a crowd is the real mixture of thrill and terror. One side of that coin is a cauldron of joy and glory in the Bronx, where the only thing that gets hurt is some meatball’s ERA. The other side is Nuremburg. It’s chilling to contemplate that those two feelings may have some function of the deep, caveman brain in common. Here’s to more of the good kind.
[5] There's been enough talk about informing fans of these decisions that I think we'll likely see a change for next season. It's crazy that the only people who don't what's going on are the people who paid to be there. Just have the crew chief get on a microphone and make an announcement whenever something crazy happens. "The runner rounded second, but did not properly retrace his steps over the bag on his way back to first." Now, on that Judge play it would probably be too much to explain the whole thing, that the Yankees were trying to have him steal the bag back, but the crowd needs some kind of information.
[6] And the mikes on NFL field officials provide more than enough precedent for doing just that.
Or they could use a message typed on the video screen. The precedent for that is plenty old -- the light bulb that has always gone on next to "H" or "E."
Having an official type "Returned to 2B on fan interference" or "Kid from New Jersey got all up in Tony Tarasco's situation" :) would be only an extension of that.
Whether or not the Yankees win the ALCS (and WS), it's been a fun team and a fun season. Right now I'm just enjoying all the gravy
[1][3] I'm in your boat today. Yesterday, luckily, was also the Champions League match between Spurs and Real Madrid, and I'd scheduled a day off weeks ago.
I'll be ducking out as early as possible today.
GO YANKEES!!!
nice to get the first out.
Phew, says the wall.
Leftover Salvatore's NY Pizza for lunch and starting the game at the office listening to the radio. I am a creature of habit, not simply superstitious.
Let's get 'em Yanks.
nice play by Bird
I. otoh, am simply superstitious
Oy
Ugh. That was a gimme grounder. Dammit, Todd!
OK, no harm, no foul.
nice make up Todd
The only thing better than 3 quick outs is 4 quick outs.
Line one through keuchel’s beard. Shake him up!
Ways to deal with Keuchel:
* Bunt for a hit
* Steal bases when we do get on
* Walks
* Lean into pitches
* Get someone to pick a fight with him and get him tossed ala Gabe Kaplan ;)
not happy with K K Keuchel 1st.
Tanakasan
Well done, Tanaka!
H.U.G.E!
Great pitching! I hope we can get some runs now.
need to drive up the pitch count
what are they seeing that they keep swinging at these pitches way out of the zone? they just saw this guy 5 days ago, come on
nice shot Starlin
Bird!
Bird bird bird...Bird is the word
Word to Big Bird! 2 out ribeye is a ticket to happiness.
where can I get a thumbs down emoji?
The funny thing, in ancient Rome a down thumbs was the signal to save the gladiator. Thumbs up meant killing him.
Bird is the word! Let's get another.
Just getting into my morning coffee and cookie when Bird gets clutchy clutch!
Used to watching games in the AM now, at first was strange but now it’s great.
isn't there a law passed a few years ago saying commercials can't be louder than the actual programming? what happened to that? some of these commercials are like 3x louder than the game.
Jazz Jr asked me my favorite Yankee ever...how do you choose? Guess it’s always the guys from your youth, for me Reggie, Donnie Baseball, and Mariano will always be the holy trinity..
Um, it's your call Hicks.
Castro, not helping
Every boy is entitled to one childhood hero whom he can love regardless of flaws.
To me, that was the Mick.
Hicks quit on that. Shit.
Clever pitch and catch.
This little shit is due.
Just not now. Huzzah!
Tanakasan again.
Yes
Whew. I don't know how lucky we can continue to be, but I like it.
i think that was castro's mistake. hicks probably couldn't get it, castro could but he backed off hoping hicks would make an easier catch. anyway, no harm no foul, but castro is really looking bad in the field
tough to name a single fav. The Mick, Yogi, Mo and DJ on Mt. Rushmore of guys I've watched.
Atta boy, Chase! Bunt time for Brett?
Grrrr.....
Donnie Baseball.
Yes!
Judge rules in favor of another Yankees run!
That’s the worst fucking camera work. Christ! Atta boy, Judge!
Terrible ab for Gary. Yuck.
christ alive, gary. what the fuck?
Sigh.
another run, thank you.
Anyone wanna kidnap Kate Upton tomw to really fuck up Verlander?
On the other hand, anyone NOT wanna kidnap Kate at any time?
What a pitch.
Beautiful!
tanakasan again!
More runs, please.
I’m so sick of watching this bearded asshole pitch!
Fuck you, blue. Not even close.
Way way outside.
An ump-has-early-dinner-plans K.
Bottom third. No drama!
The 8 and 9 batter ffs!
I don’t understand why we are pitching around McCann
I said, no drama!
Paint it black!
nice time for a k!
Catch it, Gary. That was strike 3 to Bird ffs!
Beauty!
Hiroic!!!
Phew!!
Pumped!
Hell yeah!
Hot Fucking Damn, Tanaka! Buck wasn’t very excited. Douche.
really nice pitching on both sides. they must be so frustrated
Hit the weight room, Todd!
Good knock, Todd.
They're warming up relievers, that's good.
tuff shot on Sanchez. great K. love Tanaka's emotion. think he wants more time in pinstripes
I accept that error!
I'll take that E5. Now cash him in
make em pay for that mistake!
Chase!
Man, Smoltz makes a lot of excuses.
like a 10 pitch AB for gardy
I know how the rules work, but that's an E3 in my book. Speaking as a longtime 3.
[85] Yeah, Sanchez takes one square in the face. I mean it was frightening, and the Fox Fucks did even acknowledge it. WTF!
Dead horse, I know, but...
Foul off 10
they have to walk the judge
Brett has hit the ball 60 feet 3 different times.
What’s the origin of ‘pull the string’ for a change up?
What's that chant?
Please don’t whiff on ball 4.
I accept the walk.
better than an IW... pitch count climbing
Someone has spent time with him on working the strike zone.
[97] Not sure, but I always pictured a yo-yo.
Huge AB here...don’t chase Gary!
SANCHIZE!
Bam! Hit it too hard for Judge to score though!
The Sanchize Cometh!
Bop on the noggin was just what he needed
The sheriff!
Gary!
Boom!!!!!
[103] makes sense!
That was funny
Oh my god, just missed a double. Just missed!
[98] Generic Stadium chant. Happens all over the country.
C’’mon, Didi! Find a gap!
Yes! Didi did it again!
Didi!!
Wait, isn't Altuve infallible?
Yes!!
3 is better than 2. 4 is also better than 3! Bye bye Kuggle
Knocked out of the game!!!
[97] I always thought it was the positioning of the fingers as if you were pulling down a window blind, holding the string between your thumb and forefinger. Perhaps also the wrist motion?
[119] Was that you in yesterday's thread who compared him with Kuggle?
I've been calling him "Noodles" ever since I saw that.
Woo-Hoo! I can't believe Jesus missed that one. Out of miracles?
Whoo-hoo!
[98] Sounds like the riff from Seven Nation Army to me.
[125] We are the warriors who built this town...
No, that's a different one.
I always get those confused.
amazing plaudits to Tanaka from the Fox idiots. guess even dopes say something right sometimes
Tanaka still looking good.
(122) my humble contribution of Kuggle
[129] What has really astounded me this year is: Joe Buck is not the dumb one.
It's amazing.
Well, I guess maybe his problem isn't stupidity. It's... insipidity?
Another great inning for Hiro. Fuck, how do I teach 'Hiro' to my autocorrect?
Hai Tanaka!
What a start! Tanakason!
Thumbs down, thumbs down, thumbs down!
I’m getting irrationally exhuberant for a LA-NY Serious....
That does sound exciting. But careful: Wheelchair-bound Tommy Lasorda will be their Frank Torre times ten.
[132] Insipidity! Good one.
Buck is pissing me off more than Smoltzie. At least Smoltz is acknowledging the Yankee positives. Buck sounds like he's on the Astros payroll.
[137] Cart, horse, and all that. ; )
[137] That would be one for the ages.
Eagle Eye Bird.
Fear The Head! C’mon, Chase!
Holy smokes.
Bird... cannot fly.
Just out of the reach of Saint Altuve
Score em score em score em? Oh, it’s Bird running. Lol...
Lamar!
Gameday on now, why doesn’t Bird ever score on XBH? Was that hit too hard?
B-b-b-b-bird bird bird
Bird stops at third...
The Head is screwed on right.
[148] Most of the guys on Banter could beat Bird from first to third. And maybe some of their grandmas, too.
Eat shit, blue. Not a strike.
Dammit, Brett.
Oh well.
Now we get to see another Tanaka inning!
[149] That's very good. It's stuck in my head now.
Ball 4 but at least that was close. That’s been a strike all night.
I find the product nugenix to be disturbing
‘Nugenix’...? Do I want to google that?
That’s right down the fucking middle, blue. Holy Nelly!
Wait, I thought
(a) YS has a 'joke' of a right field fence, and
(b) the Astros are the best hitters in MLB.
And yet, they keep flying out to the track in RF.
Something's not right here.
[157] I’ve seen their ad 100 times in this series. Starring frank Thomas. But say Nugenix three times fast. What does that sound like? It’s disturbing.
[157] it’s a “testosterone booster”
Siddown, sucka.
TanaKa strikes again.
2 down.
[157] Natural testosterone booster? I'll stick with booty.
Love this pitching!
[161] I got two kids, pass on the extra testosterone.
[164] isn’t that why you run marathons?
Oh Smoltz - Severino will be pitching in an elimination game. Either way...
Yeah!
Nice work, Sheriff.
And nicer work, Hiro. What a gem.
[166] based on what little I know, it’s not an accident it sounds like eugenics.
Brilliant 7. Great play by Gary.
Yes! Nice save Gary!
[166] Yeah, is that really what the world needs more of?
Testosterone?
Seems doubtful.
Phew, that was scary.
Robertson then Chapman
I hope Kahnle can go two and the rest of the pen gets to rest for two days.
Tanaka is ICE.
[166] Nah, that's for the endorphins.
Oh and some insurance runs please...
Ok he could have swung at some point.
Jazz, when you buy MLB gear, what size jersey do you take?
Don’t waste Robertson. Cmon joe.
Oh, that is beautiful.
I have tears in my eyes.
The Sanchize is all warmed up.
Boat, I’ll have to check, it’s been a while.
Gary!!!!!!!!!
KABOOOOOOOOOM,
Kraken!
The Swagger is back. Liked that bat drop.
Didi, again.
The future is now. It has arrived.
It's like Girardi said in the post-game yesterday: the team reminds you of when Joe was playing.
I’ll take that insurance
Sir Didi!
This team reminds me more and more of the ‘96 team.
Hicks is the one batter that still looks awful all the time.
[186] Yeah, DiMaggio
Ok, Tommy for two
"Maybe you don't even have to go to Chapman" ?!?
No Betances? ;>)
5 more to go
Now 4
Mmmmmm, Kahnle.
Me like.
Now 3
Leave him in!
Beautious!
I have not enjoyed baseball this much in ages.
Bird the bird the walking Bird!
[201] hear hear!
[201] For sure. It really is like '95. Or '96.
It's like '95 suddenly turned into '96.
Is there any sensible reason to not throw Kahnle in The 9th?
1 down.
[205] Ooh, good, right!
One down
A big lead and they aren't (so far) shredding the bullpen for no reason. It's like Christmas!
Grrr
I guess the strike zone is smaller now.
We have insurance
Two down
Another beautiful game.
Beautiful.
I love this game.
Most satisfying. Bring on verlander!
Three down! Shut out intact.
All the feelings.
No way Verlander pitches like that again, we got this!
I’m even looking forward to A-Rod! Lol
What a win. Muscle Hero!
Houston you have a problem.
Can we get "motorboat" going as Verlander's nickname?
Holy cow that was wonderful.
218) Yes!
Mo help me. Ortiz doing his “The Yankeeeeeees win” and his overall love of baseball might actually make me like him. Didn’t think it was possible. Cheers y’all. What a game.
Of course...
we still have to win in Houston.
[227] 'Stros are rattled. Home cooking or not, I think we win.
[228] Agree. Just trying not to be...
Toooptimistic! Remember?
[229] D'oh! We need to compile the Banter Glossary at some point.
Can the Score Truck drive to Houston in 36hrs?
No one up for Cubs-Dodgers? I'm hoping Cubs win one and they have to use Kershaw in Game 6.
I'm sure I'm greedy but I want to beat Verlander like we beat Keuchel.
[232] You bet, don't like Game 7s on the road.
what a night! Tanaka needs to be resigned. best comment from Banter: Houston, you have a problem. need the day off myself. Let's beat JV and avoid a game 7.
First comment on a Yahoo Japan article looks forward to a Tanaka-Darvish match-up in the World Series.
[235] It will be insane here if that happens. Def taking the day off work for that.
[236] Japan sure could use it. The morale boost sports success gives energizes communities in the best way.