Two Yankees fans have been banned from the Stadium for Game 5 of the World Series Wednesday night after aggressively interfering with Dodgers star right fielder Mookie Betts Tuesday night in the first inning during Game 4, per a league official.
Austin Capobianco, a Yankees season-ticket holder who was wearing a road gray Yankees jersey in the front row down the right field line, grabbed Betts’ glove as he made a catch at the wall, and Capobianco’s friend, John Peter, grabbed Betts’ right hand as Capobianco pried the ball from the glove.
They will have their ticket prices refunded.
Capobianco told ESPN Tuesday night at a bar near Yankee Stadium after being ejected that he and Peter have long been prepared for such a scenario.
“We always joke about the ball in our area,” the 38-year-old told ESPN. “We’re not going to go out of our way to attack. If it’s in our area, we’re going to ‘D’ up.
“Someone defends, someone knocks the ball. We talk about it. We’re willing to do this.”
Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres, who hit the fly ball to begin the bottom of the first, was called out on fan interference.
The fans initially told ESPN that they were told they’d be allowed to return for Wednesday’s Game 5, which the Yankees forced with their 11-4 win Tuesday to avoid a World Series sweep.
“I know when I’m in the wrong and as soon as I did it, I was like, ‘Boys I’m out of here,'” Capobianco told ESPN. “I patrol that wall and they know that.”
Capobianco’s brother Darren told The Athletic that Betts was cursing at them.
“I just see the ball kind of — I don’t want to say (go) up for grabs, if that makes sense,” Darren Capobianco told The Athletic of brother Austin’s interference on the play. “And then Mookie was swearing at us. Not good.”
While Betts appeared to be furious in the moment, he chose his words carefully after the game.
“When it comes to the person and play, it doesn’t matter,” Betts said. “We lost. It’s irrelevant. I’m fine, he’s fine. Everything’s cool. We lost the game, that’s what I’m focused on. Turn the page and get ready for [Wednesday.]”