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Yankees fans talked about patrolling the wall before clawing the ball out of Mookie Betts’ glove
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Yankees fans talked about patrolling the wall before clawing the ball out of Mookie Betts’ glove

The two Yankees fans who were ejected from Game 4 of the World Series after prying a foul ball from the glove of Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts said they had a plan in place and were ready to execute it.

Austin Capobianco and his friend, John Peter, grabbed Betts’ glove and pulled the ball out as the Dodgers star jumped the wall and initially caught Gleyber Torres’ foul ball in the first inning at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday.

“We always joke about the ball in our area,” Capobianco, 38, a Yankees season ticket holder, told ESPN at a local bar after the game. “We are not going to go out of our way to attack. If it’s in our area, we’ll go to ‘D’.


Two Yankees fans ejected from Game 4 of the World Series after prying a foul ball from the glove of Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts.
Two Yankees fans ejected from Game 4 of the World Series after prying a foul ball from the glove of Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts. AP

“Someone defends, someone knocks the ball. We talk about it. We are willing to do this.”

Torres was ejected by the right field umpire for fan interference.

Capobianco and Peter were escorted out of Yankee Stadium, but said they were told they could return Wednesday for Game 5 in the Bronx.

“I know when I’m wrong and as soon as I did it I was like, ‘Guys, I’m out of here,’” Capobianco said. “I patrol that wall and they know it.”

In the wild scene caught on camera, one of the fans was seen grabbing Betts’ wrist as he clawed for the ball.

Darren Capobianco, Austin’s brother, told The Athletic that Betts “swore at us.”


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The eight-time MLB All-Star was visibly hampered at the time, but cooled off after the Dodgers’ 11-4 loss.

“When it comes to the person in the game, it doesn’t matter,” Betts said after the Dodgers failed to complete a sweep of the Yankees. “We lost. It’s not relevant. I’m doing well. He’s doing well. Everything is cool. We lost the game and I’m kind of focused on that. We have to turn the page and get ready for tomorrow.”


Two Yankees fans ejected from Game 4 of the World Series after prying a foul ball from the glove of Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts.
Two Yankees fans ejected from Game 4 of the World Series after prying a foul ball from the glove of Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts. AP

At the time, the Dodgers had a two-run lead after Freddie Freeman’s two-run homer.

Freeman became the first player in MLB history to hit a home run in six consecutive World Series games.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Dodgers rookie pitcher Ben Casparius said of the fan interference, “kind of sets the tone.”

It came after a separate fan incident in Game 1 at Dodger Stadium, when Torres hit a fly ball to left field and a fan reached over the wall and caught the ball.

The referee awarded Torres a double.

Game 5 is scheduled for Wednesday in the Bronx.