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Yankees fans banned from Game 5 after Mookie Betts interference

Yankees fans banned from Game 5 after Mookie Betts interference

Two Yankees fans will be banned from the stadium for Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night after they aggressively disrupted Dodgers star right fielder Mookie Betts in the first inning of Game 4 on Tuesday night, according to a league official.

Austin Capobianco, a Yankees season ticket holder wearing a road gray Yankees jersey in the front row on the right field line, grabbed Betts' glove as he caught it on the wall, and Capobianco's friend John Peter grabbed Betts' glove. with his right hand as Capobianco ripped the ball out of his glove.

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Yankees fans Austin Capobianco (gray jersey) and John Peter (white jersey) attempt to rip the ball from the glove of Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts (50) during Game 4 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium on Oct. 29, 2024. Getty Images
Yankees fans Austin Capobianco (gray jersey) and John Peter (white jersey) pry the ball from the glove of Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts (50) during Game 4 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium on October 29, 2024. Getty Images

Capobianco told ESPN at a bar near Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night after he was ejected that he and Peter had long been prepared for such a scenario.

“We always joke about the ball in our area,” the 38-year-old told ESPN. “We won’t bother attacking. If it's in our area, we'll ramp up “D.”

“Someone defends, someone hits the ball. We talk about it. We are ready for this.”

Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres, who hit the fly ball early in the first, was called for fan interference.

Fans initially told ESPN that they had been told they would be allowed to return for Wednesday's Game 5, which the Yankees forced with their 11-4 win on Tuesday to avoid a World Series win.


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“I know when I'm in the wrong, and as soon as I did, I was like, 'Guys, I'm out of here,'” Capobianco told ESPN. “I patrol the wall and they know it.”

Capobianco's brother Darren told The Athletic that Betts verbally abused her.

Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts (50) makes a catch on the wall in the first inning in Game 4 of the World Series before being disrupted by fans on October 29, 2024. Jason Scenes/New York Post
Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts (50) reacts after two Yankees fans ripped the ball out of his glove in the first inning of Game 4 of the World Series on Oct. 29, 2024. Jason Scenes/New York Post

“I just see the ball – I don’t want to say it’s winnable, if that makes sense,” Darren Capobianco told The Athletic about brother Austin’s interference in the game. “And then Mookie called us names. Not good.”

While Betts seemed angry in the moment, he chose his words carefully after the game.

“When it comes to the person and the game, 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 concentrating on. Turn the page and get ready for (Wednesday).”

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