SAFE AT HOME!
COVID caution at Yank's opener
Game on! Thousands of baseball fans returned to Yankee Stadium on Thursday to root, root, root for the home team on Opening Day — the first time they had been allowed in since the 2019 season because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The home of the Bronx Bombers welcomed 10,850 spectators — a full 20 percent of capacity — as the Yanks lost a 10-inning thriller to the Toronto Blue Jays, 3-2.
Fans, including families with kids, faced a slew of COVID-19 restrictions — including mandated face coverings, socially distanced seating, temperature checks and a requirement for proof of a negative coronavirus test within the past 72 hours or full vaccination — but they were still thrilled to cheer on the Yankees in person.
“We got tested [for the coronavirus] Tuesday. Results came back at 2 a.m. this morning. I was not missing this!” said Gary Von Stange, 64, ahead of the game.
Stange had flown to New York from St. Petersburg, Fla., to attend his 52nd home opener at Yankee Stadium.
“This is even more important with the pandemic on Opening Day,” he said. “Hope springs eternal, and everyone starts all over.”
Megan Coombes and Vanessa Williams of Seattle had more than just Opening Day to celebrate. Williams proposed to Coombes outside of Yankee Stadium — and presented the engagement ring inside a hollowed-out baseball.
“I’m a big Yankee fan!” a beaming Coombes, who said she once lived and worked in New York, told The Post after saying “yes” to Williams.
Williams added, “I hid the ring inside a baseball.”
Scott Petersen, 43, of Connecticut surprised his 9-year-old son, Kyle, Thursday morning and pulled him out of school to attend the ballgame.
“Especially now, kids need to get out,” Petersen said, explaining that he and his son got tested at an urgent-care facility in Danbury, Conn., beforehand.
Under state rules, professional sports in large outdoor stadiums like Yankee Stadium or Citi Field that hold 10,000 people or more have been permitted to reopen at 20 percent capacity.
Dave Fiumaro, 48, a Long Islander who has attended every Opening Day since 1996, left the game by the end of the fifth inning.
“It didn’t feel like Opening Day,” he lamented.
“There was no atmosphere at all. No vendors, nobody yelling ‘beer here, hot dogs,’ nothing! And it was empty! You can sit anywhere you want. Nobody’s there to check seats,” Fiumaro said.
“You can’t get a regular beer cup! Like a cup of beer, no cups, only cans.”
Miguel Cabrera hit a drive to right field, and on a snowy day at Comerica Park, it was anyone’s guess where the ball would end up.
Terry Francona lost sight of it, and Cabrera was so uncertain he went sliding into second base, in case there was a play there.
“It was a good slide,” Cabrera said.
Of Cabrera’s 488 career home runs, this one was certainly unique. His first-inning drive through the flakes was the first homer of the 2021 Major League Baseball season and sent the Tigers over the Indians 3-2 on Thursday in Detroit.
The Tigers welcomed their fans back to Comerica with a victory in their season opener, and they gave AJ Hinch a win in his debut as their manager. The former Houston skipper missed last season while suspended in the aftermath of the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal.
Rockies 8, Dodgers 5
In Denver, Cody Bellinger had a homer negated because of a baserunning mistake, while the Rockies played plenty of small ball to beat the defending World Series champion Dodgers.
In a tough day for the Dodgers, Bellinger hit a homer — and was called out before he could finish his trot. He lined what appeared to be a two-run homer to left-center in the third inning. The ball hit off the glove of outfielder Raimel Tapia and bounded over the fence. Justin Turner was on first base at the time and believing the ball had been caught, retreated back to the bag. Bellinger passed Turner in the confusion and the umpires ruled Bellinger out.
Phillies 3, Braves 2
In Philadelphia, Jean Segura hit an RBI single with two outs in the 10th inning to lift the Phillies over the Braves.
After Nate Jones (0-1) intentionally walked Did Gregorius, Segura hit a bouncer down the third-base line to score Bryce Harper, who began the inning as the automatic runner at second base and advanced to third on a grounder.
In the top of the 10th, center fielder Roman Quinn made a perfect throw to the plate to retire Ozzie Albies, who was trying to score on Marcell Ozuna’s fly ball. Catcher J.T. Realmuto caught the ball and slid in front of the plate in one slick motion, successfully blocking Albies’ path.
Brewers 6, Twins 5
In Milwaukee, Lorenzo Cain scored the winning run in the 10th after Travis Shaw sparked a ninth-inning comeback and Milwaukee beat Minnesota.
Cain opened the bottom of the 10th on second base and moved to third when Omar Narváez singled to right off Randy Dobnak. Orlando Arcia then hit a bouncer to second baseman Jorge Polanco, whose throw to the plate wasn’t in time to get a sliding Cain.
Padres 8, Diamondbacks 7
In San Diego, Eric Hosmer had a homer among his three hits and drove in three runs, newcomer Victor Caratini also had three RBIs and the Padres gave up four long balls in the fifth inning to blow a five-run lead before beating the Diamondbacks.
Arizona’s Ketel Marte had four hits, including one of Arizona’s four home runs in the wild six-run fifth.
Rays 1, Marlins 0
In Miami, Austin Meadows’ home run with two outs in the eighth inning was all the Rays needed, and the reigning AL champions started their season by shutting out the Marlins.