Fans flock toMarlins Park for epic HR battle
MIAMI Catching a HomeRun Derby ball is easy at the bar beyond Marlins Park’s left fieldwall.
All you have to do is track the speeding baseball, survive the wave of humanity doing the same, rise above the shoving huddle beneath you, and squeeze a glove or brave a barehand catch. If not, you just have to wrestle the ball away while rolling on the floor. That’s it. It’s easy.
Fans cannot see the batter in the box, so they relyonthe video boards to give them their timing. As the ball’s flight becomes visible, the still crowd nearly transforms into a mob and then a celebration of the ball’s newest owner.
Yankee fan Mike Calabro became something of a local celebrity on Tuesday night, collecting two home runs hit by Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez. Calabro, an Orlando native who won tickets to the event through a scavenger hunt on Miami Beach, caught the first by reaching high with a glove and the second by diving on the ground.
In the aftermath, Calabro posed for pictures taken by strangers and even took one with someone’s young child.
Calabro joked that hewas born intoYankeefandombecause his parents were from Buffalo. Heplansonbuying a Sanchez All-Star jersey.
“I wouldn’t want to catch anyone else,” Calabro said. “It’s going
Despite getting drilled in the face, he bounced up immediately and started laughing as he held his nose.
“I was more concerned that I almost lostmy hat,” he said. “I was a little embarrassed I didn’t catch the ball. I’ve lostmy athleticism and I have a glove.” to look good tomorrow.” night, and he plans on bringing his makeshift outfit with him.
“If Aaron Judge wins, I’m going through TSA just like this,” Rodas said, gesturing to his robe.