Field of Dreams game: Walk-off homer caps Hollywood ending for White Sox
Tim Anderson hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning into the cornfield to end the Field of Dreams game in cinematic fashion, as the Chicago White Sox outslugged the New York Yankees 9-8 Thursday night in the first Major League Baseball game in Iowa.
Anderson, who was clearly having as much fun as anyone in attendance and had an earlier RBI double, danced his way around the bases and wiggled his hands around his neck as he headed for home and the celebratory dousing at the plate from his teammates.
That sent the crowd of 7,832 back through the corn and to their cars after a light and fireworks show at the madefrom-scratch stadium next to the filming site of the beloved 1989 movie starring Kevin Costner. Even the Yankees fans who made the trek could hardly have headed home anything but happy with the experience.
“The fans came to see a show, and we gave them a show,” Anderson said.
Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton each hit two-run homers for the Yankees in the top of the ninth off All-Star closer Liam Hendriks, as the moviethemed throwback event became a
home run hitting contest into the cornfield.
This was precisely the thrill many players hoped aloud for prior to the night. There were eight longballs in all, two by Judge.
And it had a Hollywood finish, too, with the game-saving shot by Anderson. So what if it was more from “The Natural” than “Field of Dreams”?
José Abreu hit the first drive into the sea of green stalks, and teammates Eloy Jiménez and Seby Zavala followed him with homers for the White Sox.
“That was as special and breathtaking a setting for a baseball game as I’ve ever been part of,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.
Hendriks (7-2) wound up with the win when Anderson connected off Zack Britton (0-1).
League ERA leader Lance Lynn sidestepped a three-run homer by Judge and a solo shot from Brett Gardner to finish five innings for the White Sox, remaining unbeaten in his last eight starts.
Jiménez had a three-run shot in the third inning. Then Zavala added a two-run homer in the fourth to hang seven runs on Yankees starter Andrew Heaney, who lasted five innings on this vintage summer night in farm country with the teams in 1919-style uniforms to match.
Judge wore custom-painted shoes to commemorate the film, with the famous line “If you build it, he will come,” printed on the tongues and cornstalks on the sides.
Costner started the evening with a star’s entrance, slowly walking out of the cornrows like Shoeless Joe Jackson and his ghost-like teammates did in the film before turning to watch the players do the same for their made-for-TV pregame introductions. Costner’s address to the fans included the obligatory question in ode to the famous line from the movie, “Is this heaven?”
No, it’s Iowa, but MLB will be back, as commissioner Rob Manfred promised for 2022, the teams still to be determined.