‘Absolutely insane behaviour’: World Series rocked by wild fan act

Game 4 of the World Series has left America stunned after a pair of fans manhandled a $560m star in bizarre scenes.

A moment of utter madness has left the US stunned after a pair of Yankees fans manhandled Dodgers star Mookie Betts in Game 4 of the World Series.

Coming into the game with the Dodgers up 3-0, the Yankees will need to be the first team to ever recover from a 0-3 deficit in a World Series — and the fans have taken it upon themselves to help out their team.

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At the bottom of the first innings, the Yankees were already trailing 2-0 when Gleyber Torres hit a fly ball down the right-field line with Betts coming across to take the catch.

Betts, who is in the fifth year of his 12-year $US365m ($A560m) deal, took the relatively comfortable catch when a pair of Yankees fans crossed the line, manhandling the star in bizarre scenes.

One fan aggressively grabbed and clawed at Betts’ glove until he dislodged the ball, while another fan in a Yankees jersey grabbed the right-fielder’s other wrist as he tried to get his hand free.

The idiotic fans — one wearing a Mariano Rivera No. 42 jersey and other in an Aaron Judge jersey — were soon escorted out of the stadium.

Torres was ultimately given out by fan interference.

Mookie Betts makes the catch. Photo: Luke Hales/Getty Images/AFP

The Yankees fan went to great lengths to break-up the play. Photo: Fox Sports

And it was all for nought after a third inning grand slam from Anthony Volpe put the Yankees on the path to an 11-4 win which has kept the World Series alive.

But the bizarre scenes saw America turn on the duo, slamming the pair for their idiotic act.

US sports personality Joe Pompliano tweeted: “This is absolutely insane behaviour.”

Dodgers reporter Doug McKain commented: “Ban this Yankees fan for life. What if Mookie gets injured here?”

Newsweek Dodgers beat reporter Noah Camras said: “Yankees fans are doing anything they can to try to help their team beat the Dodgers.

“I’ve never seen anything like this — two fans literally trying to rip the ball out of Mookie Betts’ glove.

“It was obviously ruled an out on a great catch from Betts.”

Tennis analyst Brad Gilbert posted: “Are you kidding me? This is inexcusable from Yankee fans.”

What were these guys thinking?!? Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images/AFP

Another said the pair “should be banned from all 30 (MLB) stadiums for life”.

Another commented: “Never seen anything like it. Those two clowns need their a**es kicked up and down Manhatten.”

Another Yankees fans added: “Good! They deserved it. As a Yankee fan I am embarrassed to see this despicable behaviour.”

The Athletic later identified the fan who tried to claw the ball out of Betts’ hand as 38-year-old Yankees season-ticket holder Austin Capobianco of Connecticut.

While he declined to comment, the man reportedly said: “I just want to watch the game.”

Capobianco’s brother Darren said he saw Betts’ glove go over the wall to make the catch.

“I just see the ball kind of — I don’t want to say up for grabs, if that makes sense,” Darren Capobianco said. “And then Mookie was swearing at us. Not good.”

An MLB spokesman later confirmed the fans were ejected.

“That was one of the most aggressive ‘fan ripping the ball out of his glove’ that I’ve ever seen,” former MLB umpire Dale Scott said.

The fans got the ball out – was it worth it? Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images/AFP

Volpe’s grand slam helped the Yankees avoid a clean sweep after his third-innings blast gave New York a 5-2 edge, their first lead since game one, and later homers by Torres and Austin Wells sparked New York’s rout.

“The win has hit me. Nothing else has hit me yet. It was great,” Volpe said.

“I was trying to get on time for a heater, see the ball and be easy. I didn’t know I made it and then I blacked out.”

While no team has ever recovered from a 3-0 deficit to win the World Series, the Yankees became the first team in 54 years to force a fifth game when down 0-3.

“It’s going to take a lot,” Wells said of the Yankees making a miracle fightback. “A lot of what happened today, a lot of good (at-bats), a lot of moving the line-up over (on the bases), just trying to get through their pitching staff.”

New York denied the Dodgers an eighth World Series title and first since 2020, while keeping alive hopes of the Yankees winning their first crown since 2009 and 28th overall.

With AFP

Originally published as ‘Absolutely insane behaviour’: World Series rocked by wild fan act