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Astros: My Night At Yankee Stadium

By Yoni Pollak

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Wooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!

I spent much of my night howling after the Astros 3-0 win against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium last night.

I currently live in New York, so when a Houston sports team comes to town, I do my best to come to a game or two. When you tell me it’s the first Astros playoff game in a decade, you KNOW I will be there, and I made sure to by tickets early and relatively cheap. A $10 cab ride and $71 ticket (after StubHub fees) and I was in Yankee Stadium to root on my Astros.

I thought I’d be fine getting to the stadium by 7:50ish. My prior commitments made that the earliest time possible. However, the lines outside were insane. Only a few entrances to get into the stadium and Yankees fans lets security and officials know they weren’t happy. Eventually security was bypassed (they let everyone in without being checked by detectors) and I made it to my seat in time for the bottom of the first inning.

My friend and I showed up to my seat and I was delighted to see another childhood friend sitting right behind me. Yes, he flew into New York, from Houston, just for the game. So awesome! Two Astros fans were also right next to him and it made for a fun night. Everyone else in section 430, but one seemingly lonely Astros fan about 15 rows above me, were all Yankees fans and they let me know about it.

When Colby Rasmus homered to start the 2nd inning, things became fun. My small Astros section stood up loud and proud and were greeted by a few “sit downs” and even some french fries. Carlos Gomez‘s home run made us breathe better and made it even more dramatic up in 430.

As the game went on and a few missed peanut throws later, Yankees fans weren’t too happy with me. After every Dallas Keuchel strikeout, a home plate umpire in section 430 (yours truly) flashed the strikeout motion. Every time Yankees fans stood up for a big two-strike count, I made sure to let them know to sit right back down following a poor Yankees result.

To their credit, Yankees fans were quite loud on a night they had little to cheer about. There were many “Let’s Go Yankees” chants when the game was dead after each out by a Yankee. Though their were many empty seats, fans were loud and proud for the most part.

The experience was truly incredible after eight innings and the ninth made it so much better. After three quick outs, our Astros were headed to the ALDS and Yankees fans quietly left their seats. But the night wasn’t over for the Astros faithful. Many fans went down to the lower concourse to join their fellow brethren in Astros celebrations.

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I did my best to start as many “Let’s Go Astros” and “Beat K.C.” chants over the next hour or so after the game. Channel 2 was down in the stands taking videos and celebrating with the fans. Houston rap star Bun B was in the house (Yes, I snapped a pic with him) and celebrated with fans. Myself, Bun B and other Astros fans walked out of the stadium chanting “Let’s Go Astros” (Video).

Astros fans celebrated throughout the night outside of Yankee Stadium. All I saw leaving the stadium was a bunch of orange as Yankee fans were long gone.

It was a great night for Houston and easily a top live sports moment for me. There’s nothing quite like entering a hostile enemy territory in a win-or-go-home game.

Nothing like it!

BY THE NUMBERS

0/4 – Brett Gardner‘s stat line. Also Yankees fans stats trying to hit me with peanuts after I was leaving section 430

77 – Unofficial count of middle fingers pointed my way 

93 – Unofficial count of “sit downs” shouted my way

50,000 (or so) – Fans that ended up sitting down after every Yankees out

2 – French Fries that hit my friend (in a Berkman jersey) next to me

1 – One team moving on

LET’S GO ASTROS!

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