Fans are back for the 2021 MLB season, and that means the return of the excited season ticket holders, the families looking for a fun night together, the bold first date-takers, and the proud parents, spouses, children and siblings of players and coaches. Unfortunately, that means that the not-so-nice group of fans is back as well. That includes the hecklers and, worst of all, those who run on the field for an adrenaline-filled 15 seconds of fame followed by deserved consequences. That last bunch isn't one that shows up too often, typically with one idiot, at most, taking their chances at touching the outfield grass before they are inevitably punished.
In the case of the Marlins-Phillies game at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday night, though, it happened twice.
The first runner came in the top of the eighth inning when Marlins slugger Jesus Aguilar — who was questionably ranked the top first baseman in baseball right now by an MLB Network personality — was at the plate with one away.
Perhaps it was an incident that allowed the wild Jose Alvarado, who had just given up a two-run home run to Jazz Chisholm and allowed for the 1-1 tie to be broken, to sharpen his focus. Aguilar proceeded to strike out looking before Archie Bradley came into the game and finished off the inning.
We didn't have to wait long for the next fan, however, who put up a pretty clumsy showing compared to fan No. 1 and created visible annoyance for Rhys Hoskins at the plate, who was up at a key juncture in the game.
Perhaps it was that annoyance that fueled Hoskins and the Phillies in the bottom of the eighth, which turned out to be the deciding inning of the game by a wide margin. Here's what happened next:
— Hoskins singled to left.
— Alec Bohm doubled to center, Hoskins scored.
— Odubel Herrera singled to second base.
— Andrew Knapp walked.
— Nick Maton singled to right, Bohm scored.
— Ronald Torreyes doubled to left field, Herrera and Knapp scored.
— Andrew McCutchen walked.
— Jean Segura singled to first, Maton scored.
— Bryce Harper singled to right, Torreyes and McCutchen scored.
Okay... maybe I shouldn't be so mad at these fans. Sure, they're stupid, but look at that rally! It would be more than enough for Philly to defeat the division rival Marlins and move back within a game of the Mets.
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