An RBI single from Gleyber Torres gave the Yankees an exciting 5-4 walk-off victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday afternoon.
However, instead of a joyous celebration inside Yankee Stadium, mayhem broke out on the field after fans behind the right-field fence began throwing trash at Cleveland outfielders Oscar Mercado and Myles Straw.
Objects began flying from the stands at Mercado and Straw as they chased down Torres' walk-off hit. Mercado had to be restrained by teammates and security before Yankees players arrived on the scene to try and calm things down.
Front row, idiot holding up the L until Aaron Judge and others run out to tell them to stop, then suddenly he puts his hat back on and goes quiet as if he wasn't screaming in the face of Oscar Mercado seconds prior. pic.twitter.com/DpUfBZoa3j
— Jon Helmkamp (@JonHelmkamp) April 23, 2022
"They need to be held accountable, and I think there should be rules set up for that because that's ridiculous, and that should not happen," Mercado said after the game. "Say whatever you want to say and do whatever you want to do, but at the end of the day, there's got to be consequences for behavior like that."
Tensions had risen just before the Yankees' walk-off; Cleveland's right fielder Steven Kwan collided hard into the outfield wall chasing after a fly-ball. While the team trainer was checking on Kwan, Mercado alleged that a fan in the stands was celebrating the injury. Mercado and Straw confronted the fan, with Straw even climbing to the top of the fence to exchange words.
Guardians OF Myles Straw climbed the wall to confront Yankees fans, who were reportedly slandering teammate Steven Kwan, after he collided with the left field wall.
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) April 23, 2022
(: @JomboyMedia)
pic.twitter.com/88NsPkGrl7
"I just let him know, 'listen, man, you can chirp all you want but don't celebrate someone getting hurt,' Mercado said. "That's classless, and that shouldn't be a thing."
The Guardians and Yankees will finish a three-game series at Yankee Stadium on Sunday; Gerrit Cole takes the mound for New York, while Aaron Civale takes the hill for Cleveland.
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