New York Yankees fans weren't just defeated by the Boston Red Sox, but by the misleading optical illusion of sitting in the right-field bleachers of their own home stadium.
Living up to the nature of a prototypical Red Sox-Yankees matchup, New York applied the pressure on Boston closer Kenley Jansen by getting runners on first and second base, which positioned the opportunity of a walk off hit to take place in front of a rowdy Yankee Stadium crowd.
But... that didn't happen, and while most folks watching home on TV were able to tell seconds before Anthony Volpe's towering foul ball in the ninth landed too far left from fair territory, Yankee fans needed some extra time to understand that they'd prematurely celebrated a walk-off home run that didn't even exist.
Check out New York's hilariously foolish reaction here, courtesy of Jomboy Media:
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Jansen was able to escape, securing both the save and Boston's 3-2 win over New York. Meanwhile, many Yankees fans were sent home drenched in a beer shower of defeat, regret and complete confusion about what unfolded on Friday night.
Volpe, who finished 1-for-4 in his debut against the Red Sox, spoke for the many disappointed New Yorkers afterward.
"I knew it was hooking so I just wanted it to just hit the pole or something," Volpe told reporters, per SNY video. "... I think I was definitely in the moment."
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That moment sent the Yankees to the loss column and helped the Red Sox return to .500 (32-32) following back-to-back road losses entering the rivalry series.
Featured image via John Jones/USA TODAY Sports Images
