The Rays knew they would pretty much be in enemy territory when they agreed to play the Yankees at Citi Field after a series scheduled to be played at Tropicana Field had to be moved because of Hurricane Irma.
And their instincts proved to be correct.
“Just the fact of getting booed as soon as I stepped on the field, that was weird,” Tampa Bay starter Jake Odorizzi said after the Yankees beat the Rays, 5-1, on Monday night in Queens.
Odorizzi, like the rest of the Rays, didn’t seem to mind having to be a road team as they and the Yankees fight to get into the postseason — although Steven Souza Jr. said before the game: “You wouldn’t draw up a home game in New York against the Yankees in the wild-card chase, but we’re just thankful we have a place to play.”
The storm hit St. Petersburg, Fla., over the weekend while the Rays were in Boston and they ended up playing in what turned into Yankee Stadium East. With only the lower bowl open, an announced crowd of 15,327 showed up, more than a typical Rays’ home game and a pretty good number considering the short notice.
The $25 ticket price likely helped and fans have been encouraged to take public transportation due to limited parking at Citi Field.
Nearly everyone who showed up were fans of the “visiting” team.
“It was different,” said Todd Frazier, who hit a three-run homer. “Before the game, we heard, ‘Let’s go Yankees’ [chants] and the lower levels were packed.”
“I don’t know that there is a neural site when you’re playing the Yankees,” Evan Longoria said. “They travel well.”
Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash insisted he was OK with the setup after his team traveled from Boston following a series against the Red Sox.
“I don’t look at it as a competitive advantage or disadvantage,’’ Cash said. “We’re here playing in a great ballpark. We need to find a way to win.”
Most members of the Rays had already heard that their families and houses were relatively undamaged and had adjusted their focus back to baseball.
Because of the change of venue, the Yankees play 17 of their final 20 games in New York.
“Of course that’s good for us,” Chase Headley said before the game. “But it doesn’t mean you’re gonna roll out and win because you’re close to home.”
The Yankees are treating the series against the Rays as they would a road series versus the Mets and have buses coming from Yankee Stadium to Citi Field, but players could also drive themselves.
The Yankees used the visitor’s clubhouse and dugout.
Prior to the game, fans were notified about how to donate to relief efforts for both Irma and Harvey recovery efforts and a moment of silence was also observed in remembrance of 9/11 attacks.
It was the first time the Yankees played a game in Queens not against the Mets since April 15, 1998, when they faced the Angels at Shea Stadium, after the previous Yankee Stadium was closed after an expansion joint fell there two days earlier.
“I thought the energy was great in the stadium for a bad situation,” Joe Girardi said. “I give Tampa Bay credit for coming here and making it easy on everyone. I thought the fans were great.”
