After watching their beloved Boston Red Sox clobber the New York Yankees in a 10-1 win that clinched a Wild Card playoff spot on Sunday afternoon, fans left Fenway Park excited and optimistic.
Fans said they were not upset the Sox lost the division title to their rival Yankees, and were happy just to win the Wild Card.
“It absolutely does not matter that we didn’t win the division,” said Matt Costa, a Red Sox fan from Fall River. “Does it matter how we get there? No, it doesn’t.”
Fans cheered as Costa and Bill Norton of Fall River erased the names of the Yankees players from the whiteboard on Yawkey Way listing the day’s lineups, yelling “See ya!”
“The last three World Series champions were Wild Card winners,” Norton said.
Many fans said they hoped for another playoff match between the Sox and the Yankees.
“I’m glad we’re both in the playoffs,” said Kristy Polsey, an Ayer resident and a recent Becker College graduate. “Last year the Yankees series was the World Series for me. That was it.”
Mark Mullane, who drove from Connecticut to try to get tickets for Sunday’s game, but ended up watching it down the street in the Cask n’ Flagon, said he also wanted to see the Red Sox play the Yankees again. “I’m not worried,” Mullane said. “The Sox’ll take it.”
Fans had mixed feelings about seeing Mark Bellhorn make his first appearance at Fenway in a Yankees uniform.
“Oh boy, it was a relief to see him because it was automatic out,” said Norton, laughing and shrugging his shoulders.
Sam Furbush, a freshman at Simmons College, said she was glad the Red Sox won the Wild Card. She added that she was upset to see Mark Bellhorn in a Yankees uniform.
“I was so shocked by his lack of hair,” Furbush said. “But I wasn’t too upset because I heard he’s really unhappy [in New York].” Jackie Iverson of Ayer said she booed Bellhorn during the game for playing for the Yankees.
“He played a big role in winning the World Series last year, I know,” Iverson said. “But he’s still a Yankee.”
Many fans said they hoped to get playoff tickets no matter what it took.
School of Education freshman Heather Kohn and College of Arts and Sciences freshmen Steph Sessa and Jake Epp said they camped outside Fenway on Saturday night to get tickets to Sunday’s game, and were considering doing it again for the playoffs.
“We got here at 8:30 last night and were the 75th people to buy tickets out of 250 they had available,” Sessa said.
Other fans also said they would camp out to get tickets, but were wary of high prices.
“I would like to get tickets, but I know prices are already really steep, so playoffs are going to be worse,” said Jocelyn Hotte, a freshman at Simmons College. “But if they go to the World Series, we’re camping out.”
There was a large police presence outside the ballpark on Sunday, but Jason Conrad, a patrolman from Marblehead and a member of the North Eastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council, said the fans remained mellow and calm throughout the day.
“It is much safer this year,” Conrad said.