Purple Sox rookie on Yankees followers’ booing 1st MLB HR: ‘Music to your ears’

NEW YORK – Getting booed by Yankees followers is a novel ceremony of passage for brand spanking new Purple Sox gamers.

It tells them they’re heading in the right direction, making Boston’s everlasting rivals sad.

On Friday evening, it was Marcelo Mayer’s flip. The Yankees already had a 7-0 lead by the second inning and would go on to win 9-6, however that late six-run Purple Sox rally bid was ignited by their long-awaited prime prospect; in his first profession recreation towards the Yankees, bought his crew on the board together with his first-ever big-league residence run.

“I felt actually good in my first at-bat, after which I bought one thing good to hit in my second at-bat,” Mayer mentioned as he stood within the guests clubhouse postgame. A modest evaluation of an at-bat which culminated in a 410-foot blast to right-center, which left his bat at 103.3 mph.

A participant solely will get one profession residence run No. 1, and whereas Mayer was in a position to get the ball again from the fan in trade for a signed bat and one other ball, the round-tripper itself was bittersweet.

“It was feeling,” he mentioned, “clearly it sort of sucks when you recognize, you’re shedding. However yeah, I imply it’s undoubtedly a second I’ll bear in mind for the remainder of my life.”

Although he grew up on the opposite aspect of the nation, the San Diego native has been within the Purple Sox group since they chose him fourth general within the ’21 draft. He’s well-versed within the storied rivalry with the Yankees, and was keen to hitch the fray; earlier than the sport, he advised the Herald he’d been ready for Friday evening for a very long time.

“I believe each single athlete, or baseball participant, desires about being on this rivalry, so to be in it, you recognize, it’s a very good feeling,” he mentioned postgame. “Clearly like I mentioned, getting a W would’ve been higher, however we bounce again tomorrow.”

So, if a Purple Sox rookie isn’t going to hit his first profession homer in entrance of the Fenway Devoted, doing it to Yankees followers in their very own home is the following neatest thing, proper?

“Yeah, 100-percent,” Mayer mentioned with a smile. “If not right here, then Petco (Park in San Diego), you recognize? That’s the place I’m from.”

And as a Purple Sox participant, is there something extra affirming that your profession is off to begin than getting booed by the house crowd in your first-ever recreation at Yankee Stadium?

“It’s like music to your ears,” Mayer mentioned. “Truthfully I didn’t actually right here it simply ’trigger like, I’m so centered on the sport, however yeah that’s fairly cool.”