MIAMI (AP) — The sound of bagpipes echoed around the outskirts of the Miami Marlins' ballpark hours before the first pitch, as Scotland fans announced their arrival in South Florida days before their squad's World Cup match against Brazil.
Dressed in kilts and belting “No Scotland, No Party,” they marched roughly one mile from a popular Miami bar to loanDepot Park on Monday night, turning the stadium into the latest stop on the Tartan Army's Major
League Baseball takeover tour after they filled the streets of Boston and New York for Scotland's previous matches.
Inside the ballpark, the atmosphere was more lively than for most weeknight games for the Marlins, who in recent years have had some of the worst attendance in baseball. Longtime supporters were looking forward to seeing their ballpark transformed by the boisterous Scotland fans.
“It’s going to give a really good experience to us fans,” said Victor Munoz, a Miami native. “Usually the stadium’s not full, now it’s going to be full. It’s going to be packed. It’ll be fun.”
Scotland fans roared during a routine groundout in the first inning and chanted in anticipation of nearly every pitch. Some kicked around empty beer cans as if they were soccer balls. They took over the concourse, wearing traffic cones atop their heads while cheering.
“We’re loving everything,” said Johnnie Sloan, who flew to Boston from Glasgow, Scotland, and drove to Miami for Wednesday's match. “We're here for the World Cup, obviously, but tonight we’re here in Miami going to watch the baseball (game). This is a warmup for Wednesday. I guarantee the Miami Marlins win tonight because they’ve got the full support of the Tartan Army.”
The Marlins lost 4-3 to the Texas Rangers, but the Scots embraced the experience, singing afterward as if they were celebrating a victory.
“Lively out there tonight,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. “That was quite the atmosphere.”
The announced crowd of 20,008 included about 8,000 members of the Tartan Army, and it was a striking sight. The ballpark was used for the World Baseball Classic, where a sellout crowd of 36,190 watched Venezuela beat the United States in the final earlier this year. But the Marlins entered Monday's game averaging 12,604 fans per game in the regular season.
They've been one of the hottest teams in baseball, going an MLB-best 14-4 in June with an eight-game home winning streak entering Monday.
Munoz hopes the Tartan Army takeover leads to more attention for the ascending Miami team.
“It’s going to give us visibility,” Munoz said. “The Marlins are a fairly new team. So it’s good because that way, the world is going to get to know us. And we’ll eventually get to become like a Yankee team.”
The Scots had descended on bars and filled the pubs in the Boston area as they celebrated their team’s first World Cup appearance in 28 years, and a historic victory over Haiti in their opener.
“I don’t think the ballpark is ready to supply so much beer,” said Harry Guerrero, a Marlins season ticket holder who was born and raised in Miami. “I honestly think it’s going to be out of hand. But I wish the ballpark well.”
Members of the Tartan Army met at the bar Ball & Chain to begin their march to the ballpark. Guerrero showed up to share a few drinks. He said it was the earliest he’d arrived at a Marlins game in at least five years.
“It’s kind of crazy. We’re so glad to have them in Miami and we hope they enjoy themselves,” he added. “I hope they’re getting hydration — I told them — and their sunscreen because they’re a bunch of pale guys.”
After singing along to a live pregame performance by Nick Morgan, who released the song “No Scotland, No Party,” fans turned the famed chant into “No Marlins, No Party” throughout the night.
The players noticed.
“They brought their spirit over. It was really cool to see,” said Owen Caissie, who had to corral a few water-filled beach balls in the outfield.
Added Marlins starting pitcher Tyler Phillips: “If it was up to me, I would have us paying those people to show up to the games. That was unbelievable. Like from the second I walked out and then up the dugout, I felt it in my chest. It felt great. ... And man, if I ever see them, like if I’m ever out there, I got their backs.”
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Associated Press journalist Gracie Fisher contributed to this report. Fisher is a student in the University of Georgia’s Carmical Sports Media Institute.
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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/FIFA-World-Cup
