MIAMI (AP) 鈥� 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 match against Brazil.
Dressed in kilts and belting 鈥淣o Scotland, No Party,鈥� 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 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.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to give a really good experience to us fans,鈥� said Victor Munoz, a Miami native. 鈥淯sually the stadium鈥檚 not full, now it鈥檚 going to be full. It鈥檚 going to be packed. It鈥檒l be fun.鈥�
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.
鈥淲e鈥檙e loving everything,鈥� said Johnnie Sloan, who flew to Boston from Glasgow, Scotland, and drove to Miami for Wednesday’s match. 鈥淲e’re here for the World Cup, obviously, but tonight we鈥檙e here in Miami going to watch the baseball (game). This is a warmup for Wednesday. I guarantee the Miami Marlins win tonight because they鈥檝e got the full support of the Tartan Army.鈥�
The Marlins to the Texas Rangers, but the Scots embraced the experience, singing afterward as if they were celebrating a victory.
鈥淟ively out there tonight,鈥� Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. 鈥淭hat was quite the atmosphere.鈥�
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 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.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to give us visibility,鈥� Munoz said. 鈥淭he Marlins are a fairly new team. So it鈥檚 good because that way, the world is going to get to know us. And we鈥檒l eventually get to become like a Yankee team.鈥�
The Scots had and filled the pubs in the Boston area as they celebrated their team鈥檚 first World Cup appearance in 28 years, and a over Haiti in their opener.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think the ballpark is ready to supply so much beer,鈥� said Harry Guerrero, a Marlins season ticket holder who was born and raised in Miami. 鈥淚 honestly think it鈥檚 going to be out of hand. But I wish the ballpark well.鈥�
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鈥檇 arrived at a Marlins game in at least five years.
鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of crazy. We鈥檙e so glad to have them in Miami and we hope they enjoy themselves,鈥� he added. 鈥淚 hope they鈥檙e getting hydration 鈥� I told them 鈥� and their sunscreen because they鈥檙e a bunch of pale guys.鈥�
After singing along to a live pregame performance by Nick Morgan, who released the song 鈥淣o Scotland, No Party,鈥� fans turned the famed chant into 鈥淣o Marlins, No Party鈥� throughout the night.
The players noticed.
鈥淭hey brought their spirit over. It was really cool to see,鈥� said Owen Caissie, who had to corral a few water-filled beach balls in the outfield.
Added Marlins starting pitcher Tyler Phillips: 鈥淚f 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鈥檓 ever out there, I got their backs.鈥�
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Associated Press journalist Gracie Fisher contributed to this report. Fisher is a student in the University of Georgia鈥檚 Carmical Sports Media Institute.
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