New York City, Oct 19: Baseball fans including Japan's Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi react to the New York Yankees reaching the World Series
New York Yankees fans celebrated their team's 6-5 win over the Boston Red Sox to gain a spot in the Baseball World Series on Thursday (October 16).
The Yankees, bidding for their 27th World Series triumph, clinched their 39th American League in the final match of the best-of-seven series and will host National League champion Florida Marlins on Saturday (October 18). The Marlins won their only World Series in 1997. New York came back from 4-0 down in the fourth inning and 5-2 in the eighth to win 6-5 in the 11th. One happy viewer was Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who was taking a keen interest in the fortunes of the Yankees' Japanese player Hideki Matsui.


"Wasn't it great," Koizumi told reporters. "I was watching it because Matsui was in it. But wasn't it a dramatic homerun. I was watching the sayonara home run."


Despite the win, Japanese fans were left fuming after the game coverage was interrupted during a key moment for a regular news programme when Matsui scored the tying run in the eighth inning.


Japanese TV stations regularly end baseball coverage in the middle of a game to stick to their scheduled programming, leaving fans out in the cold.


Back in New York, the Red Sox fans had to cope with the disappointment of defeat, and after scuffles with police, one person was arrested.


Bureau Report