One of the biggest stories during the New York Yankees' 11-4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 to keep their World Series hopes alive was the fan interference play with Mookie Betts in the first inning. When Betts went to try and catch a foul ball near the wall in right field, two Yankees fans started grabbing at him to try and dislodge the ball.

In a shocking turn of events, the fan who initially grabbed at Betts' glove, Austin Capobianco, is a friend of former NFL star Rob Gronkowski. Gronkowski shared that revelation in an appearance on the “Up and Adams Show” with Kay Adams on Wednesday.

“That guy right there grabbing Mookie Betts' glove was my friend in college,” Gronkowski said. “He was on the club Arizona Wildcats ice hockey team and let me tell you, the whole hockey team was absolute maniacs.”

“Him doing that represent him very well. He is all in for his teams, he is all in for the Yankees,” Gronkowski continued. “That described him perfectly, just doing whatever it takes to help his team out, he's a beauty, I just want to say congratulations to Austin for shining when your moment came.”

Gronkowski followed up what he said to Adams with a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, about his friend Austin.

What happened with Mookie Betts and the New York Yankees fans in the first inning of Game 4?

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In the first inning of Game 4 of the World Series, Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres hit a fly ball into the foul territory in right field. Betts ran over to try and make the catch, appeared to catch the ball, and crashed into the wall and leaned into the stands.

As Betts made the catch and approached the stands, two Yankees fans began aggressively grabbing at Betts' arm and glove to try and dislodge the ball.


After one fan pried Betts' glove open and the other grabbed at his right hand, the ball came loose, but the umpires still ruled that Torres was out due to fan interference.

The two fans are now banned from Yankee Stadium for Game 5 in a joint decision from Major League Baseball and the Yankees.