Fans gather as Arizona Diamondbacks take on Philadelphia Phillies
Fans share their thoughts on their favorite baseball teams at Chase Field on Oct. 20, 2023, ahead of Game 4 between the DBacks and the Phillies.
The Republic
The Arizona Diamondbacks faced off against the Philadelphia Phillies at Chase Field on Friday with a chance to tie the National League Championship Series at two games apiece. The first pitch was set to be thrown at 5:07 p.m.
The Diamondbacks had a disappointing start to the series, being outscored 15-2 by the Phillies in the first two games. However, the DBacks got back in the series, with shortstop Ketel Marte hitting a walk-off single in the ninth inning to give Arizona a 2-1 win on Thursday.
Follow along with our coverage from downtown Phoenix throughout the game.
Get game updates in the Diamondbacks-Phillies NLCS game blog.
Lifelong Phillies fan attends 2nd Phillies game with niece who roots for the DBacks
Emily Sangmeister, a lifelong Phillies fan who moved to Arizona 13 years ago, attended Game 4 of the NLCS Friday at Chase Field with her niece Ashley Robbins.
As they were leaving the game between the Diamondbacks and Phillies, Sangmeister said, “This is our second Phillies game, and we watched them win the first time, so hopefully we watch that again, but on a television.”
“I do worry that sometimes I’m gonna get my (expletive) kicked (rooting for the Phillies), but it’s fine, everyone is super cool. Arizona people are super nice,” she said.
“It’s such a good vibe in there. If you’ve never been to a playoff game you absolutely should. Everyone is more hyped, there’s all sort of signs being made and people dressing up and stuff,” Sangmeister said. “The regular season games are still fun, but there’s not as many people, and not the high energy going on in there.”
A Diamondbacks fan, Robbins attended the game with her aunt and is autistic. She explained that they had to leave the game at the later innings due to overstimulation from Phillies fans.
Robbins showed their signed baseball which they tried to have signed at this game, but with no luck.
“Things were going pretty well until the later innings cause then all these Phillies (fans) really got into it, and that’s too much for my autistic (expletive),” Robbins said. “If I wanted to get screamed at for five hours, I would have gone back to my school’s DnD (dungeons and dragons) club!”
“Unlike my aunt who is addicted to the Phillies, I hope the Diamondbacks win,” Robbins said.
— Rey Covarrubias
Reynaldo and Stacey Garcia, husband and wife from Chandler, came to Game 4 at Chase Field on Friday to show their support for the Diamondbacks.
“They’ve been on a roll lately and we want to see them go all the way,” Reynaldo said. The Garcias have been fans of the Diamondbacks since the team’s inception, with outfielder Corbin Carroll being Reynaldo’s favorite current player.
“They’re out there doing the best and we’re just excited to see what happens,” Stacey said. The couple have attended games together for the last 10 years and hold season passes.
Daniel Cordova and girlfriend Meghan Stein from Mesa arrived at the stadium sporting their Phillies apparel. Cordova, originally from Chicago and a lifelong Phillies fan, said he was looking forward to a potential win from his favorite team.
“(Bryce) Harper’s one of the best, but they’ve been really solid and I think they’re going to bring it tonight,” Cordova said. However, he has nothing against the Diamondbacks.
“They’ve been doing really well and have a lot going for them, so we’ll just have to see how it goes,” Cordova added. Cordova and Stein said they have been to several games together.
— Coleby Phillips
The retractable roof at Chase Field was closed for Game 4 of the NL Championship Series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Philadelphia Phillies after temperatures spiked to a record 104 in Phoenix on Friday afternoon.
The temperature at game time — 5:07 p.m. — was 102 outside, but it was a pleasant 76 in the climate-controlled ballpark.
The roof has been open at Chase Field just once this postseason. That was for Game 3 of the NL Division Series, when the Diamondbacks beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 on Oct. 11 for a three-game sweep.
— Associated Press
While Game 3 had a downright anemic offensive showing until the seventh inning, the Diamondbacks put themselves on the board in the second inning of Game 4 on Friday night thanks to a single from Emmanuel Rivera that allowed Christian Walker to score, sending a shockwave through what appeared to be another sold-out stadium.
Nick Vega, a Phoenix resident and lifelong Diamondbacks fan, described seeing the team take a two-point lead early in Game 4 as “unreal.”
“It’s an amazing feeling,” Vega said.
However, it wouldn’t be long before the Phillies responded with their own scores with a home run in the fourth inning and scoring on a double in the fifth, tying the game 2-2.
— Perry Vandell
Suns star Devin Booker received a loud ovation from the fans after he was shown on the video board between innings.
Booker, who has brought old school cameras to other sporting events, brought his own camcorder to the game.
“I’m a die-hard fan, it’s my first playoff game. I’m super duper excited, Go D-Backs. It’s electric!” Pamela Qandil told The Republic.
— Rey Covarrrubias
After his favorite baseball team lost the first two games of the NLCS, Zack Lind, the drummer from Jimmy Eat World and a devoted Arizona Diamondbacks fan, expressed his frustration toward Phillies fans during the series. This was reported by Mike Gill of 97.3 FM ESPN South Jersey.
Gill shared Lind’s social media posts after Game 2, in which Lind called out Phillies fans for trash-talking Diamondbacks fans despite the Phillies having a larger payroll. Lind also made jokes about Philadelphia’s roster, describing them as “a team full of dudes that look like they’re awaiting their Jan 6 trials.”
— Aidan Wohl
The first pitch will be thrown by former NFL wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald spent 17 seasons as a part of the Arizona Cardinals and helped take the team to the Super Bowl in 2009. He has been named to the NFL Pro Bowl 11 times and has the second-most career receiving yards and receptions all time.
Fitzgerald also leads his own charitable organization known, is a minority owner in the Phoenix Suns and most recently most recently served as the Executive Chair of the Arizona Super Bowl LVII Host Committee.
— Dylan Wickman
Unlike Game 3, the roof will be closed for the Diamondbacks Game 4 showdown against the Phillies. They earlier had planned to open it but decided to keep it closed. The roof is scheduled to be open for Game 5 on Saturday.
— Dylan Wickman
Anthony Milano, a Phillies fan and a military aviation photographer who travels the world to document fighter jets, was present at the game on Friday with two DSLR cameras.
“My family was basically raised in South Jersey, we all have our heritage in Philadelphia,” he said. “I’m actually from Las Vegas, hometown of Bryce Harper, of course. I’m a huge Bryce Harper fan.”
Milano said he attended the 2009 World Series and is starting to move into being a sports photographer. He said he saw sports photography as a good switch from military aviation.
“I’m just having fun,” he said. “I might be pushing the limits of what I can take into the stadium.”
He said he’ll keep his eye on Kyle Schwarber and Harper, and hopefully the Phillies have a better day with its pitching.
“Yesterday was a little crazy, but that was an incredible game, both pitchers did such good work,” he said. “We have a great team this year, I think this is our year.”
— Reynaldo Covarrubias
Russell Meadow and John Toland have known each other for over 20 years, with their friendship initially forming at work. This has led to the pair becoming sports enthusiasts in Arizona, attending events such as Final Four games, Diamondbacks, Cardinals, and Coyotes games together.
Meadow has held Diamondbacks season tickets since 2007 and often brings Toland with him to the games. He even attended Game 2 of the 2001 World Series.
“This is like a dream come true, we haven’t been back in this scenario since 2007 and what was about the time I got my tickets,” Meadow said. “Growing up with the Big Red Machine, I use to enjoy going, being in the postseason every year. This is getting back to what we want to be about, which is creating a winning philosophy here in Arizona.”
“We’re gonna go out and earn that win. We were here for the last playoffs, and that was terrific, but this is even more exciting.”
“We’re looking for a victory over the Phillies today, take them down!” Toland said.
— Reynaldo Covarrubias
A fan since Diamondbacks joined the league
Godfrey Ramirez, a Diamondbacks fan, said he’s been a fan since the team came into the league and is happy to see them back in the playoffs.
“I think we’re gonna pull it off, a lot of people aren’t giving us the chance, saying we’re gonna lose tonight, maybe win tomorrow, but I know we’re gonna win tonight,” he said. “I saw Luis Gonzalez at the Suns playoff a couple of years ago. I looked at him and said ‘Whats up Gonzo?’ and he looked at me and said ‘How’s it going man’ and that made me smile for the rest of the night.”
— Reynaldo Covarrubias
From Blue Jays to Diamondbacks fan
Diamondbacks fan Marlon Dimaculangan said he’s been a fan of the team since he moved to Arizona. He said the team is a young talent and is excited to be at the game.
“I’m just really excited to go watch and support the team,” he said. “There’s been a lot of ups and downs, but it’s really special what they’re doing in their playoffs. I lived in Toronto, so I was a Blue Jays fan there. But when I moved out here, I became a Diamondbacks fan. I was there during the 2001 run, it’s a really special memory to see them that year and again this year.”
— Reynaldo Covarrubias
Who is singing the national anthem at Game 4?
Friday’s Diamondbacks game against the Philadelphia Phillies will open with retired U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Powell singing the national anthem.
The 25-year-old U.S. Navy veteran is an accomplished musician, producer and songwriter. He’s performed at several major sporting events. Singing “God Bless America” during the MLB World Series, NBA Finals, WNBA Finals and NCAA Men’s Basketball Championships.
In 2022, he was nominated for the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame and his national anthem performance has over 53 million views.
— Audrey Eagerton
Chase Field Executive Chef Steve Tilder has an array of menu options to serve at game 4 including:
- Surf and Turf Dog: A 1/2 pound, all-beef frank, with beer-battered shrimp, charred pineapple pico, sweet and spicy baja sauce, and cilantro. Available at Section 105, Big Dawgs.
- “Wise Guy” Nachos: Corn tortilla chips, provolone cheese sauce, Italian fennel sausage, oven-dried tomato, pepperoncini, Castelvetrano and black olives, basil pesto crema, and Italian parsley. Available at Section 130, Taste of Chase.
- Apple Pie Chimichanga: Caramel sauce, vanilla frozen yogurt, whipped cream, Crackerjacks, and fresh strawberries. Available at Section 123, Sweet Treats.
- Snake Bite Margarita: A house-made tangy teal margarita mix and tequila with a teal sugar rim. Available at all concessions that sell liquor.
- Grand Slam Glitterade: Watermelon lemonade, Absolut watermelon and edible glitter.
— Dylan Wickman
Parking for the game can be hectic, but Chase Field’s parking partner ParkWhiz allows fans to locate the closest parking options and pay for parking in advance.
Parking garages will not accept cash so fans will need to have a credit or debit card if not reserving parking before the game.
— Kayla Jackson
The gates to enter Chase Field are slated to open at 2:30 p.m. while the game is set to start at 5:07. The parking garages near the field will not accept cash, so make sure to bring another form of payment if you are parking.
— Dylan Wickman
First 40,000 fans will get DBacks rally towels
For those planning on arriving at the game early, there might be a reward waiting. The first 40,000 people to enter the gates Friday will receive a DBacks rally towel presented by Avnet.
The gates open at 2:30 p.m. for the 5:07 p.m. game so fans should arrive early to ensure they get a towel.
— Audrey Eagerton
Here’s what to know about Chase Field’s clear bag policy
Chase Field regards fan safety as a top priority. All bags and items going into the ballpark are subject to search.
Bags should be smaller than 6.5 inches by 4.5 inches, with clear bags no larger than 16 inches by 6 inches by 12 inches.
Guests carrying an unapproved bag can transfer their belongings into a complimentary clear plastic bag that will be available at the stadium. Guests will be asked to return unapproved bags to their vehicles.
— Kayla Jackson
Diamondbacks bag policy: What to know about purses, water bottles and more at Chase Field