Nationals fans on Friday night "took back their ballpark from the invading fans" of the Phillies, according to Thomas Boswell of the WASHINGTON POST. The home team was "cheered on by a roaring crowd" of 34,377 at Nationals Park. Nationals SS Ian Desmond called the crowd "very refreshing" following the team's "Take Back The Park" ticket effort. Nationals 2B Danny Espinosa said, "It's awesome to have our own fans here. But there's still definitely a vocal minority." Nationals P Stephen Strasburg added, "You can still hear them, but it's much different now." Nationals P Drew Storen said, "We almost had to win tonight. You get that turnout after kind of a controversial marketing campaign, you have to play to back it up." Boswell noted Nationals fans "dominated, both cheering and booing more loudly." The crowd's "composition and behavior was also influenced by the National's successful attempts to minimize package bus-tour tickets, keep Phils fans in small, separated groups and put on considerable extra security" (WASHINGTON POST, 5/5). In DC, Amanda Comack noted the Nationals sold 30,000 advance tickets to last night's game against the Phillies, "assuring them an attendance of more than 100,000 for the series." It is the "second time in Nationals Park history that had happened for an April or May series" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 5/6).
