A crowd of 49,016 attended the D-backs' 6-5 win over the Giants yesterday at Chase Field. D-backs President & CEO Derrick Hall before the game "reiterated that the club has asked" MLB for the "opportunity to open a season on the road." The transition from their Spring Training HQ to Chase Field is a "journey that only covers 21 miles, and Hall believes the team has difficulty shaking their Cactus League mindset" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 4/3).
Meanwhile, the Cardinals drew a crowd of 47,566 for last night's opener against the Cubs, a 4-3 win. Fans "clearly have embraced" newly acquired CF Dexter Fowler, as only C Yadier Molina "received a louder ovation from the sellout crowd" during pregame intros (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 4/3).
The Rays drew a "sellout crowd of 31,042" for yesterday's 7-3 victory against the Yankees. The game was "delayed a few minutes at the start due to a technical issue with the replay system in the Yankees clubhouse, leading to a decision allowing both teams to have unlimited crew chief reviews after their initial challenges" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 4/3).
