Fans who interfered with Betts banned from attending Game 5

MLB and the New York Yankees banned the two fans who interfered with Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts during Game 4 from attending Game 5, the Yankees announced Wednesday.

The league and the Yankees share a "zero-tolerance policy toward the type of behavior displayed," according to a statement released by the team, which also describes the incident as "egregious and unacceptable physical contact."

The fans had tickets for tonight's game and will be refunded, a source told ESPN's Jesse Rogers. The Yankees announced that they gifted the banned fans' tickets to a pediatric cancer patient and his family, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.

In the aftermath of the incident, the fan who ripped the ball from Betts' glove, Austin Capobianco, said that he and his friends have "joked about" what would happen in that situation.

"We always joke about the ball in our area," Capobianco told Rogers after Game 4. "We're not going to go out of our way to attack. If it's in our area, we're going to 'D' up. Someone defends, someone knocks the ball. We talk about it. We're willing to do this."

By Wednesday, however, Capobianco seemed to have changed his tune and admitted that he went too far.

"I'm a way too passionate fan that probably crossed the line last night," the 38-year-old Connecticut resident told Noah Goldberg of the Los Angeles Times in a text message. "All I wanted to do was avoid that from being an out."

Capobianco also praised Betts as a player, telling Goldberg that the "play he made was impressive," and denied accusations that he used racial slurs during and after the incident.

The incident occurred during the first inning of Game 4 on Tuesday night. Betts made a catch at the wall in foul territory before a pair of fans ripped the ball out of his glove. The umpiring crew ruled it a successful catch and awarded the Dodgers the out.

Officials later escorted the interfering fans out of Yankee Stadium.

The Yankees ultimately won 11-4 to keep their season alive.

Betts called the incident "irrelevant" postgame, focusing instead on the Dodgers' loss and looking ahead to Game 5.

Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo said he thought the moment was "one of the more extreme" fan interference incidents he's seen but also chalked it up to being "kind of New York," per SNY. Verdugo's manager, Aaron Boone, had a much harsher opinion on Wednesday.

"Not good. There's no place for that. Simple as that," Boone said during his pregame press conference. "Come here, cheer, root for your team, whatever. (But) no place for that. Should never have hands on anyone. (It's) just not OK."

Jack Flaherty will take the mound opposite Yankees ace Gerrit Cole with a chance to win the World Series. First pitch is scheduled for 8:08 p.m. ET.