Field of Dreams recap: White Sox win on Tim Anderson's thrilling walk-off home run
Dargan Southard
DYERSVILLE, Ia. — After years of discussions and months of planning, the Field of Dreams game has arrived.
Thursday marks the first time a regular season Major League Baseball game will be played in Iowa, as the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox do battle at the recently constructed field on the Field of Dreams complex. First pitch is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. CT on FOX.
Register writers Tommy Birch, Randy Peterson and Dargan Southard are on hand in Dyersville, as well as photographers Zach Boyden-Holmes and Brian Powers. Check back here throughout the day, up to first pitch and beyond, for updates on all the Field of Dreams festivities.
9:51 p.m. — Final: Chicago White Sox 9, New York Yankees 8
Tim Anderson saves the day for Chicago. A two-run bomb off Zack Britton ends this one in style. What. A. Game.
9:42 p.m. — Holy Giancarlo
Man oh man. The Yankees come off the deck for four in the ninth, punctuated by a Giancarlo Stanton two-run blast to left. Yankees with an 8-7 lead.
9:35 p.m. — Not done yet
Just when it looked like things were winding down, Aaron Judge launches a long homer into the right-center corn. His second of this night. Yankees within a run. Joey Gallo follows with a walk. New York has the tying run on first.
9:16 p.m. — New team, same filth for Craig Kimbrel
Kimbrel may have traded one Chicago uniform for another, but the hard-throwing reliever still has the same disgusting stuff. Strikes out two in a scoreless eighth inning. White Sox still with a 7-4 advantage as we head to the bottom half.
8:54 p.m. — Aaron Bummer puts out the fire
Despite having an unfortunate last name for a pitcher, the White Sox reliever ends the Yankees threat in the seventh. Groundouts from Brett Gardner and Joey Gallo keep New York off the board. To the bottom half.
More:Commissioner Rob Manfred on addressing MLB blackouts in Iowa: 'It's a top priority'
8:48 p.m. — But just like that, the New York Yankees have the tying run at the plate
DJ LeMahieu walks after Tyler Wade's bunt single and stolen base. White Sox go to the pen with Aaron Bummer. One down for Brett Gardner, who's already homered once tonight.
8:42 p.m. — New York Yankees offense has been boom or bust
Until Tyler Wade's bunt single in the seventh, White Sox pitching had retired 11 of the last 14 hitters since Aaron Judge's homer in the third. Outside of the long balls, New York has had just three runners in scoring position. Chicago still has a 7-4 lead
8:17 p.m. — Lance Lynn's night is through
The White Sox starter exits after five-plus innings. The two runners on base are his responsibility as the Yankees bring the tying run to the plate. Michael Kopech into a 7-4 ballgame with no outs in the sixth.
8:12 p.m. — Hey, another homer
This one goes to Brett Gardner, who rips a line drive into the right-field corner. Four of the five homers tonight have been to right field. The White Sox bullpen is getting loose as the tying run lurks in the on-deck circle.
8:07 p.m. — New York Yankees bullpen getting loose
Andrew Heaney is hanging by a thread. The Yankees starter nearly just gave up another homer to Eloy Jimenez, who drove Brett Gardner to the warning track in center. Yankees bullpen is getting lose and Heaney sails by 75 pitches. To the sixth.
7:51 p.m. — Everyone is going yard
It's one thing for Aaron Judge, Jose Abreu and Eloy Jimenez to go deep. It's another for the White Sox's ninth-place hitting backup catcher to find the corn. But that's exactly what Seby Zavala just did, launching a two-run homer to right. Chicago's lead at 7-3 now as we head to the fifth.
7:33 p.m. — Eloy Jimenez crushes the third homer of the night
After a walk to Jose Abreu following Anderson's double, Eloy Jimenez smacks a three-run homer to right. Ball is jumping out of this park. Aaron Judge didn't even move. White Sox with a 5-3 lead as we head to the fourth.
7:26 p.m. — Tim Anderson pulls the White Sox one run closer
The Chicago shortstop cashes in with an RBI double to left, scoring right-fielder Adam Engel from first. Anderson has the first non-homer extra-base hit of the night. White Sox now with a 3-2 deficit, bottom third.
7:17 p.m. — Aaron Judge says hello
A three-run two-out homer from Aaron Judge puts the Yankees in front, 3-1. Ball was crushed to right after DJ LeMahieu walked and Brett Gardner singled. Deep into the corn.
7:08 p.m. — Strikeouts are piling up at Field of Dreams
There may be an old-school theme at the ballpark, but the new-school strikeout-heavy game is as prevalent as ever. The Yankees and White Sox have combined for seven strikeouts through 2-plus innings. Lance Lynn has four. Andrew Heaney has three. Chicago still owns a 1-0 lead.
7 p.m. — Jose Abreu hits first-ever home run in Iowa
It didn't take long for the scoring to start.
White Sox slugger Jose Abreu launched a home run into the left-field corn field. We have our first corn dinger at the Field of Dreams.
After two innings, the Chicago White Sox lead 1-0 over the New York Yankees.
More:MLB's Field of Dreams ballpark about to get its debut. Here's what you should know.
6:20 p.m. — Field of Dreams game begins
Yankees lead-off hitter DJ LeMahieu starts off the game with a single, and baseball in Iowa is underway.
The home plate umpire tonight is Urbandale native Pat Hoberg, just as late Iowa umpire Eric Cooper, who died in 2019, hoped when the Field of Dreams game was being planned.
More:Umpiring crew to honor Iowa native Eric Cooper at MLB's Field of Dreams game
6:07 p.m. — Kevin Costner speaks to fans ahead of Field of Dreams game
Costner mentions both teams in his introduction. About even-leveled cheers for the Yankees and White Sox. Starting lineups are being introduced All-Star Game style.
6:01 p.m. — Kevin Costner enters the field from the right-field corn
The storied "Field of Dreams" actor just entered the playing field via the right-field corn, trotting out slowly as music plays. He's moving toward center field with a baseball in his hands. Could a first pitch be coming?
More:Watch: Kevin Costner emerges from corn field ahead of MLB's Field of Dreams game
Now, the players are entering the field the same way. Aaron Judge is among those are the front. Gerrit Cole just went and shook Costner's hand. National anthem upcoming.
5:54 p.m. — A conglomeration of jerseys in the stands
Plenty of Yankees and White Sox gear in the stands as expected. But a few obscure jerseys stand out: Bo Jackson, Stan Musial, Mark Buehrle, Jim Thome, Yogi Berra, Dave Winfield, Willie Mays.
5:47 p.m. — Field of Dreams filling up
We're closing in on 25 minutes until first pitch. The stands as you can imagine are filling up fast. White Sox starter Lance Lynn warming up in left field. Yankees starter Andrew Heaney is tossing in the New York bullpen.
5:36 p.m. — Manfred says fixing MLB blackouts is 'top priority'
While Iowans should have no problem watching the Field of Dreams game on TV, many other MLB games are hard to find.
Six MLB teams are blacked out all across Iowa: the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago White Sox, Minnesota Twins, Kansas City Royals and Milwaukee Brewers. Those teams are not available with a MLB.tv subscription or when they are often aired on national broadcasts. Some of those squads are not available on Iowa’s main cable packages either.
Commissioner Rob Manfred said fixing that is "a top priority."
5:17 p.m. — Commissioner Rob Manfred announces MLB will be back at Field of Dreams in 2022
The Field of Dreams game won't be a one-time event.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announced during a pre-game press conference that MLB will be back in 2022.
5:04 p.m. — Rob Manfred and Kevin Costner at the podium
3:50 p.m. — White Sox are hitting
Looks like more homers are striking corn beyond right-center than anywhere else. Maybe that's the power alley.
3:41 p.m. — New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge at the podium.
Aaron Judge held court for about 10 minutes in the main press room. Said he was disappointed to find out he and the Yankees weren't spending the night in Iowa. Could you imagine that man trying to fit in a Dyersville Super 8 bed?
Judge also said he'd like to visit the move site again when there's more time to embrace the whole aura. "It's a dream come true" to be here, he said.
3:12 p.m. — Chicago White Sox closer Liam Hendriks at the podium
The always colorful Liam Hendriks didn't disappoint during his pregame press conference. The White Sox closer discussed the "really steep" stairs in the Field of Dreams house, told his Instagram following they're about to get sick of corn references and named off all his pets (which he needs to tend to upon arriving back in Chicago with his wife out of town).
3:07 p.m. — Chicago White Sox lineup is out
All the regulars for Chicago.
2:59 p.m. — Acting Chicago White Sox manager Miguel Cairo at the podium
Quite the situation for Miguel Cairo to enter. The Chicago White Sox bench coach is managing tonight for Tony La Russa, who is attending the funeral of his sister's husband.
2:57 p.m. — New York Yankees lineup is out
All the regulars are starting for the Yankees.
2:49 p.m. — A crowd is forming outside
Fans can begin entering the field at 3 p.m. Unsurprisingly, many have already arrived. Cars backed up for miles around the stadium and cornfields is very much like in the movie, except this time, the line of cars is real.
2:42 p.m. — New York Yankees star Aaron Judge weighs in on the Field of Dreams scene
Just about every aspect of this trip is different, including the drive from .
2:38 p.m. — Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson at the podium
Kicking off the interviews in the media room is White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson. Anderson said he still hasn't watched the Field of Dreams movie but will so after this experience. He talked about the unique setup and being in Iowa for the first time.
"Don't know anyone from Iowa. Never been to Iowa," Anderson said. "... So I'm going to try to leave a good first impression."
2:22 p.m. — Both teams venture into the corn
Both the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox have made their way around the Field of Dreams complex, taking pictures in the corn while also venturing over to the movie site.
1:26 p.m. — New York Yankees arrive at Field of Dreams complex
The Bronx Bombers are in the house. That's a large speaker for a large man.
1:16 p.m. — Chicago White Sox arrive at Field of Dreams complex
The White Sox are in the building.
12:41 p.m. — Field of Dreams pregame media schedule released
- 1:30 p.m. – Yankees Team Photo
- 2:00 p.m. – White Sox Team Photo
- Appx. 2:30 p.m. – Tim Anderson or Pitcher Liam Hendriks in interview room
- 2:45 p.m. – Miguel Cairo in interview room
- Appx. 3:00 p.m. – Tim Anderson or Liam Hendriks in interview room
- 3:15 p.m. – DJ LeMahieu in interview room
- 3:30 p.m. – Aaron Judge in interview room
- 3:40-4:30 p.m. – White Sox Batting Practice
- 4:15 p.m. – Aaron Boone in interview room
- TBD – Zack Britton in interview room
- 4:35-5:25 p.m. – Yankees Batting Practice
- 5:00 p.m. – Commissioner Rob Manfred and Kevin Costner in interview room
More:How a 2016 trip to 'Field of Dreams' site convinced MLB commissioner Rob Manfred to hold game there
Dargan Southard covers Iowa and UNI athletics, recruiting and preps for the Des Moines Register, HawkCentral.com and the Iowa City Press-Citizen. Email him at msouthard@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Dargan_Southard.