By the Numbers

The Brewers beat the Dodgers 6-4 last night and won themselves their first-ever NL pennant. They await the winner of the Rays-Guardians’ series. Earlier, the Guardians defeated the Rays 3-2 on an afternoon without a hint of the rain that caused the game to be moved up five hours. With two more wins, Cleveland earns its first AL pennant since 2016 and a shot at its first World Series title since 1948. So, why all the empty seats at both games? By my count, there were some 3,400 no-shows in Cleveland and 6,800-plus in LA. Yes, changing the game time in Cleveland could’ve affected plans, just as people who suddenly couldn’t attend in the afternoon could’ve sold their tickets on the secondary market. As for the empty seats in Dodger Stadium, it looks like a case of West Coast ennui. What I know for certain is this—The Rate would’ve been packed. Wrigley Field, too.