NEW YORK -- For a few surreal seconds on Friday evening, the big ballpark in the Bronx belonged not to the Yankees and Red Sox, but to a bushy-tailed intruder.

A squirrel scurried into the batter’s box during the top of the fourth inning at Yankee Stadium, bumping into Jhostynxon Garcia, providing a memorable footnote to the Red Sox rookie’s debut .

As the crowd roared, the squirrel darted up the third-base line, then paused on the mound to get a better look at Yankees left-hander Max Fried -- who did not appear to be pleased by the interruption.

It moved across the infield grass to first base, prompting Ben Rice to sidestep out of its path. Play resumed as the squirrel dashed into foul ground, but Fried seemed rattled, throwing his next pitch to the backstop for ball four.

With play

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