World Cup: Scotland fans’ baseball love-in in Miami

A cynic would say this is an opportunity to cash in on a captive audience rolling into town after seeing the Fenway love-in. And yes, there’s an undoubted benefit to the footfall and the beer sales which flow with it.

But, just like at the Red Sox, this felt like a unique experience. Another baseball match, but a wholly different snapshot of a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Filled with football, friends, foot-long hot dogs and dodgy first-base runs.

This was a night at the ball park to be cherished in years to come.

So much effort had gone into ramping up the experience.

We had a tartan menu in the food kiosk. A man with a Dundee United tattoo on his leg told of how his mince and tattie hot dog was a nine out of 10, but not quite as good as the football at Tannadice. There’s no accounting for taste.

DJ CP, a lovely fella plonked at the far side of the arena in charge of the tunes with a Scotland flag flung around his shoulders, explained how he was excited at playing “Bits and pieces” for the crowd, as well as the Beatles.

Even one home fan told of how she’d moved her season ticket seat for the night to the Scotland section. She had also brought along mini traffic cone trinkets to hand out.

As the sun faded through the giant glass wall behind the Home Run Harbour and the ice cream stall, the soaring Miami skyline dimming with it, the Scots ramped up the atmosphere.

At the bottom of the sixth the St Andrews Pipe Band of Miami, surrounded by a sea of phones and selfie sticks, bellowed so loudly that the noise of a Marlins run was barely audible behind them.

By the bottom of the eighth a thumping swing shot cranked through the air like that cupid’s arrow, bringing Miami back to within one of the Rangers.

Scotland fans were on their feet celebrating. Some of them even on purpose.

Going into the final inning the Proclaimers was the choice from Mr CP to rouse the Marlins to victory.

Alas, it ended in another defeat as the Tartan Army drifted out of LoanDepot Park having now watched more wins for Rangers at this World Cup than Scotland. It’s a strange time.

There is still time for that to change and, on the most remarkable of trips, there was the odd moment of serendipity that could be seen as a good omen.

Stephen McGinn, brother of Scotland hero John, caught an errant baseball as it scudded off a bat and rebounded off a metal railing and straight into his grasp.

Another city. Another ballpark. Another Tartan Army love-in.

Scotland’s final Group C game against Brazil on Wednesday may go a long way to deciding if this holiday romance has another chapter.