A whole new ball game for the Marlins as Tartan Army land in Miami
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MIAMI, June 22 : One thing pretty much everyone at loanDepot park agreed on, Monday night baseball at the Miami Marlins had never looked anything like this before.
Bagpipes played, countless songs were sung and thousands of beers consumed as Scotland's Tartan Army, in town for their country's third World Cup match, took in another baseball game.
Scotland's first friendly invasion came at Major League Baseball's oldest ballpark, Fenway Park, last week and now it was the turn of the third youngest.
As in Boston, thousands of Scotland fans, well lubricated by beer, started their charm offensive by marching to the stadium in the afternoon heat accompanied by pipes and drums.
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"The heat is amazing, but again, we've had such a good welcome from the locals. Little Havana has become Little Scotland," said Scotland fan Alan Hinnrichs.
"Boston really rolled out the red carpet. Miami's trying, so we'll see in a few days' time if it matches up to its early days. Yeah, but they're getting there. They're getting there, they're really good."
At least this time the visiting team were prepared, the same Texas Rangers who had provided the opposition for the Red Sox in Boston were taking on the Marlins.
"NO SCOTLAND, NO PARTY"
The locals tried to impose some of their norms on the occasion with a round of "USA! USA!" after the national anthem had been sung, but it was quickly drowned out by Scotland's unofficial football anthem: "No Scotland, no party".
The Marlins clearly intended to embrace the Scots as the Red Sox had with the on-field presenter sporting a kilt and Scotland player Billy Gilmour, who was ruled out of the World Cup by injury, asked to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Many of the Scottish fans seemed to have little idea what was going on out on the field but they knew who their hosts were and became Marlins fans for the day.
When Rangers' Joc Pederson ground out in the first at-bat, they leapt from their seats and roared as if it was Scotland scoring a goal against Brazil in Wednesday's World Cup clash.
The Marlins fans have endured a good few lean years and most welcomed their temporary reinforcements, as well as marvelling at how full the stadium was for a Monday night.
"It's fantastic, these guys should come every week," said Miami local Lauren.
"In football terms, this is not Premier League. If the Marlins could be relegated, they would be, every year."
Some, like Jay, a Florida-based New Yorker, had decided to come to the game just to see the visiting fans.
"I came for the Scots," he said. "I live 40 minutes down the road and I haven't been in this stadium for five years."
For some of the Scots, a long day drinking in the Miami heat and the unfamiliar sporting fare presented to them was starting to take its toll.
"It's been great but I don't know about this," said Janey from West Lothian, stifling a yawn.
"I've never had an interest in American sports before and now I know why. It's not football."
The Scots appear to be bringing little luck to their adopted teams, however, with the Rangers, who beat the Red Sox last week, grabbing a 4-3 win.
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