The Philadelphia Phillies are back on top. In a heated NLCS battle with the Arizona Diamondbacks, the series has oscillated between one team and the other. Neither is willing to give up the victory, especially at this stage in the postseason. But following a popular sports tradition, the D-Backs crowd may have unwittingly cost their team a game.

Game 4 saw the Phillies collapse under the resurgent D-Backs, who evened out the overall score. Some star power from the NBA may have helped, but Game 5 went the opposite way.

Chase Field Does the Wave, Philadelphia Phillies Respond

Most sports teams have their own traditions of not just entertaining players but letting them know that the crowd is behind them no matter what. It’s a way of showing support, like how Yankee Stadium does roll calls for the home team. But as clubs around the league may have noticed, copying a different team’s tradition may not always prove for the better.

The ‘wave’ is not a custom for a single sport but rather a famous way to get the crowd going. But when Chase Field did it in the bottom of a crucial 8th inning, Phillies fans tore into them on social media. Why?

Because just as they did it, Philadelphia’s catcher J.T. Realmuto ended up hitting a two-run home run. The Phillies won Game 5 with an overwhelming 6-1. Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber kept up their deluge against Zac Gallen, who has been troubled by Philly despite being a Cy Young favorite for many.

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Of course, Phillies fans couldn’t give up this chance to ridicule their NLCS rivals.

Philly Offers Harsh Criticism to Arizona

Despite their home-field advantage and the presence of superstars at Chase Field, the D-Backs were unable to take this one. Realmuto’s hit had many wondering if karma was real.

One fan labeled the way “the dumbest tradition in sports.”

One pointed out how the timing of the wave could have been better since it’s a huge game for the D-Backs in franchise history.

One claimed the wave at such a crucial tradition should be a crime.

One wanted the record to be clear that they did not participate in the tradition.

One joked that the wav was to bid goodbye to the D-Backs’ victory.

The Arizona crowd may have simply wanted to cheer their team up, but did it adversely affect them instead?

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