Rookie the Batdog got to visit Yankee Stadium

Rookie the Batdog got to follow in his grandpa’s pawsteps and visit Yankee Stadium earlier this week.

Rookie the Batdog is known for being the batdog of the Trenton Thunder, the Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. But he got to fulfill a lifelong dream earlier this week when he visited Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night.

Of course, it wasn’t quite the House That Ruth Built, as the original Yankee Stadium opened in 1923, but the new Yankee Stadium that opened in 2009. Still, it would be a pretty amazing ballpark to see.

The first Trenton Thunder Golden Retriever, Rookie’s grandpa Chase, got to visit Yankee Stadium in 2013.

“It was an honor to get to follow in his paw steps and be on that field,” Rookie tweeted about the experience.

He got to hang out with catcher Austin Romine before the game, who was good friends with his dad Derby when he was with Trenton.

Due to unfortunate Major League Baseball rules, Rookie was not allowed to work (apparently batdogs aren’t allowed in the big leagues), which meant that he had to watch as a fan instead.

Many media members and Yankees employees totally freaked out with fandom happiness in getting to meet one of the best sports dogs on Twitter. Baseball Prospectus even devoted an entire scouting report to this very good boy.

In the actual game itself, New York was playing division rival Tampa Bay, and it went well.

Veteran pitcher CC Sabathia was the starter for the Yankees, and infielder Edwin Encarnacion tied the game with a solo home run in the second inning, A skirmish occurred in the middle of the sixth inning with the Rays ahead 3-1,  whereupon second baseman DJ Lemahieu trimmed the lead to 3-2 immediately afterward.

In the eighth inning right fielder Aaron Judge put New York on top 4-3 with a long shot into the bleachers, and shortstop Didi Gregorious sealed the ballgame with a grand slam to give the Yankees the 8-3 victory.

Rookie and his biped Eric Lipsman went back to Trenton after the game, ready to pick back up with their day-to-day duties.

His friends across the sports dog community on Twitter made sure to shower his achievement with congratulations, as shown by Finn the Batdog’s response at work with the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators of the Pacific Coast League.

The Thunder are currently fourth in the Eastern League North with a second-half record of 12-15, and an overall record of 50-42. They are advancing to the playoffs after winning the first half with a record of 38-27.

The Yankees are currently leading the American League East, with a record of 60-33 just after the All-Star break.

For more news of the Yankees, see Yanks Go Yard, the FanSided Network site for all things baseball-ish when it’s pinstripe-related.