Four Highlights From MLB's Field of Dreams Game

The Chicago White Sox sealed a dramatic 9-8 win against the New York Yankees on Thursday night courtesy of Tim Anderson's walk-off, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth.

Anderson's heroics were made even more special by the fact the game was played in a purpose-built 8,000-capacity stadium in Dyersville, Iowa, in the filming location of Kevin Costner's iconic 1989 movie Field of Dreams.

The MLB paid homage to what is widely regarded as one of the greatest baseball movies ever made by scheduling the game for Fox's primetime slot.

The hour-long pre-game show featured snippets from the movie, an appearance by actor Costner and a narration by James Earl Jones, who played a pivotal role in the movie as well.

On the field, the first-ever MLB game to be played in Iowa did not disappoint as the Yankees took a 3-1 lead in the top of the third inning, before the White Sox scored six unanswered runs to lead 7-3 in the bottom of the fourth.

The Yankees replied with a 5-0 burst of their own to take an 8-7 lead in the top of the ninth, before Anderson won the game for the White Sox.

Here's some highlights from a special night.

Kevin Costner's introduction

Walking through the cornfields that surrounded the outfield, Costner made an entrance worthy of the two-time Academy Award winner that he is as he walked onto the field by himself. Having made his way to the mound, he then turned towards the outfield, from where the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox emerged just as he had done only minutes earlier.

The moment was a nod to the 1989 movie in which Costner's character builds a field where departed MLB legends then go and play. The MLB's official broadcast recreated the movie scene almost flawlessly, as you can see in the clip below.

Tim Anderson's walk-off homer

A stage fit for a movie deserved an ending fit for a movie and it got one, as Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson blasted a walk-off, two-run homer off New York Yankees stand-in closer Zach Britton in the bottom of the ninth inning to snatch a 9-8 win.

Britton's first pitch was a 94 miles per hour sinker, which Anderson, the 2020 Silver Slugger Award winner, launched out to right field. A clip of his walk-off homer has been viewed more than 1.7 million times on social media after being uploaded by several different users

"I knew what I was looking for and I didn't miss," Anderson said to Fox Sports' Tom Verducci after the game.

"It's over. Once I made contact, I knew it was over. I knew it was out. These are the moments you want to be in. These big games like this, this is the time to show up."

The stunning backdrop

Cornfields are nothing new in Iowa, but two MLB franchises battling it out so close to a cornfield is unheard of.

It didn't take long for viewers to get used to the stunning backdrop that replaced the bleachers and seats of traditional ballparks, as the MLB made sure to remind everybody of the glorious scenery on display.

Jose' Abreu's first homer

While Anderson's homer rightfully took center stage at the end of the game, Chicago White Sox's first baseman Jose Abreu had the honor of hitting the first home run of the game, smashing the ball out of the park beyond the left field wall.

Abreu's hit was the first of a total eight home runs struck in the game by seven different players, with New York Yankees star Aaron Judge smashing two.