8:21 AM PT -- Ted Cruz told TMZ Sports on Monday morning he had absolutely no hard feelings toward Yankees fans over the reception.
"It was an awesome game -- it was spectacular," he said. "And I appreciated the great New York hospitality."
Baseball fans were all over Ted Cruz during Sunday night's playoff game at Yankee Stadium ... booing the senator relentlessly and flipping him off as he moved around his seat behind home plate.
The Texas politician -- a huge Astros fan -- showed up to the Bronx wearing orange and blue to cheer on his favorite team as it tried to punch its ticket to the World Series with a win over the Yankees.
Cruz was seen smiling before the opening pitch ... but throughout the night, he was NOT received well by fans near him.
Minutes from opening pitch in Yankees Stadium. #GoStros pic.twitter.com/gT09WBOv5N
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) October 24, 2022
Video of the senator shows as he got up from his seat during the game, fans jeered him over and over again. Several could be heard in the footage calling him a "f***ing loser" and a "racist piece of s***."
A photo of Cruz at the game also shows two fans even flipped him the bird from just feet away.
.@tedcruz came to @yankeestadium wearing @astros colors tonight. The Bronx responded in kind… pic.twitter.com/4t08HqCOH4
— Jesse Angelo (@jessemangelo) October 24, 2022
The 51-year-old kept his cool during it all ... smiling and waving to other fans in the crowd. At one point, he even took a selfie with a man in an Aaron Judge jersey.
Despite the scene, Cruz ended up with the last laugh, 'cause Houston beat New York, 6-5, giving them the sweep over the Pinstripes in the ALCS.
Jeremy Peña wants to break out the brooms #Postseason pic.twitter.com/8wLynMmNbF
— MLB (@MLB) October 24, 2022
Cruz now won't have to travel far from home to watch his team play next ... the Astros host the Phillies in Game 1 of the World Series on Friday.
Originally Published -- 7:15 AM PT