Paramedic Injured After Being Struck By Foul Ball In Astros Dugout
HOUSTON (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — A man, later identified as a paramedic, in the Astros dugout was hit by a foul ball off the bat of Houston's Michael Brantley during Game 2 of the AL Championship Series and exited with a towel over his head.
In a statement late Sunday evening, the Harris County Emergency Corps said one of its employees was hit and taken to a hospital. The statement read: "He was immediately taken to the hospital, evaluated and is currently in stable condition."
"My thoughts and prayers are with his family and him, and I hope I can talk to him soon," Brantley said after the Astros beat the New York Yankees 3-2 in 11 innings.
Play was briefly halted after the accident in the fifth inning, and Houston manager AJ Hinch came on the field to console a shaken-up Brantley.
Several Astros players were shown in the dugout looking distraught, as were Yankees players who had a view into Houston's dugout. Houston stars Carlos Correa and George Springer both could be seen putting their hands on their heads and then looking away seconds after the ball entered the dugout.
Play resumed after a couple of minutes and Brantley struck out but reached first on a wild pitch by Adam Ottavino.
The Astros extended the protective netting at Minute Maid Park to cover more of the seating area earlier this year, but there is no such protection for the dugouts. The move came after a 2-year-old girl suffered a skull fracture and had seizures after she was struck by a foul ball during a May game in Houston.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)