A young girl was hit by a foul ball during the game between the Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros on Wednesday night at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. The girl was hit when, in the fourth inning, Albert Almora Jr. hit a line drive that went beyond the protective netting down the third base line and into the stands.
According to ESPN, the child screamed but remained conscious as a man picked her up and swiftly whisked her away.
The incident caused a delay in the game as players from both sides were more concerned about the young child’s condition than immediately continuing the game. Almora went over to the section where the girl was sitting to inquire about the situation.
Below is the footage showing Almora’s pained reaction to the incident. He is comforted by a security guard and later by teammate Jayson Heyward and manager Joe Maddon. It took him some time to compose himself and return to the game.
The other players too were clearly alarmed and shaken by the incident.
An update on the child’s condition, who is said to be a four-year-old girl, came soon after was positive and reassuring.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Pasan, the Cubs were told in their dugout that the child “is awake, is conscious, and is on the way to the hospital.”
ESPN’s Jesse Rogers also said that his sources confirmed the child was getting care at a nearby hospital and that the “signs were positive.”
After the game the Astros released a statement via Twitter:
This is not the first time that fans have been injured by foul balls but the latest incident has led to renewed calls to review the existing mandate on protective netting at major league parks.
Although Minute Maid Park has protective netting that complies with the mandate issued by MLB in December 2015, it only extends part of the way on the third-base side of the park, according to ESPN. The little girl was reportedly sitting in a row that was beyond where the netting ended.
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