A fan fell from the 21-foot Clemente Wall in right field at PNC Park during Wednesday night’s game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs.
Right after Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run double in the seventh inning to put the Pirates ahead 4-3, players began waving frantically for medical personnel and pointing to the man, who had fallen onto the warning track.
The fan was tended to for approximately five minutes by members of both the Pirates and Cubs training staffs as well as PNC personnel before being removed from the field on a cart.
After the game, the Pirates issued a statement.
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“Tonight, during the seventh inning of the game at PNC Park, an adult male fell from the right field bleachers onto the field of play,” the statement read.
“Pittsburgh EMS, as well as the Pirates and Cubs athletic training teams and other PNC Park personnel reacted and responded immediately and administered care. He was transported to Allegheny General Hospital. No further information is available at this time.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.”
Pittsburgh Public Safety, which includes Pittsburgh Police and EMS, posted on X late Wednesday night that the man was in critical condition and that police were investigating.
Pirates manager Derek Shelton and Cubs manager Craig Counsell both alerted the umpire crew of the situation immediately after the play.
“Even though it’s 350 feet away or whatever it is, I mean the fact of how it went down and then laying motionless while the play is going on, I mean Craig saw it, I saw it. We both got out there,” Shelton said. “I think the umpires saw it because of the way it kicked. It’s extremely unfortunate. That’s an understatement.”
The game was paused for several minutes while the man was tended to but there was no official stoppage in play. Players from both teams could be seen praying and McCutchen held a cross that hung from his neck while the fan was taken off the field.
McCutchen later went on social media and offered his support for the man and those close to him.
“I didn’t see anything happen, but I saw (Counsell’s) face when he came out on the field, and I could tell that it was a very scary moment,” Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson said. “All we could do was just pray for a good, strong recovery for him and his family. I have never been part of something like that before and I hope I am never part of something like that again.
“It’s a humble reminder of the gratitude we should all have to play this game. Folks obviously come out to support us, and they are a big reason why we are able to do what we do. It’s obviously tough. At a time like that, you want (the fans) to know you love them.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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