Fan hurt by foul ball at Wrigley
After watching his team’s latest homer-fueled win, Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon took a few minutes to address the most frightening hit of the day.
Kris Bryant homered twice and Kyle Schwarber connected an inning after lining a hard foul ball that sent a fan to the hospital Sunday as the Cubs beat Atlanta 9-3, the Braves’ seventh straight loss.
The game was briefly delayed in the first inning after Schwarber’s foul liner struck a female fan sitting just past the camera well on the first-base side.
The woman was carried off on a stretcher and taken to a hospital. The Cubs said she was conscious, but had no further details on her condition.
“Oh my God, awful,” Maddon said.
Several fans around the majors have been hit this season by fouls and flying bats, and Major League Baseball has said it is studying the issue of crowd safety.
Maddon issued his own warning.
“Pay attention. I hate to say, but those are wonderful seats. Probably pay a lot of money for them, you’re digging the fact that you’re right there. I watch and I see people turning their back to the field when action is going. You just can’t do it, you can’t do it,” he said.
“But what I’m saying is, when you’re at the ballpark and you’re in those particular locations, watch what is going on. Don’t turn your head away from the action. Every time a ball is pitched you look, you look and see, then you can go and talk. That’s probably the best answer, to just pay attention.”
The Cubs hit five home runs, including a leadoff shot by Dexter Fowler in the first inning and a three-run drive by Miguel Montero.
Jason Hammel (7-5) allowed two runs in 6 1/3 innings. He contributed an RBI single as the Cubs finished a four-game sweep.
Rockies designate Betancourt
Rafael Betancourt arrived at Coors Field expecting to be on the team plane to Atlanta after Sunday’s game.
He soon discovered he might have hit the end of the road with the Colorado Rockies – and baseball.
Betancourt, 40, was designated for assignment by the Rockies, possibly signaling the end of the right-hander’s 11-year major league career.
“I don’t have any hard feelings. I don’t feel sad at all,” he said. “If this is the end, I’ll take it.”
In a corresponding move, Colorado purchased the contract of right-hander Simon Castro from Triple-A Albuquerque. The Rockies also recalled right-hander Jairo Diaz and optioned reliever Justin Miller to the Isotopes.
Betancourt was 2-4 with one save and a 6.18 ERA in 45 appearances this season. He joined the Rockies in a trade with Cleveland in 2009 and helped the team reach the playoffs that season after going 3-1 with a 1.78 ERA in 29 games with Colorado.
He has been with Colorado since and has 58 saves, fifth in franchise history.