Wednesday afternoon's (September 20) Yankees home game vs. the Minnesota Twins was halted for nearly five minutes as a toddler received medical attention after she was blasted by a line drive off of the bat of third baseman Todd Frazier.
With the Yanks up 9-5 in the 5th inning, pitcher Nik Turley hurled a 0-0 fastball on the inner half of the plate. Frazier put an early swing on the pitch and got the bat through the zone a fraction of a second too early, which subsequently caused it to zip in the direction of the third base dugout. At the blink of an eye, the ball cleared the dugout before it instantaneously hit the mouth area of a 2-year-old girl's face.
The entire stadium went silent as Frazier dropped to one knee and simply hung his head. The cameras were careful not to broadcast the child's injury, but they did capture the somber reaction of the players on the field. Expressions ranged from frowns to grimaces, to tears.
The child was said to be in tears and anguished, but conscious, as she was ushered from the stands and eventually transported to Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. After the game, the New York Yankees organization released a statement confirming that she was being treated but cited HIPAA laws (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) as preventing them from disclosing any further information about her condition.
The incident is raising questions as to why the Bronx Bombers have failed to extend the protective backstop netting down the field, as many, including the Mets, have over the past several seasons.
Source: YouTube
