Associated Press May 5, 2023 8:02 pm ET2 Minute Read
PHILADELPHIA — A spectator fell over a guard rail and into the Red Sox’s bullpen while grabbing a baseball in the first inning of Boston’s game against Philadelphia at Citizens Bank Park on Friday night.
The fan was taken to the trauma center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital after falling from an open hall one level into the Boston bullpen at right midfield, according to local medical staff.
The injury occurred when the fan reached over a railing to retrieve a ball thrown at him, the Phillies said in a statement. The Phillies said the fan was conscious and responsive when he exited the stadium. His injuries were not disclosed.
Later in the game, a Phillies employee wiped blood from the concrete in the area where the fan had fallen.
Masataka Yoshida, Boston’s second hitter, was facing Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler when Jose Alvarado, a Phillies helper, ran into the outfield from the bullpen to draw attention to the incident. Medical personnel quickly ran to the second level of the bullpen while Red Sox paramedics looked on nearby.
Security personnel immediately cleared fans from the railings in Ashburn Alley, which is near the visiting bullpen, while medical workers tended to the fan, who was wearing a Phillies jersey. Red Sox aides watched in concern as silence fell over the nearly-sold stadium hyped for the game and Bryce Harper’s first action in Philadelphia since offseason elbow surgery.
The spectator was strapped to a back wall and carried out of the bullpen and field on a stretcher and cart.
The game resumed after a delay of about 10 minutes.
Fans would linger later in the game on the railings on Ashburn Alley, named for Hall of Famer and former Phillies outfielder Richie Ashburn, who has been a popular gathering spot since the ballpark opened in 2004. There is also a ledge to accommodate food and drinks, Fans can also keep a close eye on the helpers from a seating area, which also has a ledge.
Some fans wondered Friday night if they would be banned from watching the game from that area after the fan fell.
In the original plan for the stadium, Phillies aides sat at the top of the bullpen closest to the fans. But the guest bullpen was moved to the top level and the home bullpen was moved down.