Baseball has long embraced its share of quirky fan traditions, from the wave to throwing back opposing home run balls. But Friday night at Oracle Park, one fan took things way too far — and created one of the strangest scenes of the MLB season.
During the fourth inning of the San Francisco Giants’ 5-4 extra-inning win over the Atlanta Braves, chaos briefly erupted when two baseballs ended up on the field in the middle of live play. The bizarre moment occurred after Braves catcher Sean Murphy lifted a sacrifice fly to right field. Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski made the catch and launched a throw home as Matt Olson tagged from third.
Well that’s a first
pic.twitter.com/yHtdJ6T2Ft
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) June 7, 2025
Just as Olson slid safely across the plate, another ball suddenly came flying onto the field — this one not from a glove, but from the stands. The second ball bounced past home plate and rolled toward the mound, sparking confusion among players, umpires, and fans.
“That’s a first,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said after the game. “I’ve never seen that before. I don’t know where it came from. I don’t know what the rule is. It didn’t affect the play, but it was extremely odd to see another baseball come on the field.”
Giants fan causes confusion on Friday night
The culprit appeared to be a fan in the upper deck who hurled the ball over the protective netting. Though the second ball didn’t alter the outcome of the play, it nearly created a dangerous situation on the field. Umpires huddled briefly but ultimately allowed the run to stand, and play resumed with no penalties.
Giants starter Hayden Birdsong, who was on the mound at the time, was momentarily baffled.
“I thought it was the ball that was thrown home,” Birdsong said. “I was like, ‘Why is the ball way out here?’ Then I realized Patty [catcher Patrick Bailey] had the other one.”
Infielder Tyler Fitzgerald didn’t hold back when asked about the incident: “It could’ve hit one of us. That’s dangerous. Then I would’ve been pissed.”
Even longtime broadcaster Mike Krukow, who’s seen just about everything in his years with the Giants, was left stunned.
“Some clown threw the baseball onto the field,” Krukow said on the TV broadcast. “I have never seen that.”
The Giants, who picked up the walk-off win in 10 innings, had other oddities in the game — including two pickoffs and a caught stealing — but the mystery of the mid-play baseball toss stole the spotlight.
Whether the fan responsible was caught remains unclear, but most agree: this crossed a line. The risk of injury and the potential to interfere with live play make this more than just a goofy moment. If identified, the fan should be banned from Oracle Park for good.
As Fitzgerald put it, “It’s not funny. We’re out there trying to play, not dodge flying baseballs.”
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