Albert Almora Jr. couldn’t help but break down at what he saw when he lined a foul ball into the stands Wednesday night.
The Cubs outfielder hit a line drive into the third-base stands during the fourth inning against the Astros at Minute Maid Park, striking a girl who was taken to the hospital.
Almora put his hands on his head after realizing what happened and dropped to his knees near home plate, where he was consoled by teammate Jason Heyward and manager Joe Maddon.
An Associated Press photo showed the girl being taken away from her seat. The Astros released a statement after the game saying the fan was taken to a hospital, but they did not disclose her condition.
“Just the way life is,” Almora said. “As soon as I hit it, the first person I locked eyes on was her.”
A young child is carried from the stands after being injured by a foul ball hit by the Cubs’ Albert Almora Jr. AP photo
Cameras showed Almora embracing with a security guard near where the girl was hit between innings, crying on her shoulder.
Maddon said he was prepared to remove Almora from the game, but the center fielder said he was OK to continue playing.
“Right now I’m just praying and I’m speechless,” Almora said after the game. “I’m at loss of words. Being a father, two boys … but God willing I’ll be able to have a relationship with this little girl for the rest of my life. But just prayers right now and that’s all I really can control.”
All 30 MLB stadiums expanded protective netting to go to — at minimum — the far ends of each dugout after several fans were injured during the 2017 season.
“Right now obviously I want to put a net around the whole stadium,” Almora said.
