WATCH: Bird Hit and Killed By a Ground Ball During Cleveland Guardians Game
For the second time in less than a week, a bird has been killed by a baseball in an MLB stadium.
In the second inning of the game between the Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox, Guardians outfielder Will Brennan hit a routine single on a ground ball to left field. When the broadcast switch to an angle from third base, however, dead bird was clearly seen on the base paths.
Matt Underwood, one of the announcers in the booth, noticed it right away.
“Get a shot right at shortstop, guys,” Underwood said to his producers on air. “We got a bird that may have been hit by that, possibly.”
It’s hard to see the point of impact from the angles shown on the Guardians’ broadcast, but an angle from another broadcast clearly shows the bird sitting in the infield before being hit by the line drive.
Guardians Will Brennan appears to have killed a bird sitting on the infield grass on a base hit, tough week for baseball and our winged friends pic.twitter.com/Oj8FA66T9i
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) May 22, 2023
After the game, Brennan jokingly issued an apology for the “unfortunate sacrifice.”
“I truly am sorry @peta and bird enthusiasts,” he said. “An unfortunate sacrifice.”
I truly am sorry @peta and bird enthusiasts. An unfortunate sacrifice. https://t.co/eE7UsdBEk6
— Will Brennan (@Silly_Willy18) May 23, 2023
Just five days prior, another bird was killed when Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen hit it with a curveball during a pre-game warmup.
Zac Gallen really hit a bird with a curveball. pic.twitter.com/T6XOZudoMH
— Bally Sports Arizona (@BALLYSPORTSAZ) May 17, 2023
As some may know, Gallen isn’t the first Diamondbacks pitcher to take out a bird from the mound. More than 20 years ago, Randy Johnson hit a bird with a pitch during a spring training game. The resulting explosion of feathers has become one of the most widely circulated baseball clips of the last few decades.
Watch above via Bally Sports Great Lakes
