Well, that’s one way to kick off the game.
Just five pitches into a spring training matchup between the Giants and the Cubs in Scottsdale, Arizona, an unexpected emergency announcement reverberated through the stadium, leaving both players and fans puzzled.
“Attention, attention, an emergency has been reported in this building,” the automated voice declared. “Cease all activities and exit the building using the nearest exit or stairs. Please do not use the elevator.”
Giants broadcasters John Miller and Duane Kuiper seemed taken aback by the interruption, yet the game proceeded as alerts continued to echo through the venue.
“This is really odd,” Miller remarked.
Kuiper added, “I can’t recall anything like this happening before.”
The reason for the alarm? Someone had been smoking in the stadium restroom, as noted by John Shea of the San Francisco Standard.
While the situation was quickly resolved, the game soon took another unusual turn.
After the first two Chicago batters reached base, Giants pitcher Robbie Ray hit Seiya Suzuki, sparking a wild series of events.
Suzuki’s hit landed awkwardly between second baseman Luis Arraez and right fielder Lee Jeong-hoo. Lee rushed forward, caught the ball, and threw it to first baseman Rafael Devers. In a scramble, when Suzuki attempted to advance, Devers promptly sent the ball to second base.
Confusion escalated as leadoff hitter Matt Shaw and new Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman both ended up at third base, a misstep by Bregman causing him to be tagged out with two outs in the inning.
Shaw, apparently thinking he had been called out, stepped off third base and was swiftly tagged out, resulting in a strange triple play.
“Wow! Matt Shaw made a rookie mistake there,” Miller commented.
Kuiper didn’t hold back, calling it an embarrassing blunder.
“What an idiot,” he remarked. “We may not see anything like that again for a while.”
This spring training has seen its share of weird incidents in just a few days.
Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami nearly missed the White Sox’s spring debut due to traffic, arriving at the stadium just in time for the first pitch.
Meanwhile, a sewage issue outside George M. Steinbrenner Field flooded parts of the clubhouse and concourse, leaving a lingering unpleasant smell around the stadium.
A Yankees spokesperson humorously noted, “It’s also spring training for the toilet.”
