The Atlanta Braves’ game against the Colorado Rockies on Monday was delayed momentarily when two spectators ran onto the field, approached and made contact with Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. at Denver’s Coors Field.
The incident happened in the middle of the seventh inning, with video showing the one spectator approaching Acuña and giving him a hug in right field. Moments later, two security guards approached the person and tried to get him to let go of the Braves outfielder.
After a third security guard arrived and largely managed to separate the spectator from the player, a second fan rushed up and made contact with Acuña, who fell to the ground, the video shows.
Although several members of the Braves ran to right field to assist, the situation didn’t escalate any further as both spectators were taken off the field by the Rockies’ security staff.
Following the incident, Acuña appeared noticeably relieved, and stayed in the game.
“I was a little scared at first but you know I think the fans were out there and asking for a picture,” Acuna Jr. said via a translator after the game. “Security was able to get there and so I think everything’s okay, everyone’s okay.”
“Just glad he was safe,” Braves third baseman Austin Riley said afterward. “That’s all you can really come down to is just glad that no one got injured. Ronnie’s safe. He means so much to us. So thankful for nothing that seriously happened.”
Earlier in the game, Acuña became the first Major League Baseball player to reach 60 stolen bases in a season since 2017. He finished the game with four hits in five at-bats, and tallied five RBIs, four runs and his 29th home run of the season.
The Braves defeated the Rockies 14-4 to improve to a Major League-best 85-45 on the season.
