Without much entertainment provided by the home team on the diamond, some knucklehead fans decided to take matters into their own hands on Monday night at Coors Field in Denver.
Braves superstar Ronald Acuna Jr. was approached on the field by two spectators in the middle of the seventh inning during Atlanta’s 14-4 victory over the Rockies. The first fan ran towards Acuna Jr. wrapping his arms around him and the other knocked the outfielder to the ground as security attempted to pry them off of him.
“I was a little scared at first,” Acuña said after the incident. “I think the fans were out there and asking for pictures. I really couldn’t say anything because at that point, security was already there and we were already kind of tangled up, but security was able to get there and everything’s OK. We’re all OK and I hope they’re OK.”
Outfielders Michael Harris III and Kevin Pillar ran to the right fielder to make sure their MVP frontrunner was not in harms way.
“Thankfully, they weren’t there to do any harm, but you just never know during those situations,” said Pillar. “They were extreme fans and wanted to get a picture, put their hands on him. But in no way is it appropriate for people to leave the stands, even more to put their hands on someone else.”
Acuna tied career highs with four hits and five RBIs, hitting a homer and stealing two bases to increase his major league-leading total to 61 on Monday. He became the fourth player with 25 or more homers and 60 or more steals, joining Hall of Famers Joe Morgan (1973, ‘76) and Rickey Henderson (1986, ‘90), along with Eric Davis (1986).
The superstar has put together an incredible season as he fends off a late push from Dodgers superstar Mookie Betts for the NL MVP. The 25-year-old is slashing .335/.418/.572 with 29 homers and 79 RBI.
He is one homer shy of becoming the first 30/60 player as the Venezuelan native leads the league in stolen bases (61) is in prime position to take home his first career MVP award.
“He’s a special, special player, a gifted young man,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “Anything he’s going to do in this game is not going to surprise me. I just think he’s that talented.”
— With News Wire Services
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