Young fan struck by foul ball during Astros-Cubs game

A foul ball struck by Cubs center fielder Albert Almora, Jr. during the fourth inning hit a small child along the third-base line at Minute Maid Park on Wednesday night, causing a stoppage in the game and a sobering scene.

Play was halted for a brief stoppage after the incident. Almora dropped to two knees and needed to be consoled by Cubs manager Joe Maddon and another teammate. The entire Astros infield sunk to their knees, too, as a man rushed the child up the stairs.

“He rips a line drive down the third-base line and it comes in and it looks like it hits someone hard,” said David LeVasseur. “It bounces, comes down and hits the guy to my left off (a) ricochet and the next thing you know it’s at my feet. I pick it up and all we heard was screaming. ”

LeVasseur, a Houston resident sitting in the first row of section 111, did not see the ball hit the child, whom he estimated was sitting in row seven or eight, but did rush upstairs after the incident to check on the injury. The baseball had no traces of blood and, according to LeVasseur, there was none near the seat.

“All we heard was screaming,” said LeVasseur, 26. “We saw this dad pick up a child and run up the stairs. He took off running.”

“I (came) upstairs and see the first-aid guys up there and the dad is holding the girl. She (was) alert, she’s conscious, she’s fine. I was just going to give somebody in the family the ball. They kind of, naturally, shook it off. I asked the first-aid guy if she was OK and he said he didn’t know.”

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Immediate efforts to find the stricken child or the family were unsuccessful. The Astros issued a statement following the game.

“The young fan that was struck by a foul ball during tonight’s game was taken to the hospital,” the statement said. “We are not able to disclose any further details at this time. The Astros send our thoughts and prayers to the entire family.”

After the fourth inning concluded, Almora went over toward the security guards working the third-base line to ask for an update. When he did, he began to sob, requiring consolation from teammate Jason Heyward as he covered his face with his glove.

Following the game, Almora said he was aware he struck a fan as soon as he hit the ball.

“Yep,” Almora said. “That’s probably what sucked the most. Just the way life is. As soon as I hit it the first person I locked eyes on was her. So that’s … yeah.”