This season’s headlines haven’t just been about homers. It’s also been about MLB fans and their actions. There were fights in the stands, players crying because of vile comments, and even lobbing death threats. Then comes the Sunday game at Daikin Park, where the Astros were playing against the Orioles. And in the eighth inning, drama unfolded on the diamond.

What started as a rough inning for the Astros quickly turned into must-see action. An MLB fan sprinted right through the pitcher’s mound, and behind him, there were three security personnel trying to catch him. He pounded circles around the guards—literally—before ultimately being brought down in shallow center field, tackled, handcuffed, and taken away.

FOX Sports caught the drama between the MLB fan and security. They shared it on their X, with the caption, “A baseball fan circles the pitcher’s mound and makes a mad dash across the field before he’s finally tackled by security and taken away from the Astros-Orioles game in handcuffs.” The way he was tackled gave a glimpse of how they tackle fans in the NFL.

When a fan runs onto the field in the NFL, security jumps into action, often with the help of local police. The intruder is quickly apprehended and forcefully removed from the field. And that’s what happened with this MLB fan.

And if you believe this was a one-time thing. Nope, it’s not! In 2021, following another blowout loss to the Rays, this time by 7–0, two Astros fans jumped onto the field in the ninth inning. One had on a big orange foam cowboy hat, and the other had on a white shirt and a foam finger. They sprinted faster than nine security guards, slipping and sliding like they were greased. That chase stopped the game until they were taken away.

The field invasion just became part of this already miserable series for the Astros. Houston lost the three-game set to Baltimore 2-1. In Games 1 and 3, they shut out Houston (7-0 and 12-0). The Astros could only manage to win Game 2 by a score of 5-4. Cristian Javier left Game 3 early, and relievers Shawn Dubin, Kaleb Ort, and Jordan Weems were all hit hard. The offense turned ice cold, scoring only four runs from bats like José Altuve and Christian Walker.

The Astros are leading their division with 69-55, but this latest series will sting for them, especially with the setback in the form of Cristian Javier.

Pitching on pause: Javier sick, Astros shatter

The Astros were already struggling in the last game because the Orioles were leading. And to make things worse, Cristian Javier, who had just had Tommy John surgery, left early because he was sick. That sudden departure ruined the plan before it ever had a chance to work. He had only appeared in 2 games since his return. So far, he has pitched 8.0 innings, getting 7 Ks and a 1.00 WHIP. He is 1–1 with a 3.38 ERA, showing that he is getting back to form.

It showed when he pitched for three innings before leaving the mound. And in those, Javier gave up one earned run on three hits, struck out two, and had no walks in 50 pitches.

The bullpen fell apart as soon as Javier left. Shawn Dubin gave up four runs in the fourth. Caleb Ort and Jordan Weems kept the runs coming, turning one inning into several as Baltimore scored.

And a strange thing happened in the 9th inning when outfielder Chas McCormick took the mound. He pitched a clean “1–2–3” frame, getting the side out without giving up a hit or walk. The Astros’ struggles echoed through a torn bullpen, and no answers when they needed them most.