Man in Astros dugout injured by foul ball

HOUSTON (AP) — A man in the Astros dugout who was not in uniform was hit by a foul ball off the bat of Houston’s Michael Brantley during Game 2 of the AL Championship Series and exited with a towel over his head.

It was unclear who the person was, but he was not an Astros player or coach. A report by Fox, which was televising the game Sunday night, said he was a security officer. A team spokesman said the club did not have any details or an update on the man’s condition.

Play between the Astros and New York Yankees was briefly halted after the accident in the fifth inning, and manager AJ Hinch came on the field to console a shaken-up Brantley.

Several Astros players were shown in the dugout looking distraught, as were Yankees players who had a view into Houston’s dugout. Houston stars Carlos Correa and George Springer both could be seen putting their hands on their heads and then looking away seconds after the ball entered the dugout.

Play resumed after a couple of minutes and Brantley struck out but reached first on a wild pitch by Adam Ottavino.

The Astros extended the protective netting at Minute Maid Park to cover more of the seating area earlier this year, but there is no such protection for the dugouts. The move came after a 2-year-old girl suffered a skull fracture when she struck by a foul ball during a May game in Houston.