Fallen fan gives yanks a fright
SEATTLE – The Yankees dugout had mostly emptied out in the middle of the eighth inning as the Bombers took the field for the bottom of the frame.
That’s when Brian McCann heard what he described as “a loud thud,” then saw a fan on the floor of the dugout looking dazed and confused.
“He hit his head on the ground; it looked like he was out of it,” McCann said. “He basically knocked himself out. It was a loud thud, I turned around and he was out of it.”
Joe Girardi said the fan’s appearance in the dugout startled him initially.
“It kind of freaked me out, actually,” Girardi said. “I think he tried to jump in, but he was probably not in a state to be walking.”
Girardi said the fan landed on the steps, hitting his side after falling from the top of the dugout. He tried to get up and fell again, this time hitting the back of his head. Stadium security moved quickly to apprehend the fan and escorted him out of the dugout and off the field.
“You don’t know his intentions,” McCann said. “It looked like he was trying to run on the field, but he didn’t make it there. It could have been worse.”
catching a break
McCann was out of the lineup after catching Tuesday night, only his third start behind the plate since Gary Sanchez was promoted on Aug. 3.
“It’s the first time he’s caught in a while, so I figured I would give him a day,” Girardi said. “I figured he might be a little beat up today in a sense, so that’s the only reason.”
McCann had been behind the plate only once since Aug. 5, serving as the Yankees’ DH 11 times. He caught CC Sabathia’s seven innings of one-run ball, playing the whole game in the 5-1 win over Seattle.
“It was fun to get back there,” McCann said after Tuesday’s game. “I’ll probably be a little sore tomorrow, but it was fun.”
jacoby’s foot rest
Girardi also gave Jacoby Ellsbury the day off Wednesday, one he had planned a couple days ago. The rest was good for Ellsbury, who was nursing a sore right foot after fouling a ball off of it Tuesday night. … Ronald Torreyes got the start at third base over Chase Headley after going 3-for-4 with two doubles, a run and an RBI on Tuesday. “He’s just playing so well and swinging the bat so well, it’s hard to ignore,” Girardi said. “If he continues to hit like this, I’m going to have to find ways to play him.” Torreyes went 1-for4 Wednesday, though he turned a key double play in the third inning.
Life of brian
The Yankees activated righthander Bryan Mitchell from the 60-day disabled list, optioning him to Triple-A.
Mitchell, who has been out since he suffered a tear in his left big toe in the final days of spring training, has thrown 12 innings over four appearances at three minor-league levels during his rehab assignment. If the Yankees feel he’s ready, he could be back as a call-up when rosters expand Sept. 1 or even before then.