April 21--The sound was scary enough.
But when a female fan fell to the ground behind home plate, the worst fears started creeping into the minds of Chicago Cubs players.
"(Chris) Coghlan thought the ball hit the wall," manager Joe Maddon said of a fan was who was struck in the back of the head by a foul ball behind the backstop in the second inning.
Starlin Castro fouled an 0-1 pitch, and the ball pushed the netting back into the fan, who had her back turned to home plate as she was going to her front row seat while holding items from a concession stand.
The fan immediately fell to the ground, causing play to stop for 23 minutes.
"The fact nobody is getting up, and there are ice bags, we had no idea what was going on," Maddon said. "Couple guys saw it and said it was horrid."
PNC Park and Pittsburgh EMS personnel provided treatment before the victim was placed on a stretcher and transported to an ambulance that took her to a local hospital, the Pirates said.
The fan was conscious and alert at the time she was placed on a stretcher and gave a "thumbs up" sign to fans sitting near her.
