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Any true fan of the sport knows that baseball is a weird game often dictated by random chance. And as we learned during the Baltimore Orioles and Oakland Athletics’ matchup on Saturday, it’s also bound to show us things we’ve (probably) never seen before.
At the top of the fourth inning, Baltimore’s Austin Hays blasted a monster of a home run into left field. It hit the foul pole. The story does not stop here. As Hays began rounding the bases, the ball was actually stuck in the fencing of the foul pole. A fan sitting nearby would eventually retrieve the ball.
In all my years of watching this silly sport, I can’t say I’ve ever seen something so bizarre, as this video from NBC Sports California shows:
A home run stuck in the foul pole?? 😲 pic.twitter.com/P6okscKJKo
— A's on NBCS (@NBCSAthletics) August 20, 2023
This Hays home run got stuck in the foul pole 😂 pic.twitter.com/uKn73elOvn
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) August 20, 2023
The Orioles — who lead the American League standings – wound up casually pummeling the Athletics with a final score of 7-2. And Hays gave us a weird baseball memory from a tune-up for one of baseball’s best teams.
This was how Twitter reacted
Lmao ofc this would happen at Oakland Coliseum 💀 https://t.co/OY9eXSFlfo
— avox0o (@avox0o) August 20, 2023
Just when you think nothing new can happen in baseball https://t.co/ar1byasFQO
— Vinsanity (@beefcake_180) August 20, 2023
This is such a A's thing https://t.co/NbkiKMuhS5
— Patrick Marks (@PatrickMarks91) August 20, 2023
Trying to figure out how this is possible: https://t.co/lMs4ai2tPQ pic.twitter.com/cYJWJpmicx
— Matt 🦡 (@MShadows17) August 20, 2023
Hahahahhaa that’s how you know they need to leave Oakland asap. 😂
That stadium 🗑️ https://t.co/Pri8SLBnMC
— Gohan (@GohanVeezy) August 20, 2023
When you think you’ve seen it all https://t.co/XmbQ5FTvms
— Colin Vedros (@colinpvedros) August 20, 2023
Austin Hays hit that ball into the foul pole, literally! 🤯
(via @MLB)pic.twitter.com/5QKLtGD2cD
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) August 20, 2023
That has to be a first https://t.co/Rno6GYIXbc
— Bony Scribe ☠️🖤 (@bonyscribe) August 20, 2023
Yes this is bordering on cool, but it also is a great display of how poorly this stadium and fan base has been treated by the owner of the A’s https://t.co/fZMhc6mn1I
— Matthew Castelhano (@mattypabst) August 20, 2023