Phillies game hilariously stalls after the safety netting behind home plate collapses
You don't see this often during a baseball game!
If you tuned into the Philadelphia Phillies game at around 4:45 p.m. ET, you’d have been greeted with an unusual sight. In the top of the eighth, during Trea Turner’s at bat for the Washington Nationals, the game was halted after the safety netting behind home plate and along the base lines suddenly collapsed mid-game.
After the 2-1 delivery from pitcher Cristopher Sanchez with two outs on the board, the netting suddenly became detached from the top wire, causing it to fall onto the field and on some of the fans in the stands.
The Phillies broadcast caught the entire thing in all its glory, and it’s quite a moment.
Well, we’ve seen it all today. The protective netting behind home plate and along the base lines collapsed and the Phillies-Nationals game is in a delay. pic.twitter.com/U1jQBTkXnY
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) June 6, 2021
Not only that, the Phillies broadcast stayed on air during the entirety of the saga — which lasted nearly 20 minutes — as the grounds crew in Philadelphia scrambled to find a solution.
It took a little bit for the grounds crew to figure out what went wrong, but eventually an entire team of workers were able to identify the problem and work on hoisting the net back up to the wire.
Top of the 8th inning and the net surrounding the field collapsed at the @Phillies @Nationals game. pic.twitter.com/eBNPW0EZpY
— Monica Herndon (@monica_herndon) June 6, 2021
Of course, as all of this was happening, Twitter was having a ball with the jokes as the game hit an unexpectedly outrageous lull.
— Absolutely Hammered (@AH_Pod) June 6, 2021
pov you just tuned into the phillies game on tv + have no idea what’s happening pic.twitter.com/bCAhJYql2i
— Matt (@matttadelphia) June 6, 2021
*very Stefon voice*
This game has everything.
An under-the-weather ump, a seven-run inning, a 1000th career run, a straw hat, a 100th career homer, a straw hat curtain call, a big-league debut, collapsed netting …
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) June 6, 2021
Just when you thought you’ve seen it all at a baseball game.. #Phillies pic.twitter.com/TdITM2wj7O
— Matt P (@MattPet1978) June 6, 2021
There were also jokes about how the Phillies broadcast handled the entire debacle, as they filled the entire 20 minute affair with incredible commentary.
This play by play of trying to get the netting back up is awesome
@Phillies
— Jojo Romero (@jojothejet6) June 6, 2021
John Kruk: "are we still on the air?"
— Absolutely Hammered (@AH_Pod) June 6, 2021
During the grounds crew’s final stretch pulling the netting back up with a rope, Citizens Bank Park played the William Tell Overture over scenes of the on-field chaos.
William Tell Overture is playing and fans are cheering on the grounds crew. @dougherty_jesse pointed out that this is the strangest thing he's seen at a game since the #Phillies had to blow torch the field after forgetting to put the tarp down one night a few years ago.
— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) June 6, 2021
But finally, the grounds crew was able to get the netting secure with a knot and some zip ties and the game was able to resume.
This is what is holding the entirety of the Phillies' Citizen Bank Park together. pic.twitter.com/mHiUxgmVrH
— Baseball GIFs (@gifs_baseball) June 6, 2021
Great reaction to the end of the net delay at #Phillies pic.twitter.com/W3g5FQLKL1
— Rob Maaddi (@RobMaaddi) June 6, 2021
How bout that team work from the @Phillies grounds crew and staff
great tug a war/ high quality play by play/ and some very efficient knots tied. Job well done
— Jojo Romero (@jojothejet6) June 6, 2021
Only in Philadelphia!