A black squirrel caused a commotion during the seventh inning of Monday's game between the Baltimore Orioles and Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park, leading to a chaotic chase involving the grounds crew and players. The squirrel roamed the field for over an inning, evading capture multiple times before finally being wrangled in a towel and removed from the stadium.
The Orioles won the game 8-5, but the squirrel's antics stole the show. Orioles manager Craig Albernaz joked that the squirrel had a great view of the game, while third baseman Coby Mayo expressed hope the creature would stay on the field to make the game more interesting. Outfielder Leody Taveras attempted to capture the squirrel by trapping it in his glove, but the animal escaped and continued its evasion.
The grounds crew, numbering around 15 members, pursued the squirrel during the seventh-inning stretch, using towels in an attempt to corner it. The squirrel's agility and speed made it difficult to capture, with one crew member nearly falling during the chase. The animal was eventually secured and removed from the field.
The Tigers, who entered Tuesday in fourth place in the AL Central, fell to the Orioles in a game that saw 13 runs and 23 hits. The team's struggles have raised questions about their ability to compete in the AL Wild Card race.