Giants Hospitalize Pair of Young Fans

Buster Posey has done a lot of damage with his bat this year. Usually, he feels better about it.

​The San Francisco Giants have been relentless on the field of late. The reeling San Diego Padres can attest to that. So can a pair of Arizona children.

In a bizarre course of events, two youthful spectators were hospitalized during last night's Giants-Diamondbacks game in Phoenix, following incidents in consecutive innings.

In the fourth frame of last night's 2-0, extra-inning Giants win, San Francisco catcher Buster Posey's bat sailed out of his hands and hit a 13-year-old fan in the forehead. The boy as removed from the stadium on a stretcher and outfitted with a neck brace -- though he did flash the crowd a thumbs-up. The boy's hospitalization was described as a precautionary measure. Needless to say, not all bat-in-the-stands events end so well. 

One inning later, third baseman Pablo Sandoval sent a foul ball off another kid's forehead -- this time a 2-year-old in the upper deck. (AP reports indicated that the incidents occurred on consecutive at-bats -- which would have been a neat trick, as Posey was batting third and Sandoval batted fifth). Medical personnel were still attending to the teenager when the foul ball injured the toddler.

The Giants, meanwhile, are just a game behind the Padres in the National League West, and a game and a half behind Philadelphia in the wild card race. The team plays Arizona tonight at 6:40 p.m. in the desert. Fans are advised to keep their eye on the ball -- or wear some manner of helmet.

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