Squirrel brings MLB game to a halt for nearly two innings at Detroit's Comerica Park

A single squirrel brought a Major League Baseball game to a standstill for nearly two innings Monday.

The animal darted onto the field during the Baltimore Orioles' game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan. It first appeared around the sixth inning and continued to roam the field through the middle of the seventh.

At one point, the squirrel settled near Baltimore's third-base coach, who offered it sunflower seeds — a moment caught live on the game's television broadcast.

In the middle of the seventh inning, 12 groundskeepers rushed onto the field to chase the animal as it darted back and forth across the outfield.

Baltimore right fielder Liodys Taveras also joined the effort, briefly catching the squirrel with his bare hands before it slipped free and bolted away.

The chase ended when one groundskeeper threw a towel over the squirrel and pinned it down. The crowd responded with boos as the animal was captured.

With the squirrel finally caught, the home plate umpire took the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to thank the grounds crew," he said. "Let's give them a hand — thank you, Detroit Tigers grounds crew."

The Tigers did not disclose the squirrel's condition or whether any further action was taken beyond removing it from the field.

It was not the first time a squirrel has appeared at Comerica Park. One ran across the field at the same stadium on May 27 last year, and another appeared during a game in 2018.

Baltimore won the game 8-5.