ST. LOUIS – Elly De La Cruz of the Cincinnati Reds and Trent Thornton of the Seattle Mariners both faced heat-related issues on the field Saturday due to the sweltering temperatures sweeping much of the United States.
De La Cruz Struggles But Stays in the Game
In a 92-degree game between the Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals, De La Cruz, a 23-year-old shortstop from the Dominican Republic, had to battle through heat exhaustion. In the fourth inning, with two outs, he vomited on the field, drawing concern from players and fans alike. The Reds’ trainer checked on him, and the grounds crew quickly cleaned up the area.
Despite the setback, De La Cruz remained in the game. Reds manager Terry Francona commented, saying, “I actually watched him. He drank a bunch of water. I mean a bunch, and then he went right out and got rid of it.”
Later in the game, De La Cruz made a notable recovery, hitting a two-run home run in the seventh inning. Unfortunately, the Reds would lose the game in extra innings.
Thornton Dealt With Heat-Related Illness
Meanwhile, the Mariners were also impacted by the heat. Trent Thornton, a 31-year-old right-hander, pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings in 94-degree conditions against the Chicago Cubs but had to leave in the eighth inning due to a heat-related illness. Mariners manager Dan Wilson noted, “It was a scary moment, for sure.
He battled hard. But just really glad that he’s feeling a little bit better now and should be OK.”
The combination of extreme heat and exertion took its toll on Thornton, but it was reassuring to hear he was recovering and should be fine moving forward.
Umpire and Staff Affected by Heat
The extreme temperatures also affected the umpire crew. Chad Whitson, one of the umpires working the Mariners-Cubs game, fell ill due to dehydration and was treated in the Mariners’ dugout. With Whitson unable to continue, the game was officiated by just three umpires, with Dexter Kelley moving from second base to home plate.
Wilson explained, “He came in, same kind of thing. Just was not feeling well… threw up a few times in the dugout.” Fortunately, Whitson was able to recover and was cleared to work at third base for the series finale later that weekend.
Additional Heat-Related Incidents
In Milwaukee, the Brewers were also playing under excessive heat warnings, and there were additional heat-related medical incidents. After the Mariners-Cubs game, a Wrigley Field staffer suffered a heat-related issue, but he was promptly treated by medical personnel and walked off the field on his own.
In response to the extreme conditions, Cubs officials set up cooling stations and misting fans throughout Wrigley Field to help fans cope with the heat.
They also stationed an emergency cooling bus on the street for anyone needing relief from the sweltering temperatures, a measure that was planned to continue through Sunday’s game.
