Unexpected intruder interrupts baseball game at Yankees Stadium

Pitch invaders are not uncommon in American baseball, but it wasn’t your usual streaker that ran on to New York’s Yankee Stadium.

The New York Yankees lost their Major League Baseball match to the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday (AEST) but fans at least had something to cheer about after an unexpected pitch invader stole the show at Yankee Stadium.

The Yankees returned to their home ground in the Bronx following a brutal 10-game road trip, as they look to continue their push for the playoffs.

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Almost nothing went right for New York as they went down to Baltimore 7-1, with their solitary run coming in the fifth inning as Gleyber Torres made it to the home plate.

But the attention shifted away from the baseball in the eighth inning when a stray cat managed to find its way onto the field.

Before the players realised what was happening, a pitch was thrown while the cat was sitting in the outfield.

Remarkably, it spent well over three minutes patrolling the dirt on the outskirts of New York’s famous Yankee Stadium before it was ushered off the field.

🚨 CAT ON THE FIELD 🚨 pic.twitter.com/m6tFNgAEZp

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) August 3, 2021

“Now, we don’t usually show when someone gets loose on the field but this time we’re making an exception,” the commentator said.

Stadium staff had no chance of catching the clever cat. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images)

Officials were clearly unsure how to react to the rogue invader, who was left to its own devices for more than a minute before stadium staff finally came onto the field and attempted to catch that cat.

Fans were delighted by the unbelievable scenes as they finally had something to cheer about, with boisterous chants “Let’s go cat!” and “MVP!” echoing around the arena.

A total of seven security guards tried to corner the feline trespasser, but they had no chance as the wily cat jumped up onto the fence and easily evaded their grasp.

Finally, someone had the presence of mind to open the side fence door into the bullpen area off the side of the stadium so the cat could be more easily contained.

After the entertaining interlude, the cat slinked out the door and play was allowed to continue.

Viewers couldn’t believe their eyes and were perplexed as to why the security staff didn’t run onto the field straight away and open a side door so the cat could escape.

The cat wasn’t getting out of Yankee Stadium quickly. Photo: Adam Hunger/Getty Images/AFP

“Is anyone thinking about maybe going on the field and getting the cat?” the commentator said.

“This could be a while. If a person could open the door there, the cat might go through.

“Just open the door! What are they doing? Oh my goodness.

“Two times, the cat was right near the bullpen door and they kept the door closed. It makes no sense.”

It’s the second time in as many weeks an animal has tried to interrupt a professional match on a diamond-shaped pitch.

Hours before Australia’s opening softball match of the Tokyo Olympics against Japan, a large Asian black bear was spotted outside the Softball arena in Fukushima.

The bear couldn’t be found after Olympic guards frantically searched the area.

They even blasted music and let off firecrackers in an effort to flush out the bear.