What happened to George Kirby? Mariners All-Star struck by fan's throw in bizarre sequence of play

In another bizarre incident this season, Seattle Mariners starter George Kirby was hurt by a ball thrown at him from the stands while he was on the mound. The incident occurred during their 6-2 win over AL West rivals Houston Astros on Tuesday.

George Kirby was having a strong day on the mound pitching against the Astros lineup. In the sixth innings of the game, with Kyle Tucker at the plate, Kirby had gone ahead on with a 1-2 count. Tucker then fouled off a ball that went behind into the stands.

Kirby was requesting for a ball change on the mound with his hands raised. Ready to pitch, the Mariners starter was hit by a ball on his body that came directly from the stands. This wasn't the sort of 'comebacker' the 25-year-old would have expected as he turned around to check if it came from any of his teammates.

Being amused at the incident, Kirby played it off and returned to the mound. He conceded a hit to Tucker but completed the sixth unharmed as he went scoreless for six straight frames. He secured the win on the day as the Mariners bullpen held on for the win.

A young Mariners fan identified as the one who hit George Kirby

The broadcast following the incident seemed to show a young Seattle Mariners fan wearing a Jared Kelenic jersey. The young fan was escorted out of the stadium. It seemed to be a bit harsh on the youngster who seemed to have made an honest mistake.

With a scoreless night, George Kirby lowered his ERA to 3.46 for the season. The win helped his team get back in the AL Wild Card race. The Mariners sit 1.5 games behind the Astros who occupy the last spot in the postseason running. If they make it, this will just be the sixth time in franchise history that Seattle reach the playoffs.