This is Washington, D.C, after all, so who doesn’t love a good old-fashioned protest? Well, Stephen Strasburg for one. The Nats right-handed pitcher was set to start the sixth inning of Sunday’s 5-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. That was manager Jim Riggleman’s plan anyway.
Then the game was delayed for more than five minutes when four fans ran onto the field. With his prized rookie already at 85 pitches, Riggleman decided to pull Strasburg.
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This wasn’t a drunken escapade, though. The motive became clear when a banner was unfurled in center field that read “Bud Selig Move the All-Star Game/No SB1070.”
That would be next year’s All-Star Game hosted by the Diamondbacks in Phoenix.
Arizona, of course, is at the forefront of the nation’s polarizing immigration debate thanks to the state’s new law. A federal judge has placed a temporary injunction on parts of that law. But the debate rages — even at Nationals Park. First one man strode onto the field, running only when security closed in. As he wandered into the outfield a young woman jumped out of the stands. Then the banner dropped in center field, and two more protesters followed. All were taken into custody, and Strasburg hit the showers.
Just another day in the life of our fair city.
