J.J. Putz Spikes Baseball After Lound Noise Startles Him (VIDEO)
Arizona Diamondbacks reliever J.J. Putz threw a pitch directly into the ground after an audio malfunction at the stadium spooked him mid-windup.
The D-Backs were playing the New York Mets at their home stadium of Chase Field, and Putz was pitching against the Mets Justin Turner in the top of the ninth inning.
The Mets were up 4-1 at that point, and as Putz went to deliver the pitch the P.A. system seemed to play out what sounded like a blaring guitar screech, or as the announcers put it, a "cow mooing." It happened so fast and abruptly that the pitcher lost his composure and threw the ball into the ground as he was understandably startled.
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The pitch was ruled a dead ball, and he was able to re-throw the pitch without any consequence.
Turner doubled on the very next pitch so perhaps Putz's concentration was ruined after that mishap. More importantly however, the pitcher could have, but did not injure himself during the awkward pitch. He spent around eight weeks on the Disabled List earlier this season.
Putz is currently 3-1 out of the pen with five saves and five blown. The blown saves compiled with the injury resulted in him losing his spot as closer in the beginning of the season. He has turned it around nicely since being activated from the DL and is pitching to a 2.63 ERA in the set up role.
The noise in question was actually Kickstart My Heart by Motley Crue. The song was most likely the batter's batting music.
