There must have been something in the water falling from the sky at Comerica Park on Thursday, because there's bizarre, and there's ... whatever that game was.
In the Pittsburgh Pirates' 8-4 extra innings victory over the Detroit Tigers in the second game of a doubleheader, the events that occurred on the field were largely overshadowed by what was happening in the stands (and in the bullpen).
During the seventh inning of the contest, Pirates reliever Dennis Santana exchanged words with a fan in the bleachers (who, it's worth noting, was wearing a Pirates jersey). The situation escalated quickly, with Santana leaping up and attempting to take a swipe at the fan before being held back by bullpen coach Miguel Perez and bullpen catcher Raúl Hernández.
Live from comerica park🤣 dennis santana swings on a fan with a tigers hat and pirates jersey lmfao@woodwardsports @barstoolsports @mlb @Pirates @DennisSantanaRD pic.twitter.com/ulPd2YuqsM
— daddy (@_shadky) June 20, 2025
Santana addressed the incident after the game, saying through an interpreter that the fan in question "crossed the line a few times." He declined to comment further on the specifics of the altercation, but he did say that he regretted his actions.
Pirates' Tommy Pham gets into heated exchange with Tigers fans in separate incident following Dennis Santana bullpen altercation
Prior to Thursday's incident, Santana had never had an issue with fans over his eight-year Major League career. Tommy Pham, on the other hand, is another story.
Pham, whose altercations with fans have made headlines multiple times this year alone, was involved in a separate incident involving fans in the top of the 10th inning.
A Tigers fan sitting behind home plate made what an MLB spokesperson deemed "inappropriate comments" directed at Pham while he was in the on deck circle, and Pham took issue. The two sides exchanged words, having to be separated by Pirates manager Don Kelly, home plate umpire Dexter Kelley and batter Oneil Cruz, and the fan was ultimately ejected from the game.
Earlier in the inning, Pham was at the center of another incident that saw tensions boil over regarding a call on the field. Pham was ruled safe at home on an RBI single from Ke'Bryan Hayes, and the Tigers challenged the call. After official review, the call was upheld, putting the Pirates up, 5-4. Tigers manager AJ Hinch argued the ruling, resulting in his first ejection of the season.
The Pirates salvaged the finale with Paul Skenes on the mound, but the two teams deprived everybody of a Skenes-Tarik Skubal showdown. Skubal pitched the first game, and Skenes pitched the second. Maybe that's why everybody was out of their minds?
More Pirates content from Rum Bunter