A suspect wanted by Toronto police after someone threw a beer can at an Orioles player during the Blue Jays’ do-or-die game against Baltimore is turning himself in, but says he was drinking from a cup.
Ken Pagan, a Postmedia employee, told the that his lawyer has advised him not to discuss the incident. But he did say an image shows he was not drinking from a can.
“I was drinking out of a cup,” he said.
Baseball fans on both sides of the border loudly condemned the incident Tuesday night, as Toronto beat Baltimore 5-2 in the American League wild-card game.
Social media erupted with outrage over the controversial incident, which happened in the bottom of the seventh inning with the game tied at 2-2 and the Jays at bat. Toronto's Melvin Upton Jr. hit a long fly ball to left field, sending Orioles outfielder Hyun-Soo Kim back to snag the ball on the warning track.
That's when a fan hurled a beer can -- with beer still in it -- at the Orioles' outfielder. It missed him by only a few feet, hit the turf and bounced, spraying beer out the top.
Kim caught the ball and ended the inning, but the beer can toss had many people frothing in anger.
Baltimore player Adam Jones was incensed, running out to Kim so he could shout at Jays fans in the crowd.
After the game, Jones told reporters that he wants charges laid against the fan, who has not been identified.
"That is about as pathetic as it gets," he told The Associated Press. "You don't do that."
In a statement issued Wednesday, MLB said the league and the Blue Jays are “extremely disappointed” about the can-throwing incident.
“We appreciate the ongoing investigative efforts of the Toronto Police Service to identify the individual responsible,” MLB said. “Any fan who resorts to dangerous actions like last night’s – in Toronto or elsewhere – will be subject to arrest by local authorities.”
Many Canadian Twitter users condemned the beer toss as classless, and said the offending fan does not represent Canadian hospitality.
The beer throwing and racial taunting last night are a disgrace, and can't be allowed to continue. Need more security to stop it.
— Bob Rae (@BobRae48)
To the moron who threw a beer during last night's game. Do not EVER come back. No place for this. An embarrassment to .
— Jim Byers (@JimByersTravel)
Did ANYONE identify the putz that threw the beer can? No pictures anywhere. We need to make sure he doesn't attend more games.
— Mark Hebscher (@Hebsyman)
I hope that home run ball hit the guy who threw that beer.
— Adam Proteau (@Proteautype)
A few even crossed their fingers and hoped that the offending fan was hit by the ball from Edwin Encarnacion's walk-off home run in the 11th inning.
I hope that home run ball hit the guy who threw that beer.
— Adam Proteau (@Proteautype)
The only way that could have been any better is if the ball hit the beer-thrower dude in the face.
— Down Goes Brown (@DownGoesBrown)
Others joked that the beer can was an expensive projectile to hurl, given the prices at Rogers Centre concession stands.
Also that fan who threw the beer isn't Canadian. A Canadian would not waste beer...especially at $11.75/beer
— Brad Rousseau (@bradrousseau)
The average Blue Jays fan throws $21.50 worth of beer on the outfield per game
— Stats Canada (@stats_canada)
As one reporter for Yahoo Sports pointed out, this isn't the first case of a Toronto fan throwing beer at a Baltimore outfielder.
This is not the first time a Blue Jays fan has thrown a beer at an Orioles outfielder. From 2013 ...
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan)
Meanwhile, Americans condemned the toss, while comparing it to the U.S. vice-presidential debate that took place at the same time.
Hey, whatever happened to polite Canadians?
— Stephen King (@StephenKing)
That put the Can in Canada.
— Anthony Castrovince (@castrovince)
Toronto: there is no defence for such deplourable behaviour
— wallace matthews (@OysterBayBomber)
The debate should end right now, so a truly united country can invade Canada after that 's fan thew a beer at an Oriole
— Michael B Dougherty (@michaelbd)
Meanwhile in Canada, a fan just threw a can of beer at a player. That would seriously improve this debate.
— Bernie Langer (@bernie_langer)
Toronto police are investigating the incident. They urged the culprit to come forward on Wednesday, adding that they have photos of the person responsible.
Toronto Police & investigating beer-toss / game. fan: turn yourself in. We have photos. ^vk
— Toronto Police OPS (@TPSOperations)
Despite the uproar over the beer can toss, Edwin Encarnacion still won the night on Twitter, with his game-winning hit in the 11th inning. Encarnacion was the most-mentioned player through the night, and online conversation peaked during his home run, according to Twitter Canada.