Pirates to extend netting, prevent ‘heartbreaking’ injuries

After fans were injured in Los Angeles and in Houston, the latter a 2-year-old who was hospitalized with a fractured skull, the Pirates aren't waiting around for the next incident to take protective action.

"It is heartbreaking to see a fan injured by an object leaving the field of play at any ballpark," Pirates president Frank Coonelly said in a news release. "We have once again engaged our netting experts to reevaluate our protective netting design and immediately develop a plan to extend the protective netting at PNC Park farther down the baselines."

Coonelly went on to say that while they are expediting the process, they want to make sure that they do it in a way that maintains the…