'We hope the best for him': Pirates praying for fan who fell over Clemente Wall to pull through

Andrew McCutchen had just hit a go-ahead double against the Chicago Cubs when the Pittsburgh Pirates designated hitter reached second base and realized a fan had fallen over the Clemente Wall at PNC Park.

McCutchen put his hands above his head as he stared at the scene at the right field warning track, where a man lay motionless as Pittsburgh police, EMS, team trainers and stadium personnel attended to him.

McCutchen put his left hand on his head and his right hand on his batting helmet as he knelt and said a silent prayer. After the game, the Pirates prayed together as a team in the home clubhouse.

“All of us here, we’re devastated of the situation that took place yesterday,” McCutchen said Thursday morning. “We all came in here, together, as a team, after the game and said a prayer for him. We hope the best for him and his family, just so he knows, and his friends and family know that we’re all thinking about him and praying for the best for him. We just hope he pulls through. It was a tough situation. We’re definitely thinking about him. I’m definitely thinking about him. We just hope for good news.”

Andrew McCutchen said the Pirates are praying for the fan who fell from the Clemente Wall last night at PNC Park. pic.twitter.com/xTF9DkOjbZ

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) May 1, 2025

The man remained in critical condition Thursday at Allegheny General Hospital, according to Pittsburgh Police spokeswoman Cara Cruz, who declined to name the victim.

South Allegheny School District officials confirmed that the man who fell is Kavan Markwood, a 2022 graduate of South Allegheny High School.

Pirates catcher Joey Bart, who was coming to bat after McCutchen, said he wasn’t really sure what was going on. When Bart realized what happened, Bart said he walked back to the home dugout, “sat on the bench, put my head down and prayed and hoped for the best.”

“Once I figured out what happened, it totally changed everything. It was really hard to focus,” Bart said. “I think Cutch made a great point after the game, told everybody to keep him in your prayers and, as blessed as we are (and) everybody is across the league to put this uniform on, life’s way more important.

“I just pray for this guy, his family and everybody that’s gone through it. As soon as it happened, that’s all I could think about, just trying to let God take control of the situation and pray for the best. Personally, for me, it was pretty devastating, trying to understand what happened, trying to understand the people that love him in that situation and trying to pray for those people and peace within the family. Maybe something good will come.”

Witnesses told TribLive that Markwood was excited about watching the Pirates rally from a 3-2 deficit in the seventh and had taken off his shirt and poured beer over himself before McCutchen’s at-bat. When McCutchen’s hit bounced off Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson and into right field, Markwood appeared to jump out of his seat and fall over the railing and over the 21-foot wall. The wall’s height and name are in honor of Hall of Fame right fielder Roberto Clemente, whose No. 21 is retired.

The Pirates said that, according to the PNC Park architect of record, the railings above the Clemente Wall measure 36 inches, exceeding the current code requirements of 26 inches.

In a statement, Pirates chairman Bob Nutting expressed his thanks and appreciation for the efforts of the first responders “who rushed to his attention and provided him with compassionate care.”

“We are all deeply saddened and truly heartbroken after the terrible accident that occurred last night. It was one of the most difficult moments many of us have ever experienced. We are devastated,” Nutting said in the statement. “Pirates baseball is a community, and our fans are like family. In times like these, we must come together, support one another, and keep him and his loved ones in our prayers.”

The incident was on the minds of Pirates players just hours after the 4-3 win Wednesday night and hours before they played the three-game series finale in a Thursday matinee against the Cubs.

“I think it was weighing on everybody,” said Pirates bench coach Don Kelly, who filled in Thursday for manager Derek Shelton, who missed the game to attend his son’s college graduation. “I think they handled it really, really well. They were ready to go out there and compete. … Our hearts go out to that guy and his family. I think you’d be lying if you said it wasn’t weighing on you, but they’re professionals. They were ready to go out and compete and play and give it all they had.”

Although McCutchen said Pirates players didn’t know his condition, they were hoping for the best.

“I hope he pulls through because he’s the reason why we are here,” McCutchen said. “He’s the reason why we play the game. People that show their support so we can do something we love, partly because of him and because of fans. So, I just pray that he’s all right.”

Staff writer Justin Guerriero contributed.