Pittsburgh Pirates groundsman gets eaten by out of control tarpaulin during MLB match against San Diego Padres

Pittsburgh players had to run to help assist the groundsman after he was swept away by the large plastic sheet

The ground staff attempt to lay down a tarpaulin sheet on the pitch (Twitter)

Baseball has a knack for being a little dull at the best of times. Perhaps like the English and cricket though, there's an affinity between American fans and Major League Baseball that can't be questioned, yet it’s always a welcome sight when something out of the ordinary happens.

Just like it did in Pittsburgh on Tuesday night. With strong winds and heavy rain interrupting the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Diego Padres, the ground staff were always going to be up against it.

But nothing could have prepared one crew member for being swallowed up by the giant tarpaulin that they were attempting to lay across the pitch.

The ground staff attempt to lay down a tarpaulin sheet on the pitch (Twitter)

The groundman begins to lose his feet as the sheet begins to rise (Twitter)

And the groundsman is swept away as the wind catches the tarpaulin (Twitter)

In the video below, the man in question can be seen to start to lose his footing as the winds swirls underneath the sheet, before lifting it up over his head and carrying him away – with the wind actually strong enough to move him with ease.

Watch the video below…

It wasn’t until Pittsburgh’s centre fielder Andrew McCutchen and infielder Sean Rodriguez leant a helping hand that he was able to return to his feet and carry on with his duty.