Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen killed a bird with a curveball while warming up before a game Wednesday.

Gallen, 27, was tossing in the outfield of the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum before a game against the Oakland A’s when the bird flew into the ball’s path.

The bird appeared to die on impact, while the ball skipped away from its intended target.

The collision immediately drew comparisons to Hall of Famer and former Diamondbacks pitcher Randy Johnson. During a 2001 spring training game, Johnson vaporized a bird with a fastball.

Johnson went on to win the National League Cy Young Award that year, his third of four consecutive crowns as the league’s best pitcher. The Diamondbacks also won the World Series at the end of the season.

Though Gallen doesn’t quite have Johnson’s pedigree, he did finish fifth in NL Cy Young voting last year and entered Wednesday leading the National League in wins and strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Gallen did not pitch Wednesday. His next scheduled start is Friday against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

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