Tampa Bay Rays star Amed Rosario suffered facial lacerations after being hit in the face by a 99 mph pitch from Pittsburgh Pirates rookie Jared Jones on Saturday.
The incident occurred in the top of the first inning at PNC Park when the 22-year-old pitcher unleashed a wild pitch that struck Rosario square in the face. The shocking moment saw on-deck batter Jose Siri rush to Rosario’s aid as he dropped to his haunches, signaling for trainers to sprint onto the field.
Despite the scary incident, Rosario exited the game under his own power while flanked by trainers, holding an ice pack to his mouth. He was taken for scans that confirmed no broken bones, thanks in part to his helmet softening the blow slightly.
Rays manager Kevin Cash commented on the event, saying, That was a scary moment for both clubs, certainly our club and I’m glad he’s OK,
speaking about how the news was the best-case scenario
, with Rosario only needing one or two
stitches.
This wasn’t the only unfortunate event for Tampa Bay batters; earlier in the top of the first inning, designated hitter Brandon Lowe was also hit by a pitch from Jones. Lowe sustained a broken pinky toe but is not expected to hit the injured list.
Despite these setbacks, Jones managed to recover from his errant start. He pitched seven full innings, giving up two runs from three hits with eight strikeouts. Notably, Jones had pitched 79 innings this season with just 22 walks and two hit batters before this game.
Jose Siri’s impressive defensive play during this match was another highlight. Siri sprinted into right-center field to catch a fly ball by pinch hitter Carlos Correa and then threw out Royce Lewis at third for a double play. Addressing Siri’s overall performance, Cash noted, Siri, what a run he’s been on lately for us – big home run in the moment and then come back to make that play.
Following these events, Pittsburgh (37-39) hosts Tampa Bay in the final matchup of a three-game stand at PNC Park on Sunday, with both teams having secured one win each so far.
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