CLEVELAND -- Mitch Maier of the Kansas City Royals suffered three broken bones when hit in the face by a pitch from Cleveland Indians left-hander Zach Jackson in the fifth inning Wednesday night.
Maier was taken to a hospital for X-rays, which revealed the fractures below his right eye.
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| Mitch Maier has fractures below his right eye. (AP) |
With runners on first and second and none out, Jackson threw a pitch up and in to Maier, who had squared around to bunt and could not get out of the way in time. The ball glanced off his ear flap before hitting his right cheek and nose, and Maier crumpled to the ground immediately.
"The pitch just got away," Jackson said. "I was trying to throw a cutter down and away."
Royals manager Trey Hillman and team trainers quickly came out to check on Maier. After a few minutes, he walked off the field holding a towel to his bloody nose.
Maier, who came in hitting .345 (19-for-55) in 18 games since being recalled from Triple-A Omaha, was replaced by pinch-runner Mark Teahen.
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