Marlins Star Hit in Face By Pitch
12 Sep, 2014
The Miami Marlins lost much more than a game Thursday night. They’ve likely lost slugger Giancarlo Stanton for the rest of the season after a frightening scene at Miller Park.
Stanton sustained multiple facial fractures, dental damage and cuts that needed stitches after being hit in the face by a fastball from Milwaukee’s Mike Fiers.
The Marlins said Stanton, the major league RBI leader and a top candidate for the NL MVP award, would return to Miami on Friday.
Stanton was bleeding heavily from his mouth, and was driven away from the plate in an ambulance. His dad rode with him to the hospital. Asked if Stanton could play again this season, Marlins manager Mike Redmond said, “It does not look good.”
“It’s devastating for us. Devastating. For his season to end like that, I mean, that’s not good,” Redmond said.
Redmond said Stanton did not lose consciousness. Stanton did not say anything while down on the ground, Redmond said.”It was very, scary,” Redmond said. “We’re hoping he is going to be all right.”
The All-Star outfielder tops the NL with 37 home runs and has 105 RBIs, and is batting .288. Miami has 17 games left this year.
It was ruled that Stanton swung trying to get out of the way of the 88 mph pitch from Fiers. Reed Johnson batted for Stanton and was hit in the hand by Fiers’ next pitch, triggering a bench-clearing brawl.
Miami’s Casey McGehee and Redmond were ejected.
Redmond and Johnson said the benches cleared because of the reaction by Fiers after Johnson get hit. Fiers threw up his hands and looked into the Marlins’ dugout.
“It was heat of the moment stuff,” Fiers said. “I just want to make sure that Stanton is OK. I just want to send my thoughts and prayers and everything to Stanton.
“You never think of throwing at somebody like that. Never in my life has that happened. I just feel very, very sad that I hit him. I’m sorry to their teammates, their fans, his family. It is just tough.”
AP
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