Shoemaker was hit on the right side of his head with one out in the second inning on a line drive from Kyle Seager. On the other side, the over has cashed in five of Shoemaker’s last seven games overall.
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Terrifying moment in the second inning of Sunday afternoon’s game between the Angels and Mariners at Safeco Field.
After retiring four straight batters, striking out two, Kyle Seager hit a line drive on a 3-2 fastball that struck Shoemaker in the head. Seager’s liner had an exit velocity of 105 miles per hour, according to MLB Statcast. Luckily for him, he was able to at least turn his head, as opposed to being hit directly in the face. He was transported to a local hospital for tests.
The ball ricocheted vertically off Shoemaker, who immediately spun to the ground on his hands and knees. Teammates knelt around the mound and Seager anxiously watched while Shoemaker was tended to. Shoemaker never lost consciousness.
Shoemaker, 29, walked off under his own power, holding a towel to his head to stop the bleeding from a laceration. Angels’ relief pitcher Deolis Guerra took Shoemaker’s place atop the mound.
Andrelton Simmons had an RBI double and Carlos Perez added a run-scoring single to cap the inning. “I think we could exhale a little bit”, Scioscia said.
The Angels pitching staff – six pitchers – combined to limit the Mariners to two runs on eight hits. However, he has been riding a hot streak recently, winning his last three starts and giving up four earned runs over 20 innings pitched prior to Sunday’s outing against the Mariners. When questioned about Shoemaker’s injury, Scioscia replied that “it just gives you that feeling where you have a pit in your stomach”. Robinson Cano, who homered in the sixth, and Nelson Cruz, who hit a solo homer in the eighth, produced Seattle’s only runs.
Calhoun, Trout and Pujols hit consecutive home runs to lead a six-run first inning for the Angels against Walker and handed the Mariners their ninth loss in 11 games.
Mariners: RHP Drew Storen, on the 15-day DL (right shoulder inflammation) is expected to be activated Sunday.
Angels: Jered Weaver (10-11) makes his 27th start as the Angels open a series in Oakland.
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