Starter Matt Shoemaker exited the game midway through the second inning after a sharp line drive off of Kyle Seager’s bat hit the right side of his head.
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On a full count pitch to Mariners’ third baseman Kyle Seager, the ball deflected off Shoemaker’s head in the direction of first base.
The Angels and Seattle Mariners on Sunday suffered through one of those moments when the uniform no longer matters.
With blood trickling out of his nose, Shoemaker collapsed on the mound after Seager’s comebacker, estimated to be traveling at 105 miles per hour, hit the right side of Shoemaker’s head, Fox Sports said of the scene. MLB Statcast recorded the exit velocity of 105 miles per hour. He was able to turn his head slightly to avoid a direct blow to his face but was unable to get his glove up in time.
Shoemaker was taken to a local Seattle hospital where he underwent a CT Scan which reveleaed a small skull fracture as well as a small hematoma which will most likely knock him out for the rest of the season.
“Mentally it’s not easy”, Iwakuma said through his interpreter, Antony Suzuki. He was replaced by Deolis Guerra.
Iwakuma worked seven innings, allowing three runs on eight hits and the two home runs, while striking out five.
“You see guys get hit”.
The 29th homer of the season for Pujols was also the 589th of his career. It just gives you that feeling where you have a pit in your stomach.
The Angels went on to win the match 4-2 on the back of two runs-batted-in from Albert Pujols. Jose Alvarez (1), Mike Morin (1), Cody Ege (1), J.C. Ramirez (2) followed and Andrew Bailey pitched a scoreless ninth for his first save.
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. Robinson Cano, who homered in the sixth, and Nelson Cruz, who hit a solo homer in the eighth, produced Seattle’s only runs.
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Mariners: RHP Drew Storen, on the 15-day DL (right shoulder inflammation) is expected to be activated Sunday. Over his last four starts, though, he has a 2.49 ERA, with 18 strikeouts and three walks in 21 2/3 innings. Hernandez allowed six earned runs in four innings in a loss to the Rangers last Wednesday.
