Arizona pitcher Ray is doing well after being hit in head
ST. LOUIS (AP) Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said pitcher Robbie Ray, who was hit in the head by a line drive during Friday night's game against St. Louis, is doing well and will be put in concussion protocol.
A line drive by Luke Voit hit Ray squarely in the head in the second inning. Ray, a left-hander, dropped flat on the mound.
It was a tense moment for everyone.
''Thank goodness everything came out OK,'' said Lovullo, who was teary-eyed discussing Ray after the Diamondbacks dropped a 1-0 decision to the Cardinals. ''He went and had a CT scan and everything checked out in a very good way. He had three sutures put in to close up the wound.
''He's going to go through the MLB concussion protocol so we'll have more in the coming days about what we're going to do.''
Lovullo said Ray never lost consciousness after he was felled by a line drive estimated at 108 mph off Voit's bat.
''He was answering questions. He was alert,'' Lovullo said. ''He came back here. He showered and he's back at the hotel resting right now so he's just as positive as he can be.''
The line drive was hit so hard it stayed aloft. Third baseman Daniel Descalso caught the ball in the air in foul territory for an out.
Ray's teammates quickly ran to his side.
He was helped up and then driven off the field on a cart for an examination. The fans gave him a loud ovation.
Voit was a mass of emotions after the game.
''Someone can die, you know,'' said a visibly shaken Voit. ''It's scary. I can't imagine going through that. You wouldn't wish that on anyone.
''When I hit it, I knew I hit it good. My heart went in my throat. You know it could happen to me, too, if a pitch would ever get away. When I saw the replay, I felt so bad.''
Earlier this spring in May, a Memphis teammate of Voit's - Daniel Poncedeleon - was hit in the head with a comebacker in a game against the Iowa Cubs. He had to have surgery on his brain to relieve pressure.
He has not pitched since and is recovering.
''I had flashbacks to that and everything he's going through,'' Voit said. ''My friend went through that and now this.
''I wish (Ray) a fast and speedy recovery.''
Voit said he tweeted Ray after the game.
''Hopefully, I can get in contact with him tomorrow,'' Voit said. ''I wish him the best and hope he gets out there again this season.''
The Diamondbacks were upset by the incident, Lovullo said.
''Well, you see somebody going through something like that and as much as we love and care for each other, it hit us a little bit, I'm not going to lie,'' Lovullo said. ''We were hung over for several innings, once we got word that he was OK and that he was back here it kind of relaxed everybody and I know I felt good about that and I know the players felt good about that.''
Ketel Marte said he is happy his teammate is doing well.
''He's a good person. When that happened, I was sad but he's good right now,'' Marte said. ''Everybody has said he's better. That stuff happens. It's baseball.
''The good thing is he feels pretty good right now and we're very happy for him and we want him to get back soon.''
Ray threw 1 2/3 innings, allowing one hit, one walk and two strikeouts.
