Diamondbacks' Chris Iannetta exits game after taking pitch to the face
Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Chris Iannetta left Friday night's 11-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates when he was struck in the face by a pitch in the seventh inning.
Iannetta appeared to lean into a 93-mph fastball by Pirates reliever Johnny Barbato, and apparently got hit in the nose.
According to The Associated Press, Iannetta was face down in the dirt for several minutes, blood dripping off his face, before getting up and walking off the field. The team announced Iannetta was later transferred to a local hospital for further evaluation.
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Earlier in the game, Iannetta hit a home run as part of a Diamondback seven-run third inning.
Barbato said afterward that the pitch wasn't intentional.
"I was trying to get a fastball up and in," Barbato said, via MLB.com. "Just got away. Obviously wasn't on purpose or anything. I think I felt worse than anyone in the stadium at the time. Just got in there a little too much, just got away from me. Definitely relieving when he can get up on his own and walk off. Going to try to reach out to him and make sure he's all right."
