Francisco Liriano takes a line drive square off the head, leaves game
A scary moment came in the eighth inning of Friday's American League Division Series game between the Blue Jays and Rangers.
Toronto pitcher Francisco Liriano was on the mound, pitching to Texas' Carlos Gomez, when Gomez smoked a line drive straight back up the middle. Liriano turned and took it square off the back side of his head. The ball caromed into center field for an RBI single for Gomez.
According to the TBS broadcast, the ball left Gomez's bat at 102 mph.
Liriano, though, stayed on his feet and did not show any immediate ill-effects. Manager John Gibbons, though, immediately removed him from the game and Liriano walked off under his own power. He later left the stadium on a stretcher and was taken to a hospital, according to reports.
Closer Roberto Osuna came on in relief, getting the next two batters out to end the inning, though another of Liriano's runners scored in the process to cut the Toronto lead to 5-3.
The Jays held on to win, seizing a commanding 2-0 lead headed back to Canada for Sunday's Game 3.
UPDATE: 7:49 p.m.
Gibbons didn't have much to offer reporters after the game, but he said this, per the AP:
"He's just going for further tests," Gibbons said. "Anytime you get a head injury, you got to get it looked at. So that's about the extent of it right now."
UPDATE: 1:45 a.m.
