KISSIMMEE, FLA. (AP) - Atlanta Braves minor league manager Luis Salazar was awake and able to respond to doctors Wednesday after being hit in the face by Brian McCann’s foul liner while standing in the dugout during an exhibition game.
Salazar may have sustained a concussion and might have a facial fracture and damage around his left eye, Braves general manager Frank Wren said.
Salazar was airlifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center and was to stay overnight. Wren did not have an official hospital report.
“We are just blessed that Luis is alive,” Wren said after St. Louis beat Atlanta 6-1. “The scans so far have been positive.”
Wren said Salazar was unconscious when an ambulance drove onto the field in the first inning to help the 54-year-old former big leaguer. Wren said Salazar was hit around the nose, toward his left eye.
“That was the worst thing I have ever seen on the field,” Braves star Chipper Jones said. “He wasn’t awake at all. He was out of it. I just looked at him to see if he was breathing. I thought his life might be in danger.”
The game was delayed nearly 20 minutes while medical personnel tended to Salazar.
Mariners 9, Dodgers 4
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) _ Dodgers pitcher Jon Garland left early because of pain in his left side and will get examined, a setback for Los Angeles during its loss to the Seattle Mariners.
Garland took himself out after one pitch to Josh Wilson with two outs in the second inning. Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said Garland may have hurt his oblique, an injury that often takes a while to heal.
Garland has been projected as the team’s No. 5 starter. He gave up one hit and one unearned run.
Mariners starter Doug Fister had a nice outing, limiting the Dodgers to one run, a homer by Rod Barajas, in four innings.
Rangers 9, Athletics 2
SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) _ Neftali Feliz struck out four in three scoreless innings and the Texas Rangers beat the Oakland Athletics.
The AL Rookie of the Year posted 40 saves last year, then came to camp trying to win a spot in the Texas rotation. Earlier this week, he said he’d prefer to stay in his closer role.
Feliz took over in the sixth inning and allowed one hit and walked two.
Texas starter Derek Holland gave up two hits and faced only one hitter over the minimum in his three-inning stint, striking out four.
Oakland starter Dallas Braden allowed four runs and four hits before recording his first out.
Reds 15, Padres (ss) 5
PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) _ Ryan Hanigan hit a three-run homer and Chris Heisey had a two-run shot off former teammate Aaron Harang in the Cincinnati Reds’ victory against the San Diego Padres.
Harang, the Reds’ opening day starter the last five years, signed with his hometown Padres in the offseason. Admitting to having “nervous adrenaline,” he allowed seven runs and seven hits in three innings against a Reds lineup minus many projected starters.
Edinson Volquez had been scheduled to start for Cincinnati, but returned to the Dominican Republic to straighten out a work visa issue. He was due back in Arizona later Wednesday.
Giants 4, White Sox 2
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) _ Barry Zito allowed only one hit in five shutout innings and Aubrey Huff homered and added an RBI single and the San Francisco Giants defeated the Chicago White Sox.
Jake Peavy allowed Huff’s homer in 3 2-3 innings. After a walk to Buster Posey, the right-hander’s day was done. The home run was the only hit he allowed.
Padres (ss) 9, Indians 2
GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) _ Carlos Santana played first base for the first time for the Cleveland Indians in a loss to a San Diego Padres split squad.
The hard-hitting Santana had left knee surgery in August and is slated to start at catcher. Manager Manny Acta wants to keep the switch-hitter in the lineup and reduce the stress on Santana’s legs by using the 24-year-old at first base.
Santana handled nine chances flawlessly, doubled and scored.
Rockies 8, Angels 1
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) _ Colorado starter Jhoulys Chacin allowed three hits and a run in four innings and the Rockies topped the Los Angeles Angels.
Chacin went 9-11 with a 3.28 ERA in 21 starts with Colorado in 2010 as a rookie.
In his previous start, Chacin worked two perfect innings against Arizona with a strikeout.
Angels starter Scott Kazmir made his third spring start and pitched out of several jams.
Orioles (ss) 11, Twins 2
SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) _ Adam Jones had three hits and three RBIs, and Mark Reynolds drove in two runs to lead a Baltimore Orioles’ split squad over the Minnesota Twins.
Reynolds’ two-run double keyed a four-run first against Francisco Liriano, making his first start in a regular exhibition this spring training. Liriano, who has been slowed with tendinitis, gave up six runs _ five earned _ and five hits in 1 2-3 innings.
Vladimir Guerrero hit a long home run in the Baltimore fifth, his second of spring training.
Royals 13, Cubs 4
MESA, Ariz. (AP) _ Melky Cabrera hit a bases-loaded triple in a five-run first inning and the Kansas City Royals coasted past the Chicago Cubs.
The Royals jumped on right-hander Matt Garza, making his second start and third spring appearance after being acquired from Tampa Bay on Jan. 8.
Garza gave up six runs and four hits, walked four and struck out four in 2 2-3 innings.
Cabrera also had a double to lead off the fifth and scored on a double by Alex Gordon, who had three hits.
Brewers 11, Diamondbacks 8
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) _ Randy Wolf allowed a grand slam to minor leaguer Collin Cowgill in a five-run first inning of the Milwaukee Brewers’ victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Wolf, who figures to move up in the rotation because Zack Greinke is likely to start the season on the disabled list, regrouped to throw a scoreless second and even doubled in a run in Milwaukee’s four-run second inning.
Wolf allowed five runs on five hits in one inning in his first start of the spring a week ago.
Rays 4, Blue Jays 3, 11 innings
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (AP) _ B.J. Upton had a pair of doubles and drove in two runs while Jeff Niemann tossed four scoreless innings and the Tampa Bay Rays rallied to defeat Toronto.
The Rays won on Omar Luna’s 11th-inning single.
Phillies 5, Tigers 3
LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) _ Brian Schneider hit a three-run homer off Rick Porcello and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Detroit Tigers.
Schneider’s second spring homer was the Phillies’ fourth straight hit in the second inning off Porcello.
Nationals 8, Marlins 4
JUPITER, Fla. (AP) _ Jason Marquis pitched four scoreless innings and Danny Espinosa homered and drove in four runs to help the Washington Nationals beat the Florida Marlins.
Marquis allowed two hits and one walk while striking out three to get the win. He has yet to allow a run in seven innings during spring training.
Espinosa hit his second home run, doubled and singled in three at-bats to raise his average to .455.
Mets 7, Astros 2
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) _ Luis Castillo reached base all three times up and scored a run, helping the New York Mets defeat the Houston Astros.
One of four candidates for the Mets’ second base job, Castillo walked twice, then singled and scored on a hit by Daniel Murphy, who is contending for the same spot.
Josh Thole and Kirk Nieuwenhuis hit two-run homers for the Mets.
Red Sox 2, Orioles (ss) 1
FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) _ Red Sox right-hander Clay Buchholz threw four scoreless innings and Boston beat a Baltimore Orioles split squad.
Buchholz allowed four hits with no walks and three strikeouts.
Boston earned the win when Yamaico Navarro was hit on the left wrist with the bases loaded in the ninth inning by Wynn Pelzer. Navarro sustained a contusion.
Tony Pena (2-0) got the win, pitching a perfect ninth inning.
Orioles right-hander Ryan Drese, vying for a rotation spot, went three innings, giving up one run _ a solo homer in the second inning to J.D. Drew _ with one walk and one strikeout.
Yankees 4, Pirates 2
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) _ New York reliever Rafael Soriano made his first spring training appearance, allowing one hit in a scoreless fifth inning of the Yankees’ win over Pittsburgh.
The primary eighth-inning setup for closer Mariano Rivera, Soriano was touched for a two-out single by Andrew McCutchen. He struck out one during a 14-pitch outing that included 13 strikes.
Soriano was an AL All-Star last year, when he had a league-leading 45 saves for Tampa Bay in his only year with the Rays. He agreed to a $35 million, three-year contract with the Yankees in January.
Russell Martin had a first-inning homer, while Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano hit RBI singles in the third for the Yankees. Wednesday was the second anniversary of A-Rod undergoing surgery to repair a labrum injury in his right hip.
Pittsburgh starter Kevin Correia allowed three runs and six hits in four innings. He has given up seven runs over 8 1-3 innings in three starts.
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