Evans KO’d by Polanco in defeat
Removed on stretcher after collision in field
The hard hits came, one after the other, starting from the very beginning.
Less than 24 hours after hanging two touchdowns and a field goal on the Pirates pitching staff, the Detroit Tigers hit four home runs in the first inning, five for the game and rolled to a 11-5 victory against the Pirates Saturday at PNC Park.
Yet the biggest blow did not involve a bat or a ball, at least not directly.
The moment that instantly trumped the result of the game occurred in the top of the sixth inning, when first baseman Phillip Evans and right fielder Gregory Polanco converged on a foul pop up on the right-field line. They collided violently and Polanco’s elbow appeared to hit Evans in the head.
The music and fake crowd noise stopped. Teammates hurriedly motioned to the Pirates dugout. The athletic training staff sprinted to check on Evans.
After a delay required to stabilize Evans’ head and neck, one of the feel-good stories of the early Pirates season thus far was wheeled away on a stretcher, his teammates shaken and hoping that the 27-year-old utility man from Whittier, Calif., would be OK.
“That’s not something you ever want to be a part of or see,” Kevin Newman said. “Definitely a chilling moment. Hopefully the news we get back is bright.”
No immediate information was available on Evans’ condition, although he could be seen moving his head a little. He was taken to a local hospital for observation. Newman and manager Derek Shelton said Evans was conscious, moving his fingers and responsive.
“That was good to see,” Newman said. “Especially right when it happens, you pray that those sorts of things are things that he can feel and respond.”
Signed as a minor league free agent this offseason, Evans made the team with a strong spring and entered the game Saturday hitting a team-best .378. On Friday, Evans hit his first major league home run.
Whether it has been at third base, first or in the outfield, Evans has made an impression on his new teammates, the former Mets prospect showing versatility and a steady bat.
“He was off to such a hot start,” pitcher Derek Holland said. “To see something like that happen, it’s going to slow him down a little bit now. Again, we just have to make sure he’s OK and safe.”
For the second consecutive game of this series, the Tigers feasted on Pirates pitching. The Pirates (3-12) drew to within one at 6-5 after five innings before Detroit scored four more times in a lengthy sixth.
Holland, who gave up four home runs in the first inning, coughed up his fifth of the game to center fielder JaCoby Jones leading off the sixth. Shortstop Niko Goodrum and second baseman Jonathan Schoop followed with back-to-back doubles, and Schoop scored on the collision play.
A bases-loaded walk from Pirates pitcher Nick Mears, making his MLB debut, gave the Tigers (7-5) a fourth run in the inning before they added another in the eighth.
The Tigers finished with 16 hits for a second consecutive game, nine for extra bases.
“I had to make sure I could do everything possible to get out there and stay out there as long as I possibly could,” Holland said. “Those guys battled back for me. I kinda feel worthless after I get out there for the sixth, and those guys made it a one-run game.”
It’s hard to imagine the first inning going worse for Holland, who had looked good in his first two starts.
Four of the first five Tigers Holland faced homered. Goodrum hit the second pitch he saw from Holland — a sinker up — over the fence, while Cabrera hit a curveball down and in and off the plate.
Cron and third baseman Jeimer Candelario each jumped on sinkers, giving the Tigers a 5-0 lead after one.
“Part of being a professional is just showing up to work the same every single day no matter what’s happened the day before, the week before or whatever,” Newman said. “We’ve got to keep showing up and keep fighting. Our clubhouse is close, and we are confident. We do think we can get around the turn here pretty quickly.”