Jays’ three-game streak marred by Happ injury
ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. — It was a sickening sound.
A line drive that hit J.A. Happ in the head so hard the “thwack!” could be heard up in the press box. And then, silence. Desmond Jennings’ second-inning liner caromed squarely off the left side of Happ’s head, and the Blue Jays pitcher was taken off the field on a stretcher during Toronto’s 6-4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays Tuesday night.
The team said Happ was taken to Bayfront Medical Center, where he was alert and undergoing tests. Nursing supervisor Natasha Keller told The Associated Press that Happ had been admitted to the hospital and was in stable condition.
“I think the last indication was that he was alert and feeling better and had gone for a CT scan. That’s the last I heard,” Toronto pitcher R.A. Dickey said.
The ball went all the way into the bullpen in foul territory halfway down the right-field line. Happ dropped face down at the front of the mound, holding his head with his glove and bare hand.
Jennings ended up on third base with a two-run triple. Team trainers, paramedics and medical officials rushed to Happ’s aid as Tropicana Field fell into a hush.
“It’s devastating. ... I could barely watch it,” Dickey said. “You just don’t know what to think, really. It paralyzes you a little bit. And when it sounds like two bats, when you hear the sound off the bat and it sounds like it hits another bat, it’s scary.”
Jennings stood with his hands on his head, and other players were visibly concerned as they watched Happ receive medical attention for about eight minutes.
“I just saw it come off the bat hot, and when it hit him I knew it hit him hard,” said Ryan Roberts, who was in the on-deck circle for Tampa Bay. “I instantly started praying for him. That’s a situation you never want to see.”
Jennings left the clubhouse without speaking to reporters.
Toronto manager John Gibbons stood on the mound as Happ was strapped to a backboard and immo- bilized. The left-hander was lifted onto a stretcher and wheeled off the field through an opening behind home plate.
Just before he disappeared under the stands, Happ raised his right hand and waved. He received a standing ovation from the crowd.
Happ’s injury was the latest to a pitcher struck by a batted ball during the last few years, and Major League Baseball has discussed ways to protect hurlers on the mound.
“We are actively meeting with a number of companies that are attempting to develop a product, and have reviewed test results for several products,” MLB spokesman Pat Courtney told the AP in an email after Happ was injured Tuesday night. “Some of the products are promising. No company has yet developed a product that has satisfied the testing criteria.”
Major league general managers discussed the issue during their meetings in November and MLB presented several ideas at baseball’s winter meetings only weeks later.
MLB staff have said a cap liner with Kevlar, the high-impact material used by military, law enforcement and NFL players for body armour, is among the ideas under consideration.
Brad Lincoln replaced Happ, who gave up four runs — all in the second — and five hits in 1 1-3 innings.
The Blue Jays grabbed a 6-4 lead in the ninth on Maicer Itzuris’ solo homer and an RBI double by Melky Cabrera off Joel Peralta (0-2). Toronto, which trailed by three early on, tied it at 4 in the eighth on Jose Bautista’s RBI double.
Toronto was coming off an 8-7 victory over the Rays on Monday night in which the Blue Jays rallied from a 7-0 deficit.
Adam Lind put the Blue Jays up 1-0 in the second on his first homer this season. Cody Rasmus cut the deficit to 4-3 on a two-run homer in the seventh.
“It took us a few innings to regroup,” Lind said. “The energy in the dugout was very sad and we weren’t really in the mood. I think that was obvious, and then we got some hits and got our minds off things that were bad and got our minds pointed in the right direction.” Steve Delabar (3-1) threw two scoreless innings before Casey Janssen pitched the ninth for his ninth save. The Blue Jays have won three in a row for the first time this season.
Tampa Bay starter Roberto Hernandez went six innings, allowing one run and five hits.
He had seven strikeouts and one walk.
Maddon was ejected in the second for arguing by plate umpire Marty Foster prior to Happ getting hurt.