The Baltimore Orioles said manager Craig Albernaz is OK after he took a foul ball to the face during a win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday in Baltimore. File Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI | License Photo
Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz was hit in the face by a line drive during a rabid comeback win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, but is doing OK, the team said Tuesday.
Albernaz took the 70.6-mph foul ball to his right cheek in the bottom of the fifth inning of the 9-7 victory Monday in Baltimore. He was escorted out of the dugout and further evaluated.
Albernaz returned to the dugout in the sixth inning, with a red mark on his face. He did not participate in a postgame news conference.
The Orioles are expected to provide an update on Albernaz’s status before they host the Diamondbacks in the second game of the series Tuesday in Baltimore.
“He’s doing good,” Orioles bench coach Donnie Ecker told reporters. “Just as a precaution right now he is going to get scanned. We will have
Second baseman Jeremiah Jackson, who accidentally hit his coach with the foul ball, proceeded to crush two home runs, including the first grand slam of his career the next inning.
“I hit it, and I kind of saw Alby holding his face,” Jackson said, according to MLB.com. “Heart kind of dropped. It was kind of a weird 15 minutes until I was able to see him afterward and see that he was doing OK.”
The Orioles trailed 4-1 entering the bottom of the fifth frame. Diamondbacks starter Ryne Nelson struck out Orioles right fielder Colton Cowser to start the half inning. Jackson settled in against the right hander for the next exchange.
Jackson first fouled off a 95.9-mph fastball. He followed with another foul ball, which screamed toward the Orioles dugout and hit his manager in the face. Jackson stood at the plate and stared into the dugout as Albernaz received assistance.
The Orioles infielder singled off Nelson four pitches later.
Third baseman Nolan Arenado gave the Diamondbacks a 7-1 edge with a 401-foot, three-run homer in the next inning. Orioles center fielder Leody Taveras cut into the deficit with an RBI single in the bottom of the frame.
Jackson, who eventually hugged it out with Albernaz in the Orioles dugout, belted his 406-foot grand slam later in the inning.
“I told him that was for him,” Jackson said.
First baseman Pete Alonso gave the Orioles their first lead with a 399-foot, two-run homer in the seventh. Jackson hit his second homer — a 427-foot solo shot — in the bottom of the eighth for the final run of the night.
Jackson went 3 for 4 with five RBIs and two runs scored. He hit .318 with three home runs and 11 RBIs through his first 14 games this season.
Alonso went 2 for 3 with two RBIs, two runs scored and a walk for the Orioles. Arenado and Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte hit two home runs apiece in the loss.
The Orioles (9-7) will host the Diamondbacks (9-8) at 6:35 p.m. EDT Tuesday at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
