http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...n-zimmermann-hit-face-jason-kipnis-line-drive
Tigers pitcher Jordan Zimmermann hit in face, has bruised jaw.
espn
The Detroit Tigers lost their third game in a row to the Cleveland Indians on an evening overshadowed by a frightening injury to starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann.
The Tigers managed only three hits, falling 5-1 Wednesday at Progressive Field.
Zimmermann left after being struck by a line drive in the face in the first inning. He walked off the field under his own power and preliminary medical reports were encouraging.
The Tigers announced in the fifth inning that Zimmermann passed concussion protocol and left to get x-rays.
Zimmermann left the game seven pitches into his third start of the season, after being hit in the side of the face by Kipnis' line drive, which had an exit velocity of 105.6 m.p.h. according to Statcast. Zimmermann eventually sat up as he was attended to by athletic trainer Doug Teeter. Zimmermann eventually walked off the field under his own power.
Daniel Norris, thrown into the game to replace Zimmermann, was effective for two innings, but couldn't escape the fourth. He gave up four runs on six hits, all singles.
Leonys Martin provided the Tigers' only offense, rapping a single, double and home run. The rest of the Tigers lineup went 0-for-25 with two walks and six strikeouts against starter Carlos Carrasco.
Worth Noting
* After Carrasco gives up a lead-off double to Leonys Martin, he retired the next three Tigers on four pitches to end the first inning and set the tone for a very pitch-efficient outing.
* The Tigers have scored 0 or 1 runs in six of their first 11 games. They have scored only three runs over their last four games.
Leonys Martin hit his first home run of the season in the sixth inning and finished with all three of the Tigers' hits.
Miguel Cabrera went 0-for-4 in the game. He's 1-for-12 in the series and 3-for-20 on the road trip.... Victor Martinez finished 0-for-2 with a walk. ... James McCann finished 0-for-3. He's 0-for-10 in the series and 1-for-18 on the road trip.
Lefty Daniel Norris was pressed into emergency duty and allowed four runs on seven hits in three innings for the Tigers. He walked one and struck out three. He gave up six hits in his second time through the order.
It was a curious outing for Norris. His velocity, as it has been since spring training, was down. His fastball averaged 89.9 mph and topped out at 91, according to Baseball Savant. Of his 64 pitches, 38 were sliders that registered in velocity from 79 to 89 mph.
His change-up was firmer than most of his sliders at 86 mph.
Drew VerHagen allowed no hits and two walks over 2 1/3 scoreless innings with one strikeout.
Buck Farmer allowed a run on two hits in an inning. He gave up a walk and had one strikeout.
Lefty Daniel Stumpf allowed one hit in one inning with one strikeout.
The other eight batters in the Tigers? lineup were a combined 0-for-4 on the night with men in scoring position, moving to 1-for-15 in such situations the first three games of the series.