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Marcell Ozuna connected for the first hit of the night off of Jeremy Hellickson in the bottom of the second on Wednesday night in St. Louis, lining a 1-0 curve out to left for a solo shot that made it 1-0 Cardinals after two innings in the third of four for the Washington Nationals in Busch Stadium.
It was still a 1-0 game in the fifth when Harrison Bader doubled to start the inning, moved up on a bunt, and scored, after an intentional walk to Matt Carpenter, on a wild pitch/E:2 with Yadier Molina at the plate, when one got away from Spencer Kieboom and the Nats’ catcher tossed it wide of home trying to connect with the covering pitcher, 2-0.
Hellickson collided with a sliding Bader on that play. Bader went in headfirst, and Hellickson tripped and tumbled over him, landing on his right wrist.
Hellickson got a visit from the Nationals’ trainer, and after testing it with two pitches, he left the game...
Jeremy Hellickson’s Line: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 Ks, 1 HR, 76 P, 46 S, 6/2 GO/FO
”He fell on his wrist,” Nats’ skipper Davey Martinez told reporters after what ended up a 4-2 loss to the Cardinals. “Had X-rays, they were negative, but he’s pretty stiff. So we’ll have more information tomorrow. He threw two pitches, but he — he wanted to stay out there, but I didn’t want to take a chance.”
Nationals drop third straight in St. Louis, fourth straight overall...
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LINK: Nationals’ 4th straight loss leaves them 9.0 games out in East
Asked if he thought a stint on the Disabled List seemed likely, Martinez said, “we’ll see how he feels tomorrow, but I just saw him right now and he said he’s stiff.”
Hellickson, who has been getting pulled before facing opposing lineups the third time most of this season, was close to being done anyway, but to have it end with an injury that could potentially keep the righty out of the rotation is a worst-case scenario right now.
“Yeah, I mean, he gets to two strikes on Molina,” Martinez said, “and the ball gets away from Kieboom. Batter had an unbelievable jump at third base and just one of those freak plays. When I saw him land I actually — it looked a lot worse than the outcome. I thought he broke his wrist, but hopefully he’s okay.”