Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Matt Moore, center, talks with pitching coach Jim Hickey (48) and catcher Ryan Hanigan (24) in the third inning of an exhibition baseball game against the Boston Red Sox in Fort Myers, Fla., Sunday, March 23, 2014. THe Rays won 9-2. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) (The Associated Press)
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Matt Moore walked off the field after being hit in the mouth by a line drive that he partially blocked with his glove in the fourth inning of the Tampa Bay Rays' 9-2 win over the Boston Red Sox.
Moore got his glove up just in time to deflect a line shot by Boston's Xander Bogaerts, recovering to throw out Bogaerts for the final out of the inning. Moore lifted his jersey up to his lip, which was bleeding.
But that also ended Moore's outing as he was driven from the field, sitting up in a cart.
The Rays said Moore received a couple of stitches, but had no concussion symptoms. He will continue to be monitored.
Moore's injury comes just four days after Reds closer Aroldis Chapman was hit in the face by a liner and had surgery to repair a broken bone above his eye.
Moore earned the win, going four innings without giving up a hit but allowing a run and four walks and four strikeouts and a wild pitch.
Moore and right-handers Brandon Gomes and Juan Carlos Oviedo combined to hold the Red Sox hitless into the seventh inning before Bogaerts' one-out single.
Red Sox left-hander Felix Doubront had another rough outing, his second in as many starts, going 4 1-3 innings, giving up eight runs and 10 hits, including a home run, and two walks with six strikeouts and a balk.
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