Major League Baseball

Cardinals 3B Freese hit in helmet by pitch

Published Aug. 5, 2011 4:52 a.m. ET

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St. Louis Cardinals third baseman David Freese took a pitch to the helmet and came away with a mild concussion and an RBI.

Freese collapsed to the dirt face first when he was hit just above the left temple on a 3-2 pitch from Florida's Clay Hensley in the third inning Thursday night. The bases were loaded at the time, forcing in a run that put the Cardinals ahead to stay.

''I'm glad we got the run in,'' Freese said with a slight smile after St. Louis' 7-4 win.

At the time, no one was thinking about the score as a trainer rushed to the aid of Freese.

''The first 10 seconds or so, I couldn't really see,'' Freese said. ''It stung me pretty good.''

He rose to one knee after about a minute, then stood and slowly walked off the field.

After the game, Freese said he was still a little dizzy but feeling better. He bore a large red bruise where the ball hit.

''I doubt I'll play Friday, but the disabled list I don't think is a possibility,'' he said.

When Hensley came out of the game, he phoned Freese and apologized.

''Obviously it wasn't intentional,'' Freese said. ''I understand. He didn't have much command of his heater tonight, and things like that happen.''

Said Hensley: ''You never want to go out there and hit people, much less in the head.''

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