Major League Baseball

Cubs CF Marlon Byrd leaves game after beaning

Published May. 22, 2011 5:46 a.m. ET

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Marlon Byrd was taken to a Boston hospital after being beaned in the second inning of the Chicago Cubs' 9-3 win over the Red Sox on Saturday night.

He was expected to stay overnight at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.

''This is not a pitcher's arm that's a little sore,'' Cubs manager Mike Quade said. ''This is serious stuff.''

The center fielder was struck by a fastball on the left side of his head in the area of the ear flap on a 1-2 pitch from Alfredo Aceves.

Byrd immediately went down on his back, kicked his legs in the air then quickly got up holding his hand to his face which had a cut near the left cheekbone. He walked to the dugout under his own power and down the stairs toward the clubhouse.

Reed Johnson pinch ran and replaced Byrd in the field in the bottom of the second.

''It looked like he was in panic mode a little bit,'' Johnson said. ''Whatever it is, he'll probably be back sooner than anyone expects. That's the kind of guy he is.''

Aceves, making his first start of the season with John Lackey and Daisuke Matsuzaka on the disabled list, also hit Chicago's first batter of the game, Kosuke Fukudome.

''I don't think Aceves is trying to hit (Byrd),'' Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano said. ''It's part of the game.''

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