Brewers' Donovan Hand leaves with injury to throwing hand

Published Jul. 23, 2013 11:10 p.m. ET

foxsports

MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Donovan Hand left in the fifth inning Tuesday's 6-2 loss to San Diego with a right hand contusion.

Hand was hit with a 96 mph fastball from Padres right-hander Tyson Ross in the bottom of the third inning and stayed in to pitch the top of the fourth before turning the ball over to Tyler Thornburg for the fifth inning.

X-rays were negative on the hand, and the Brewers are hoping Hand will be able to make his next start Sunday in Colorado.

"He still felt OK but he had no grip strength at all," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. "He's a guy that likes to rub the baseball and he couldn't do it. He got through that one inning. I appreciate him going back out there, but it was a little tough to send him back out there after that."

Hand allowed seven hits in four innings, but allowed just two earned runs. Yonder Alonso drove in a run in the first inning on a two-out single and Will Venable hit a solo home run in the fourth inning.

"There was a little swelling on the pinky side, but nothing major," Hand said. "After the fourth I just couldn't grip the ball any more, and the swelling went over to the other side. Just a smart thing. (I didn't) want to do something different pitching-wise and hurt something more. (I) didn't want to come out of the game. I had good stuff tonight and had a game plan that was starting to take effect. I didn't want to come out, but just to be on the safe side. There's no need to push it right now."

There was an initial fear in Hand's mind that the X-ray would show some sort of break and cause an extended absence.

"I was kind of worried about it," Hand said. "That's a tough place to get hit by 96 (mph). No matter how hard it is, that's a tough place to get hit. I got lucky there I feel. I pitch for a living. I kind of need that hand."

Taking the loss, Hand dropped to 0-2 and his ERA rose to 3.41.

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