Lakeland, Fla. – Toronto pitcher T.J. House was hit in the head by a line drive in the ninth inning of Friday’s game between the Tigers and Blue Jays at Publix Field.
It was a traumatic scene as House, 27, was felled by Tigers catcher John Hicks’ liner with none out in a game the Blue Jays were leading, 6-2. Hicks’ drive caught House in the head, or possibly face, with the ball caroming 30 or more feet skyward.
House dropped prone to the pitcher’s mound and lay there, scarcely moving as medical staffers, umpires, managers, coaches and others surrounded him, all as a crowd of 9,116 sat, virtually silent.