Angels' Matt Shoemaker has small skull fracture after taking line drive to head

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Monday, September 5, 2016

SEATTLE -- Los Angeles Angels pitcher Matt Shoemakersustained a small skull fracture and hematoma when he was hit in the head by a line drive off the bat of Kyle Seageron Sunday, forcing Shoemaker off the field with trainers on either side.

"That was probably the scariest thing I've ever seen on a baseball field,'' Seager said.

The injury occurred in the second inning of the Angels' 4-2 win over theMarinerswhen Shoemaker was hit on the right side of his head. Seager's liner had an exit velocity of 105 mph, according to MLB Statcast. Shoemaker was to be seen by a neurologist, and he will remain in Seattle overnight forobservation.

"It just gives you that feeling where you have a pit in your stomach,'' Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

Shoemaker immediately went to the ground as trainers rushed to the field. He was down for several minutes and was bleeding from the spot where he was hit. Teammates knelt around the mound and Seager anxiously watched while Shoemaker was tended to. Shoemaker never lost consciousness.

He was tended to in the Angels clubhouse for a short time before being taken to a local hospital. He was replaced by Deolis Guerra.

"The fact of the matter is he was conscious, and at least all his reactions were what they were supposed to be on the assessment. I think we could exhale a little bit,'' Scioscia said. "Just to get him up and walking off the field let you feel a little bit better about what could have been happening. It's tough.''

Shoemaker is in his third full season with the Angels, emerging as a rookie in 2014 when he went 16-4 with a 3.04 ERA. He has struggled at times this year but went into Sunday's game having won his last three decisions.

"I had a good view of it, and when you see it square someone up like that, it's scary,'' Angels catcher Jett Bandy said. "First things first, you forget about baseball and you think about his health.''

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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