Posted at 1:22 p.m., Thursday, April 26, 2007
Twins' Hunter hit in mouth by pitch, requires stitches
Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS — Twins star Torii Hunter needed three stitches to close a cut on the inside of his mouth after he was hit by a pitch from Kansas City's Zack Greinke today.Back from the hospital after Minnesota's 1-0 win in 11 innings, Hunter had a fat lip and a sore tooth, but said he would play tomorrow when Minnesota visits Detroit.
Leading off the bottom of the second inning, Hunter was hit in the mouth by a 2-2 fastball. After gathering himself, he started out toward the mound, but stopped after a couple of steps and dropped to the turf as his team rushed to check on him.
Greinke apologized, and Hunter was fine with that.
"He's a nice guy. He felt really bad," Hunter said.
After complaining recently that Jackie Robinson's honor was diluted by too many players wearing No. 42 for baseball's celebration of the first black player, Hunter was in the news again this week.
He sent the Royals four bottles of champagne last weekend to follow through on a promise after their season-ending win over Detroit last fall — that victory let the Twins slip ahead of the Tigers for the AL Central title.
The Twins, however, were informed by Major League Baseball the gift was against the rules.
Hunter realized he didn't need any more controversy, so charging the mound to get Greinke was not the right choice.
"I've been in the champagne scandal. The Jackie Robinson comments. I thought about all this and I was like, 'Man, I can't give anybody else nothing to talk about.' I figured he didn't try to do it," Hunter said.
