MLB

Scary moment as Yankees’ Dickerson drilled in helmet

BALTIMORE — Watching Chris Dickerson lay motionless in the dirt at home plate after being hit in the head hard enough to break a batting helmet was frightening.

Seeing him want to stay in the game was amazing. But in the end, trainer Gene Monahan removed the outfielder from last night’s 4-1 win over the Orioles in 15 innings and sent him for tests at the University of Maryland Hospital.

“He went for a CAT-scan. He had a lump on the side of his head,” Girardi said of Dickerson, who was drilled by a 93-mph fastball from Mike Gonzalez, who was ejected. “We will know more [today] but you have to assume a concussion. We will see.”

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MLB introduced a seven-day DL for head injuries this year and Dickerson is a possible candidate.

Dickerson, who was promoted from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday, entered the game in the ninth inning as a defensive replacement for Nick Swisher. After Robinson Cano doubled home two runs in the 15th, Gonzalez broke Dickerson’s helmet.

A.J. Burnett was called on to pinch run.

“I didn’t want to use [Jorge] Posada because he was the last player and if something happened to Russell [Martin] you are in a huge bind,” said manager Joe Girardi, who instructed Burnett to be careful.

Burnett never left first base.

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The black bag of ice attached to Boone Logan‘s left elbow yesterday in the Yankees’ clubhouse was a little more than general maintenance for Girardi’s only lefty reliever.

“It’s the work load,” Girardi said of Logan, who wasn’t available in Tuesday night’s 6-2 win over the Rays in St. Petersburg after having worked in two of the previous three games, three of five and four of seven.

Asked during batting practice if Logan’s condition was serious, Girardi answered, “We will see if he is available. It’s managing the bullpen.”

After going through treatment, Logan entered the game in the 11th inning with the bases loaded and one out and retired two batters.

Veteran lefty Randy Flores, who was signed to a minor league contract recently, debuted with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre yesterday and hurled one-third of an inning in which he gave up a walk and struck out one.

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The beginning of Jorge Posada being annoyed was last Thursday when after getting two hits the night before he wasn’t in the lineup as the DH against Royals right-hander Sean O’Sullivan. Posada had been hitting .132 (14-for-102) when he went 2-for-3 and drove in a run.

Yet Girardi used Derek Jeter as the DH against O’Sullivan. On Friday, Posada went 1-for-4 against Boston hitting seventh, but the next night Girardi dropped him to ninth and Posada told Girardi he didn’t want to play.

That touched off a controversy that refuses to die.

Last night, after Posada went 2-for-3 with a double Tuesday night against the Rays after not playing for three games, Posada was on the bench with Jeter again the DH for the second time this season against Orioles lefty Zach Britton.

“Day by day,” Girardi said of his DH situation. “We will see where we are at and where our players are at. Jorge has been our DH and is our DH.”

Just not every day, and it’s looking like the switch-hitting Posada’s at-bats will come against right-handers because he is 0-for-24 against lefties with 10 strikeouts.

With Jeter the DH (he went 2-for-7), Eduardo Nunez, who went 1-for-6, started at short for the fourth time. Nunez’s six errors led the Yankees despite him playing in just 17 games (five starts).

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Tonight’s Yankees starter CC Sabathia is as close to a lock against the Orioles as you can get. Sabathia is 15-2 in 21 career starts against the O’s and 9-1 at Camden Yards. In his first start of the year at Camden Yards, Sabathia went eight innings on April 23 and allowed three runs in a 15-3 victory.

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Nick Swisher had color in his face and hop in his step after missing Tuesday night’s game with a violent intestinal disorder. Swisher was in last night’s line up with Girardi keeping an eye on him.

“He seems to have a lot of life,” Girardi said of the right fielder, who was 0-for-2 with a sacrfice fly. Swisher is hitting .215 (29-for-135) with two homers, 15 RBIs and .139 (5-for-36) with runners in scoring position. Worse, he was 0-for-17 with two outs in the clutch.

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Andruw Jones made his 14th start of the season and ninth in left field last night when Girardi sat Brett Gardner, his hottest hitter, against Britton.

Jones, who was 0-for-2 with a walk, is in a 3-for-20 (.150) slide and batting .206 (7-for-34) against lefties. Gardner was at .263 (5-for-19) versus lefties.

Jones was lifted for Gardner who pinch-ran in the seventh after Jones’ walk. Gardner finished 0-for-2 with a sacrifice fly.

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According to Girardi, Eric Chavez is due to be re-examined shortly. Chavez is on the DL with a fracture of the fifth metatarsal in the left foot.

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A day after throwing in St. Petersburg, Girardi gave no timetable for Phil Hughes’ return from the DL.

“Every day depends on the day before,” Girardi said.