Texas MLB Capsules: Pitcher injured in Astros' 5-2 win over Pirates

HOUSTON — Just 12 pitches into his first start of the season, Chris Jakubauskas was crumpled on the ground, holding his head and moaning in pain.

The 31-year-old right-hander was hit in the head by Lance Berkman’s line drive and carted off the field in the first inning of the Houston Astros’ 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday.

Wandy Rodriguez (1-2) struck out seven to earn his first win, and the Astros won for the seventh time in nine games since an 0-8 start.

Jakubauskas (0-1) was taken to a nearby hospital and was scheduled to stay overnight for observation.

Pittsburgh manager John Russell had an encouraging report on his pitcher’s condition after the game.

"He’s as good as to be expected," Russell said. "The tests they have run on him have come back negative. They ran a CT scan, and that came back negative. He doesn’t seem to have a concussion, but we’ll see how he does overnight. So far, so good."

Jakubauskas was just called up from the minors on Friday. With two outs in the first, Berkman drove a 1-0 pitch straight back to the mound, and the ball hit Jakubauskas just behind his right ear.

Medical staffs from both teams ran to the mound as Jakubauskas stayed down. Berkman also ran over to check on the pitcher, along with the Pirates infielders.

Third baseman Andy LaRoche was relieved to see Jakubauskas moving his legs.

"When I got there, he was just saying something like, ‘Oh my God, Oh my God,’ or along those lines," LaRoche said. "His legs were kicking, so that was good to see. I just went up there and said a prayer and hoped he was OK."

Russell said Jakubauskas’ nose was bleeding, but he was coherent.

"I heard the ball hit the bat and then hit his head," Russell said. "He was answering questions. He never blacked out. It was a frightening moment. That really puts the game in perspective."

Jakubauskas was taken off the field on a medical cart. He gave a thumbs up to the crowd, who offered a standing ovation.

Berkman said he was shaken for the rest of the game.

"It’s probably the most rattling thing I’ve ever been a part of in the big leagues," Berkman said. "It affected me for at least the next couple of at-bats. It was just hard to focus. But I’m glad, I think, the preliminary report is that he’s going to be fine. I’m just glad of that."

Hunter Pence and Pedro Feliz drove in two runs apiece for the Astros, who finished with a season-high 13 hits.

Rodriguez allowed five hits and one earned run in 7 1-3 innings, finally getting offensive support after Houston failed to score in his first 18 innings this season.

"I felt very comfortable," Rodriguez said. "I threw the ball and put the ball wherever I wanted."

Right-hander D.J. Carrasco replaced Jakubauskas, and Pence promptly hit a two-run double down the left-field line. Michael Bourn singled before Berkman’s shot, so Jakubauskas was charged with the runs.

Ronny Cedeno reached on Feliz’s error in the third inning, and eventually scored on Andrew McCutchen’s single, making it 2-1.

Humberto Quintero hit a bases-loaded single in the fourth, but McCutchen threw from center field to home in time for Jason Jaramillo to tag out Cory Sullivan.

Left-hander Jack Taschner relieved for the Houston half of the fifth and Jeff Keppinger led off with a double. Feliz hit the next pitch off the facade in left-center, his first homer and Houston’s sixth of the season for a 5-1 lead.

Jaramillo hit a solo shot with two outs in the seventh, his first of the season. Rodriguez retired 12 in a row before that.

Brandon Lyon replaced Rodriguez in the eighth, after Rodriguez threw 96 pitches. Matt Lindstrom shut out the Pirates in the ninth to earn his sixth save in six chances this season.

The Pirates have lost five in a row, and dropped to 0-9 when they’re held to three runs or fewer. The mood in the clubhouse was predictably somber after the game, with each player still jarred by their teammate’s injury.

"I have never seen that happen before," LaRoche said. "It’s scary. I hope I don’t have to witness it again."

NOTES: Astros ace Roy Oswalt returned to Mississippi after a tornado damaged his parents’ home. Oswalt grew up in Weir, Miss. A deadly tornado ripped through the state Saturday, splintering homes and tearing the roofs off businesses. Houston general manager Ed Wade says he expects Oswalt to rejoin the team by Tuesday. He’s due to make his next start next Thursday. ... Jakubauskas was the seventh starter for the Pirates this season. The last time Pittsburgh used seven different starting pitchers in its first 17 games was 2001, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. ... Pirates RHP Ross Ohlendorf threw 22 pitches in a bullpen session before the game. Ohlendorf has been on the disabled list since April 12 with back spasms.

Oswalt leaves Astros, tornado damages family home

HOUSTON — Astros ace Roy Oswalt returned to Mississippi on Saturday after his parents' home was damaged in a tornado.

Oswalt grew up in Weir, Miss., where his parents still live. A deadly tornado ripped through the state Saturday, splintering homes and tearing the roofs off businesses.

Astros general manager Ed Wade said Oswalt's parents, Billy and Jean, were not injured. Wade said he expects Oswalt to rejoin the team by Tuesday. He's due to make his next start next Thursday.

Wade said Astros owner Drayton McLane offered his private plane for Oswalt to use, but Oswalt decided to make the 8-hour drive home instead.

"He just wants to make sure everything is all right," Wade said. "I told him to do whatever he needed to do. They lived in the house for over 40 years. He's got a ranch that's about 30 minutes away (in Kosciusko) that his parents can stay at, but 40 years worth of keepsakes and things like that, I'm sure it's really tough on his family."

Oswalt pitched seven innings in Houston's 4-3 win over Pittsburgh on Friday night. Houston manager Brad Mills met with Oswalt before he left.

"There are other things we need to get taken care of," Mills said. "He just pitched last night. That was an easy one. You've got to go. We always want them (players) to get things taken care of that they need to take care of. Because he's not going to be used again for another four, five days, that wasn't even a question."

Pirates P Jakubauskas hit in head with line drive

HOUSTON — The Houston Astros activated right-hander Sammy Gervacio from the disabled list and optioned right-hander Wilton Lopez to Triple-A Round Rock after Saturday’s 5-2 win over Pittsburgh.

Gervacio, 25, had been on the DL since April 7 with inflammation in his right rotator cuff. In three rehab appearances, Gervacio allowed one run in three innings of work. Gervacio was 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in two relief appearances this season before he went on the DL.

Lopez, 26, was 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA in four relief outings since he was recalled from Round Rock on April 7. Lopez has made 12 career appearances, going 1-2 with a 7.46 ERA.

Also Saturday, the Astros said right-hander Yorman Bazardo accepted his outright assignment to Triple-A Round Rock and will report on Sunday.

Damon hit streak at 11 games, Tigers beat Rangers

ARLINGTON — Johnny Damon drove in two runs and scored twice for the Detroit Tigers in their 8-4 victory over Texas. He was just standing there and watching, however, on the wild play that put them ahead to stay.

Damon was batting with two outs in the fourth inning when Scott Feldman threw a slider in the dirt. Ryan Raburn and Ramon Santiago scored on the wild pitch when the ball ricocheted off the brick-facade backstop up the third-base line.

"Santiago was heads-up. There were two outs, I had two strikes, and we had to take a chance," Damon said. "Anytime you can add easy runs, it's a much easier job. Santiago did exactly what he needed to do, which was push the issue."

Raburn scored from third and Santiago kept coming from second, sliding in safely for a 5-4 lead when catcher Taylor Teagarden dropped Michael Young's toss for an error.

Damon then walked, and Magglio Ordonez, Miguel Cabrera and Brennan Boesch had consecutive RBI hits to make it 8-4.

"Just a horrible job by me. The guys came out and put up four real quick and I let them right back in the game," Feldman said. "Nobody to blame but myself. Bad execution all night."

Texas had a 4-0 lead before Damon hit a two-run double and then scored on a groundout by Ordonez in the third. Damon extended his hitting streak to 11 games and has reached base in 14 straight (18 hits, 11 walks) since an 0-for-14 stretch.

Feldman (1-2) allowed eight runs, four earned, and eight hits over 3 2-3 innings. The right-hander walked four and had only one strikeout.

Eddie Bonine (2-0) pitched three scoreless innings while allowing just one hit in relief of spot starter Brad Thomas, who gave up four runs in three innings.

Joel Zumaya tossed two scoreless innings and Jose Valverde pitched the ninth, giving Tigers relievers a 23-inning stretch over seven games in which they have allowed only one earned run.

"It could have got ugly," Damon said. "But we scored some runs to get back in the game and then put it away. ... You have to give all the credit to our bullpen."

Thomas started in place of Dontrelle Willis, scratched because of an upset stomach. It was Thomas' sixth major league start, but the Australian left-hander's first since 2001 for Minnesota. He pitched in South Korea the last two seasons and was in Japan from 2005-06.

"Thomas didn't let it get totally out of hand, then the offense came up with some big innings," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "It's a good win like that when you lose a pitcher and scrap like that when you're short in the bullpen."

Feldman had been scheduled to start the series opener Friday night, but was pushed back to have extra time to recover from a stomach virus. The right-hander, a 17-game winner last season, has struggled in consecutive starts after going seven innings in each of his first two.

"For a while, I thought we were about to blow that game open," Texas manager Ron Washington said. "Feldman just didn't have his command."

Vladimir Guerrero led the Rangers with three hits and three RBIs.

After consecutive one-out singles by Young and Josh Hamilton in the first, Tigers rookie center fielder Austin Jackson misplayed Guerrero's liner into a two-run double. The ball went over Jackson's head after he initially took a step in, though he retrieved it in time to throw out Guerrero at third.

Jackson made a spectacular play in the seventh when he ran down Young's deep drive in the gap, leaped and extended his glove to make the catch. That provided a nice highlight for about 200 friends and family members from his hometown in nearby Denton who were at the game.

Leyland originally planned to give Jackson the night off, but changed his mind after hearing how many people were going to be there to watch him. Jackson had two hits but also struck out twice.

Elvis Andrus, the second-year shortstop who is the focus of a weekend of promotions at Rangers Ballpark, had two hits on the night that Andrus bobblehead dolls were given out to fans. His run-scoring single in the second inning made him 6 for 8 this season with runners in scoring position — after hitting the winning RBI single in the bottom of the ninth Friday night.

NOTES: Cabrera, who has reached base in 17 of the last 18 games, had a pair of doubles and his AL-leading 22nd RBI. ... Santiago entered at shortstop in the third after Adam Everett strained his right hamstring. ... Teagarden got his first hit of the season, snapping an 0-for-22 skid, when he was credited with a single on a ball that short-hopped 2B Raburn and went into the outfield.

-- Stephen Hawkins

Rangers 2B Kinsler headed to Double-A on rehab