During Baltimore’s 9-7 victory over the Diamondbacks on Monday, manager Craig Albanaz was hit in the face by a foul ball while in the Orioles’ dugout.
The incident took place in the fifth inning when second baseman Jeremiah Jackson sent a foul ball into the dugout, striking Albanaz who was near the tunnel leading to the Camden Yards clubhouse.
Following the impact, Albanaz was taken to the clubhouse for evaluation by medical personnel.
Bench coach Donnie Ecker stepped in as manager during this time.
Ecker mentioned to reporters that Albanaz was doing “good” after the game.
“As a precaution, he will undergo some testing, and we’ll have more updates tomorrow,” he noted. “We all think about the risks every game. It’s a reminder that we’re all vulnerable to that.”
Albanaz returned to the dugout in the sixth inning, according to MASN’s broadcast. A red mark could be seen on his face when he appeared, though he left the dugout again shortly after and did not come back.
Orioles pitcher Trevor Rogers remarked on Albanaz’s toughness, stating, “The fact that he didn’t head to the field shows how tough he is. And he wanted to get back in the dugout; that’s saying something.”
At the time of the foul ball, the Orioles were down 4-1.
They trailed 7-1 until a resurgence in the sixth inning where they scored five runs.
Jackson capped the inning with a grand slam, narrowing the gap, just as Albanaz made his return to the dugout.
Pete Alonso then launched a two-run homer that put Baltimore ahead 8-7 in the seventh inning, followed by Jackson adding a solo shot in the eighth to extend their lead.
