Braves coach hit in face by liner in Cards' game

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Atlanta Braves minor league manager Luis Salazar was awake and able to respond to doctors Wednesday after being hit in the face by Brian McCann's foul liner while standing in the dugout during an exhibition game.

Salazar may have sustained a concussion and might have a facial fracture and damage around his left eye, Braves general manager Frank Wren said.

Salazar was airlifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center and was to stay overnight. Wren did not have an official hospital report.

"We are just blessed that Luis is alive," Wren said after St. Louis beat Atlanta 6-1. "The scans so far have been positive. ... There is an eye surgeon looking at it now. It was a freak accident."

"He was unable to speak when the paramedics arrived," he said. "We were very concerned when he was on his way to the hospital but we feel a little bit better now."

Wren said Salazar was unconscious when an ambulance drove onto the field in the first inning to help the 54-year-old former big leaguer. Wren said Salazar was hit around the nose, toward his left eye.

"That was the worst thing I have ever seen on the field," Braves star Chipper Jones said. "He wasn't awake at all. He was out of it."

The game was delayed nearly 20 minutes while medical personnel tended to Salazar. There was a discussion, too, about calling off the rest of the game.

McCann took a called third strike from Kyle Lohse on the next pitch, removed himself from the game and went straight to the hospital.

Salazar was struck while standing on the top step of the first-base dugout.

Jones was on first base when the accident occurred.

"There were two things," Jones said. "First he got hit, then he fell backward and hit his head on the floor of the dugout. It was bad enough when he got hit but worse when he hit the floor."

Noteworthy

* Lohse gave up one run in four innings.

* Cardinals third baseman David Freese homered and doubled.