Collision sends Molina to hospital

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis Cardinals backup catcher Jason LaRue watched from the dugout as Yadier Molina, his back to the play after an off-line throw, got flattened by a pinch runner.

Like several teammates, LaRue was impressed that Molina apparently avoided serious injury after being taken off the field on a body board with a brace around his neck, and that Molina held onto the ball for an important ninth-inning out in Sunday's 7-6, 10-inning victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.

"You don't see the runner. You don't know when you're going to get hit," LaRue said. "He did an unbelievable job. In my opinion, he's the best catcher in the game right now.

"For a guy like that to put his body on the line, especially in a key situation like that, is awesome."

Molina was taken to a hospital for evaluation of neck and back pain and sustained a mild concussion, although he did not lose consciousness after the collision with Phillies pinch runner Eric Bruntlett, team spokesman Brian Bartow said. All test results were negative, the team said in a release, although Molina was to be held overnight as a precaution.

"How he held onto the ball," Cardinals reliever Ryan Franklin said, "I don't know."

Albert Pujols, who is on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left calf, spoke with Molina before the catcher left for the hospital. He relayed a positive initial report to manager Tony La Russa before the end of the game.

"The initial stuff was OK," La Russa said. "At least right now. We're keeping our fingers crossed and hoping for the best."

Several teammates were told Molina was suffering from whiplash-like symptoms. Players were hopeful that the 25-year-old Molina, the youngest of three catching brothers in the major leagues and one of the best defensive catchers in the game, would only be out a few days.

Molina was batting .295 with three home runs and 24 RBIs. He's thrown out 10 of 32 base stealers, a lower percentage than in recent seasons partly due to inexperienced pitchers the Cardinals have been forced to use because of injuries.

"He's one of our core players," LaRue said. "He's one of the key guys you need to have out there every single day."

Molina had to reach back for a one-hop throw from first baseman Chris Duncan, who had been playing in when he fielded Phillies star Jimmy Rollins' bad-hop grounder, and his back was to the plate as he gloved the ball. As he was turning to make the tag for the second out of the inning in a game tied at 6-6, Molina was drilled by Bruntlett running from third base.

"I knew it sounded like they hit pretty hard," Franklin said. "I was turning and I saw Duncan throw it and the ball short-hopped, and the next thing I know Yaddy's on the ground."

Molina showed umpire Tim McClelland he still had the ball, holding it in his right hand, before collapsing in front of the plate. He lay face down in the dirt for several minutes while being attended to by medical personnel, and did not appear to be moving as the cart left.

"It gets your stomach a little bit because you fear the worst," La Russa said. "It was very scary and we'll see. Hopefully, we're OK. That's all we need, is for him to be OK."

La Russa said Molina was told to stay immobile because he had been complaining about his neck.

Bruntlett and Jayson Werth, Philadelphia's next hitter, were among those watching nearby. La Russa had no problem with the play, saying "I don't blame the runner."

Bruntlett said he didn't think Molina left him any room to slide, and initially didn't think the contact was overly violent.

"Obviously I hit him hard enough," Bruntlett said. "Obviously I feel horrible and hopefully he's feeling OK. That's the last thing you want to see, especially when you're involved.

"It makes you kind of second-guess the play -- Did I do the right thing there? -- and what should I have done," Bruntlett said. "I was trying to look for a place to slide and right at the last second I didn't really have anywhere to go."

Bruntlett said he knew he'd be called out as long as Molina held onto the ball.

"Maybe at some point the glove hit me," Bruntlett said. "I think that's the way it's going to be called."