Reyes has bruised shin, avoids injury scare

BOSTON -- "Thank God it didn't hit me in the ankle," was the reaction of Jose Reyes after he fouled a ball off his left shin during Thursday's 7-4 loss to the Red Sox.

The scary moment came in the top of the fourth inning, on the third pitch of an at-bat against Jon Lester, who was throwing a cutter that left Reyes marveling after the game.

Reyes took a big hack and the ball ricocheted off the inside of his bat and straight into his lower leg.

In just his second game back after missing more than two months with a severe sprain in his left ankle, Reyes was limping.

"It hit me right there," he proudly said, pointing toward his shin, where there was a ping-pong-ball-sized bruise even after he had been icing it for about 20 minutes. "It was painful for a little bit, but after a couple seconds, it went away."

Reyes said he should be fine. Bullet dodged.

The shortstop is 0-for-6 with a walk and a sacrifice fly in his first two games since April 12.

"It's OK," Reyes said of the way his swing has felt. "Still some work to do, but it's going to come. It's something I don't worry about.

"It's my second game. I've been out a long time, so I'm going to continue to work hard."