Bogaerts OK to play after getting spiked

ARLINGTON -- Boston shortstop Xander Bogaerts started Saturday despite getting spiked in the left knee in the fourth inning of Friday's game.
 
On a steal attempt by Leonys Martin, Bogaerts had his knee in front of the bag and Martin's foot hit Bogaerts's knee as he slid.
 
"I don't know if he necessarily dropped his left knee to block the bag. It was a bang-bang play," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "We're going to teach our middle infielders to straddle the bag to receive the throw on a stolen base. Because of the closeness of the play, he was in the middle of it."
 
Bogaerts was hitless in his last seven at-bats entering Saturday, with four strikeouts, and was batting .263. He has played in 33 games, tied for second on the team with Mike Napoli behind Dustin Pedroia (34).
 
"When he does get banged up with some minor things, he's certainly not looking to come out of the lineup," Farrell said of Bogaerts.