Laird passes concussion tests after backswing

DENVER -- Braves trainer Jeff Porter returned to the Braves' dugout after he determined Gerald Laird had not been hurt when he was hit by Corey Dickerson's foul tip in the seventh inning of Thursday afternoon's 10-3 loss at Coors Field.

Two pitches later, Porter rushed back on the field to tend to Laird, who fell face down in the dirt after Dickerson's backswing knocked his mask off and struck the right side of his face. After remaining on the ground for nearly two minutes, the Braves catcher made his way toward the clubhouse under his own power.

"It didn't knock me out," Laird said. "When I went down, I kind of opened my eyes, and the first time I opened them, I was kind of seeing stars and real fogginess. I told Porter, 'Let me stay down for a little bit.' Then I started blinking and feeling a little better."

Laird passed all preliminary concussion tests and was cleared to travel back to Atlanta with the team on Thursday night.

"I feel all right, just a little dazed after that second one I took," Laird said. "The first one got me all right. Then, the barrel kind of knocked my mask off and got me right in the side of the jaw. I just got a little dazed when I went down and I was seeing stars. So I wanted to make sure I gathered myself."

After Laird exited, David Carpenter hit Dickerson on the right hip with the next pitch. Carpenter was immediately ejected for what plate umpire Jordan Baker perceived as a retaliatory strike. Rockies manager Walt Weiss was also ejected after coming onto the field and expressing his anger over Carpenter's pitch.

Laird said he knew Dickerson did not have any intent with his backswing.

"I'm sure none of that stuff is intentional," Laird said. "It's one of those things where you foul a pitch off and it just caught me in the right spot. I have no hard feelings toward him."