BALTIMORE -- Indians third baseman Juan Uribe left in the seventh inning of Friday's 5-1 loss to the Orioles after being hit in the head by a pitch from O's reliever Odrisamer Despaigne.
Leading off the seventh, Uribe couldn't avoid a rising fastball from Despaigne. The pitch, clocked at 94 mph, slammed into the left side of Uribe's batting helmet around the ear hole, glancing off his cheek.
The 37-year-old infielder remained on his feet, but after a visit from the Indians' training staff on the field, left the game. Cleveland announced the initial diagnosis of a head contusion and listed Uribe as day to day.
"[He] dodged a bullet and kind of literally," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "It looked and sounded bad. He wanted to stay in the game. I thought for a second I wasn't quite sure he was exactly knowing where he was."
Uribe was in good spirits after the game, joking with reporters about the scouting report not indicating Baltimore throws inside. He said focusing on hitting the 2-2 offering from Despaigne prevented him from moving out of the way in time.
"I'll be OK," Uribe said. "Ready for tomorrow."