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Hughes takes liner to chin, stays in game

ST. LOUIS -- If you didn't know before how tough Jared Hughes is, you do now. The Pirates reliever took a slightly deflected line drive off his chin in the eighth inning of Tuesday night's 4-3 loss to the Cardinals and not only remained upright, but within minutes, he resumed pitching.

Hughes had just taken over at the start of the eighth when the first batter to face him, Stephen Piscotty, ripped a smash up the middle.

Hughes reached with his glove, which appeared to only minimally deflect the ball before it caromed off his chin to the right of the mound.

Hughes pounced after the ball but realized he had no play at first and held it. He also kept pitching after a brief visit from trainer Todd Tomczyk and manager Clint Hurdle.

Hughes put up a zero in that inning, keeping the Bucs' deficit at one run as the game went to the ninth inning.

Video: PIT@STL: Hughes gets Peralta to bounce into force

Tom Singer is a reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog Change for a Nickel. He can also be found on Twitter @Tom_Singer and on his podcast.
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