Solis suffers nasal contusion, exits game

BOSTON -- Rays catcher Ali Solis left Saturday night's 7-1 loss against the Red Sox after getting hit in the nose on an odd play in the third inning.

Making his first Major League start, Solis was batting against Boston starter Rubby De La Rosa, who bounced an 0-2 pitch to the plate.

The ball deflected off catcher A.J. Pierzynski, then ricocheted off the ground and hit Solis flush on the nose.

"I didn't see it," Solis said. "It hit A.J.'s knee and went straight to my nose. ... I couldn't see real well. For a moment, I thought I was bleeding because I couldn't feel my nose. It swelled up right away. So I touched my nose and I was like, 'It's broken.' When the trainer asked me, I'm like, 'If it isn't broke, I'll keep playing.'"

According to the club, Solis has a nasal contusion.

"It's not broken," Solis said. "It's just a little sore right now. I'm good right now. At the moment, they asked me how I feel, and I couldn't see real well. It was a little blurry. I'm fine now. I'll be ready [Sunday].

"It was weird. ... That's baseball. It happens."

Rays trainers and manager Joe Maddon rushed to tend to Solis, who remained on his feet. Moments later, Solis left the game and Jose Molina took over the at-bat.

Molina took a called third strike to end an at-bat that will go down as a Solis strikeout. Molina remained in the game at catcher.