Molina leaves game with bruised right knee

ST. PETERSBURG -- Tampa Bay catcher Jose Molina left Thursday night's 5-4, 10-inning win over the Blue Jays after the seventh inning with a bruised right knee. He's listed as day to day and, due to soreness and stiffness, will likely only be available in an emergency Friday night against the Padres.

Molina was hit by a foul tip in the fourth inning with Toronto catcher Henry Blanco at the plate. The ball hit Molina on the inside of his knee, and he spent a few minutes on the ground as head athletic trainer Ron Porterfield and manager Joe Maddon came out onto the field to check on him.

Molina stayed in the game and immediately threw out Blue Jays shortstop Maicer Izturis at second base. He was replaced by catcher Jose Lobaton before the eighth inning.

"I think from what Ronnie told me, probably tomorrow [Molina] would be an emergency kind of a catcher. I don't expect it to be anything long term," Maddon said. "It's just a bad bruise. It just hurts. I guess it missed the shin guard on the inside of his knee."

Molina had to leave the Rays' game against the White Sox on April 27 after being hit in the knee by a pitch from Chicago reliever Hector Santiago. He was back on the field April 30.

"It hit me in the same spot it hit me in Chicago. It's a bruise," Molina said after Thursday's game. "You've got to keep going and hopefully feel better tomorrow."