NEW YORK -- If Zack Cozart was 100 percent healthy, he knows he would have scored a big run for the Reds in the top of the eighth inning of Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the Yankees. Instead, the shortstop could be out for a couple of days, and maybe longer, as his problematic right quadriceps was aggravated.
Against reliever Dellin Betances in a 3-1 game, Cozart pinch-hit with one out and runners on first and second base. He grounded to the shortstop and had to hustle hard to beat out the double play.
"I go to sprint out of the box, and I'm trying to go as fast as I can, and it kind of grabbed on me," Cozart said.
Cozart said he told first-base coach Freddie Benavides he likely would not be able to stay in the game to play defense. The Reds were already short-handed on the bench, had no backup infielders and only designated hitter Adam Duvall who could play outfield.
"We have the two backup catchers on the bench, you don't want to pinch-run for me right there. It wasn't ideal for sure," Cozart said.
Next batter Billy Hamilton drove a two-out double to the wall that went off of right fielder Aaron Judge's glove at the warning track. Devin Mesoraco scored from second base, but Cozart was unable to go all out and had to stop at third base. It was clear he was in pain as third-base and coach Billy Hatcher signaled to the bench that Cozart needed to come out.

Pitcher Robert Stephenson pinch-ran for Cozart and was left stranded when Eugenio Suarez struck out.
Cozart first injured his right quad during a May series at San Francisco and went on the disabled list from June 19-30. Since returning, he's had to get extra treatment and take precautions. Manager Bryan Price has also given him scheduled days off from starting games as added protection -- including on Tuesday.
"I've kind of asked Zack to try to stay away from exacerbating some things," Price said. "He's been getting better, but you know, he comes in and I just verified that he did everything you can do to be ready. [He] stretched, got his body warm, everything you can do."

Cozart believed he could have scored the tying run.
"Before my injury, yeah, 100 percent," he said. "Because right off the bat, you're sprinting. All I knew is I was running and I was limping to third. It sucks because I was going to be the tying run off a tough guy like Betances. Those are the chances you want to take to send a guy there. There's nothing I could do."
Cozart was examined after the game and will undergo more tests Wednesday.
"I'll be here early in the morning. I'm sure I'll be sore in the morning," he said.