WASHINGTON — Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols left Tuesday night’s game against the Nationals with tightness in his left calf.
Pujols was removed for a pinch runner immediately after being hit in the left shoulder by a pitch from Nationals reliever Jesus Colome in the top of the fourth inning. The game had recently resumed after a 1-hour, 51-minute rain delay.
Manager Tony La Russa said Pujols first felt the tightness during an earlier at-bat.
Footnotes.
Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to May 26, because of a shoulder injury.
• Brewers third baseman Bill Hall, who’s hitting .228, remains in a platoon system with Russell Branyan and would prefer to be traded if the situation doesn’t change.
• Working off a mound for the first time in more than a month, Braves left-hander Mike Hampton threw about 25 pitches — all fastballs — and reported no problems from a strained left pectoral muscle. He plans to throw again Thursday and increase his output to about 40 pitches.
• Center fielder Ryan Freel left Cincinnati’s game because of a strained right hamstring.
• Jorge Posada, sidelined since April 27 with a sore shoulder, threw out two runners trying to steal second in an extended spring training game, and Yankees manager Joe Girardi said the catcher could come off the DL on Thursday.
The Associated Press
