NEW YORK — Three innings after Mets all-star David Wright was hit in the helmet by a pitch from Matt Cain and sent to the hospital, his teammate Johan Santana threw a pitch behind the Giants’ Pablo Sandoval.
One batter later, Santana hit Bengie Molina.
“I feel like I have to protect my teammates,” Santana said. “You can call that whatever you want. We’re in it together.”
A masterful pitching duel turned ugly after the beaning of New York’s third baseman, and Molina homered in the 10th inning to give San Francisco a 5-4 victory Saturday.
Wright was taken to the Hospital for Special Surgery by ambulance after being checked out in the clubhouse by a team doctor. Mets spokesman Jay Horwitz said a CT scan was negative and that Wright had a concussion. He was expected to stay in the hospital overnight for observation.
Cain nailed Wright with a 94-mph fastball and watched from a crouched position between home plate and the mound. When he came to bat in the fifth inning, he asked Mets catcher Brian Schneider if Wright was OK.
“It was nice to see him walk off the field. It was definitely a situation where you hoped there’s no blood,” Cain said. “I’ll see if I can get a hold of him tomorrow.”
All players agreed that Cain was not trying to hit Wright on an 0-2 pitch with a runner on first. Mets manager Jerry Manuel said pitching up and in on Wright was “the book on him.”
Mets outfielder Jeff Francoeur visited Wright in the clubhouse after he walked off the field with minimal help and said Wright made a joke from the Chris Farley movie “Tommy Boy” about where he was hit in the head.
Giants closer Brian Wilson (5-5) pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings, his longest outing of the season, as the Giants moved within one game of Colorado in the wild-card race.
