Ex-Yankee Robinson Cano hit in head by stray ball

Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano was hit in the head by a stray ball while the Angels were warming up between innings and exited early in Los Angeles' 4-2 win yesterday.

The former Yankee had a sizable welt near his left temple as a result of rookie shortstop Taylor Featherston's high throw over first baseman Albert Pujols before the seventh. "He's a young guy, but I don't think there's a reason for him to throw that hard between innings,'' Cano said. "I didn't hear anything. It hurts more when you don't expect it. Hopefully, everything goes well through the night and I feel good enough to play."

"It was scary," Mariners starter J.A. Happ said. "I kind of saw it happen, and it sounded pretty gross.''

Stanton out with broken hand. For the second year in a row, Giancarlo Stanton's chances of winning the major league home run title have been hurt by an injury. The Marlins slugger, who was hit in the face by a pitch last year, has a broken left hand and is expected to be sidelined four to six weeks.

"On a swing, my bat dug into my hand a little bit and didn't feel the greatest," he said Friday. "It got worse and worse." Stanton's hand appeared swollen, and he said it hurt where he grips the bat.

In their first game without Stanton yesterday, the Marlins beat Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers, 3-2, to snap their losing streak at five games.Tom Koehler (6-4), who pitched for Stony Brook University, gave up two runs in seven innings. Said manager Dan Jennings, "[Given] what happened last night, this team could have come in today and been very deflated after the injury to 'G,' and you couldn't have had a better person to take the ball in an outing like this in Tom Koehler." -- AP