Long day starts with Pena leaving

Posted Sep 7, 2009 by Marc Lancaster

Updated Sep 7, 2009 at 12:27 PM

NEW YORK—This is not the way the Rays wanted to start a very long day at the ballpark.

First baseman Carlos Pena was hit on the left hand by a 93-mph CC Sabathia fastball in the top of the first inning and is out of the game for the bottom of the first, replaced by Willy Aybar at first base.

There was a lengthy delay after Pena was hit, as he consulted with Joe Maddon and head trainer Ron Porterfield about whether to stay in the game. The umpires ruled Pena swung on the pitch that hit him, so he was still at the plate, facing an 0-2 count. He finally decided to give it a shot, but tried unsuccessfully to check his swing on the next pitch he saw and immediately dropped the bat in pain and headed to the dugout.

Pena was one of two field players Maddon had planned to start in both games of the doubleheader (Evan Longoria the other), so this is not exactly an ideal situation. Perhaps Pena will feel good enough to start the nightcap (then again, he’s 3-for-27 lifetime vs. A.J. Burnett)—he has a while to get treatment between now and then.