Braves reliever hit in head by line drive, appears OK

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Atlanta Braves reliever Jackson Stephens was hit in the side of the head by a line drive Friday night but walked off the field and appeared to be unhurt. Stephens was removed in the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals. With one out and runners on second and third, Brendan Donovan blistered a line drive that struck Stephens in the right temple. The ball ricocheted into shallow right field. Stephens never went down, but was immediately checked by the Atlanta training staff. After a moment, he walked off the field under his own power to loud applause from what remained of the crowd at Busch Stadium. Tyler Matzek replaced Stephens. The Braves won 11-4.