Red Sox's Salty stitched up, in lineup

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PHILADELPHIA -- As a rule, catchers are probably the most like hockey players. Stitch 'em up and put 'em back in the lineup.

That was the case Saturday for Red Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who needed a dozen stitches to close a cut at the bottom and back of his left ear but was back in the lineup Saturday night to catch pitcher Jon Lester.

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Saltalamacchia was injured in a freak play, when a pitch from Daniel Bard struck Ty Wigginton in the arm, caromed off Saltalamacchia's arm and struck him in the ear, an area that is not protected by his catcher's mask.

"Weird, real strange," Saltalamacchia said of the play, which took place in the fifth inning Friday night. "The chances of it happening again are slim.

"I'm sore. I had stitches, but the doctors, everybody cleared me. They did a CT, all the concussion tests, I'm good."

Out of the lineup Saturday was outfielder Cody Ross, who fouled a ball off the top of his left foot Saturday. X-rays were negative, manager Bobby Valentine said, but Ross was noticeably limping Saturday afternoon and Valentine said he would be re-evaluated when the swelling subsided.

Valentine on Saturday had Adrian Gonzalez in right field, with David Ortiz playing first base. Ortiz had a bout Friday with stomach flu, which has been making the rounds in the Sox clubhouse, but said Saturday he was feeling better, though not 100 percent. Marlon Byrd is available as a late-inning defensive replacement if Valentine elects to bring Gonzalez back into the infield.

Other injury updates:

• Kevin Youkilis, who went 1 for 3 in Pawtucket while playing third base Friday, is expected to play seven innings for Pawtucket on Saturday, then take Sunday off. A source said that Youkilis will rejoin the Red Sox on Monday in Baltimore, though Valentine has not committed to that timetable publicly and said Saturday it would be useful for Youkilis to play nine innings in a game before returning.

• Pitcher Aaron Cook was scheduled to throw a bullpen Saturday, then have the stitches removed from his left knee. The next step for Cook will be a rehabilitation assignment.

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Gordon Edes

Red Sox reporter, ESPNBoston.com

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• Has covered Red Sox for 15 years
• Award-winning beat reporter
• Joined ESPNBoston.com in 2009