Alex Avila leaves after collision
CLEVELAND -- Detroit catcher Alex Avila left the Tigers' 7-6 loss to the Indians after a collision with teammate Prince Fielder on Sunday.
The two Tigers were trying to catch a foul ball hit by Cleveland's Carlos Santana in the sixth inning. Avila was about to catch it along the warning track in front of the Tigers dugout when Fielder, who is listed at 275 pounds, ran into him. The ball dropped and so did Avila.
Tigers trainers attended to the fallen catcher, who after a moment or two, got to his feet and walked to the dugout. He was replaced by Gerald Laird.
"It looked like a knockout punch," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "The elbow got him in the jaw."
Leyland said trainers told him Avila has a sprained jaw, no concussion, and could possibly play Monday. Leyland said he likely was going to rest Avila anyway against White Sox lefty Jose Quintana.
Before the game, Detroit center fielder Austin Jackson was a late scratch with a sore left ankle.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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