SAN DIEGO (AP) — San Diego Padres left fielder Jurickson Profar collapsed as he was trying to walk off the field after a scary collision with rookie shortstop C.J. Abrams during a 2-1, 10-inning victory over the San Francisco Giants on Thursday night.
Profar was eventually strapped onto a stretcher, his neck in a brace, and driven off the field on a cart as his teammates watched from a few feet away. Profar pumped his right fist to acknowledge the cheers of the crowd and appeared to be smiling. He was taken to a hospital and no update was immediately available.
“No tingle or anything in the arms, but what we're worried the most is probably a concussion at this point,” said manager Bob Melvin, who added that Profar never lost consciousness. "But they're checking everything out.
“It's awful but he makes it easier on the fact that he's smiling. He's laying there smiling,” Melvin said. “We get him up but all of a sudden he goes down again. Any time you put somebody on a stretcher like that it's an awful feeling. But looking at him, the way he is trying to make everybody feel OK about it with a smile on his face, makes you feel a little bit better.”
The Padres won it in the 10th on pinch-hitter Jorge Alfaro's bases-loaded single. Kim Ha-seong started on second as the automatic runner and Austin Nola was intentionally walked. Kim took third on Trent Grisham's bunt single. Jarlin Garcia (1-3) didn't have a play at third and was late throwing to first. Alfaro then stroked a single to center to win it.
Manny Machado homered for the first time in nearly three weeks and ace Joe Musgrove combined with three relievers on a two-hitter. The Padres won for just the third time in 11 games. The Giants lost for the 13th time in 17 games.
Profar and Abrams both went after a fly ball hit by Tommy La Stella into shallow left field in the fifth inning. Abrams made the catch with his back to the infield and his left knee hit Profar in the left jaw as the left fielder appeared to be positioning himself for a diving catch.
Profar rolled onto his back and was writhing in pain. He was tended to for several minutes and at one point sat up. He attempted to walk off the field, accompanied by trainers, but collapsed just as he got to the infield dirt.
He was on the ground for several more minutes, surrounded by the training staff, before a medical cart arrived. Profar was placed on a stretcher before being driven off on the cart.
Abrams remained in the game.
Profar “seemed in good spirits,” Musgrove said. "I know he wanted to walk off the field. The kind of guy he is, he doesn’t want to get stretchered out of there. He’s doing everything he could to walk off.
"I didn't realize the severity of it until I saw the slow-motion replay of it once I came out of the game,” Musgrove added. “A lot of credit to C.J., once the ball's in the air he was going for it.”
Machado homered into the second deck in left field off Logan Webb with one out in the fourth. It was his 13th. The slugger's last homer came on June 18 at Colorado, a game before he sprained his left ankle after slipping on first base. Machado missed nine games before returning to the lineup on June 30.
Musgrove held the Giants to one hit while striking out six and walking four.
Nabill Crismatt (5-1) pitched the 10th for the win.
Taylor Rogers was one out from his 24th save when he allowed Brandon Crawford’s RBI single to right. That brought in Austin Slater, who reached when he was hit by a pitch on the foot and then stole second.
Webb went eight innings, allowing one run and six hits while striking out two and walking one.
PADRES HALL OF FAME
Former team CEO and president Larry Lucchino and former longtime broadcaster Ted Leitner were inducted into the Padres Hall of Fame. Lucchino was the driving force behind the approval and design of Petco Park, which opened in 2004.
