With a two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning, Henry Davis became the unlikely hero for the Pittsburgh Pirates Tuesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Davis' blast cut the Pirates' deficit to 6-2 and jumpstarted the nine-run explosion that saw Pittsburgh rally from down 6-0 to defeat the Arizona in a wild 9-6 comeback victory at Chase Field.
The irony, though, is that Davis wasn't even supposed to be playing in Wednesday's game. He was backing up starting catcher Joey Bart, who signaled to team athletic trainers before abruptly leaving the game during a warmup session with lefty reliever Joey Wentz before the bottom of the fifth inning.
Bart, who had been struck in the head with a backswing by Diamondbacks outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. in the fourth inning, appeared nauseous as he headed back to the clubhouse. According to Pirates manager Don Kelly, Bart was still being evaluated for a head injury after the game, and it remains unclear whether the 28-year-old suffered a concussion.
Pirates’ 9-run rally vs Diamondbacks overshadows scary Joey Bart injury
At this point, the gravity of Bart's injury is unknown, but it seems likely that he will sit out Wednesday's series finale against the Diamondbacks. Davis, who has been swinging the bat well of late (with five hits in his last five games), is still available as the Pirates' backup catcher in the meantime.
Besides Bart and Davis, the only other catcher on the Pirates' 40-man roster is Endy Rodríguez, who is currently on the injured list after suffering a laceration that required stitches in his throwing hand last month. He is currently on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis, and he hasn't appeared in a game for the Pirates since April 14.
Bart has already required one brief stint on the injured list this season, suffering lower back discomfort in mid-April. If he does end up requiring a longer absence, Pittsburgh would need to select a non-roster catcher like Brett Sullivan or Abrahan Gutierrez to the active roster to back up Davis behind the plate.
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