Atlanta Braves’ Jason Heyward, center, is helped by New York Mets catcher John Buck, left, and umpire Greg Gibson after being hit by a 90 mph fastball thrown by New York Mets pitcher Jonathon Niese during the sixth inning of a baseball game at Citi Field, Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2013, in New York. Heyward was taken to the hospital for x-rays.NEW YORK – Citi Field has been a danger zone for the Atlanta Braves this summer.
Jason Heyward sustained a broken right jaw when he was hit by a pitch Wednesday, becoming the second key member of the NL East leaders to go down with a scary injury at the New York Mets’ ballpark. Veteran pitcher Tim Hudson broke his ankle last month on a gruesome play at first base, ending his season.
“It’s just a fluke thing that it’s happened twice here,” Chris Johnson said after his three-run homer in the 10th inning sent Atlanta to a 4-1 victory.
Heyward went down in a heap during a frightening scene in the sixth. With blood in his mouth, he was examined by Mets doctors and taken to a hospital for X-rays.
He was diagnosed with two fractures in his jaw and will undergo surgery Thursday in Atlanta. The team said it will have an estimated timetable for his return after the operation.