DENVER (AP) – It began as a scramble from the mound toward first to cover the bag, something Jason Grilli has done countless times in his career. This one, though, ended with a bad step and Grilli crumpled on the ground in agony.
The Atlanta Braves reliever suffered a season-ending left Achilles tendon rupture and took the loss Saturday in a 3-2 defeat to the Colorado Rockies.
Misfortune hit the Braves at the outset of the Rockies’ ninth-inning rally. Grilli (3-4) tumbled to the ground and suffered the injury to his lower left as he ran toward first to cover the bag when Drew Stubbs, the first batter he faced, hit a grounder that first baseman Chris Johnson ranged to his right to field.
Grilli sprinted off the mound toward first and suddenly tumbled to the ground, grabbing his leg in pain. Stubbs was safe on what was ruled a hit. Team trainers and manager Fredi Gonzalez ran on to the field to tend to Grilli, who remained on the ground for several minutes. He was helped to his feet, taken away on a cart for further treatment and replaced by David Aardsma.
“The pain he was in on the field was cruel,” Gonzalez said.