Davis Lacerated Kidney in Game 4 : Baseball: The Reds outfielder remains in an Oakland hospital. The injury was more serious than originally believed.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Eric Davis, injured in the final game of the World Series, suffered a more serious kidney injury than originally thought but will not require surgery.

Davis was in stable condition in the intensive care ward of Merritt Hospital in Oakland, said Dr. Robert Smith, who examined Davis.

Davis’ injury was initially reported as a severely bruised kidney, but a written statement issued by the Reds on Monday said the outfielder also suffered a kidney laceration.

“There’s no need for a transfusion, and that’s the important thing,” Smith said by telephone from his office in Oakland. “He’s doing extremely well. He’ll probably recover completely sooner rather than later.”

All tests have shown the kidney to be functioning properly. Smith said Davis will remain in bed for the next few days and will require prolonged bed rest and limited activity for several weeks.

When asked to comment on a report that Davis lost two pints of blood, Smith said, “That’s a very small amount of blood.”

Smith declined to specify the amount of blood Davis lost, saying, “It’s really hard to tell.”

Davis was placed in the intensive care unit Saturday night after injuring himself while attempting to make a diving catch in the first inning of the fourth and final game of the World Series between the Reds and the Oakland Athletics. Davis stayed in for the rest of the inning, then was replaced by Glenn Braggs.