Injury Overshadows Marlins’ Record Night

The Florida Marlins were enjoying a record-setting night in Miami before a bat flew into the stands and a scary scene unfolded.

In the seventh inning of the Marlins’ 20-1 win over Atlanta on Tuesday night, a bat slipped from the hands of Atlanta’s Darren Bragg and struck an unidentified photographer.

“I saw a lot of blood,” the Marlins’ Mike Lowell said. “I know the other camera people were ducking. The guy was really laid out on the stretcher.”

The man, working beyond the first-base dugout, sustained lacerations to the face but never lost consciousness, the Marlins said. He was airlifted to a hospital and there was no immediate word on his condition.

The game was delayed 18 minutes while the photographer was tended to.

Bragg was visibly shaken afterward.

“I’m told that he’s OK, and I’m glad about that,” Bragg said. “I felt terrible when it happened. I found out right away that they were calling for a stretcher, and I knew that was a bad situation.”

The Marlins set a team record for runs and matched a team mark with 25 hits, with Miguel Cabrera, Ivan Rodriguez and Luis Castillo each getting four.

The 20-year-old Cabrera drove in four runs and scored four times.

San Francisco 5, St. Louis 1 -- Spot starter Jim Brower gave up one run in six innings and Jose Cruz Jr. homered in a five-run first to lead the Giants at St. Louis.

Albert Pujols of the Cardinals is hitless in eight at-bats in the last two games, dropping his major league-leading average 10 points to .381.

New York 7, Montreal 6 -- Pinch-hitter Tony Clark singled home Joe McEwing with two out in the ninth inning to give the Mets the victory at New York. Jose Vidro homered twice for the Expos.

Philadelphia 4, Chicago 3 -- Mike Lieberthal’s two-out RBI single in the ninth inning at Philadelphia led the Phillies to their seventh consecutive victory. The Phillies have won 12 of 14.

Cincinnati 5, Pittsburgh 3 -- Jose Guillen hit a tie-breaking, two-run home run in the eighth inning and the Reds rallied after squandering numerous early scoring chances at Pittsburgh.

Houston 6, Milwaukee 5 -- Gregg Zaun’s sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the 10th inning rallied the Astros at Houston.