The Atlanta Braves clinched a National League playoff spot Saturday night and continued their march toward the NL East title with a 10-1 victory over the second-place Washington Nationals. But instead of being in party mode, the Braves’ minds were focused on teammate Charlie Culberson.
Culberson might have broken his cheekbone when Nationals reliever Fernando Rodney hit him with a pitch. Culberson was attempting a bunt in the seventh inning and couldn’t get out of the way in time when the scary moment happened.
Charlie Culberson squares to bunt and it goes right off his face. Ouch. pic.twitter.com/bd0l0sOKaq
— Paul Sporer (@sporer) September 14, 2019
An awful feeling
While blood poured from Culberson’s face and trainers attended to him, Rodney also appeared shaken up. Word from the Nationals clubhouse after the game is that the veteran reliever also was shaken up and felt horrible.
Culberson, for his part, gave Rodney a thumbs up as he was carted off the field.
The Braves said they believed Culberson had fractured his cheekbone but avoided eye damage or a concussion.
“We just don’t [know] any of the extent of what’s going on yet,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said, according to ESPN.com. “We are just praying for him and his family. That’s scary.”
Scary moment: Charlie Culberson just got hit in the face with a pitch after squaring up to bunt. pic.twitter.com/jYRGY0PaU4
— FOX Sports: Braves (@FOXSportsBraves) September 14, 2019
Some controversy, too
The other aspect of the play was that home plate umpire Tim Timmons said Culberson never pulled his bat back. He called the pitch a strike.
That incensed Snitker, who vehemently argued with Timmons, several times audibly saying “Shame on you!” after Timmons ejected him.
The Braves continued their rally and their march toward the playoffs. And hopefully they’ll have a more joyous occasion to celebrate when they clinch the NL East in the coming days.
Brian Snitker was understandably furious after umpires called a strike on the pitch that knocked Charlie Culberson out of the game and had to be carted off the field. “Shame on you!” was seemingly one of the few things he said free of profanity. pic.twitter.com/keW4ZXbKwK
— Roger Cormier (@yayroger) September 14, 2019
