In one inning, two Cubs injured
BY GORDON WITTENMYER Staff Reporter August 7, 2013 10:04PM
Philadelphia Phillies' Chase Utley, left, collides with Chicago Cubs catcher Dioner Navarro while trying to score on a single by Kevin Frandsen during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2013, in Philadelphia. Utley was out on the play and Navarro left the game with an injury. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Updated: September 9, 2013 3:05PM
PHILADELPHIA — The Cubs snapped a five-game losing streak Wednesday night in Philadelphia.
They also nearly snapped a few body parts along the way in a painful, costly seventh inning during the 5-2 victory over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.
In the span of five batters in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Cubs lost outfielder Thomas Neal to a bizarre throwing injury and also likely lost catcher Dioner Navarro to the disabled list with a right ankle injury suffered during a home plate collision with Chase Utley.
Navarro’s injury was the scarier and possibly the costlier of the two. X-rays were negative, but he appeared to suffer at least a sprain. The Cubs say they’re treating it like a “contusion” or bruise and calling him day-to-day.
But unless his ankle is in sudden and remarkably good shape Sunday, a DL move would be inevitable just given the critical nature of the position. The Cubs have no catchers in the minors on the 40-man roster.
“We’ll evaluate it,” manager Dale Sveum said. “Right now he was able to squat and do things like that. So everything’s looking a little better than we thought.
“I thought the worst [initially].”
Navarro, who had his leg bent under him on the collision — similar to the play that led to a compound leg fracture for San Francisco catcher Buster Posey in 2011 — lay on the ground for several minutes before being carted off the field.
Neal — acquired only Monday in a waiver claim from the Yankees — dislocated his shoulder on a throw to second after John Mayberry Jr. led off the seventh with a double to left.
“Welcome to the Cubs,” one wise-guy reporter said after the game.
“I can’t say I’ve ever seen a guy dislocate his shoulder on a throw,” Sveum said. “I’ve done it swinging a bat. But I’ve never seen it throwing.”
“I’ve never seen it either,” said Neal, who once injured the shoulder on a diving play in the field and had surgery for a tear in the joint.
Dave Sappelt is a candidate to be called up to replace Neal on the roster.
The painful seventh overshadowed a big night for another Cubs newcomer, Donnie Murphy, who suddenly has three home runs in two games as the Cubs’ third baseman — including a three-run shot in the ninth to break open a 2-2 game.
