ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Braves' 2-1 victory over the
Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night was marred by a serious injury
to right-handed reliever Jay Powell.
Powell started the ninth inning but his second pitch sailed
about 15 feet high and wide of the plate and he fell to the ground,
holding his right elbow and writhing in pain. X-rays showed a
severe elbow injury, Braves officials said.
Powell underwent transplant surgery on the elbow on July 8,
2004, after injuring his arm the previous June while with Texas.
"He was in tremendous pain," Atlanta manager Bobby Cox said.
"He could barely walk the pain in his elbow was so severe. It's
sort of a bittersweet win tonight."
Powell, 33, a nine-year veteran, previously pitched for Florida,
Houston, Colorado and Texas.
He was signed by the Braves to a minor league free agent
contract in January. He pitched with the Braves' Double-A club in
Mississippi where he was 2-0 with an 0.64 ERA in 14 innings. He was
recalled to Atlanta on July 17.
After the game, the Braves placed Powell on the 15-day DL and
recalled RHP Roman Colon from Triple-A Richmond. Kyle Davies, who
will start Saturday, was also recalled from Richmond and C Brayan
Pena was optioned to Richmond.
"It's a shame about Jay Powell," said Chipper Jones, who drove
in both Atlanta runs with a seventh-inning single.
"I've been in those shoes, wondering what's going to happen,"
said Horacio Ramirez, who pitched eight innings and earned the win
Friday night. "My prayers are with him. I'm hoping he'll be able
to recover."