House tweets good news after line-drive scare
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LAKELAND, Fla. -- Blue Jays reliever TJ House was struck in the head by a line drive during a scary incident at Joker Marchant Stadium on Friday afternoon. But the good news is that he expects to make a full recovery.
The game was called with one out in the ninth inning when House was hit on the back of his head by a sharply hit ball from Detroit's John Hicks. The Blue Jays came away with a 6-2 victory, but that was an afterthought to an incident that brought back memories of a similar scare involving J.A. Happ at Tropicana Field in 2013.
Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said after the game that House was talking and had feeling in all of his extremeties. Hours later, House delivered his own positive message on Twitter to let everybody know he was going to be OK.
"Guys, things are going good," House tweeted. "Today's moment was the scariest of my career but after much testing and time I'm going to make a full recovery ... I appreciate everyone who reached out through social media and texts/calls. I hope to be back out doing what I love soon. Much love!"
The team later issued an update, which said in part: "House, who was taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center by ambulance, did not lose consciousness at any point. Results from testing have been normal. He will remain in hospital overnight for observation."
Hicks' line drive struck the back of House and ricocheted approximately 30 feet into the air before being caught by catcher Mike Ohlman. House fell to his stomach and remained on the ground for more than 15 minutes but appeared to be moving his legs while being tended to by the Blue Jays' medical staff.
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House was then placed onto a stretcher and gave a thumbs-up to the crowd as he was loaded into an ambulance.
"I couldn't get near him," Gibbons said. "They were working on him. It's scary, you know. He was talking, he could feel everything, so hopefully that's a good sign."
Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said the situation was among the scariest he has seen. He indicated House was bleeding but remained conscious while being assisted by trainers.
"When I went out there, his face was in his glove, there was blood on his face, blood in the glove -- everything," Ausmus said.
Tigers right-hander Buck Farmer watched the situation unfold from the dugout after completing three scoreless innings in relief. Farmer said he followed the ball off Hicks' bat and saw House quickly turn his face away before the ball made contact with his head.
"It's just one of those things you hate to see," Farmer said. "I mean, it happens, don't get me wrong, but you hope for a speedy recovery. They said that he didn't lose consciousness, which is good. It's scary to see."
House had a 3.38 ERA in four relief appearances with the Indians last season.
"I don't care whose team he's on, you don't see those kinds of things too often, but they get your attention, you know," Gibbons said. "Guy smokes it, and it can be bad.
"Hopefully he's all right."