Arcia being evaluated after collision with Hiura

PITTSBURGH -- The Brewers had bigger concerns than the lopsided 12-2 loss to the Pirates on Saturday at PNC Park after shortstop Orlando Arcia was carted from the field in the eighth inning following a violent collision with second baseman Keston Hiura.

The incident occurred amid a five-run Pirates rally when Arcia and Hiura converged on a ground ball from Colin Moran. Arcia absorbed the worst of it to his left arm and shoulder, and as medical officials from both teams rushed to the players’ sides as they lay near second base, they paid particular attention to Arcia’s neck and head before eventually helping him stand up.

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Hiura was already on his feet at that point and stayed in the game until the end. He said he was symptom-free but shared the same concern for Arcia as the rest of the players and staff in a quiet visitors' clubhouse.

A source told MLB.com that the Brewers are calling up shortstop Mauricio Dubón from Triple-A San Antonio, the team’s No. 5 prospect according to MLB Pipeline. The roster move was first reported by The Athletic. Dubon could take Arcia’s place for Sunday’s series finale.

“Shoulder pain is probably the worst of the symptoms right now, so they are still evaluating him there,” said Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell in the immediate aftermath of the Brewers’ fourth loss in five games. “Neurological tests turned out well and positive, so no major problems there. I mean, they’re both just trying to make a play in the wrong spot [on a ball] hit at the wrong speed.”

Asked whether Arcia’s collarbone was OK, Counsell said, “That’s kind of the area they are evaluating.”

Arcia, 24, is in his third full season as the Brewers’ regular shortstop and entered Saturday with a .709 OPS and 12 home runs, three shy of his career high from two years ago.

In a game delayed at the start by rain two hours and 30 minutes, Mike Moustakas and Yasmani Grandal hit solo home runs, but 26-year-old Brewers starter Adrian Houser allowed four runs in the first inning to put the Brewers in a deficit that grew to 7-2 by the time left-handed-hitting Moran came to the plate against Burch Smith with two outs and two runners aboard in the eighth. Moran hit a ground ball over the edge of the pitcher’s mound that drew both Arcia, who had been stationed near second base, and Hiura, who started in shallow right field.

When they collided, Arcia’s left shoulder connected with Hiura’s jaw, spinning Hiura around.

“He happened to hit that ball literally right between us,” said Hiura. “Orlando, being a playmaker and all that, he’s going hard at it. I’m wanting to make a play as well, so I’m going hard at it. It’s loud in the stadium, too, where if either one of us is calling for it, it’s kind of hard to hear. It’s unfortunate what happened.”

Of his own condition, Hiura said, “I’m fine. I don’t have any symptoms. I feel normal.”

Before those scary moments, the story of the night for the Brewers was Houser, who has a 1.05 ERA and a .183 opponents’ batting average in 14 games as a reliever this season but fell to 0-3 with an 8.47 ERA and a .373 opponents’ batting average in five Major League starts.

Five days earlier in Cincinnati, Houser didn’t find trouble until the sixth inning, but this time he struggled at the start, allowing four Pirates runs on four hits and a pair of walks in a 37-pitch first inning after Moustakas’ homer had spotted him a 1-0 lead. Houser threw a close full-count pitch to Josh Bell, who walked ahead of three successive run-scoring hits.

“That ended up being a pretty big pitch. Probably could have gone either way,” said Counsell. “But you’ve got to come back after that and not let it snowball.”

Is there enough of a sample in the books to evaluate whether Houser is better suited to the bullpen, or whether the Brewers should proceed with him as a starter?

“Well, look, it’s harder doing this job. This is a harder job we’re asking him to do,” Counsell said. “He had one outing [in Cincinnati] where he was pretty dynamic. In the other outings, the first inning has got him slowed down. This is part of the learning curve we’re going through.”

“I feel like I’m letting the team down when I go out there and give up four in the first," Houser said. "Especially after we get a run there. I just have to be better and figure some stuff out.”

Houser said his thoughts were with Arcia, and he was not alone.

“Not a good night,” Counsell said, “and it didn’t end, certainly, in a [good] way. We’re hoping Orlando is OK.”