Thursday’s Triple A game between the Norfolk Tides and Durham Bulls was called in the eighth inning after Bulls pitcher Tyler Zombro was hit in the head by a line drive.
Zombro, a 26 year old helper for the Tampa Bay Rays Affiliate, seemed to tense up on the hill before being carried off the field on a stretcher while his teammates watched.
In a statement following the call for the game, the Rays said Zombro had been transported to Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina, where he was in stable condition and would be subject to further treatment and observation.
On Friday, the Rays said Zombro had remained stable in the hospital, adding that “the updates from the night were positive”. The team said additional updates would be released as they become available.
The tides were up 12-4 when Zombro moved into the top of the eighth inning. Brett Cumberland, the first batsman Zombro faced, put a 1-2 fastball in the middle, which hit Zombro in the face. The right-handed man immediately fell to the ground and his feet seemed to be shaking when a sports coach rushed towards him.
The game was initially interrupted with Norfolk leading 12-4 but was later considered prematurely ended.
Zombro has been with the Rays organization since 2017 when he signed as an undrafted free agent to George Mason. He has a 3.18 ERA this season and a 2.79 career ERA in the minors.
