ALCS Game 2: Royals starter Ventura leaves with apparent injury

BALTIMORE — Royals starter Yordano Ventura left Game 2 of the American League Championship Series on Saturday with an apparent injury in the sixth inning.

Ventura had just thrown a 1-0 pitch to Caleb Joseph that the Orioles catcher fouled off when manager Ned Yost came to the mound with a trainer, and removed the rookie right-hander from the game. Left-hander Brandon Finnegan, who already had been warming up in the bullpen, entered the game and allowed a flare single into right field by Joseph. Jonathan Schoop grounded out to third base to end the frame.

It was a rocky outing for Ventura, with four runs allowed in 5.2 innings, as he let leads of 2-0, 3-1, and 4-3 slip away. The big blow against Ventura was a two-run homer by Adam Jones in the third inning, but he started the sixth by getting J.J. Hardy and Ryan Flaherty to each fly out to center field.

Ventura had three strikeouts and issued three walks before leaving the game. It was not immediately clear what his injury was, though he did appear to possibly grimace on a replay of his last pitch.

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