Rays 1st baseman Carlos Pena leaves playoff game

[October 03, 2008]  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Tampa Bay slugger Carlos Pena was removed from the AL playoff opener against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday after the second inning because of slightly blurred vision in his left eye.

The Rays said Pena accidentally scratched his eye at home on Wednesday night. The injury is not considered serious, and he is expected to return to the lineup for Game 2 on Friday.

Pena said he felt something in the eye and used a finger to try and remove it.

"It actually felt like it got worse," Pena said. "I don't know if there was something in it and by touching it I moved it and scratched my eye with it."

Pena was examined by the team eye doctor, who gave him drops for the eye and indicated the problem could be completely cleared up by Friday.

"He said it does heal quick," Pena said.

Pena, who led the AL East champions with 31 homers and 102 RBIs this season, struck out in his only plate appearance in the first inning of the Rays' 6-4 win. Willy Aybar entered the game at first base at the beginning of the third inning.

"During BP, he was kind of OK, but I could tell from his descriptions that he wasn't necessarily positive that he was going to be OK," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "Then after an inning or two out there he came back and just didn't feel comfortable."

[Associated Press]

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