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MIAMI - Mike Lowell and the Marlins were enjoying a record night when, suddenly, a bat flew into the stands and a horrific scene unfolded.
In the seventh inning of the Marlins' 20-1 win over Atlanta on Tuesday night, a bat slipped from the hands of Atlanta's Darren Bragg and struck an unidentified photographer.
"I saw a lot of blood," Lowell said. "I know the other camera people were ducking. The guy was really laid out on the stretcher."
The man, working beyond the first-base dugout, sustained cuts to the face but never lost consciousness, the Marlins said. He was airlifted to a hospital and there was no immediate word on his condition.
The game was held up for 18 minutes while the photographer was tended to by medical personnel.
Bragg was shaken afterward.
"I'm told that he's okay, and I'm glad about that," Bragg said. "I felt terrible when it happened. I found out right away that they were calling for a stretcher, and I knew that was a bad situation."
The Marlins set a team record for runs and matched a team mark with 25 hits, with Miguel Cabrera, Ivan Rodriguez and Luis Castillo each getting four. Cabrera, 20, drove in four and scored four.
Lowell drove in three and Ramon Castro also homered as the Marlins won for the sixth straight time at home.
The accomplishments paled after the scene in the seventh, however.
"It's disappointing that on a night when we have 20 runs, we're probably more concerned about how he turns out," Florida manager Jack McKeon said. "It's a freaky situation. The guy really got nailed. I feel sorry for him, and I hope he turns out all right."
The game was eerily reminiscent of the Marlins' 25-8 loss Friday against the Red Sox in Boston. In that game Marlins relief pitcher Kevin Olsen was injured when he was hit in the head by a line drive. He sustained a concussion and received six stitches to his right ear.
Josh Beckett won in his first start in nearly two months after an elbow injury.
ROCKIES 7, D'BACKS 4: Arizona's 12-game winning streak ended as Ronnie Belliard hit a tiebreaking home run in the seventh for host Colorado.
The Rockies hit four homers in breaking Arizona's team-record winning string. It was the longest streak in the majors since the A's won 20 in a row Aug. 13-Sept. 4.
Preston Wilson hit a two-run homer and Larry Walker and Jay Payton also homered for Colorado, which erased a 4-0 deficit.
GIANTS 5, CARDINALS 1: Spot starter Jim Brower allowed one run in six innings and Jose Cruz homered in a five-run first for visiting San Francisco.
Cruz and Ray Durham had two hits and scored a run as the West leaders controlled the league's best hitting team for the second straight game.
The Giants, who beat St. Louis in the NL Championship Series last season, also won the series opener 5-1. San Francisco has won seven of 10 overall.
PHILLIES 4, CUBS 3: Mike Lieberthal's two-out run-scoring single in the ninth led host Philadelphia to its seventh consecutive victory. The Phillies have won 12 of 14, including 10 of 11 since a comeback victory over Atlanta closer John Smoltz on June 19. Chicago has lost six of seven and 13 of 19.
REDS 5, PIRATES 3: Former Devil Rays outfielder Jose Guillen hit a tiebreaking two-run home run in the eighth and visiting Cincinnati rallied after squandering numerous early scoring chances. The Reds' Danny Graves, starting for the first time in his career on three days' rest, got the victory despite giving up nine hits in seven innings.
PADRES 7, DODGERS 1: Visiting San Diego finally got to Hideo Nomo in the seventh, scoring six to win its third straight. Nomo allowed two runs while striking out nine through six but gave up five hits and a walk without recording an out in the Padres' big inning.
ASTROS 6, BREWERS 5 (10): Gregg Zaun's sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the 10th rallied host Houston. After closer Billy Wagner failed to hold a 4-3 lead in the ninth, the Astros tied it at 5 in the bottom half on Geoff Blum's homer off Mike DeJean.
METS 7, EXPOS 6: Pinch-hitter Tony Clark singled home Joe McEwing with two outs in the ninth for host New York. The Mets won despite stranding 12 runners, surviving a blown save by Armando Benitez.