Mets' Piazza Leaves Game With Injury

July 4, 1998 / 9:52 PM EDT / CBS/AP

Mike Piazza left the New York Mets' game against Atlanta on Saturday after being hit in the head by Gerald Williams' bat.

With two outs in the second inning, Williams jarred the left side of Piazza's head on the follow-through of his swing, giving Piazza a contusion to his left ear.

Piazza, the NL All-Star starting catcher, appeared dazed as he walked off the field alongside Mets trainer Fred Hina and was replaced by Todd Pratt.

But following a trip to Piedmont Hospital, where he was examined by a neurosurgeon, Piazza returned to Turner Field after the game. He was diagnosed as having a mild concussion and the Mets are listing him as day-to-day.

"He was pale when I got out there (on the field)," Mets manager Bobby Valentine said. "It hit his helmet. His eyes were floating. His hand was shaking."

Valentine said it was possible, but unlikely, that Piazza would play Sunday.

"I thought he had a concussion," Valentine said. "When he came in (the dugout), he was a little nauseous."

Piazza, acquired from Florida on May 22, has hit safely in 25 of his 32 games with the Mets for a .338 average. He missed two games last month after leaving a game against Boston with a bruised left hand.

Atlanta catcher Javier Lopez, one of Piazza's All-Star backups, was scratched from the starting lineup because of a bruised right in-step he sustained Friday night. Lopez was available for pinch-hitting duty.

Pittsburgh's Jason Kendall is the NL's third All-Star catcher.