Royals: Mitch Maier beaned: 3 broken bones in face

Mitch Maier of the Kansas City Royals suffered three broken bones when hit in the face by a pitch from Cleveland Indians left-hander Zach Jackson in the fifth inning Wednesday night.

Maier was taken to a hospital for X-rays, which revealed the fractures below his right eye.

The 26-year-old returned to the Royals’ clubhouse after Kansas City’s 8-5 loss, his right eye swollen shut.

With runners on first and second and none out, Jackson threw a pitch up and in to Maier, who had squared around to bunt and could not get out of the way in time. The ball glanced off his ear flap before hitting his right cheek and nose, and Maier crumpled to the ground immediately.

“The pitch just got away,” Jackson said. “I was trying to throw a cutter down and away.”