Tanner Houck was back on the pitching mound Tuesday night, starting for the Red Sox in Houston just two months after he was hit in the face by a line drive that resulted in a facial fracture and a metal plate being inserted below his eye.
The Collinsville native and Mizzou product allowed three earned runs in five innings as Boston fell 7-3. His pitch count was limited as he works his way back.
Houck was bloodied when he was hit below below the right eye by a line drive from Yankees catcher Kyle Higashioka on June 16. He received stitches and later that resulted in a metal plate being inserted underneath his eye.
It was a tough stretch for Houck.
鈥淭wo months away from the game felt like a lifetime,鈥 Houck . 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 how you know you truly love something. Sixty days felt like a year. 鈥 I鈥檓 incredibly excited to be back. It relit more of a flame in me. 鈥 I want to go out there and push myself to be the best version of myself. I always had that flame, but missing time definitely reignites that flame even brighter.鈥
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Houck, though he has a 5.08 ERA this year, was pitching better before the injury, recording a 4.32 ERA in has last five starts leading up to that June day against the Yankees.
He returns at a key time for the Red Sox, who are in the hunt for a wild-card spot.