B-Rob exits with left shin contusion

BALTIMORE– Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts left Wednesday’s game following a 24-minute rain delay in the top of the sixth inning with a left shin contusion suffered in the first.

Roberts opened the O’s half of the game with a single off starter Ervin Santana and promptly stole second. Angels catcher Jeff Mathis tried a throw down to pick off Roberts and nailed him in what looked to be the left ankle area. Roberts appeared to be in pain and took several hobbles off the bag, but remained in the game. He was sitting on the top step of the dugout talking to head athletic trainer Richard Bancells in between innings, and waited until the last minute to jog out to second.

Roberts grounded out in his next at-bat and didn’t look to be running full force but stayed in the game until heavy rain suspended play two outs into the sixth. He was replaced at second by Julio Lugo with the Orioles leading the Angels, 9-1.

Given Roberts extensive injury this season, he returned from the 60-day disabled list (herniated disk in his lower back) on July 23,  new Orioles manager Buck Showalter noted prior to Wednesday’s game that he would be cautious in giving Roberts some time off.