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Pirates SS Jordy Mercer To Miss At Least 6-Weeks

PITTSBURGH (KDKA/AP) – Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Jordy Mercer will miss at least six-weeks after being injured in Sunday's game.

The Pirates say Jordy has been diagnosed with a lower leg contusion and a sprain of the medial collateral ligament of his left knee.

In a release, the Pirate said:

After being examined in Pittsburgh today, infielder Jordy Mercer has been diagnosed with a lower leg contusion and a sprain of the medial collateral ligament of his left knee. A combination of rest, treatment and rehabilitation are the standard course of action for this type of injury that typically allows the athlete to return to competition in approximately six weeks.

The Pirates were swept in a three-game series by the last-place Milwaukee Brewers, falling 6-1 Sunday and watching Jordy Mercer make an early exit.

Mercer was carted off the field after colliding with Brewers center fielder Carlos Gomez while trying to make a tag in the second inning. Mercer couldn't put pressure on his left leg and was helped onto the cart.

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle called the injury "misfortunate."

"I think if he's (Gomez) on your team, it's an aggressive slide," he said. "If not, you know, he was straight into the base path with a sideways slide. It's a baseball play. It's not a gentleman's game, but it's a baseball play."

Brewers manager Craig Counsell said he saw nothing wrong with Gomez's slide and called the incident "an accident that you don't like to see."

The Pirates have placed Mercer on the 15-day disabled list with a left knee MCL sprain. To take Mercer's place on the 25-man active roster, the club has selected the contract of infielder Brent Morel from Triple-A Indianapolis. To create room on the 40-man roster for Morel, first baseman/outfielder Corey Hart has been transferred from the 15-day D.L. to the 60-day disabled list.

Morel hit .266 (79-for-297) with 21 doubles, two triples, nine home runs, 47 RBI and 36 runs scored in 81 games this season with Indianapolis. In 12 games this month, he hit .340 (16-for-47) with five doubles, a home run, six RBI and an .895 OPS.

Since May 24, Morel was also tied for fourth in all of Triple-A in extra base hits (24) and ranked fifth in total bases (99).

Morel last appeared in a big league game on September 25, 2014 with the Pirates

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