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Vogelsong: 'I Was Not Going To Let It End This Way'

PITTSBURGH (93-7 The Fan)- Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Ryan Vogelsong joined "The Cook and Poni Show" on Wednesday to discuss his journey back from a horrible injury and how he is taking advantage of another chance to play the game he loves.

Vogelsong suffered a broken orbital bone after he was hit in the face by a pitch from Rockies starter Jordan Lyles back in May.

It's fitting that his first win since his return would be in San Francisco, where he played a part in winning two World Series titles. So, with the success he has had what would motivate him to work hard and return after facing such a horrible injury?

"'Cause I don't think I'm done yet," Vogelsong said. "Everyone who plays the game has aspirations of going out on your own terms and right after I got hit, one of the first things I told my wife when I saw her down in the ambulance was, you know after everything we have been through I can't believe this is the way it's going to end, 'cause at that point in time, I did think I was done. I thought my eye was gone."

Vogelsong said there was concern right from the time he left the park until the doctors checked him out that he may have lost his eye. However, the doctors assured him that the eye was there and in good shape. They were not sure how well he would see moving forward.

He said that there were doubts, but after about two weeks he soon realized he was going to be able to see. It was all about getting repaired and getting back to the field.

"I wasn't ready to go out getting hit in the face," Vogelsong said. "I'd rather choose a different course, but at the same time, there was still stuff left to do. I came to Pittsburgh this offseason for a purpose, for a reason. It was to be a starting pitcher and help this team get into the postseason and win in the postseason and the job's not done yet."

Vogelsong knows what a winning team looks like and he believes the Pirates have enough talent and heart to be a champion.

How could we doubt him at this point?

Listen to the full interview here:

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