Giants outfielder Rowand leaves game after getting hit by pitch; Frandsen to have surgery

3/25/2008 5:34 PM

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) -Giants outfielder Aaron Rowand left San Francisco's game against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday with a lower right leg contusion after getting hit by a pitch from Rich Hill during the third inning.

Rowand was hit on his right shin. He fell to the ground and stayed there for a minute before Giants head trainer Dave Groeschner helped him to his feet. He walked off the field under his own power. Fred Lewis ran for him.

``I'm all right. It's just a shin burger,'' Rowand said. ``My left leg got out of the way quick enough but my right leg didn't.''

Said Hill: ``You don't want to see anything like that, especially in spring training. That's not what I want to happen.''

Rowand, the Giants' biggest free agent signing during the offseason, singled in his first at-bat and is hitting .321 on the spring with a pair of home runs and 10 RBIs. He's expected to play in Wednesday's game at Fresno.

Meanwhile, infielder Kevin Frandsen will undergo surgery to repair his ruptured left Achilles' tendon after an MRI on Tuesday revealed the extent of the injury.

Frandsen injured the Achilles' running the bases in a minor league game on Monday.

``It felt great while I was playing,'' Frandsen said. ``It just happened. It was bound to happen. I don't know if there was anything we could have done to prevent it.''

The date of the surgery has not been set, though it will take place in San Francisco. Frandsen plans to accompany the team to Fresno for Thursday's game.

``I'm disappointed but it's part of what we do as athletes,'' Frandsen said. ``Injuries happen, and it's unfortunate for what I was hoping to do this year.''