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Atlanta Braves left-handed reliever Luis Avilan exited last night's contest against the Kansas City Royals after suffering a left hamstring injury, according to Michael Cunningham of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
More Braves: Luis Avilan injured
Avilan clutched his left leg and fell to the ground while starting to deliver a pitch during last night's 6-3 victory over the Royals. Following the game, the Braves told reporters that Avilan suffered a hamstring strain in addition to cramping, adding that the reliever will be further evaluated today.
Manager Fredi Gonzalez said that "it didn't look good" considering the way Avilan went to the ground. Fellow southpaw reliever Eric O'Flaherty said the team is hoping it's just a cramping issue, as Avilan is "a huge part" of the bullpen.
If Avilan is forced to hit the disabled list due to the injury, Cunningham speculates that the Braves could call up left-hander Yohan Flande from Triple-A. Today, the pitcher says he's feeling better, and he's hoping to just require a few days off rather than an extended stint on the DL.
Prior to his injury, Avilan had appeared in five games for Atlanta this season, allowing one run over 4 1/3 innings. He maintained an ERA of 2.00 over 31 appearances for the Braves last season.