Pham exits early with head laceration

ST. LOUIS -- Cardinals center fielder Tommy Pham was removed from St. Louis' game against the New York Mets on Wednesday night in the bottom of the third inning due to a head injury.

Pham got a cut on his head before his second at-bat of the game when he accidentally hit himself in the indoor batting cage while warming up.

"I was in the cages working on my swing," Pham said. "My barrel went back and hit the band of this contraption and drilled me in the head. When blood started gushing down, I had to get that fixed."

Pham, who has been battling hamstring issues, missed games on Saturday and Sunday against Cincinnati. He returned to the lineup Monday and went 3 for 3 with a home run and two RBIs in a 6-5 loss to the Mets.

Pham hit a fly ball to right field in the first inning. Harrison Bader then pinch-hit for him in the third.