MLB notebook: Congressional game on as scheduled

The Congressional Baseball Game, an annual charity event held at Nationals Park in Washington, will be played as scheduled Thursday after a gunman opened fire Wednesday morning on Republican lawmakers practicing for the contest.

Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise, the House majority whip, was among several shot at a baseball field on Wednesday in Alexandria, Va. Scalise was shot in the hip and underwent surgery, according to a statement released by his office. Members of the Capitol police force also were shot and at least five people were hospitalized.

“(Scalise) was critically injured and remains in critical condition,” MedStar Washington posted on its Twitter account.

The Congressional Sports for Charity said in a statement that the game would start at 7:05 p.m. ET on Thursday.

–Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig was suspended for one game by Major League Baseball for making an obscene gesture during Tuesday’s game. Puig opted to appeal the suspension and was in the lineup for Wednesday’s game against the Cleveland Indians.

Puig also received an undisclosed fine for flashing two middle fingers following a home run during Tuesday’s game against the Indians.

Puig told reporters after the contest that he was being heckled before and after the at-bat.

–Atlanta Braves third baseman Adonis Garcia is expected to miss approximately two months after undergoing surgery to repair ligament damage in his left ring finger, the team announced.

Garcia, who was placed on the 10-day disabled list on June 7, had surgery Monday after hurting his hand on a swing. Garcia, 32, is in his third season with the Braves. He owns a .247 batting average with four home runs and 16 RBIs in 38 games this season.

–Braves left fielder Matt Kemp left Wednesday’s road game against the Washington Nationals with an apparent leg injury.

Kemp came up holding his leg after he slid into third and was tagged out in the top of the third inning.

–The Toronto Blue Jays placed outfielder Ezequiel Carrera on the disabled list with a fractured right foot.

Carrera was replaced on the roster by outfielder Dwight Smith Jr., who was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo. Smith was expected to start in left field for Wednesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Carrera, who had two hits and an RBI Tuesday in the 8-1 loss to the Rays, fouled a ball off his foot during the game. He is batting .297 with five homers and 15 RBIs this season.