Pettitte takes line-drive to ankle, leaves game

Andy Pettitte took a comeback line-drive to his left ankle in the fifth-inning against the Cleveland Indians and had to leave the game.  Indians Casey Kotchman's hard shot nailed Pettitte just above his left ankle and knocked him to the ground during Wednesday's game at Yankee Stadium .  The New York Yankees pitcher looked like he was in a lot of pain and couldn't even chase down the ricocheted ball.

Pettitte— who had a 2-1 lead and gave up only two hits— tried to stay in the game but, after one pitch, manager Joe Girardi pulled him from the game when he didn't like how Pettitte was coddling his planting foot.

Only two weeks ago, the leftie took a hard shot to his throwing hand when he tried to barehand another hard hit line drive.

The popular Yankee starter just came off his worst start of his 2012 comeback season, when he allowed five first-inning runs against the New York Mets last Friday night.  Pettitte (3-3, 3.29 ERA) has lasted at least six innings in all eight of his starts this season.

After being checked out by the Yankees trainers, Pettitte sat in the dugout with a frustrated look on his face. It seems like he's been used as target practice and dodging balls all season.

Better to be safe than sorry.