Carlos Carrasco carted off field after taking line-drive to face (VIDEO)

Even with a swollen face Carlo Carrasco considered himself one lucky dude Tuesday night.

The Indians pitcher was struck on the right side of the face with a line drive hit by Chicago's Melky Cabrera in the first inning of Cleveland's 4-1 loss to the White Sox and is grateful it wasn't worse.

Carrasco was carted off the field after he was knocked down by the liner that glanced off his glove and right hand before smacking him on the right side of the face. The right-hander crumpled to the ground in front of the mound as manager Terry Francona and a trainer quickly raced out to check on him.

After lying on the ground for a few minutes, Carrasco was helped to his feet by two Indians trainers before walking slowly to the cart holding the left side of his face. As he was driven off, he was given a warm ovation by Cleveland fans.

Cano denies any ties to Biogenesis clinic or PED use

Robinson Cano has acknowledged his close friendship with Alex Rodriguez and Melky Cabrera, but the Yankees second baseman said he doesn't know anything about Biogenesis — the anti-aging clinic that had both players' names listed in its records.

Asked at the end of a press conference Monday at George M. Steinbrenner Field if he ever used performance-enhancing drugs or was anyway linked to Biogenesis, Cano didn't answer the first question and only answered the second.

"I don't know where that place is at," said Cano. "The first time I heard about that was when the things came out."

The "things" he speaks of are reports that Rodriguez and Cabrera were linked to PEDs through the Miami clinic's records and is now being investigated by MLB.

Three reporters followed Cano out of the presser into the parking lot and — after he didn't answer the question regarding ever using PEDs — the Yankees slugger finally answered "No" to ever using the banned substances.

Since Cano is so close to Rodriguez and Cabrera, many consider him guilty just by association.

"It doesn't matter who you are hanging out [with], Cano said. "Everyone has their personal lives and they do what they want. Like I say, through the good and the bad times  they are always going to be my friends. I'll let them handle it."

The perennial All-Star has never tested positive for PEDs, despite false reports tweeted by a North Carolina TV station last summer, but the implication of guilty by association comes at a bad time for Cano as he plays out the season before becoming a highly desirable free agent.

Cano, who is represented by Scott Boras, may be seeking a 10-year, $275 million deal similar to A-Rod's — one that will pay Cano until he's 40-years-old.

The badgered ballplayer defended his deflection of the PED question.

"It's always going to bother you when somebody tries to say stuff like that," said a defiant Cano. "These kinds of things, sometimes as a player, you know what you do and what you're capable of doing you'll be fine.  It's more your family. Those are the kinds of things that really bother me."

A-Rod, other MLB players linked to recent PED purchases: Report

A report in the Miami New Times on Tuesday alleges that Alex Rodriguez purchased illegal performance-enhancing drugs from a South Florida anti-aging clinic over the prior four years.

The explosive report says that the newspaper obtained records from Biogenesis, a clinic that has closed and was owned by Anthony Bosch, the son of Florida physician Pedro Bosch who was linked to Manny Ramirez when the former Los Angeles Dodger was suspended for illegal PED usage in 2009.

According to records given to the Miami New Times, the clinic repeatedly mentions Rodriguez, as well as many other sports stars and prominent major league baseball players — including Gio Gonzalez, Nelson Cruz, Melky Cabrera and Bartolo Colon, reports Yahoo! Sports.com.

Rodriguez, the New York Yankees star third baseman has already admitted using illegal PEDs while he played with the Texas Rangers from 2001 through 2003, but has denied using anything since.

According to the clinic's records obtained by the newspaper, A-Rod — identified in the records as  "Alex Rodriguez," "Alex Rod," or "Cacique," the name of a pre-Columbian Caribbean chief — paid $3,500 in 2009 for what is identified as "1.5 HGH (sports perf.), creams test., glut., MIC, supplement, sports perf. Diet."

Both the HGH and testosterone cream are banned by MLB.

Another record links  "Cacique" to IGF-1 — a banned substance that stimulates insulin production and muscle growth.

Yuri Sucart — A-Rod's cousin and purported drug mule when he was in Texas — was also identified as having paid Bosch $500 for a weeklong supply of HGH in 2009.  Sucart was banned from any non-public areas involving the Yankees including the clubhouse or team buses back in 2011.

Other baseball players identified in the clinic's records include former Yankee players Cabrera and Colon — who were both suspended by the league last season — and Nationals pitcher Gonzalez and Rangers outfielder Cruz.

The Yankees will not act upon the information until Major League Baseball vets the situation, according to an industry source.  This could lead to Rodriguez being suspended if the evidence is able to be obtained and authenticated — which could take a while.

A-Rod is currently recovering from hip surgery and is not expected to be back with the team until at least the All-Star break.

Ticked-off Jeter says ESPN's Bayless 'should be tested'

New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter brushed off sports commentator Skip Bayless' suggestion that  human growth hormone was behind the shortstop's noticeably pumped-up stats this season.  On the ESPN show "First Take," Bayless— the resident antagonist— said Jeter's performance at age 38 merits suspicion of him "using something."

Said Bayless: "How could I not wonder, is he using something?"

Responded Jeter: "Maybe Skip should be tested?"

On the show, Bayless later tempered his remarks about the future Hall of Famer.

"I'm not saying he uses a thing," Bayless said.  "I have no idea."

Jeter is batting .324 with a major league high 168 hits.  He homered for the third straight game last night against the Chicago White Sox— giving him 13 for the season.  It's Jeter's highest total since he hit 18 in 2009.  He's batting .381 (45-for-118) over his last 27 games.

Asked if he was bothered by his name being linked to PED's, Jeter said," It's a first for me, man.  I don't know what to tell you."

Bayless might be talking through his hat but, by living and playing in New York, Jeter has heard and seen all kinds of rumors come and go.  But still, the recent suspensions of former Yankees Bartolo Colon and Melky Cabrera do cast a doubts about the use of PEDs throughout the majors.

"Now you have everybody questioning everything," said Jeter.  "That's the unfortunate thing."