Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Matt Clement was released from the hospital on Wednesday, just one day after being hit by a line drive on his head in a game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Tropicana Field. It was with one out in the bottom of the third inning that Carl Crawford's liner caromed off Clement's head, behind his right ear. The ball went into left field and the righthander remained on the ground and was surrounded by medical personnel. His neck was placed in a brace, and then Clement was driven off the field on a stretcher. Clement, who was making his 21st start of the season, tried to get his glove up, but couldn't avoid the screaming line drive and then collapsed to the mound and had little movement. "I had a ringing sensation in my ear," Clement said Wednesday. "I knew to just stay down. I wouldn't call it an intense pain. It was more of a shock." Despite being down for 11 minutes, Clement never lost consciousness. He was taken to Bayfront Medical Center where a CAT scan Tuesday night came up negative. A second CAT scan taken Wednesday morning also was negative. Clement joined his team at Tropicana Field on Wednesday, in time to see the Red Sox win, 4-1. He will fly back to Boston, as the Red Sox start a three- game series with Minnesota Friday night at Fenway Park. "It could have been a lot worse," Clement said. "I'm trying to think about it. I'm thankful for the way it happened, if it had to happen. I remember the whole thing. I didn't get really scared until I was coming off the field and I started thinking about my wife and kids." It's not clear if Clement is going to miss a turn in the rotation. "Missing starts isn't in my vocabulary," Clement added. "But I have to be smart, it is my head...it's something you want to be careful with." A late addition to the All-Star Game this year, Clement leads the Red Sox in wins (10-3) this season. He was signed to a three-year, $25.5 million contract last winter.