Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Sidney Ponson left Thursday night's game in the third inning after taking a ball off his pitching hand. Ponson was attempting to field a hard-hit grounder by Sandy Alomar Jr. when the ball hit the thumb of his pitching hand. The righthander immediately left the game, shaking his hand in obvious pain. Ponson is 7-9 with a 5.80 ERA this season. He was rumored to have been traded to the Padres late last week, but San Diego's Phil Nevin vetoed the proposed deal.