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Dodgers Closer Jansen Cleared To Pitch After Being Held Out

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen has been cleared by the team's medical staff to pitch, a day after he says the altitude in Denver affected him.

Jansen went through tests and said doctors told him he was OK to relieve Thursday night as Los Angeles hosted St. Louis.

Jansen was held out Wednesday night when the Rockies rallied for three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning and won 7-6.

After the game, manager Don Mattingly said Jansen wasn't available. Jansen didn't address the condition after the loss.

Back at Dodger Stadium, Jansen said he had high blood pressure, a headache and an upset stomach in Denver. He said the altitude of the Mile High City had gotten to him.

"It's definitely about the elevation. That's what caused it," he said. "It's definitely tough for me over there. My body got tired and dehydrated."

"If I went out there, the next thing you know, you might have an episode going on. In the first inning I told them that something was wrong. So they ran some tests — EKG, all those things — because I've had a history of problems over there in Colorado. They started IVing me right away during the game," he said.

The 27-year-old righty has a 4.73 ERA in 11 games at Coors Field. He had a career 2.21 ERA going into the game against the Cardinals.

"I wanted to go out there and pitch, but the doctors didn't want me to," he said. "I mean, if the doctor tells you no, what can you do? You can't fight them and you couldn't do anything about it."

"I felt frustrated yesterday about that whole deal, so I didn't feel like it was the perfect time to talk about it, and my medical history," he said. "We had just lost a game, so I didn't want to talk about me in that situation. When you see how the ninth inning was going, you feel like you let all your teammates down."

Jansen avoided arbitration last January by signing a one-year, $7.4 million contract. A month later, he underwent surgery on his left foot and didn't make his season debut until May 15 at Dodger Stadium. In his first game back, he struck out four batters in the eighth inning against the Rockies after the first batter reached on a strikeout-passed ball.

Jansen has made six appearances this season with five saves and a spotless ERA in six innings with 11 strikeouts.

(© Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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