updated 6:52 p.m. ET April 8, 2005

NEW YORK - Derek Jeter was back in the New York Yankees’ lineup Friday night, two days after being hit on the helmet by a pitch.

The Yankees captain was set to bat leadoff and play shortstop when the Yankees faced the Baltimore Orioles.

“Everything’s good,” Jeter said. “It wasn’t that bad. Seriously.”

Jeter was hit in the left shoulder by a pitch from Boston reliever Mike Timlin in the eighth inning of New York’s 7-3 loss to the Red Sox on Wednesday. The ball deflected off Jeter’s head, knocking his helmet off and sending him sprawling to the dirt.

Jeter remained in the game to run the bases, but when he returned to the dugout he said he had some ringing in his ears and manager Joe Torre put Rey Sanchez in at shortstop for the ninth. Jeter was then taken to a hospital for a CT scan, which turned out normal. The ringing went away about 30 minutes after being hit.

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“If you hit your head against this wall, you’d have ringing,” Jeter said.

Jeter, who was also hit by a pitch on his left hand Tuesday, didn’t find out that closer Mariano Rivera blew a 3-2 lead, sending the Yankees to their first loss of the season until went home from the hospital

“Surprised,” he said with a smirk.

Torre was told by trainer Gene Monahan that the test results were negative on Wednesday night, and Torre called Jeter on Thursday, a day off for the Yankees.

“I just wanted to hear him,” Torre said. “What (Monahan) gave me was the fact that all the tests were negative. He didn’t say he wouldn’t have a headache.”

When asked if he forgave Timlin Jeter didn’t hesitate: “He’s a good guy, you’ve got tot be crazy to throw at somebody’s head.”

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