NEW YORK (AP) -Home plate umpire Jerry Layne was staggered by a foul bunt off his mask and left Saturday’s game between the Kansas City Royals and New York Yankees.
Leading off the third inning, Kansas City’s Joey Gathright tried to bunt Andy Pettitte’s first pitch and fouled it straight back into the bottom part of Layne’s mask.
The umpire staggered backward a few feet and reached out for the arm of Yankees catcher Jorge Posada, who grabbed Layne and helped keep him upright. Layne was examined by New York trainer Gene Monahan for a couple of minutes, then walked off the field and was given a bottle of water.
Second base ump Jim Wolf replaced Layne behind the plate, and the game was halted for about 15 minutes before resuming with three umpires.
Now in his 20th major league season, the 49-year-old Layne has worked two All-Star games (1994 and 2001) as well as the 2005 World Series between the Chicago White Sox and Houston Astros.
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