NEW YORK (AP) -Umpire Jerry Layne was back at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, one day after he sustained a mild concussion while working the plate in New York’s game against the Kansas City Royals.
Layne got a ride to the ballpark with a doctor so he could thank the medical staff that attended to him after he took a foul bunt off his mask in the third inning Saturday.
“I have no, really, symptoms that’s something to be cautious over, other than I took a bad hit,” said Layne, who was held out of Sunday’s game and planned to take a couple of days off. “The CAT scans and everything checked out OK.”
Leading off the third Saturday, 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 stumbled 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.
“I left the field from the suggestion of the trainer and I was having some difficulties. They suggested I needed to go get checked out,” said Layne, who spent the night in the hospital.
Play was halted for about 15 minutes as second base ump Jim Wolf put on his gear to replace Layne behind the plate. The game resumed with three umpires and the Yankees won 12-11 after the teams played for 3 hours, 50 minutes, in 90-degree heat.
“I’m just thankful Jorge grabbed him because maybe it would’ve been a lot worse if he fell and then banged his head on the ground,” New York manager Joe Girardi said.
Mike Estabrook replaced Layne for Sunday’s game and served as the second base umpire.
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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