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Umpire Hirschbeck leaves Brewers-Pirates game

May 21, 2010 - 3:31 AM PITTSBURGH(AP) -- Home plate umpire John Hirschbeck left the Brewers-Pirates game Thursday night with concussion-like symptoms after being struck by an errant warmup pitch.

Brewers catcher Gregg Zaun was slow to react to a pitch from Chris Narveson that sailed high, and it struck Hirschbeck in the mask before the Pirates batted in the first inning.

Hirschbeck huddled with Pirates trainers but stayed in the game. After the Pirates scored three times in the first, trainers checked Hirschbeck again between innings and he left the game.

First base umpire James Hoye took over behind the plate and Laz Diaz and Wally Bell called the bases by themselves.

In the second inning, Zaun left the game with a strained right shoulder. He will return to Milwaukee on Friday to be examined by team doctors and is expected to go on the disabled list.

With Jody Gerut gone from the team to be with his pregnant wife, Zaun's injury left the Brewers with two position players on the bench.

Hirschbeck has been a major league umpire since 1984 and served nine years as the president of the World Umpires Association.