Umpire Wendelstedt hit on mask by pitch, exits game

Aug 22, 2017 - 1:49 AM CLEVELAND -- Home-plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt left the Monday night game between the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox after getting hit on his facemask by a warmup pitch from Red Sox pitcher Joe Kelly in the sixth inning.

Kelly entered the game with two outs in the sixth and Carlos Santana at the plate. As Kelly was warming up, Wendelstedt crouched behind Boston catcher Christian Vazquez to get a look at Kelly's pitches.

What appeared to be a high fastball glanced off Vazquez's glove and hit Wendelstedt on the upper part of his mask. Wendelstedt was staggered by the impact and went down on one knee. After being checked by Indians assistant trainer Michael Salazar, Wendelstedt remained in the game and Santana flied out to end the inning.

Between innings, fellow umpires Bill Welke, Alan Porter and Andy Fletcher, along with Salazar, met with Wendelstedt, and the decision was made for him to leave the game. Porter replaced him as the plate umpire.