MLB ump leaves game after foul ball hits him in the face

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Veteran umpire Hunter Wendelstedt had to leave the game in Minnesota on Wednesday after he was struck in the face behind first base by a line drive foul ball.

Wendelstedt instantly hit the ground after he took a direct hit from the line smash off the bat of New York Mets center fielder Tyrone Taylor in the seventh inning. Both Taylor and Twins right-hander Louis Varland winced immediately after seeing where the ball hit Wendelstedt, who is in his 28th major league season as an umpire.

The 53-year-old Wendelstedt was down for a minute while being tended to by Twins medical staff and was able to slowly walk off on his own, pressing a towel against the left side of his head. Second base umpire Adam Hamari moved to first on the three-man crew for the remainder of the game.

The Twins went on to a 4-3 victory over the Mets off a Ty France single in the 10th inning.

With the speedy Byron Buxton conveniently on second as the automatic runner, France smacked a 1-1 pitch from Reed Garrett (0-1) with none out that bounced in center field with no chance for Tyrone Taylor to get his glove down.

First base umpire Hunter Wendelstedt had to leave in the sixth after being hit in the head by a foul ball by Taylor.

Pete Alonso and Jesse Winker hit RBI doubles to end a 12-inning scoreless streak for the Mets (11-7) in the eighth against Griffin Jax, and Luisangel Acuña tied it with a two-out single.

Bader saved the Twins another run or two with a diving catch of Taylor's line drive to end the eighth. Bader, who played for the Mets last year, threw out Winker at the plate in the second.

The Mets got 3 1/3 solid innings from Justin Hagenman in his major league debut after his call-up from Triple-A Syracuse in a bullpen game after Griffin Canning was scratched for illness.