Plate umpire Ron Kulpa gets hit by a foul ball while wearing a mask and leaves Red Sox game – Boston News, Weather, Sports

BOSTON (AP) – Home plate umpire Ron Kulpa was forced to leave Sunday’s White Sox-Red Sox game at Fenway Park in the fourth inning after taking a foul ball off the mask.

Kupla was hit square in the mask by a foul ball from Chicago’s Jake Burger and fell straight to the ground. Coaches from both teams rushed out, Red Sox catcher Christian Vázquez turned to help, and the rest of the refereeing crew came to the plate.

After sitting for a while, Kupla got up, chatted briefly with Boston’s coach, and walked away on his own. After a 20-minute delay, he was replaced behind the plate by first-base umpire Marty Foster, and play resumed with a three-man team.

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