The Minnesota Twins' 5-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night may end up being a footnote in the debate about the safety of home plate umpires. Jerry Layne left the game after a the barrel of Devin Morasco's broken bat hit him in the side of the head in the fourth inning.
Layne fell to the ground, and had to be escorted off the field to an area hospital. Reports late on Friday night were unsure whether or not he sustained a concussion. Layne was going to undergo an MRI and an X-Ray. He was wearing a face mask, but nothing protecting the side of his head.
Minnesota trailed 4-3 until the sixth inning when Homer Bailey walked in the tying run, which was followed by a Ben Revere sac fly to move the Twins ahead on the scoreboard.
Cincinnati put two men on base in the bottom of the ninth against Glen Perkins. With one out and runners on first and third, Perkins struck out two hitters to earn his second save.
Nick Blackburn picked up his fourth win of the season. He allowed four runs in five innings of work, including a pair of home runs surrendered in the tiny Cincinnati ball park. His counterpart, Bailey, was chased in the sixth.
Minnesota will try to make it two straight at 4:10 p.m. on Saturday.
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