PHOENIX – In a throwback to Little League days, balls and strikes were called from behind the pitcher's mound for a brief period in Tuesday's exhibition between the Los Angeles Angels and Milwaukee after an umpire was injured.
Home plate Seth Buckminster was hurt with two outs in the top of first inning. Brewers starter Wily Peralta threw a pitch that hit Albert Pujols, and the ball deflected and struck Buckminster on the left arm near the wrist.
Buckminster left the game along with umpire Anthony Johnson, who changed into home-plate gear. After a brief delay, with only two umpires left on the field, play resumed for four batters with Tim McClelland calling pitches from behind the mound.
Johnson returned to the field and McClelland shifted to third base three batters into the bottom of the first.