‘That was really scary’: Umpire hit in face with broken bat during Dodgers-Angels game

A freak accident turned into a scary moment Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, when a large piece of a broken bat struck the home plate umpire in the face.

With one out in the top of the ninth inning, Angels slugger Mike Trout whacked a ball that dropped into shallow center field for a single. His bat broke during the swing, and the broken end flew back and somehow managed to find its way through a slit in umpire Nate Tomlinson’s mask.

Tomlinson went down on his knees. Blood trickled down his face as he was treated by the Dodgers training staff before eventually walking off the field.

“Never seen that in the mask,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said following his team’s 2-0 win. “That was really scary.”

Tomlinson had a cut above his eye and injured his nose. He was taken to an emergency room, but Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that Tomlinson’s crew says he avoided major injury.

Plate umpire Nate Tomlinson is struck in the face with a broken bat after Angels’ Mike Trout hits a single during the ninth inning Monday night at Dodger Stadium.

(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

Home plate umpire Nate Tomlinson is helped by a Dodgers trainer after he was hit in the face by a broken bat.

(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

Second base umpire Laz Diaz took over behind home plate for the rest of the ninth inning.

Staff writer Jack Harris and the Associated Press contributed to this report.