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Umpire Culbreth hit by foul ball, forced to exit game

By Tom Singer

PITTSBURGH -- Umpire Fieldin Culbreth, working home plate in Tuesday night's game between the Pirates and the Brewers, was forced to leave in the 11th inning with an apparent injury to his left collarbone.

Yuniesky Betancourt's foul tip on an 0-and-1 pitch from right-hander Vin Mazzaro nailed Culbreth squarely on the collarbone, beneath his mask.

Following a brief break to enable him to don the plate umpire's gear, the game resumed with Bill Welke calling pitches and Adrian Johnson and Brian O'Nora manning the bases.

There was no immediate announcement regarding the nature of the injury to Culbreth.

Tom Singer is a reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog Change for a Nickel. He can also be found on Twitter @Tom_Singer.