Injuries: CB Bucknor, Ed Hickox Struck in HSMs

HP Umpires CB Bucknor and Ed Hickox were struck in the HS-mask off deflections Friday evening, resulting in Bucknor's departure while Hickox remained in the game through its completion.

Bucknor receives medical attention.

With none out and one on in the top of the 2nd inning of the Red Sox-A's game, Bucknor was hit with a 1-1 fastball from A's pitcher Jarrod Parker that deflected off of Red Sox batter Daniel Nava's back before drilling CB square in the mask component of his bucket-style helmet. Bucknor was attended to by a member of the A's training staff while on the field before leaving the game and being replaced by crew chief Bill Miller. Miller, 1B Umpire Adam Hamari and 3B Umpire Todd Tichenor assumed three-person mechanics from the remainder of the contest. Bucknor's condition was not immediately available.

On July 19, 2012, Bucknor was struck by a 6th inning pitched ball in a similar fashion after the Rays' Desmond Jennings was hit by a pitch. After that incident, Bucknor remained in game. On May 18, 2012, Bucknor took a direct shot to his right shoulder after Pirates catcher Mike McKenry was unable to field the pitch. On May 1, 2012, Bucknor was forced to leave the Pirates-Cardinals game after suffering an undisclosed injury.

With two out in the top of the 8th inning of the Rockies-Dodgers game, Hickox was hit with a foul ball that deflected off of Rockies batter Jordan Pacheco's bat; the pitch from Dodgers pitcher Jose Dominguez was clocked at 99 miles-per-hour. Hickox remained in the game after the hit and after a mid-inning meeting with crewmates Jeff Nelson, Cory Blaser and crew chief Jim Joyce.

Hickox previously was struck in the jaw by a foul ball on May 14, 2005 while wearing a "sample" Wilson mask, suffering an inner ear injury including concussion and several broken bones in the process. Hickox's lawsuit against Wilson alleged the company failed to tell Hickox his "sample" product had not been tested in the same fashion Wilson used to test other hockey face masks. He was awarded $775,000 as a result of that suit. On April 18, 2009, Hickox suffered an alleged concussion and left ear injury after another foul ball to the face.