Umpire knocked out of game

An injury to home-plate umpire Derryl Cousins caused a 15-minute delay before the fourth inning  of tonight's American League Championship Series Game 6 between the Red Sox and Rays.

A Jason Varitek foul tip in the second inning hit Cousins on the bottom of the face mask and bounced into the umpire's chest. He remained in the game for 1½ more innings but had to come out of the game before the fourth.

Crew chief and first-base umpire Tim McClelland took over behind the plate, left-field umpire Brian Gorman moved to third base, Alfonso Marquez remained on the right-field line and the rest of the game was played without an umpire down the left-field line.

Cousins was examined during the game and was expected to be OK.

-- Mike DiGiovanna

Photo: Home-plate umpire Derryl Cousins is examined after getting hit by a foul tip in the third inning Saturday night. Credit: Chris O'Meara / Associated Press