NEW YORK — Home plate umpire Ed Hickox was taken to a hospital for observation after he was struck on his helmet by a foul ball during today's Cleveland Indians-New York Yankees game.

Cleveland's Ben Francisco fouled one back with two outs in the sixth inning, getting Hickox square in the middle of his helmet. Catcher Jose Molina quickly spun around after the umpire was hit and wrapped his arms around him as he drifted toward the third base line.

Hickox left the field for a moment and returned with a Yankees catcher's mask on. But second base umpire Tom Hallion replaced him behind the plate in the eighth.

A spokesman for the Yankees said he didn't know if Hickox would spend the night at the hospital.