Photographer leaves Yankees game in a neck brace after being smashed in the head by foul ball in scary scene

A photographer had their shift cut short on Wednesday night after getting hit in the head by a foul ball during the New York Yankees' win over the Los Angeles Angels.

The worrying scenes unfolded in the top of the sixth inning at Angel Stadium, after Yankees star Ben Rice fouled off an 87mph slider from Angels pitcher Reid Detmers, sending the ball straight into the first-base camera well.

It was evident almost immediately that there was an issue, as medical staff quickly sprang into action and jumped down into the camera well to tend to the photographer.

After a 10-minute delay, the photographer eventually walked off – despite a cart being called over – and was seen in a neck brace as he made his way out the stadium.

Yankees star Rice, who had been standing over the camera well while the man received treatment, was also seen shaking the photographer's hand as they left. 

Thankfully, an Angels spokesperson confirmed that the photographer was doing OK and receiving the appropriate medical attention after suffering the injury.

Meanwhile, Rice told The New York Post: 'Very relieved. I saw it, he definitely was not ready for any kind of impact there, he was looking the other direction.

'I wasn't quite sure how square it hit him in the head but definitely a scary scene. So happy to hear he's ok,' the 27-year-old added. 

The ball came off Rice's bat at 79.5mph before flying down into the camera well. 

The concerning moment, however, didn't appear to derail the Yankees on the night as they stormed to a dramatic 6-3, 10-inning win over the Angels.

Moreover, Rice had two hits and an RBI in five at-bats during the Yankees' win. 

The win over the Angels came just days after promising Yankees star George Lombard Jr set an unwanted record during a recent 5-1 loss to the Houston Astros.

Lombard Jr made history last month when he became the first New York Yankees shortstop to hit a home run in his major league debut.

Three weeks into his career, however, the rookie set a dubious mark by committing an error for the sixth straight game during the defeat to the Astros.

Lombard has seven errors in his first 20 games and, after his latest miscue, the 21-year-old said his defense was not acceptable.

'It's something we're trying to figure out,' Lombard said. 'It's not acceptable. It can't happen at this level. If you make your pitchers have to get extra outs it just makes it way harder on us, and teams are going to capitalize.

'So it's something that we're definitely going to have to clean up and I've got to be better tomorrow.'