Tensions Continue Between Red Sox and Orioles

The drama continued to heat up between American League East rivals the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles as both Adam Jones, who complained of receiving racial taunts and pitcher Kevin Gausman both were ejected from the game at Fenway Park on Wednesday.

In the second inning, Orioles starter Gausman was ejected for hitting Boston’s Xander Bogaerts, that caused a huge uproar from the Orioles since the pitch was a curveball at the speed of just 76.6 mph.

Both Gausman and Caleb Joseph his catcher argued the pitch had slipped from the pitcher’s hand and was not intended to hit Bogaerts intentionally.

Gausman’s explanation seems to be very genuine, considering that in the prior inning and the start of the second he had struggled with his control and curveballs, even with good command can be tricky just the same.

During the top half of the fifth, Jones was given an ejection after Sam Holbrook the home plate umpire called a third strike and Jones protested. Jones was then joined by this manager Buck Showalter who argued the strikeout call as well.

Jones’ ejection was his first in his 12-year career and took place only two days after the veteran had spoken out about racial slurs he received while playing the outfield by Fenway Park fans.

Due to what has taken place the past few days at Fenway Park, both the Red Sox and Orioles were issued warnings by Major League Baseball prior to their game on Wednesday.

Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred before the game Wednesday spoke to both teams via a conference call and issued a stern warning that he would have to discipline players or managers if both teams continued to throw pitches at one another.

Following the game, home plate umpire Holbrook told a reporter that due to the situation and the amount of tension between the two teams the umpire crew was on alert for anything that might happen.

He understood the pitch was a curve but it still hit the batter in the back and Holbrook made the decision to eject at that instant.

He added that an end has to come to throwing at batters and ejecting the pitcher was the correct thing to do at the time.

The teams will start a four-game series on June 1 in Baltimore and hopefully nearly a month will give both teams time to put aside their grievances.