The Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox have been the most intriguing teams to watch when they face each other this season. The season series has had hard slides, pitchers throwing behind players, and abuse hurled from the stands. Umpires, the Red Sox organization, and Major League Baseball have levied ejections and suspensions against players and fans. Last night’s edition was no exception.
Sox Pitching and Machado Feud
Manny Machado was once again in the center things, with Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale opting to throw behind him in the first. The umpire immediately warned both dugouts. Machado got his revenge later in the game when he drilled a no-doubt home run over the Green Monster. Machado’s home run trot made even Mark McGwire‘s trots of the late 90’s look fast, clocking in at 32 seconds to round the bases.
Manny Machado hits his 6th homer of the season and pulls the @Orioles one run closer in the top of the 7th. #MLBNShowcase pic.twitter.com/b7fBgHoyh6
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) May 3, 2017
The statute of limitations for plunking Machado has run out by the unwritten rules. The Sox just need to clean it up at this point. During the press gaggle following the game, Machado went on a profanity-laden rant.
Unfortunately, the rant may cause the powder keg that has been this series to ignite. Hopefully, during the exchange of line-up cards at the plate for tonight’s game, the umpire issues warnings to both benches. This series has gotten out of hand and must be brought under control. The Red Sox pitchers have to remember that kids are watching them to emulate how they play the game at the peewee level.
What the What, a Triple Play?!
In the bottom of the eighth inning, with runners on first and second, Jackie Bradley. hit a pop-up into shallow left. It should have been a routine catch for shortstop J.J. Hardy, and as such Bradley retreated to the dugout. Instead, the ball glanced off of Hardy’s glove. The umpires did not signal for an infield fly rule. Hardy threw to second baseman Jonathan Schoop, who tagged Mitch Moreland out. He then stepped on second for the force on Dustin Pedroia. Schoop threw to Chris Davis at first for the force-out on Bradley to complete the 6-4-3 triple play.
This oddball triple play was the first in the majors since May of 2015, when the Pittsburgh Pirates executed the only 6-4-6 triple play in history. Had Bradley run out the pop-fly, there is a good chance that the Orioles would have only gotten a double play.
It was also the 699th assisted triple play in the history of the major leagues. It was the 37th such play in Orioles history, and the first since 2000. The O’s turned one when they were the Milwaukee Brewers in 1901, 23 when they were the St. Louis Browns, and the rest since moving to Baltimore in 1954. The Sox have now hit into 32 triple plays in franchise history, but had not done so since 2001.
The Next Game
The Red Sox went on to win the game 5-2. The fifth game of the Baltimore-Boston series will begin tonight at 7:10 EDT at Fenway. Baltimore RHP Kevin Gausman (1-2, 7.50 ERA) and Boston LHP Drew Pomeranz (2-1, 4.15 ERA) have the scheduled starts.
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