New York Yankees suffer comedy of errors before two bench-clearing scuffles
The New York Yankees contrived to give the Tampa Bay Rays a one-run head start thanks to some comedic fielding on Sunday night.
With the Rays runless in the bottom of the first inning, Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodon drew a swing and a miss from Brandon Lowe. Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena was already on first base after hitting a single and went to steal second.
In response, Yankees catcher Kyle Higashioka threw the ball down the centre to shortstop Anthony Volpe. However, the wayward throw went over his head as Arozarena dived for the base.
After the mixup, Arozarena quickly got back to his feet, ran for third and beat the throw by centre fielder Harrison Bader. But, again, the ball did not stick as it bounced past shortstop Oswald Peraza and the backing-up Rodon on third.
Arozarena took off again and, after initially hesitating, made it home for the game's first run. Adding insult to injury, Lowe hit Rondon's next pitch for a solo home run after sending it over the Tropicana Field fence.
Inside life of Super Bowl LVII star Mahomes with glamorous wife and net worth
That was not the end of the antics, as hits of another type would take over the game. Rodon was again involved, hitting Osleivis Basabe with a pitch.
That was the first of four times Yankees pitches made contact with Rays hitters. Ian Hamilton also struck Isaac Paredes in the head with a fastball in the fifth to knock his helmet off.
Arozarena sliding into third to beat the ball before it was again misfielded (@RaysBaseball/Twitter)Tempers would then flare in the eighth as Albert Abreu hit Arozarena. Both benches cleared afterward but threw no punches.
That was not the end of it, though, as, after stealing third base later in the inning, Arozarena continued his war of words with Abreu. Players were back off their benches once more, but, again, it did not get physical. However, the Rays player claims the hit was intentional. Speaking after their 7-4 win, he said through an interpreter: "I think it was on purpose," with it being a 3-1 count.
The pair have history as the same scenario played out when they met during May, with the Yankees pitcher hitting Arozarena. “I don’t know why,’’ he said. “It seems like they always want to hit us.”
There, the outfielder also alludes to the plight of teammate Jonathan Loaisiga. He got hit by Yandy Diaz on Friday and did not play again during the three-game series.
Arozarena added: “Every time I get hit from here on out, it’s gonna bother me because it’s something that occurs too many times. I don’t know if it will go on [into next season], but I’ve been here three years, and if you look at videos, we get hit a lot.”
Rays players were hit 12 times in total by the Yankees this season alone. New York insists that none were done deliberately despite Arozarena's claims to the contrary on a charged Sunday night.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
