The Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees are currently in MLB’s most attractive division race. The drama reached another level on Friday.
The benches were cleared in the ninth inning when Orioles rookie Heston Kjerstad hit a 96.8 mph sinker off the helmet of Yankees closer Clay Holmes. The Yankees were up 4-1 at the time.
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde was visibly furious after the pitch and walked onto the field to confront the New York dugout. He was stopped by Yankees catcher Austin Wells, but the benches and bullpens were already emptying.
The ensuing scrum saw a lot of contentious pushing and shoving before it dissipated.
Hyde was ejected for starting the fight, while Kjerstad was removed from the game, replaced by running back Austin Hays. The manager told reporters after the game that the behavior of the Yankees coaching staff was what triggered it:
“It’s an emotional moment in that moment. I caught my guy who just got hit in the ear. I’m upset and then I see their bench. They’re waving at me and yelling at me, so I just didn’t do it. I appreciate it at the time.” “
The Yankees struck out the next two hitters, Ryan Mountcastle and Cedric Mullins, to end the game with a 4–1 victory. They got the win largely thanks to a strong start from Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole, who had struggled since returning from an elbow injury but allowed just one earned run in six innings while striking out seven.
Meanwhile, Aaron Judge hit his MLB-leading 33rd home run of the season.
The loss was the Orioles’ fourth in a row and moved the Yankees to just one game behind them for the AL East lead. That means they will have to win at least one of their games against New York on Saturday and Sunday to enter the All-Star break with the same lead.
