MADBUM EJECTED EARLY AFTER ODD EXCHANGE
Long before the Arizona Diamondbacks came back to win their series finale at Miami, starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner was ejected after his first inning of work in an odd interaction with umpire Dan Bellino.
Pavin Smith hit a tworun homer in the ninth inning for the Diamondbacks to wrap up a sweep with an 8-7 win, and it was that much more impressive because their left-handed ace barely contributed.
Bumgarner gave up a leadoff homer to Jon Berti and then retired the next three batters. As he walked to the dugout, the pitcher gestured with his arm before holding his hand out for a foreign-substance check by first base umpire Bellino.
Bumgarner said something to Bellino as the check was ending, and the umpire threw him out. Bumgarner then started yelling at Bellino and had to be restrained by some coaches.
“You guys have seen the video,” Bumgarner said. “I don’t know if I could say anything that would make the situation better. What I am going to say is I’m extremely proud of our team, coming back. Obviously, I didn’t go into the game with the intention of throwing one inning. Everyone picked me up today.”
Bellino told a pool reporter that Bumgarner was ejected for directing profanity at an umpire. Video of the foreign-substance check showed Bellino staring at Bumgarner while he repeatedly patted his hand, but Bellino said he didn’t think it was a factor in the ejection.
“I wouldn’t say he took exception to it. It was just a hand check,” Bellino said.
Young fan’s dream continues
The young NEw York Yankees fan who became a viral sensation this week shed more tears of joy on Wednesday when he met his hero, New York slugger Aaron Judge.
It came hours after cameras captured Derek Rodriguez, 9, tearfully hugging Blue Jays fan Mike Lanzillotta after Lanzillotta snagged Judge’s home run ball and handed it to Derek.
Rodriguez, his family and Lanzillotta were invited onto the field and into the Yankees dugout before the series finale against the Blue Jays.
Judge stopped by for a quick chat, signed the home run ball and handed over a pair of his batting gloves.
Notable
The day after Dusty Baker reached the 2,000-win plateau, Houston mayor Sylvester Turner presented the Astros’ manager with a proclamation marking it as “Dusty Baker Day” in the city. A video was also played on the stadium’s big screen with numerous people congratulating Baker, including fellow members of the 2,000win club Tony La Russa, Joe Torre and Bruce Bochy.
The Reds removed OFs Tyler Naquin and Nick Senzel from the lineup at Milwaukee and placed both on the injured list without injury designations, an indication of COVID-19 issues.