BALTIMORE — For more than three weeks now, the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees have been in something of a combined slump — not enough to knock them out of the top two spots in the American League East, but frustrating nonetheless.
As they faced off for another intense series heading into the All-Star break, emotions finally boiled over.
Orioles outfielder Heston Kjerstad was hit in the helmet by a 97 mph pitch from Yankees closer Clay Holmes and the benches emptied in the bottom of the ninth inning of New York's 4-1 victory Friday night.
“There was some back and forth,” Yankees slugger Aaron Judge said. “I know we've had a few of their players hit by pitches. They've hit us. They were kind of mad over there.”
With one out, Holmes' pitch hit Kjerstad in the ear. After a delay, Kjerstad was able to get up but left the game. Things then escalated, with Orioles manager Brandon Hyde walking to the New York dugout and pointing, at which point Yankees catcher Austin Wells tried to restrain Hyde, but the benches and bullpens emptied.
There was some pushing and shoving before the rules were imposed and Hyde was ejected.
“My guy just got hit in the ear,” Hyde said. “I got mad and then I saw their dugout and they were waving at me and yelling at me, so I just didn't appreciate it at the time.”
Hyde said the young outfielder was undergoing examinations. He was not available to reporters after the game.
The Yankees made it clear they expected Kjerstad to be OK.
“Never try to hit someone in the head … in a position that high,” Holmes said. “I definitely hope (Kjerstad) is OK tomorrow, but it's one of those situations where the conditions weren't the best, and I was trying to throw an inbound sinker and it just got cut off.
“The movement wasn't the usual one, I just pulled it, cut it and grabbed it. I wasn't trying to do anything.”
It was raining towards the end of the game, which probably affected the grip on the bats and balls.
“Two good teams going up against each other,” said Gerrit Cole, who started the mound for New York. “Both teams pitch inside. It's very humid tonight. Anybody who's been there knows it was tough to get the ball tonight. That being said, the guy got hit in the head. So it's understandable that Brandon is upset and is defending his players.”
In the eight games between the teams this season, 10 Baltimore batters and three New York batters have been hit by pitches. In their June series at Yankee Stadium, Judge and Gleyber Torres were hit in the opener, and the next night Baltimore star Gunnar Henderson was hit.
At the time, it seemed like the Orioles and Yankees were the only real contenders in the division, but since that series Baltimore is 8-12 and New York is 6-13. The first-place Orioles are a game ahead of the Yankees, but now only 5½ ahead of Boston.
“We've been playing really well in this first half and we want to finish the first half playing well,” Hyde said. “We've been through a little bit of a slump. We're going through some tough times offensively.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
