A couple of high fastballs caused the benches cleaning and five ejections between the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs in Game 2 of their doubleheader Saturday.
Reds beginning pitcher Tejay Antone tossed a 96-mph fastball that sailed over Anthony Rizzos head in the 4th inning. Rizzo and the Cubs bench clearly complained it. Antone took a look at his hand after he tossed the pitch..
The umpires huddled and released cautions to both benches. After explaining the warnings to supervisors from both groups, home-plate umpire Nic Lentz ejected Cubs capturing coach Mike Borzello from the dugout. Cubs supervisor David Ross came out of the dugout to argue and was ejected..
It was the very first time Ross was ejected in his managerial career..
Rizzo struck two solo homers in Game 1 of the doubleheader and he hit a double in his very first at-bat of Game 2..
In the bottom half of the fourth inning, Cubs reliever Adbert Alzolay tossed a high fastball to Shogo Akiyama. Joey Votto and Kyle Schwarber exchanged words from their dugouts..
Reds supervisor David Bell jogged onto the field to consult Lentz and team chief Angel Hernandez. About a minute into Bells talk with the umpires, Rizzo appeared to tell Bell that the delay was taking too long, triggering the benches to clear..
There was no pressing or punches thrown, just words exchanged along the first-base line. The Reds had 3 people ejected: Bell, Votto and Jesse Winker. Votto and Winker were ejected once they strolled onto the field by first-base umpire Dan Bellino..
It was the 3rd time Bell was ejected this season and 11th in his profession. It was the second time Votto was ejected this year (11 in career) and first time this year for Winker (2nd in career).
Rizzo and the Cubs bench plainly took exception to it. After discussing the cautions to managers from both groups, home-plate umpire Nic Lentz ejected Cubs capturing coach Mike Borzello from the dugout. The Reds had three people ejected: Bell, Votto and Jesse Winker.