New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone was ejected during his team’s Monday road game against the Chicago White Sox.
The ejection came in the top half of the eighth inning with the White Sox clinging to a 2-1 lead. Boone was incensed at a strike three call on infielder Anthony Volpe, and was quick to let home plate umpire Laz Díaz know how he felt about it. He started his objection from the dugout, before making his way onto the field. Boone got in Díaz’s face, who gave it right back to the 50-year-old manager, who then mimicked the strike three call on Volpe.
The ejection was the sixth of the season for Boone, which leads all managers across MLB.
“I actually heard Anthony’s was a strike, maybe, so I just thought there were a ton of pitches all night that — culminating in DJ [LeMahieu] — a couple pitches in his at-bat where he struck out with first and third there,” Boone said after the game. “I’m not gonna get into that. We had our chances tonight and just couldn’t capitalize.”
Yankees, Aaron Boone searching for answers after latest loss
If Boone was hoping this would ignite a spark on his team, he certainly didn’t get the result he was looking for. The Yankees surrendered three runs in the bottom half of the eighth inning, and dropped the first game of the series, 5-1. New York (58-55) fell back into last place in the AL East after a Boston Red Sox victory over the Kansas City Royals Monday.
The Yankees wasted a quality outing from ace Gerrit Cole, who went seven innings for the third consecutive outing. New York’s offense stranded 13 runners on base and went 1-of-12 with runners in scoring position. With the loss, the Yankees now sit 5.5 game back of the Toronto Blue Jays for the third and final Wild Card spot.
New York’s nine-game road trip will continue Tuesday against the White Sox. Following the three-game series, the Yankees will head to Miami to face the Marlins before wrapping things up against the MLB-best Atlanta Braves.
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