BALTIMORE -- American League East rivalries can always bring some extra heat and tension. And that’s exactly what came at the end of the eighth inning of the Orioles’ 1-0 loss to the Red Sox at Camden Yards on Friday night.
The benches and bullpens emptied after Red Sox right-hander Garrett Whitlock got the Orioles’ Luis Robert Jr. to ground into an inning-ending double play. Baltimore’s Blaze Alexander, who slid into second base on the play, was at the center of the fracas.
It is unclear what the disagreement was about, but Boston shortstop Trevor Story and Alexander shared some heated words as their teammates filled the infield grass around them.
Both sides eventually retreated, and Alexander waved his arms in the air and tried to pump up the O’s fans behind the first-base dugout as he exited the field.
There were no ejections -- although warnings were issued to both sides -- and Alexander went to right field to begin the ninth inning.