McClendon argues with 3 umps after ejection
SEATTLE -- Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon and catcher Mike Zunino were both ejected from Seattle's 5-3, 11-inning loss to the Yankees in the top of the third inning on Tuesday night after a pair of checked-swing calls by the umpires led to a pair of walks.
Zunino expressed frustration at first-base umpire Will Little after Little waved off Zunino's appeal on a ball-four checked swing by Alex Rodriguez with two outs. Rodriguez's checked swing came two batters after third-base umpire Tony Randazzo had denied a similar appeal on Brett Gardner.
Little ejected Zunino -- the first ejection of the catcher' s three-year career -- as McClendon charged out of the dugout.
McClendon went to Little at first base and was quickly thrown out of the game as well, which led to McClendon tossing his hat and twice kicking it down the first-base line toward home plate. McClendon then approached plate umpire Mike DiMuro briefly before heading down to third base for a heated exchange with Randazzo.
Video: NYY@SEA: McClendon on ejection, Montgomery's debut
"These guys play the game with passion," said McClendon. "A lot of times, they're accused of going through the motions. And when they show emotions, they're ejected. [Zunino] was ejected in a situation where I was trying to get out of the dugout to save him. He could not have said anything derogatory. All he did was disagree with a call.
"That's very unfortunate. You have a catcher that shows passion, he cares about what he's doing and about his pitcher, and he gets ejected for it. To me, that's not acceptable and it's not right. We have to do something about that."
It was McClendon's 31st career ejection, 26 as a manager and five as a coach. Randazzo ejected McClendon from a pair of games last season.
Backup catcher Welington Castillo, acquired in a trade from the Cubs on May 19, replaced Zunino behind the plate.
Gardner wound up scoring on a two-out double by Mark Teixeira for a 1-0 Yankees lead before Mariners lefty Mike Montgomery, making his Major League debut, got out of the inning wtih a strikeout of Chase Headley.