Rays-Red Sox rivalry heating up

BOSTON -- Friday night's Rays-Red Sox game was the fifth time a game between the two teams produced three or more ejections and the second time this season, including Sunday, when Jonny Gomes, Sean Rodriguez and Yunel Escobar were all ejected in the seventh inning at Tropicana Field.

Here's a recap of the other three occurrences, which included the following incidents:

Aug. 29, 2000: Pedro Martinez hit the first batter of the game, Gerald Williams, which resulted in a beanball battle and the ejection of eight players and coaches. Williams, manager Larry Rothschild, Dave Eiland, coach Bill Russell, Cory Lidle, Greg Vaughn, coach Jose Cardenal, and Tony Fiore were all ejected in the course of the game. No Red Sox players or coaches were ejected.

After hitting Williams, Martinez retired the next 24 consecutive batters before John Flaherty broke up the no-hitter with a leadoff single in the ninth inning.

April 24, 2005: In the final game of a three-game series at Tropicana Field, two Devil Rays were hit by pitches and six Red Sox and Rays were ejected, including managers Lou Piniella and Terry Francona and players Bronson Arroyo, Trot Nixon, Lance Carter and Dewon Brazelton.

June 5, 2008: Five players were hit by pitches (Carl Crawford, Akinori Iwamura, Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia and Coco Crisp) and three players were ejected, James Shields, Gomes and Crisp, after Shields hit Crisp leading off the second at Fenway Park.