Gardy tossed for arguing in fourth inning

DETROIT -- Twins manager Ron Gardenhire was ejected for the first time this season in the fourth inning of Sunday's 4-3 win over the Tigers.

It came as a result of a strange play with the bases loaded and one out for the Tigers with right-hander Samuel Deduno on the mound for the Twins. Andrew Romine hit a ball to shortstop that likely would've ended the inning with a routine double play, but instead the ball struck Austin Jackson as he tried to advance from second to third. The play was ruled dead as a result, and Jackson was ruled out. The bases remained loaded, with Romine getting credited with a single.

But Gardenhire argued with third-base umpire Joe West that a double play should've been ruled, because Jackson obstructed shortstop Eduardo Escobar and prevented him from making the play.

"What you're taught as a baserunner in those situations is to try to screen the defender, but they were trying to say he didn't see the ball and kept running," Gardenhire said after the game. "But I watched the video, and he's looking right at the ball and trying to screen the defender. It's a judgment call, and in their opinion, he didn't let it intentionally hit him.

"Of course he didn't let it intentionally hit him, but he was trying to screen our defender on a routine double play, and he tried to jump and the ball hit him at the last second."

West threw Gardenhire out of the game after Gardenhire came out onto the field to argue the call. It was the 68th time Gardenhire has been thrown out of a game in his career, and the fourth time by West.