Flowers tossed for arguing called third strike

CHICAGO -- Tyler Flowers was ejected by home-plate umpire Ron Kulpa in the fourth inning of Monday's 6-2 White Sox victory over the Indians at U.S. Cellular Field. It was Flowers' first career ejection and the second of the season for the White Sox.

The White Sox starting catcher took a called third strike from Cleveland starter Josh Tomlin to finish the frame and tossed his bat in disagreement with the call. Flowers was immediately ejected, replaced behind the plate by Adrian Nieto.

Alejandro De Aza, who was called out on strikes in the second and the fourth, had argued at the end of the previous at-bat with Kulpa on that second called third. But De Aza was pulled away by Flowers and manager Robin Ventura and able to stay in the game.

"Obviously, I strongly disagreed with the call he made. A little heated at the moment," Flowers said. "He might have been a little heated, too, from whatever else transpired earlier in the game. It is what it is. [Starter Jose Quintana] did a good job and the bullpen did a good job."

Flowers has no worries about working with Kulpa in any upcoming games following Monday's argument.

"That stuff happens, you know. I see it from both ends, too," said Flowers, who added that he didn't say much before the ejection and didn't use profanity. "You see some that are generous and some that you disagree with.

"It's a bunch of human beings out there playing a game and doing a bunch of different things. I don't think he's that kind of a guy where it's going to be an issue next time we work together. I said my piece and that was it."