BOSTON -- As Red Sox righty Walker Buehler and manager Alex Cora both got overheated and ejected during an emotional top of the third inning on Tuesday night at Fenway Park, it was fair to wonder how Boston’s bullpen would navigate through the rest of a game that still had 20 outs to go.
It turned out to be a near flawless effort by the bullpen. Brennan Bernardino, Garrett Whitlock, Justin Wilson, Greg Weissert, Justin Slaten and Aroldis Chapman gave up four hits and three walks while striking out three over those final 6 2/3 innings.
That, and timely home runs by Carlos Narváez and Rafael Devers in the bottom of the fifth inning, led the Sox to a 2-0 victory over the Mets and a chance to sweep the three-game set behind ace Garrett Crochet on Wednesday.
“Today's game was a story about the bullpen. Obviously, I put them in a really tough spot. I've been in this league too long for that to happen,” Buehler said.
It was a heated scene when Buehler was ejected for arguing balls and strikes in his comeback start from the 15-day injured list against the Mets.
As Francisco Lindor stole second base, Buehler’s 1-0 pitch to Juan Soto looked like a clear strike on the lower, inner portion of the strike zone.
But home-plate umpire Mike Estabrook saw it differently and called it a ball.
“It’s right down the [expletive] middle,” hollered Buehler.
“Get back on the mound!” Estabrook shouted back at Buehler, who didn’t cool down and was swiftly thrown out of the game.
Cora wasn’t far behind his starter en route to the clubhouse. He became enraged with Estabrook, as crew chief Laz Diaz got in the middle of the two men and had to restrain Cora.
“Alex Cora told [Estabrook] that he was bad. He didn’t use those words. But he used some words to get ejected so he got ejected,” Diaz told a pool reporter.
For Cora, the scene was a bit discombobulating, as he was waiting to hear from staff assistant Mike Brenly on if he should challenge the call on Lindor’s stolen base.
“I wasn't even paying attention [at first],” Cora said. “We were waiting for the call from Mikey on the replay, and then I looked up and he threw [Buehler] out. I was just begging, ‘Give me a break. I’ll go out and you can throw me out. We'll keep the pitcher in the game.’ But I guess he had enough.”
Buehler could have saved himself if he hadn’t walked in front of the mound to plead his case.
“He can say stuff from the mound,” Diaz said. “But once he comes off the mound, he’s leaving his position to argue balls and strikes. Once anybody leaves their position to argue balls and strikes, that’s an immediate ejection.”
Buehler, fired up in the heat of the moment, felt bad about the way his actions impacted the rest of the team. In that sense, he was grateful they picked him up.
“For me personally, it's one of those things that you're very conflicted,” Buehler said. “I felt very convicted in what I felt and saw, but at the same time, this is a team game and something I kind of let get out of hand. And personally, that's kind of the disappointing part of it.”
Buehler last pitched for the Red Sox on April 26 before being shut down with bursitis in his right shoulder. In his return to action, he made 52 pitches while walking two and striking out four over 2 1/3 innings.
As for Cora, who now has 18 career ejections, he took out more frustration on the dugout phone by slamming it so hard with his right hand that part of the cover became unhinged.
“I don't [usually] show too much emotion, but this one [was an exception],” Cora said. “It hurt, too, by the way.”
Cora had missed Monday’s 3-1 victory over the Mets to attend his daughter’s college graduation. Bench coach Ramón Vázquez filled in for him and joked after his press conference that he was retiring from managing.
Well, Vázquez was quickly thrust back into action as Cora was ejected for the first time this season. It was Buehler’s second career ejection -- both coming against the Mets.
“I thought yesterday was a good day for us without me, so I decided to do it again,” quipped Cora.
Meanwhile, the 25-25 Red Sox, who have been trying to catch a spark for weeks, hope Tuesday’s fireworks might serve as one.
“Watching us play and win a tight 2-0 game, and a tight game last night, I think this is hopefully some sort of turning point for us,” Buehler said.