The Baltimore Orioles outfielder ripped Ventura while defending teammate Manny Machado for the brawl that occurred during Tuesday’s game against the Royals, which included Machado punching Ventura (video here).
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Machado charged the mound after being hit in the fifth as Ventura prepared for the onslaught by slinging aside his cap and glove.
Both benches cleared and everyone converged on Machado and Ventura, who were already in the dirt.
Orioles: Unbeaten in nine starts since April 14, Tillman (7-1, 3.33 ERA) attempts to complete the three-game sweep for Baltimore.
Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he had not received reports on the outing yet. “Ventura in Manny’s first at-bat was pitching him in. Why would I not want him to do that?” “I just can’t stand there”, he said. He went on to say he believes players generally police this part of the game well. You don’t think in that situation. “You just have to move forward”. Machado punched Ventura and both players were ejected.
The Orioles, by the way, won the game, 9-1.
Machado served a five-game suspension after a June 2014 incident during which he intentionally threw his bat toward third base after an apparent brushback pitch against the Oakland Athletics.
On the first pitch of the at-bat, Ventura validated Showalter’s premonition, and Machado took off.
“Everybody knows what kind of player he is”, Ventura said through an interpreter. “I don’t think we had very many punchouts”. He hit me with a 99mph fastball and 99 is no joke.
“There’s a little frustration when things like this happen”, manager Ned Yost acknowledged.
However, he refused to assign blame for the fray. The problem? Ventura didn’t send the message pitch Lawrie’s first time up. Obviously, he didn’t like it – flew out and was screaming at Ventura. I mean, who could forget Texas Rangers’ 2B Rougned Odor’s MMA-style punch on Toronto Blue Jays’ OF Jose Bautista? A local restaurant guaranteed that Machado will never go hungry in Baltimore again.
“The people around Ventura rolled their eyes, exhausted of the bluster, done with the immaturity, hopeful he was playing fugazi instead of the on-field arsonist they’d seen too many times for their liking”, said Passan in his column. “I’m not going to answer that”.
Machado had no regrets after his fourth career ejection.
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Screw it, defend yourself. He leveled a pair of tweets in which he called a six-time all-star a nobody, and “You’re gonna get it from me for being fresh”.
