Game 5 of the American League Championship Series (ALCS) between the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers on Friday turned into a fiery showdown, as both benches cleared and tempers flared.
Tensions escalated in the eighth inning when Bryan Abreu of the Astros threw a 98.9 mph fastball that struck Texas’ Adolis García on the shoulder.
Upon being hit, García immediately dropped his bat and confronted Houston catcher Martín Maldonado, resulting in a verbal exchange between the two players.
The incident prompted both teams to rush onto the field, forcing a separation between García and Maldonado. Despite no physical altercations, Bryan Abreu, Adolis García, and Houston manager Dusty Baker were ejected, causing a nearly 12-minute delay in the game.
“I simply reacted to the incoming ball,” García stated through a translator. “There was a potential for harm, and I made sure Maldonado knew that it wasn’t acceptable.”
“It was just an impulsive reaction to being struck by the pitch. When I felt the impact, I immediately approached [Maldonado]. It was a spur-of-the-moment incident,” García added.
Two innings prior to the incident, García had hit a three-run home run and celebrated by slowly trotting along the first-base line before emphatically spiking his bat into the Globe Life Field turf.
The entire base-running routine lasted 30.5 seconds, as García savored the moment.
According to MLB.com, Abreu apologized to García amidst the scuffle, admitting that the pitch wasn’t intentional.
In a thrilling turn of events, Jose Altuve’s three-run homer in the ninth inning secured a 5-4 victory for the Astros in Game 5 of the ALCS. With three consecutive wins, Houston now holds a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series and is just one win away from securing a spot in the World Series.
Game 6 of the ALCS is scheduled to take place at Minute Maid Park in Houston on Sunday.
The victor of this series will go on to face either the Philadelphia Phillies or the Arizona Cardinals in the World Series.
In other Friday news, the Arizona Diamondbacks tied the National League Championship Series (NLCS) against the Philadelphia Phillies with a 6-5 victory in Game 4 at Chase Field.
Having won two consecutive games, the Diamondbacks have the momentum heading into Game 5 on Saturday in Phoenix.
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