HOUSTON Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Joe Kelly was suspended for eight games by Major League Baseball on Wednesday, a day after throwing a fastball near the head of Houstons Alex Bregman and mockingly taunting Astros star Carlos Correa.
Benches cleared after Kellys actions during the sixth inning of Los Angeles 5-2 win at Minute Maid Park. The game marked the first time the teams had met since it was revealed Houston stole signs en route to a 2017 World Series title that came at the Dodgers expense.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was suspended one game and Astros manager Dusty Baker was fined an undisclosed amount.
Kelly elected to appeal and can continue to play until the process is complete. Roberts was serving his penalty Wednesday night when the Dodgers played at Houston.
Kelly, a hard thrower with a touch of wildness, has previously been suspended in his career for throwing at a batter.
The lingering animosity the Dodgers felt toward the Astros who were penalized by MLB in the offseason after their scam came to light had been brewing. It bubbled over when Bregman, a star of the Astros run to their championship, came to bat in the bottom of the sixth on Tuesday night.
The Dodgers led 5-2 when Kelly, who was with Boston in 2017 and also faced Houston that postseason, zipped a 3-0 fastball behind Bregmans head. Bregman grimaced after jumping to avoid being hit, then trotted to first base.
There were two outs in the inning when Kelly threw a breaking ball over Correas head. Correa, who homered and finished with three hits, took off his batting helmet and stared Kelly down before continuing the at-bat.
Kelly struck out Correa to end the inning, then stuck out his tongue and made a face in his direction. Correa started walking toward him and the players exchanged words, prompting the benches to clear in the first such incident of this pandemic-delayed season.
There was plenty of yelling and crowding outlawed as MLB tries to play a 60-game season amid the pandemic but there was no pushing or punches thrown.
Kelly denied that he purposely threw at the Astros. He was asked if there was any added motivation Tuesday because his Red Sox team lost to Houston in the AL Division Series in 2017.
No. When I was with the Red Sox we beat them in 18, he said. Its one of those things that I pitch competitively. With no fans here, its easy to hear some stuff (from the opposing dugout) … theres something they apparently didnt take too kind to.
After the game, Roberts said he wasnt sure if Kellys pitches were retaliation for Houstons cheating.
I really dont know, to be quite honest, he said. I know he got behind Bregman 3-0 and lost a fastball. I really dont think there was intent behind that. I think those guys took a little bit of offense. Even the one to Correa, that was a breaking ball that just backed up.
Obviously the expectation going into the series that things were kind of escalated maybe a little, I dont know if prematurelys the word, but thats kind of what happened, he said.
Said Baker: Balls get away sometimes but not that many in the big leagues.
When you throw a 3-0 fastball over a guys head youre flirting with ending his career, he said.
Baker said things really got out of hand because of something he said Kelly told Correa after the strikeout.
We didnt say anything, he said. We dont start nothing. But we dont take nothing, either.
Order was restored after a couple of minutes and there were no ejections, but Baker was still upset before play resumed and got in the face of an umpire.
Bregman avoided questions about the incident postgame and Correa did not speak to reporters.
Houston was punished by the commissioners office in January for the sign-stealing scheme, which led to the firing of general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager AJ Hinch.
Many players around the league were unhappy that no players were disciplined for their roles in the cheating. The Dodgers had harsh words for the Astros during spring training, but Roberts said before the game that he didnt think his team would retaliate.
The penalties were imposed by former pitcher Chris Young, MLBs senior vice president of baseball operations. This was his first discipline case since taking over the job from Joe Torre.
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