The intensity between the Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles was not dialed back after their doubleheader on Monday.
Despite a strong start for the Blue Jays that saw Bo Bichette hit is fourth home run in six at-bats, emotions reached a new level as both dugouts cleared in top of the seventh inning following an incident between Blue Jays outfielder Teoscar Hernandez and Orioles pitcher Bryan Baker.
Shortly after, Blue Jays' manager John Schneider was ejected from the game by home plate umpire Jeff Nelson for arguing balls and strikes.
Nelson has been no stranger to controversy this series; following the first game of Monday's doubleheader, Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman had choice words for Nelson after the umpire, at second base, had called him for a balk.
Later in Tuesday's game, Nelson was at the centre of controversy once more as the Blue Jays' third out of the eighth inning was overturned after the umpire ruled catcher Alejandro Kirk was blocking the lane to the home plate for Orioles' Adley Rutschman.
While that call was in accordance with MLB rules, it only added fuel to the fire as the baseball world reacted to the contested rule.
Blue Jays fans might also remember Nelson from 2015 when he called a controversial strike on Ben Revere in the ninth inning of Game 6 of the ALCS against the Kansas City Royals. A livid Revere ended up striking out and the Blue Jays lost 4-3, sending the Royals to the World Series.
After the explosive end to Tuesday's game between bitter rivals — each fighting for an AL wild-card spot as the season reaches its final stretch — there is little time for the dust to settle before the series finale on Wednesday.
Alek Manoah, a fiery competitor, starts for the Blue Jays.
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