Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Alek Manoah says he didn’t intend to hit Baltimore Orioles third baseman Maikel Franco with the pitch that led to his ejection from Saturday’s game.
The right-handed rookie told reporters that he was looking to throw a fastball on the inner part of the plate, but it “slipped away,” leading to a fourth-inning flare up between the two clubs.
“I’m just out there competing,” said Manoah.
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde, meanwhile, told reporters post-game that he believed Manoah’s pitch was intentional and Ryan Mountcastle called it a “red flag.”
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Following the play, an umpire escorted a visibly upset Franco away from Manoah, who was walking toward home plate. Both benches cleared soon after.
Players and coaches from the Orioles and Blue Jays gathered near home plate, exchanging words. No physical altercations appeared to take place.
The Blue Jays trailed 5-2 at the time and were back 7-5 in the ninth, but they rallied to snap a five-game skid with a 10-7 victory.
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