Alex Cora rarely gets animated during games, but you always should expect the unexpected once October baseball rolls around.
The Boston Red Sox manager was ejected in the bottom half of the fifth inning in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against the Houston Astros on Saturday night. After home-plate umpire James Hoye rung up Andrew Benintendi on a questionable strike-three call with two outs and the bases loaded, Cora emerged from the dugout and had some choice words for the official behind the dish.
Benintendi threw his bat and helmet to the ground after the third strike, so Cora’s actions likely were done in large part to protect his player. Either way, both Benintendi and his skipper had every right to be frustrated.
There certainly were some bright spots in the frame for the Red Sox, though, as they scored two runs off Astros starter Justin Verlander to knot the score at 2-2 at Fenway Park.
