Alex Cora Sternly Addresses Ejection From Red Sox-Yankees Finale

Alex Cora wasn’t able to be with his team in the dugout when the Red Sox completed a weekend sweep of the Yankees in the Bronx.

Boston’s manager was forced to watch Sunday’s series finale from the visitor’s cafeteria after he was ejected in the sixth inning. With the Red Sox clinging to a one-run lead, Cora blew a gasket after home-plate umpire Junior Valentine issued an inning-ending strike-three call on Trevor Story despite the 3-2 pitch landing below the zone. Had the call gone the opposite way, Boston would have had a bases-loaded opportunity.

The ruling ended up not harming the Red Sox, who went on to secure a 6-5 win. But even amid the joys of victory, Cora still was miffed about Valentine’s verdict(s) and also wasn’t very pleased with himself.

“We’re grinding here,” Cora told reporters, per MassLive. “We know what’s going on. For us, every (expletive) pitch counts. We’re not gonna give up. We’re gonna keep playing. If I get fined, I get fined. But we didn’t agree with the (expletive) strike zone today.”

Cora added: “I hate getting thrown out. I hate it. To watch the game from inside and delay and all that stuff, I don’t get paid for that.”

Fortunately for Cora, his club will enter its latest series with a considerable amount of positive energy and momentum. The Red Sox might need those components, too, as four games in Houston against a loaded Astros team won’t be an easy challenge.