Brewers Manager Opens Up About Bench-Clearing Exchange With Red Sox

The Red Sox and Brewers shared a heated moment during Sunday afternoon’s series finale at Fenway Park, prompting some confusion in real-time before Boston’s 2-1 victory over Milwaukee.

Tensions rose as the game headed into the bottom of the seventh inning after Red Sox relief pitcher Chris Martin retired Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich on a grounder to first base. Brewers first base coach Quintin Berry jawed at Martin, causing a response from Boston’s dugout that led to both teams clearing their respective benches and bullpens.

No fists were thrown, no ejections were required and Brewers manager Pat Murphy addressed Milwaukee’s side of the story afterward.

“I think their pitcher showed some emotion and I think our people thought it was directed at them,” Murphy said, per Bally Sports video. “I don’t know if it really was or wasn’t. I’m not gonna speculate what the kid was doing, but if you’re staring at somebody and you’re saying it, it could be interpreted that you’re saying it to them. We take offense to if you’re gonna yell at us and say something and make it personal. We’re gonna stand up for ourselves.”

Boston’s lineup responded the following inning, scoring the go-ahead run to secure a win, which Jarren Duran — who plated the winning RBI — attributed to the benches-clearing altercation with the Brewers.

“Whenever you clear benches, everybody’s gonna get a little fired up,” Duran said, per NESN’s postgame coverage. “(Martin) was getting everybody fired up, he was (expletive) and you never see him like that. He’s always a calm, cool guy.”

The Red Sox avoided being dealt a three-game sweep from Milwaukee with the victory and now set for a three-game visit with the Orioles in Baltimore starting Monday afternoon.