With the Yankees and Orioles benches cleared in the bottom of the ninth inning on Friday night, an old AL East rivalry was rekindled.
Yankees closer Clay Holmes, pitching an 0-2 lead in the bottom of the ninth, hit a 96.8 mph sinker at Heston Kierstad’s head, but it didn’t sink very well.
Kjellstad was immediately treated by a trainer and manager Brandon Hyde, but the horrific situation infuriated Hyde, who got into an argument with Holmes and catcher Austin Wells.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
The benches clear after Baltimore Orioles player Heston Kjellstad (number 13) was hit by a pitch in the ninth inning during a baseball game against the New York Yankees at Orioles Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland on July 12, 2024. (Mitchell Leighton/Getty Images)
Third baseman Oswaldo Cabrera and the umpires stopped Holmes before anything could happen, but only temporarily.
After Kjellstad reached first base (entering as a pinch runner), Hyde walked back toward the field and was heard yelling in the direction of the Yankees’ dugout, apparently at third base coach Luis Rojas, who immediately fired back.
Wells did his best to hold Hyde back, but it didn’t help much as the two teams faced off so close to home plate and the bullpen came sprinting from the outfield.
Baltimore Orioles player No. 13 Heston Kjellstad falls to the ground after being hit by a ball during the ninth inning during a baseball game against the New York Yankees at Orioles Park at Camden Yards on July 12, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Mitchell Leighton/Getty Images)
There was some minor shoving afterwards, but no players were ejected (except Hyde), and no fistfights were exchanged, making this a stark difference from the 1998 brawl.
Comedian Nikki Glaser pokes fun at arrest of Shohei Ohtani’s translator Scottie Scheffler at the ESPYS
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he understood why Hyde was upset and that he should protect his players, but Hyde said the Yankees bench was “waving” and “yelling” at him and that he “didn’t like it.”
Hyde said he was on his way back to the dugout when he “heard something” and responded.
He added that Hjelstad is undergoing tests. “We’re hoping for the best,” he said.
But this has been brewing for some time now: The Yankees have hit Orioles batters 10 times this season, compared to the Orioles just three times.
The Yankees, who have the worst record in MLB since June 13, held on to a much-needed 4-1 victory to pull within two games of the division lead. The Orioles are 3-5 against the Yankees this season.
Reigning Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole got off to his best start of the season, pitching six innings and allowing just one run, five hits and striking out seven.
New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells (number 28) holds down Baltimore Orioles catcher Brandon Hyde (number 18) after the benches clear in the bottom of the ninth inning during a baseball game between the New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 12, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Mitchell Leighton/Getty Images)
Click here to get the FOX News app
The battle for division title for the rest of the season appears to be between these two teams, and based on Friday night’s game, the rest of the season looks set to be an exciting one.
They are scheduled to be back in action Saturday at 4 p.m.
Follow Fox News Digital X’s sports coverage,subscribe Fox News Sports Huddle Newsletter.
