BALTIMORE — The benches cleared for the New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles as long-simmering tensions exploded after closer Clay Holmes hit Heston Kjerstad in the helmet in the ninth inning of Friday’s game at Camden Yards.
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde was ejected. He doubled back to point and scream at the Yankees’ dugout after tending to Kjerstad, who was on the ground for a while before walking up the first base line and then leaving the game.
Yankees, Orioles benches clear after Clay Holmes hits Heston Kjerstad in the helmet pic.twitter.com/GR66x3Fhj1
— Brendan Kuty 🧟♂️ (@BrendanKutyNJ) July 13, 2024
The Yankees won 4-1 and were ahead by that score when Holmes — pitching in the rain — hit Kjerstad with an errant 96.8-mph sinker in an 0-2 count and one out.
Kjerstad stayed down for a while. When he stood, there was some jawing between Holmes and Hyde.
Once Kjerstad walked back into the dugout, the situation escalated.
Yankees catcher Austin Wells tried holding back Hyde, who tried shoving him out of the way. That was when both dugouts emptied. Even the relievers raced in from their bullpens.
There were no incidents after the game. There seemed to be tension between the sides in Game 1 of the series that stemmed from the last time the teams met in the Bronx and both sides hit a fair amount of each other’s batters.
The teams are vying for first place in the American League East, with the Yankees pulling to within one game of the first-place O’s with Friday night’s win.
The benches have been cleared in Camden Yards!
The Yankees and Orioles got into a scuffle after Clay Holmes hit Heston Kjerstad in the helmet with a pitch.
🎥 @MLB pic.twitter.com/S6t9qNaWZf
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) July 13, 2024
This will be updated.
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(Photo: Mitchell Layton / Getty Images)
