Kevin Gausman cringed as his pitch, a 76-mph breaking ball to Xander Bogaerts to lead off the second inning Wedneday night, drifted off the plate and hit the Red Sox shortstop in the backside. It was not the pitch the Orioles starter intended to throw.
But it would also be his last.
As Gausman stepped off the rubber after the throw, home-plate umpire Sam Holbrook stunningly ejected him from the game. The Orioles, understandably, were incensed.
Catcher Caleb Joseph was the most animated, slamming down on the dirt before getting up to protest the rash decision.