CINCINNATI – To understand David Ross’ reaction to Reds reliever Hunter Strickland hitting Cubs slugger Patrick Wisdom with a first-pitch fastball, it’s necessary to go back an inning.
Tensions ran high Wednesday in the late innings of a game the Cubs would lose 4-3 to the Reds.
In the eighth inning, Cubs reliever Rowan Wick walked Reds star Joey Votto in four pitches. The first was a fastball up and in, plus two balls in the dirt and one fastball wide.
Votto tossed his bat toward the dugout on his way to first base. After the game, Wick said he didn’t remember exactly what words were exchanged, but he said something along the lines of “Nice bat flip.