Yordano Ventura’s first pitch to Oakland’s Brett Lawrie during his second plate appearance Saturday against the Royals bounced in the opposite batter’s box. The next pitch was equally misguided but by the unspoken rules of baseball gamesmanship placed precisely where Ventura wanted it.
The 99-mph fastball drilled Lawrie’s side, and Kauffman Stadium erupted in cheers.
Home-plate umpire Jim Joyce immediately ejected Ventura and as that was happening, the dugouts and bullpens emptied but without confrontation.
The ejection was the first of Ventura’s career, and the Lawrie plate appearance occurred after Ventura had served up a three-run homer to Josh Reddick that gave the A’s a 5-0 lead in the fourth inning.