A leisurely Rafael Devers home run trot spawned three ejections in the first inning of the San Francisco Giants’ game against the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night in Denver.
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland and San Francisco’s Matt Chapman and Willy Adames were ejected after the benches cleared and punches were thrown.
On the eighth pitch of the game — a hanging Freeland curveball — Devers lofted a towering fly ball that landed roughly eight rows deep in the right field stands. Devers took his time leaving the batter’s box while tracking the flight of his two-run homer, which drew Freeland’s ire. Devers started backpedaling toward first base so he could exchange words with the Rockies left-hander as both teams charged toward the mound.
Chapman was the first to reach Freeland and gave him a shove. While home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi pushed Chapman away, Adames jumped in and appeared to cock his right arm to throw a punch at Freeland.
After things got under control, the umpires huddled and announced the ejections. Antonio Senzatela took over on the mound, while Casey Schmitt and Dominic Smith pinch-hit for Adames and Chapman, respectively.
