08/07/2007 9:33 PM ET
Yanks, Jays empty benches twice
No punches thrown after A-Rod plunked in leg by Towers
By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com
TORONTO -- Alex Rodriguez's much-debated shout may have occurred more than two months ago in Toronto, but it's still fresh in the minds of the Blue Jays and Yankees.
On Tuesday night, the benches and bullpens cleared twice in the third inning after Jays starter Josh Towers hit Rodriguez with a pitch. With two outs in the inning, the first offering that left Towers' hand met up with the left leg of New York's third baseman.
Rodriguez, who was nearly hit with a first-pitch fastball by Toronto's Jesse Litsch in the second inning on Monday, immediately headed toward the mound, barking at Towers. The Blue Jays starter pointed to first base, appearing to tell Rodriguez to take his base. That didn't stop the other Yankees and Blue Jays players and coaches from spilling on to the field.
A crowd of players formed between the mound and home plate, where the umpires attempted to gain control of the situation. While the Blue Jays and Yankees exchanged words, both clubs' pitchers began to jog in from the bullpens located beyond the outfield wall.
As the pack of players began to break up, Rodriguez headed down the first-base line with 39-year-old Blue Jays veteran Matt Stairs close behind. Stairs, while being held back by a handful of New York players, continued to yell at Rodriguez before returning to Toronto's dugout.
A few minutes after the minor confrontation took place, Rodriguez left first base and had more words for Towers. The benches and bullpens cleared again -- this time with players sprinting out to the area between the mound and first base, where Toronto's Lyle Overbay blocked Rodriguez's path to Towers.
The entire incident, in which no one was ejected, delayed the game for around 15 minutes, and was likely the result of bad blood leftover from the May 30 incident in Toronto. During that game, Rodriguez appeared to distract former Toronto infielder Howie Clark and Jays shortstop John McDonald during a ninth-inning pop up near third base.
Rodriguez shouted something as he ran between Clark and McDonald on a fly ball off the bat of Yankees catcher Jorge Posada, Clark, who was playing third base, believed McDonald was calling him off on the play, so he ran out from under the ball. The baseball dropped to the turf, resulting in a single that helped lead to four New York runs in a 10-5 loss for the Jays.
With the Yankees leading, 7-0, in the seventh inning, Yankees starter Roger Clemens sent an 1-0 pitch up and in on Toronto's Alex Rios. The baseball hit Rios in the back and home-plate umpire Angel Hernandez, who issued warnings to both teams earlier in the game, promptly ejected both Clemens and New York manager Joe Torre.
Jordan Bastian is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.