Ben Margot / Associated Press
Oakland Athletics center-back Ramon Laureano was not happy that the Houston Astros hit him with a pitch not once, but twice, during the American League West showdown on Sunday.
Brandon Bailey hit him with a pitch in the fifth inning, but tensions escalated when Humberto Castellanos hit him in the seventh.
As Marc Carig of The Athletic pointed out, Laureano “seems to be triggered by what Astros beat coach Alex Cintron said of the dugout.” He cried after the Houston dugout before the banks knew.
Laureano was eventually sent off with Oakland holding a 6-2 lead and going for the sweep of three games.
Oakland entered the game at 11-4 with a 4.5-game lead over the Astros and Texas Rangers. It has to play Houston seven more times this year, so there will be plenty of extra chances for drama in the race for the AL West crown this short season.
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