The drama in the Yankees-Orioles series continued.
One day after Aaron Judge and Gleyber Torres were plunked by their American League rivals, Baltimore shortstop Gunnar Henderson was hit on the front shoulder by Yankees reliever Victor Gonzalez in the seventh inning of the Orioles’ 7-6, 10-inning win in The Bronx on Wednesday night.
MASN announcers Kevin Brown and Brett Hollander both believed warnings should have been issued, especially after what transpired between the two teams yesterday, which also included Henderson getting a pitch up-and-in from Yankees hurler Nestor Cortes.
“That was right up and in and [home plate umpire] Gabe Morales has to warn them now, everyone is chirping for it,” Hollander said as Henderson walked toward first base.
Brown said Henderson handled everything that happened over the last two games with great aplomb.
“Gunnar Henderson handled the situation very maturely yesterday, and whatever this was about, he’s handling it very maturely right now,” Brown said. “Gabe Morales did not warn either bench — I’m very surprised by that.”
Brown then went more into the Yankees’ potential thinking about why they might have hit the young infielder, and though the play-by-play man said he was obviously not 100 percent sure if the Bronx Bombers did it intentionally, he did say that if they did, it was entirely shameful.
“Here’s what we can say, if the Yankees were thinking about doing something like this, down three [runs] in the seventh with the bases empty, is the time you might do it. And if they did do it, and if they did throw up and in intentionally to Gunnar Henderson, then frankly shame on them.”
This came after Orioles starter Dillon Tate said earlier Wednesday that the Yankees were “justified” in their frustration of Judge getting hit — and injuring his hand in the process.
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde also said he didn’t want to see any player from either team get plunked.
“I think getting hit is unfortunately a terrible part of the game, and I don’t think anybody wants to see anybody get hit,” Hyde said before his team’s extra-inning win. “I don’t want to see their guys get hit. I don’t want to see our guys get hit.
“When something like that happens — because it’s probably in New York, it’s a little bit bigger of a deal — but we just don’t want that to happen.”
Henderson finished the game 1-for-4 with two runs scored.
