Syndergaard 'dumbfounded' over quick ejection

Shortly after a drama-filled Saturday at Citi Field, Noah Syndergaard insisted the 99-mph fastball that started it all and got him ejected simply got away from him.

Syndergaard, the hard-throwing Mets right-hander whose exceptional control has led to just nine walks over 62 2/3 innings this season, said the ball that sailed behind Chase Utley in the third inning slipped out of his hand because of sweaty temperatures in Queens.

"It was a very quick trigger," Syndergaard said of plate umpire Adam Hamari's ejection, according to ESPN's Adam Rubin. "I was just kind of dumbfounded. I've never been thrown out of a game before, so it was just kind of a whirlwind of emotions. It kind of rattled me a little bit, the reason I got thrown out. I was kind of at a loss for words."

When asked if he thought Syndergaard's pitch was retaliation for last year's playoffs, Utley said: ''Possibly, but I understand it.''

With one out and nobody on in the third inning of a scoreless game, Syndergaard's first pitch of the at-bat flew behind Utley, narrowly missing the Dodgers second baseman, and triggered his immediate ejection. An irate Terry Collins jettisoned from the dugout to protest the ejection and was also tossed by Hamari.

Related: Umps rule Syndergaard intentionally threw at Utley​

Collins said after the game - a 9-1 Mets' loss following Utley's improbable two homers and five RBIs - that he warned his players during their last visit to Los Angeles not to seek retribution for Utley's violent takeout slide that broke Ruben Tejada's leg in last year's playoffs.

"I already discussed with Noah," said the Mets skipper. "We'll leave it at that."

Syndergaard maintains that he isn't worried about discipline from the league because he never intended to throw at Utley.

"Tonight was a warm one out there," he said. "I got a little sweaty. It just got away from me a little bit.

(Video courtesy: MLB.com)