Cora embarrassed by postseason ejection: 'I got a job to do'

In his first career game in the American League Championship Series as skipper, Alex Cora earned his first postseason ejection, and the manager seemed to show some regret following the 7-2 loss.

"It's kind of embarrassing that it happens in the playoffs," Cora said postgame, according to Christopher Smith of MassLive. "That wasn't cool, watching the game in the clubhouse. I got a job to do and manage the team in the dugout."

Cora was ejected immediately following the fifth inning for arguing balls and strikes with home plate umpire James Hoye. Boston Red Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi had just been called for strike three on a borderline full count offering from Justin Verlander with the bases loaded. From the sixth inning on, Ron Roenicke ran the dugout.

"Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do and you've got to defend your players," Cora continued. "And at least Andrew stayed in the game and he had a few more at-bats and he played left field while I was watching in my office."

"I guess Verlander executed his pitch and (Hoye) called it a strike. Andrew didn't agree. I didn't agree. It's a big pitch right there. It's ball four, bases loaded," Cora said, of what would have been the go-ahead run during a sustained Red Sox rally.