Home plate umpire Bruce Dreckman was ejected from Saturday's game. By Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz.
Ortiz tossed Dreckman moments after his own ejection during a heated confrontation in the seventh inning, which began when Ortiz flipped his bat and exchanged words with the umpire over balls and strikes.
After punching a single up the middle off Kansas City Royals reliever Kelvin Herrera, Ortiz heaved his bat toward the pitcher's mound as he trotted to first base.
(Courtesy: MLB.com)
During the at-bat, Ortiz took issue with a pair of called strikes before lifting the bloop single into center field.
"The strike zone is way too damn big," Ortiz told reporters after Boston's 7-4 loss. "You can't hit like that."
Ortiz, who says he was tossed because of a gesture he made at first base and not his bat flip, said Dreckman's ejection came down to respect.
"Growing up in my house," he said, "if you don't respect me, I don't have to respect you. That's how I am, that's life. I don't feel like I did anything wrong."
