Kurt Suzuki ejected in Angels loss

CINCINNATI, Ohio – The Los Angeles Angels couldn’t follow up on a monster 10-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday after suffering a 7-3 loss on Saturday, but the real excitement from the game wasn’t from any big shots off the bat or pitcher’s duels, but from a milestone in Kurt Suzuki’s managerial career, albeit not a positive one. 

The Angeles were trailing 5-3 in the top of the eighth inning when Logan O’Hoppe struck out swinging to lead off the inning. Reds catcher Lance Stephenson couldn’t hold on to the ball, sending O’Hoppe racing down the first baseline to try and beat out a dropped third strike. 

O’Hoppe was called safe initially after Reds first baseman Nathaniel Lowe stumbled off the bag, but that call was overturned just a few moments later and O’Hoppe was called out due to runner’s interference. 

Suzuki Ejected

That’s where the drama began.

Suzuki was irate and immediately began jawing with home plate umpire Adam Beck. He continued to argue with the ruling until Bech finally tossed Suzuki, his first ever ejection in his young managerial career.

That ejection did little to slow Suzuki down and he kept arguing for several minutes until he was finally backed down and forced to return to the dugout and eventually the clubhouse, where he had to watch the rest of the game.

The basis of the call was that O’Hoppe did not provide a throwing lane for the catcher to throw to first base, a rule that’s unique to first base throw downs. O’Hoppe treaded on the inside of the foul line, even stepping on the infield grass, which in turn forced Stephenson’s throw wide to pull Lowe off the bag. 

While it was just one out in the eighth, having any kind of base runner in what was at the time a two-run ballgame is a huge factor for any team. But, rules are rules.

A Red hot first inning

The Reds jumped out to an early lead in the first and never looked back. George Klassen, who was later put on the Injured List due to a bad finger nail, walked three batters and gave up two singles and a double to allow four Reds runs to cross in the first inning alone. 

Nolan Schanuel and Mike Trout put the Angels within striking distance with a three-run third inning, but that was all the offense the Halos could produce in what ended up being the team’s eighth loss of the season.