Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland and Pittsburgh Pirates skipper Clint Hurdle were both ejected for sepearate incidents yesterday. The reasons for each manager getting tossed were similar but the respective play each skipper was arguing against proved to be more dire for Hurdle’s team. Leyland got tossed in the bottom of the 6th inning for arguing a call at third base where Tigers third baseman Wilson Betemit appeared to have slid in safely at third. However the third base umpire Alan Porter called him out. Replays later showed Betemit was safe and Porter was wrong but regardless the Tigers ended up winning the game due in large part to a 7 run third inning.
Hurdle has more reason to be upset as the call that got him eventually thrown out likely cost his team a shot at the win. In the bottom of the 9th down one, pinch runner Josh Harrison was called out on a close play at 2nd that would have given the Pirates a great chance to tie the game up considering Neil Walker doubled right after the call. Hurdle, obviusly furious was eventually tossed by second base umpire Brian Knight. It was his 4th ejection of the season and 2nd in the past 3 days.
