Benches clear as Astros, Dodgers meet for 1st time since scandal
Tempers flared between the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday in their first meeting since Major League Baseball punished the Astros for stealing signs during the 2017 season.
The hostility culminated in the benches clearing after Joe Kelly struck out Carlos Correa to end the sixth inning. The plate appearance featured Kelly throwing up and in on the first pitch.
Carlos Correa has to duck out of the way from an inside breaking ball from Joe Kelly. pic.twitter.com/NabNOVB0Q6
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 29, 2020
Astros manager Dusty Baker said postgame that Correa was angered by Kelly shouting, "Nice swing, b----," according to Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY.
Carlos Correa and Joe Kelly exchanged words after Kelly struck out Correa. Benches cleared following the exchange. pic.twitter.com/sVHaibpN2y
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 29, 2020
The tension began to rise when Kelly missed badly against Alex Bregman on a 3-0 pitch in an earlier at-bat.
3-0 pitch from Joe Kelly ends up going behind Alex Bregman. pic.twitter.com/q6P8CD5oqj
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 29, 2020
Shortly afterward, Michael Brantley beat out a grounder with Kelly covering first base, and someone from the Astros dugout appeared to shout at the Dodgers reliever to get back on the mound.
Kelly denied that he threw at the Astros intentionally.
"My accuracy isn't the best," he said, according to Pedro Moura of The Athletic.
Kelly's denial didn't convince Baker.
"You don't throw at a guy's head," the veteran manager said, according to Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle. "That's playing dirty baseball."
Dodgers starter Walker Buehler seemed to exchange words with Bregman earlier in the game, though matters didn't escalate at the time.
Walker Buehler exchanging words with Alex Bregman 👀 pic.twitter.com/GI1VNvM5bn
— Blake Harris (@BlakeHarrisTBLA) July 29, 2020
The Dodgers lost to the Astros in the 2017 World Series. After multiple allegations suggesting Houston stole signs, MLB launched a probe and uncovered an elaborate scheme used throughout the 2017 campaign and into the 2018 season. The team was fined and stripped of draft picks, while manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow were suspended for one year and subsequently fired.
Kelly wasn't a member of the 2017 Dodgers but played for the Red Sox, whom Houston beat in the ALDS that year. He was part of Boston's 2018 championship team that was later found to have stolen signs to a lesser extent during the regular season.
The Dodgers ultimately won Tuesday's game 5-2. Both teams are 3-2 on the season.