Tempers flared at Fenway Park during Sunday’s game between the Boston Red Sox and Milwaukee Brewers. Benches cleared, but there was no pushing and shoving and no punches thrown during the confrontation.
The commotion started in the top of the seventh inning when Boston reliever Chris Martin covered first base on a ground ball from Christian Yelich of the Brewers. As Martin walked back to the dugout, he said something to Milwaukee first base coach Quintin Berry, prompting Berry to react angrily.
Dominic Smith tried to calm Berry down, after which Martin turned to confront the coach. That provoked plenty of other Red Sox and Brewers to run onto the field and join in.
Benches just cleared in the Red Sox and Brewers game.
What the hell is Quintin Berry doing?
Chris Martin turned around as if he was about to notice him. pic.twitter.com/BjJ1w90L1m
— Tyler Milliken ⚾️ (@tylermilliken_) May 26, 2024
No players or coaches were ejected. The Red Sox ultimately won the game 2-1, securing one win in the three-game series over the NL Central-leading Brewers and improving their season record to 27-26.
However, Martin was then asked about the incident and revealed what caused tensions to flare on the pitch. The nine-year veteran doesn’t like opposing hitters bumping into him.
“I probably said some things under my breath,” Martin told NESN. “In the heat of the moment, they hit twice… I didn’t like it. I know it’s part of the game, but it is what it is. I let them know.”
Martin was then asked why he has such a problem with flags. Does he feel disrespected by batters who try to reach base that way? He acknowledged that it might have been a compliment, then railed against the Brewers.
Chris Martin is not a fan of bunting.
“Maybe they don’t think they can get hit or whatever.”
Says he and Quintin Berry have no beef. They played together. Just competition. pic.twitter.com/6rJiNvST5U
— Tyler Milliken ⚾️ (@tylermilliken_) May 26, 2024
“Maybe they don’t think they can get hit or something,” he added. “I feel like in this league… I’m swinging the bat.”
Martin allowed one hit in his scoreless inning of work, but he clearly didn’t like the fact that the hit came on a bunt single. Perhaps he was more annoyed when the Brewers followed with another sacrifice bunt to move the runner to second base in a 1-1 game.
But the 6-foot-1 pitcher….”Big rig‘, as teammate Jarren Duran calls him – may not like having to run down the mound and hunker down on the ground to take a bunt. Maybe that’s not the case. mano a mano, as Martin seems to believe. But like he said, bunting is part of the game, so his reaction seems like an overreaction.
Martin is having a good season for Boston, striking out 22 batters in 20 1/3 innings with seven earned runs allowed (3.10 ERA). Maintaining a competitive advantage over things like hitters coming his way could be a key to his success.
