(CBS/AP) — The leading Philadelphia Phillies lost their first game since May 16 when Bryce Harper was ejected in the first inning of an eventual 3-2 overtime loss to the Colorado Rockies.
Facing Rockies starter Ty Blach, Harper appeared to have trouble with a low pitch after an 0-1 count, which was ruled a strike by home plate umpire Brian Walsh, making the score 0-2.
Harper then swung at and missed a curveball to strike out and end the inning, and dropped his bat and threw his helmet.
The two-time NL MVP said something to Walsh and was immediately ejected.
Harper and Phillies manager Rob Thomson feuded unsuccessfully after Harper’s exclusion from the 21st big league. Harper had called a timeout after the 0-1 throw, a borderline sinker that appeared to be low and inside.
David Zalubowski/AP
“I wasn’t really upset,” Harper said. “Obviously I secured my helmet, but that was a frustration of the call. And then I just asked him, ‘Hey, wait, that was a strike, but where did you get it?’ I just wanted to have a conversation with you.
“Again, I didn’t curse or yell or anything big. That’s about it. Obviously, I’m trying not to get thrown out of the first inning in Colorado. So it’s a shame, man. I could have doubled in the gap or homered, and the game changed, right?”
Harper is hitting .279 with 12 home runs, 37 RBIs and a .929 OPS.
“What led to the ejection was Bryce Harper was obviously upset about the pitches,” crew chief Vic Carapazza told a pool reporter. “Brian gave him a long leash. He kept him in the game, and Bryce kept arguing about balls and strikes. Ultimately, equipment violations are actually a big red flag. And if you keep talking about pitches, then Brian had to process it.”
Third baseman Alec Bohm moved to first base in place of Harper, left fielder Whit Merrifield moved to third base and Johan Rojas entered in center and Cristian Pache moved from center to left.
The Phillies were above the league’s worst Rockies entering the bottom of the ninth, when Jacob Stallings hit a home run to tie the game. Then, Ezequiel Tovar hit a game-winning single in the bottom of the eleventh, his fourth hit of the game.
The The Phillies still have the highest winning percentage in the MLB at .712 and are having a historic start to the season. Their record dropped to 37-15 after Friday’s loss.
