Tensions were high after the the Dodgers’ 11-inning loss to the Diamondbacks on Friday as both dugouts cleared due to final-inning controversy.
The dispute started when Dodgers center fielder A.J. Pollock said he was hit on the wrist by a pitch from Diamondbacks' Archie Bradley with a runner on first and no outs in the 11th. After a replay review, however, home plate umpire Ramon De Jesus ruled the ball hit Pollock’s bat, rather than his wrist. Arizona catcher Carson Kelly ended up catching it for an out, helping lead to a 3-2 loss for Los Angeles.
The Dodgers couldn't believe the call was upheld, and that's when tempers started to flare.
“Typically, I’m very political with umpiring, but they missed it,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said ( via the Los Angeles Times ). “That’s just a fact. You have a system in place to get it right and it was clearly wrong. That impacted the game … [it] changed the complexion of that inning, clearly.”
Pollock was visibly angry with the call and started yelling at De Jesus. Bradley, who was Pollock's teammate in Arizona for four years, thought Pollock was taking too long to get off the field and tried to hurry him along.
“I got him out,” Bradley said ( per MLB.com ). “That was my whole thing, that’s where it all started, like, you’re out. And you’re sitting there arguing while I’m trying to pitch to the next batter in a save situation in the 11th inning in Dodger Stadium. This is a hostile environment, I’m trying to win and you’re still standing arguing after you’ve been called out twice. It’s nothing personal to A.J. at all. It could have been anyone in the big leagues.”
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Pollock said he didn't know what Bradley was doing, while explaining he wasn't happy with the call.
"Honestly, I’m walking, just got smoked in the wrist, no knob," Pollock said. "Not going to go sprinting off and be all giggly. He didn’t like that. Tough. Whatever.”
The Dodgers' bench had some words for Bradley, and as he finished the game by striking out Will Smith, he pointed into the home dugout and started yelling back, prompting the benches to empty.
Roberts called the postgame dispute "not necessary," while Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo defended his team for responding the way that they did.
“Our guys were there for one another,” Lovullo said. “Throughout the entire game, and what you saw at the end. That’s what we do here in Arizona.”