Cora’s Frustration Boils Over in Doubleheader Opener
As the postseason hopes for the Boston Red Sox dwindle, manager Alex Cora expressed his mounting frustration during the first game of a doubleheader against the Minnesota Twins on Sunday. The tension escalated in the top of the first inning when Cora made a calm yet determined walk to the umpires following an obstruction call at second base.
What began as a measured discussion quickly turned into a heated confrontation. Cora was seen waving his arms animatedly and then sprinted towards second base to emphasize his point. His gestures, which included pointing furiously at second base umpire Dan Merzel, clearly conveyed his displeasure. The situation intensified to the point where third base umpire Alan Porter had to intervene and physically hold Cora back.
Ultimately, Cora was ejected from the game.
The incident unfolded with Byron Buxton on second base. Red Sox pitcher Nick Pivetta attempted to pick him off with a throw. However, Red Sox second baseman Vaughn Grissom inadvertently obstructed the base, blocking it with his knee as he received the throw. The umpires subsequently ruled that the obstruction warranted moving the runner to third base.
Cora’s frustration stemmed not only from the obstruction call itself but also from the fact that it was Porter who made the call rather than Merzel, who was closer to the play. He seemed particularly irked that the Twins’ manager, Rocco Baldelli, had to prompt the umpires to address the issue before they made the correct call. Initially, the umpires had overlooked the obstruction altogether.
“He blocked the bag,” Cora stated after the Red Sox secured an 8-1 victory. “He did. But the whole mechanism, I didn’t like. It took (the Twins) to argue. And then Alan called time to get together. They got the call right, but you’re right there. Just call it. It’s a lot easier that way. And I took exception and I got thrown out.”
Although the play was ruled an error on Grissom, Pivetta managed to navigate the inning without further damage. This incident marked Cora’s third ejection of the season, but he will be eligible to return as manager for the second game of the doubleheader, which is set to begin at 5:35 p.m. ET.
(Photo: Winslow Townson / Getty Images)
