Tuesday night proved to be an electric one if you’re a fan of an ump show.
While a “f–king terrible” call from C.B. Bucknor in the Yankees-Mariners game sent things into chaos, Jerry Layne’s work behind the plate in the Astros-Twins games made for some fireworks in Houston.
With Jeremy Pena up in the third inning, Minnesota starter Joe Ryan threw a fastball that appeared to be a few inches off the outside corner.
But in Layne’s view, the pitch got enough of the plate to be a strike.
The Houston shortstop was visibly upset with the call as he stepped outside the batters’ box and had a few words for the home plate umpire.
Layne seemingly took exception to Pena’s words and got in the face of the 25-year-old shortstop.
That’s when the Houston dugout erupted, particularly hitting coach Alex Cintron.
An animated Cintron threw up his arms and flipped out from the top step of the bench, and after enough words, Layne ejected him from the game.
Astros manager Dusty Baker said after the game that the situation between Pena and Layne wasn’t uncommon during his playing career (1968-1986).
“In modern times, it doesn’t happen too much, but back in my time, it happened all the time,” Baker said, according to the Houston Chronicle.
It wasn’t the finest game for Layne, who was graded 93 percent accurate by Umpire Scorecards.
According to the service, he was only 85% accurate on his strike calls, getting seven of his 48 called strikes wrong.
Despite what one fan called “disgraceful” umpiring, the Astros still went on to win 5-1.