Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Joe Kelly on Wednesday was suspended for eight games by the MLB, a day after throwing a fastball near the head of Houston’s Alex Bregman and mockingly taunting Astros star Carlos Correa.
Benches cleared after Kelly’s actions during the sixth inning of Los Angeles’ 5-2 win at Minute Maid Park.
The game marked the first time the teams had met since it was revealed that Houston stole signs leading to a 2017 World Series title that came at the Dodgers’ expense.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was suspended one game and Astros manager Dusty Baker was fined an undisclosed amount.
Baker said that he was fined because his players came onto the field, breaking COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
Kelly elected to appeal and can continue to play until the process is complete. Roberts served his penalty on Wednesday night, when the Dodgers faced Houston.
Kelly, a hard thrower with a touch of wildness, has previously been suspended for throwing at a batter.
FAIR PUNISHMENT
An eight-game penalty in this virus-shortened 60-game season is equivalent of 22 games in a 162-game season.
“I think that the punishments were fair,” Baker said.
In Wednesday night’s game in Houston, Edwin Rios slugged a two-run homer leading off the top of the 13th inning, and the Dodgers outlasted Astros 4-2 to sweep a two-game interleague series.
Rios, who struck out as a pinch hitter leading off the 11th, drilled a 2-2 cutter from Astros reliever Cy Sneed (0-1) 368 feet into the seats in right field.
Enrique Hernandez, who opened the frame on second base per rules enacted for this season, scored on the Rios blast — the first two-run home run to lead off an inning in MLB history, according to MLB.com data.
Dennis Santana (1-0), the ninth pitcher of the game for the Dodgers, earned the win after starting the game by striking out George Springer with the potential winning run on third in the 11th.
Astros rookie right-hander Cristian Javier dazzled in his first career start, limiting the Dodgers to one run on two hits and one walk with eight strikeouts over 5-2/3 innings.
In other games on Wednesday it was:
‧ Yankees 9, Orioles 3
‧ Giants 7, Padres 6
‧ Twins 3, Cardinals 0
‧ Braves 7, Rays 4
‧ Mariners 10, Angels 7
‧ Nationals 4, Blue Jays 0, 10 inns
‧ Rockies 5, Athletics 1
‧ Brewers 3, Pirates 0
‧ Rangers 7, Diamondbacks 4
‧ Reds 12, Cubs 7
‧ White Sox 4, Indians 0
‧ Red Sox 6, Mets 5
‧ Tigers 5, Royals 4
Additional reporting by Reuters
SWEEP THE LEG: Poirier, determined to best McGregor, after losing to him in 2014, used low calf kicks to throw ‘Notorious’ off his stand-up game, before dropping him American underdog Dustin Poirier yesterday shook up the world of mixed martial arts, beating up the legs of Irish superstar Conor McGregor before knocking him out at UFC 257 in Abu Dhabi. “I’m happy, but I’m not surprised. I put in the work,” Poirier said, after the referee stepped in after 2 minutes, 32 seconds of the second round to save McGregor from further damage, after he was dropped by a fierce combination of punches. The 32-year-old Poirier was ranked second in the flyweight division going into the fight, but still rated a heavy underdog by bookmakers to beat his fourth-ranked opponent,
World No. 1 Tai Tzu-ying yesterday eased past her Thai opponent to advance to the second round of the Toyota Thailand Open. The Taiwanese star toppled world No. 46 Supanida Katethong 21-16, 21-11 in 29 minutes at the Impact Arena in Bangkok. “I think I played OK today. I am feeling a little better than last week,” Tai said. Tomorrow, Tai faces Indonesia’s Gregoria Mariska Tunjung. The two have faced each other six times, with Tai beating the world No. 21 in all six matches. Tai on Sunday reached the final of the Yonex Thailand Open before losing decisively against Carolina Marin of Spain.
LOOKING TO REPEAT: World No. 7 Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin advanced to the round-of-16 at the Toyota Thailand Open, after winning the Yonex Thailand Open on Sunday Taiwan’s world No. 7 duo yesterday eased past the US’ world No. 37 pairing at the Toyota Thailand Open to reach the round-of-16 in Bangkok. Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin beat Phillip Chew and Ryan Chew 21-14, 21-11 in just 24 minutes. Lee and Wang, who won the men’s doubles title at the Yonex Thailand Open on Sunday, next face the world No. 34 pairing, Canada’s Jason Anthony Ho-Shue and Nyl Yakura. In men’s singles, Taiwan’s world No. 2 Chou Tien-chen again beat Thailand’s world No. 45 Suppanyu Avihingsanon, after edging past the Thai player in the opening round of the Yonex
Three new COVID-19 cases yesterday hit the Australian Open’s troubled buildup as a backlash grew against international tennis players flown in during a raging pandemic. Two of the new cases were players, state health officials said, taking the total infections to seven since more than 1,000 people arrived in largely COVID-19-free Australia on charter flights last week. The Victoria Department of Health and Human Services said that the two players and a third person associated with the tournament — a woman in her 20s, and two men in their 30s — had returned positive results. The year’s first Grand Slam, delayed three weeks,
RSS