Football
Associated Press 19y

Mets bench coach Alomar ejected in first inning

HOUSTON -- New York Mets bench coach Sandy Alomar was
ejected from the dugout in the first inning of Sunday's game
against the Houston Astros while taking up an argument with third
base umpire Rob Drake after manager Willie Randolph had returned
from airing his gripe to the rest of the crew.

The dispute began when the Astros' Morgan Ensberg took a pitch
for a ball and began heading to first base, thinking he had walked.
But it was only ball three, so plate umpire Bob Davidson called
time out and told him to return to the batter's box.

Lance Berkman was on first base at the time and apparently also
thought it was ball four because he began slowly heading to second
base with his head down. Mets catcher Ramon Castro threw the ball
to second base and a rundown ensued, with Berkman getting tagged on
his way back to first base.

But Berkman was allowed to stay at first, presumably because
Davidson had stopped play.

Randolph complained for several minutes, then went back to the
dugout. Within seconds, Drake turned toward the dugout and quickly
tossed Alomar, prompting Alomar and Randolph to run out toward
Drake. As they chatted, second base umpire Andy Fletcher ran toward
the Mets dugout after apparently hearing something he didn't like.

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