It was just an insane game today. The outstanding news is the Pittsburgh Pirates shut down the Los Angeles Dodgers thanks to Garrett Freaking Jones going deep twice with three-run bombs off Joe Blanton who was making his third start as a Dodger.
#AlwaysSmooth Clint Barmes got into the act as well driving in three runs as A.J. Burnett got beat up by the suddenly potent Dodger Blue offense, but wouldn’t get knocked out and stuck around to strike out seven.
Matt Kemp missed the action and his team could have really used him today, thank God he got himself ejected. Home plate umpire Angel Campos had more spit fired his way than a third graders trumpet.
Don Mattingly came out to argue with Campos and was tossed by first base umpire Tim Tschida. It was hard to tell, but Kemp exploded out of the dugout and touched up against an ump as he was unleashing his venom. (Kemp’s actions prompted the classic earmuffs screenshot that exploded on Twitter)
If that wasn’t enough, Joe Blanton had a stare down with Campos as he walked toward the L.A. dugout, and was promptly ejected after being pulled in the fifth inning. Blanton charged at Campos, but, as so often is the case was caught just in time before reaching the home plate ump.
The Bucs had fell behind 4-3 when Hanley Ramirez crushed a homer and flashed the dugout the “I see you” googles as he rounded second—the only thing was if you watch the video, Burnett might have thought HRam was doing it toward him.
Down a run, Blanton surrendered a triple to #AlwaysSmooth Clint Barmes, providing the 25,000+ at PNC Park more than there 100 percent requirement of smooth. GFJ hit his second three-run bomb in the fifth inning.
Pedro Alvarez followed with a solo bomb to the ‘P’ in the Pirates shrubbery in dead center field that chased Blanton, who has now given up 26 homers, most in the continent we believe. #DayDro is back. Watch out St. Louis, El Toro is coming and you know what happened last time!
Burnett goes his revenge when he struck out Ramirez in the sixth inning, a pitch or two before the Dodgers shortstop glared at Campos when he disagreed with a strike called on him. After he struckout, he bounced his bat on the plate and Campos pointed toward it and fined him.
The eyes of the Pirates ace never left Ramirez, and in the blink of an eye, a memorable moment occured, but more important to everyone in Pittsburgh, a catchphrase emerged from A.J’s mouth, ‘sit the fu*k down!’
Where are those earmuffs again?