Stakes were high when the Chicago Cubs faced the Detroit Tigers on Sunday with the series tied 1-1. The rubber game of the series was marred by controversy after Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner was ejected after an exchange with the home plate umpire.
With the Tigers leading 2-0 in the top of the fifth inning, Nico Hoerner faced Jack Flaherty from the mound. With the Cubs second baseman on a 2-2 count, Flaherty threw a 90 mph fastball that was called a strike by home plate umpire Derek Thomas.
Hoerner didn’t like the call from Thomas and vented his frustration by protesting the strike. Thomas didn’t like the gesture from the Chicago star and ejected him after a verbal exchange.
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Cubs manager Craig Counsell was also ejected after Hoerner was given his marching orders. Vidal Brujan replaced Nico Hoerner at second base after his ejection.
Following the game, Hoerner said that there wasn’t anything malicious about his comments on the strike call during the series decider.
“I don’t think it’s really that often you can verbatim say to the press afterward what got you thrown out,” Hoerner said. “I said, ‘You’re having a really bad day.'”
Nico Hoerner’s ejection enraged fans as demands for ABS grew louder.