WATCH: Benches get cleared in Braves-Pirates game as tempers flare between Ronald Acuna Jr. and Johan Oviedo
The benches got cleared early on in the Braves-Pirates game on Saturday as Ronald Acuna Jr. and Johan Oviedo got into a tangle after an inside pitch.
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Ronald Acuna Jr. (R) and Johan Oviedo (L) [Pic Credit: Imago]
As the temperatures are set to go down across the United States in the upcoming months, tempers have flared across baseball stadiums in the country. The month of September usually brings out the best in players as the post-season race intensifies. An incident of high tempers boiling over was recorded on Saturday. Ronald Acuna Jr. and Johan Oviedo got into an exchange of words that saw the benches clear.
At the moment, Acuna Jr. is the most in-form player in the MLB. The Venezuelan international has broken several records this season and is one of the leading candidates for the NL MVP. He was not happy with the pitch from Oviedo during the first inning of the game. This resulted in the duo charging towards each other while using some words.
A fastball (95 mph) by Oviedo went a little too inside of Acuna Jr.’s plate. The Atlanta Braves slugger did not seem too pleased with the pitch and glared right back at the southpaw. The moment the duo charged forward, both benches rushed out of the dugouts.
Fortunately, no fight broke out, as seen in the Guardians-White Sox game between Jose Ramirez and Tim Anderson. The players were pulled away from each other, and after a moment of talking, the tensions cooled down and the game resumed without any harsh actions being taken.
Ronald Acuna Jr. shows off wild celebration after hitting a single off Johan Oviedo
While the tension at the plate following the benches being cleared might have diffused, Ronald Acuna Jr. was not done with Johan Oviedo. The first duel between them saw him earn a walk as the inside pitch, on which the slugger was upset, made it a 3-1 count. He would later hit a single off the Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher and celebrate wildly.
Acuna Jr. has established himself as an animated character on the pitch. He is always hyped up while playing, which has seen him get a lot of affection from the fans. After hitting the single of Ovideo, he would hit the “rocking baby” celebrating while running towards first base. This was seen as a swipe at the pitcher, silencing him.
It was Oviedo who had the last laugh, as the Pirates won the game 8-4. Following the game, Acuna Jr. would say that things that happen in the game stay in the game. “I think those are just things that are part of the game. Things that happen in the game, stay in the game,” he said through his translator regarding the incident.
The result meant that the Pirates had delayed the chances of the Braves clinching the playoffs. Realistically, they only need one more win to ensure their place in the knockout stages after an impressive campaign. They could clinch that on Sunday if they manage to bounce back from this defeat.
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Vinay Dave
(1875 Articles Published)