Astros, Rangers Benches Clear After Hit-by-Pitch Leads to Questionable Ejection

The highly anticipated all-Texas ALCS finally boiled over.

In the sixth inning of Game 5 of the ALCS Friday evening, Rangers right fielder Adolis García hit the home run of his life—a three-run shot to put Texas ahead 4–2 in a tightly contested game between in-state rivals.

Little did García, who celebrated his home run accordingly with an emphatic bat spike, know his night was just beginning.

As he stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the eighth, Astros pitcher Bryan Abreu struck García with a 98-mile-per-hour four-seam fastball. García immediately took exception, stepping toward Houston catcher Martin Maldonado.

Both benches promptly cleared, and the two teams’ coaching staffs quickly moved to separate García from the Astros.

Benches have cleared in Arlington. pic.twitter.com/F1abofICpX

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 20, 2023

When the dust settled, Abreu, García and Houston manager Dusty Baker were all ejected from the game as umpires ruled the reliever had thrown at García intentionally, despite the situation.

The umpires clearly have very little clue as to the situation.

The HBP puts 2 runners on in the 8th inning of a 2-run ballgame in game 5 of the ALCS.

That's a horrible ejection of Abreu.

Embarrassing.

— Will Kunkel (@WillKunkelFOX) October 20, 2023

Some serious drama in game 5 of the ALCS. Zero chance Bryan Abreu was trying to put another man on base there. An ejection there is wild.

— Wayne Randazzo (@WayneRandazzo) October 20, 2023

The dramatic events woke up what had largely been a sleepy 2–2 series, in which the road team jumped out to an early lead and won each of the first four games.