Mike Clevinger was one out away from a complete game shutout against the Nationals when Dom Smith stepped in and wrecked it. On an 0-1 count, Smith crushed a fastball up in the zone and sent it to the outfield for a clean base hit. That ended the shutout, though Clevinger still got the complete game. Smith celebrated the hit with a little bat flip and a stare, which Clevinger took personally. He thought Smith was mocking him by covering his face the same way Clevinger does during mound visits to avoid being pulled from games.
The tension built quickly. Clevinger responded with sarcasm, calling it a “nice pimp,” then reminded Smith he’d been dominating the lineup all day. Tempers flared. The two exchanged heated words from opposite dugouts, both visibly frustrated and yelling across the field. Smith was still fired up even after the final out, calling Clevinger a crybaby and shouting at him to go home and cry about it.
Clevinger threw a complete game with just one earned run, but no one was talking about his performance after the game. The focus shifted to the dust-up between two players on teams going nowhere this season. A meaningless game turned personal fast, fueled by frustration and a little too much pride.