Chris Sale struggled again against the Yankees, continuing a tough season. He wasn’t getting close calls, and the frustration built quickly. In the fourth with the game tied and the bases loaded, Red Sox manager Alex Cora came out for what looked like a standard mound visit. Instead, he lit into the umpire, ripping missed calls and saying Sale was getting squeezed all night. He loudly accused the crew of helping the Yankees, not hiding his anger. The ump didn’t respond, just let him rant. Moments later, DJ LeMahieu hit a home run, making a bad situation even worse.
Things kept unraveling. A borderline pitch to Judge was called a ball, and Judge followed with a double. Sale, clearly rattled, asked his catcher and coach if that earlier pitch had been a strike. When they said yes, Sale erupted again, calling the situation a joke. That outburst led to an ejection. It was another low point in a rough season. Sale’s command issues were compounded by a zone he felt was shrinking, and the Yankees took full advantage.