Charlie Blackmon didn’t hold back after a controversial strikeout in the ninth inning. The Rockies were down by three, and he led off the inning hoping to spark a rally. The at-bat started rough, with a couple of high-and-tight pitches that Blackmon fouled off. On a 2-2 count, the umpire rung him up on a pitch that looked way outside from the front angle. Blackmon immediately slammed his bat and got tossed. No hesitation from the ump, no cooling-off period. Just one motion for the strikeout, the next to eject him.
Blackmon had already been upset with calls earlier in the game, so the frustration boiled over fast. He didn’t hold back as he let the ump have it. The lip-reading was impossible, but the rage was clear. He spiked his helmet and stormed off like a guy who’d had enough. Somewhere in the stands, a Red Sox fan seemed to love the drama. Meanwhile, Rockies manager Bud Black came out to defend his player but got tossed too. His ejection was almost reluctant, like he knew the ump wouldn’t budge but had to back his guy anyway. The whole sequence turned a routine out into a full-on meltdown.