Things got heated fast in the first inning of a Cubs vs. Cardinals game. Cubs’ Ian Happ accidentally caught Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras in the head with a backswing. The two were teammates for six years, so Happ looked shaken up when he saw blood coming from Contreras’ head. Contreras tried to stay in the game but had to leave, despite giving Happ a hug and some reassuring words on his way out.
Cardinals pitcher Miles Mikolas didn’t let it go. He made it clear he planned to hit Happ with the first pitch after the incident. His first throw missed high and inside, but the second one caught Happ on the backside. Umpires met immediately and tossed Mikolas for what they said was an obvious intentional hit. Mikolas protested hard, claiming sweaty hands. Then he exchanged words with the Cubs’ dugout, specifically Marcus Stroman, yelling at players and challenging them from the field.
As if that wasn’t enough, Cardinals manager Oli Marmol also got ejected after telling umpires to keep control of the other team. Once play resumed, the Cubs kept piling on. Cody Bellinger singled, a couple walks followed, and Happ eventually came around to score. The Cubs took a 1-0 lead and didn’t let up, scoring more and cruising to an easy win after the chaos settled.