Detroit Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera and manager Jim Leyland were both ejected from Monday night's game by home plate umpire Brian Gorman after Cabrera was struck on the right knee by a pitch from Chicago's Chris Sale but wasn't awarded first base because Gorman said he swung at the pitch.
In the top of the first inning, Cabrera tried to get out of the way of a pitch from the Chicago southpaw, and as he did he was trying to check his swing but his bat crossed over the plate and Gorman called it a strike on the swing. Cabrera then fouled off the next pitch and was chirping at the umpire, leading to an ejection for the 2012 MVP and Triple Crown winner.
Jim Leyland came out to argue the ejection, not necessarily the call, and he too was tossed in less than a minute.
The ejection can be seen here.
After the game, Cabrera said he was just trying to convince Gorman that he was trying to get out of the way of the ball.
"I tried to get out of the way and [Gorman] said I swung, I was too far out," Cabrera said per ESPN. "I asked him how could he explain that. I don't know, I just tried to get out of the way. I told him that a couple of times."
Cabrera's ejection was the second this season for the slugger and fifth in his career according to ESPN, while Leyland was ejected for the fourth time this campaign and 72nd time in his career.
"I guess I made my point a little too long and [Gorman] decided to run me and that's fine," Leyland told ESPN. "I wasn't questioning the calls at all. I just thought [Cabrera] was an unnecessary ejection."
Gorman stood by the decision to run Cabrera from the game because he warned him several times to stop arguing.
"[Cabrera] was told to stop arguing and continued to argue and he was ejected for continuing the argument," Gorman said after the game, according to ESPN.
The Tigers (82-62) lost Monday night and starting pitcher Max Scherzer (19-3, 3.01 ERA) failed once again to notch his 20th victory of the season. Sale improved to 11-12 in the win for last place Chicago (58-85).
Detroit owns a 4.5 game-lead over the Cleveland Indians in the race for the American League Central.
Cabrera leads the Major Leagues in batting average (.353), on-base percentage (.446), slugging (.667), OPS (1.113), and RBIs (133), and trails only Chris Davis (48) in homeruns with 43.
Cabrera, who has been battling injuries as of late, won the Triple Crown last year with a .330 average, 44 homers and 139 RBIs.
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