Game 2 of Thursday’s doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers was wild, to say the least.
Yesterday’s 8-4 win for the Pittsburgh Pirates in game 2 of the doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers had it all at Comerica Park.
Before the lengthy rain delay that paused a tie game in the bottom of the ninth until 10 p.m. Eastern, a video went viral of Pirates reliever Dennis Santana jawing at fans above the visiting bullpen in the 7th inning. Things immediately came to a climax when Santana pointed at what appeared to be a Pirates fan in a yellow #21 jersey and jumped up to try to slap this fan.
Santana wouldn’t give details about exactly what was said that made him angry, but said that this fan “crossed the line.”
“You guys know me. I’m a calm demeanor type of person,” Santana said. “I’ve never had any issues with any of the teams that I’ve played for and I guess the guy crossed the line a few times… It doesn’t justify my actions, but it was too much.”
Manager Don Kelly said he was “still gathering the facts” on the situation and wouldn’t comment further.
Santana has just been suspended four games and will be appealing.
But Santana wasn’t the only Pirate to be angry with fans at Comerica Park. Tommy Pham, of course, was inspired by Santana to feed into whatever was being shouted behind home plate by some Tigers fans in the top of the 10th inning.
Yes, Pham felt compelled to walk off the on-deck circle and interrupt Oneil Cruz’s at bat as he became upset at three fans who were eventually ejected by Crew Chief Dexter Kelley and escorted out by security. Don Kelly had to come out and calm Pham down and get him back to the on-deck circle.
Pham did not speak to the media about the incident after the game.