Red Sox manager Alex Cora and Chris Sale were ejected in a nightmare fourth inning for Boston at Yankee Stadium in which Sale allowed seven runs with two outs and both the pitcher and manager complained bitterly about home plate umpire Mike Estabrook's strike zone.
Sale was ejected as he left the mound after being removed from the game by acting manager Ron Roenicke, the Red Sox's bench coach. Cora was ejected earlier in the inning when, during a mound visit, he complained about balls and strikes.
After Cora's ejection, Sale allowed a two-run single to Brett Gardner and a three-run homer to D.J. LeMahieu - his second homer of the day - a ground-rule double by Aaron Judge finished Sale's afternoon and he was tossed as he had words with Estabrook as he left the mound.
By that point, it was 8-1 Yankees and if the Red Sox don't rally, they'll lose their sixth in a row and Sale is looking at falling to 5-11 on the season and 0-4 with a 9.90 ERA in four starts against the Yanks this season. Sale's line Saturday: 3 2/3 innings, nine hits (seven in the fourth inning), eight runs (all earned), no walks, four strikeouts, two homers allowed and one ejection.
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