Yankees, Orioles benches clear after batter gets hit in the head

Tempers flared Friday night between the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles leading to the benches clearing after Heston Kjerstad was hit in the head.

During the ninth inning, Yankees closer Clay Holmes let a pitch get away. It hit Kjerstad in the head, and the Orioles took major exception to it.

The benches cleared near home plate as both teams converged into a mob. Orioles manager Brandon Hyde was ejected after rushing toward the Yankees dugout screaming and pointing.

Hyde had to be restrained by Yankees catcher Austin Wells before both teams converged into a massive mob at home plate.

Clearly, this wasn't intentional by Holmes. Despite the rain heavily falling in the ninth inning and the fact that Holmes doesn't want runners on base — with an 0-2 count no less — the Orioles feel the Yankees have hit far too many batters this season.

They have a right to feel a bit slighted in that sense considering the lob-sided numbers of hit-by-pitches during the team's three series this season. Yankees pitchers have hit 10 Orioles batters this season while only three Yankees hitters have been hit by Orioles pitchers.

The Yankees wound up taking the first game of this crucial series, 4-1, before the All-Star Break and are now one game behind the Orioles for the division lead.