Barefoot Jose Altuve ejected following epic rant vs. Padres

Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve was ejected after making the final out of the top of the ninth inning on a grounder to third against the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night.

Altuve remained in the batter's box as Manny Machado fielded the grounder and recorded the third out of the frame, as the former AL MVP said that the ball was fouled off his foot. Replays backed up Altuve's argument.

Prior to his ejection, the 34-year-old pleaded his case, going as far as to take off his left cleat and sock to show the umpire where the ball hit him.

Astros manager Joe Espada was also tossed from the contest, and he and Altuve extended the team's streak to three straight days where a member of the team was ejected.

Houston ended up winning the game 4-3 in 10 innings, with Altuve's replacement (Grae Kessinger) playing a huge role in the victory.

The 27-year-old (who hadn't played with Houston since July 13) scored the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th inning and then made the game-saving play at second base to end San Diego's bases-loaded rally.

Kessinger told reporters after the win that once he saw Altuve taking his shoe off, he prepared himself to enter the game.

Despite earning the win, Both Altuve and Espada remained adamant about the controversial ninth-inning play following the contest.

"Sometimes you get hit somewhere in the hand and you take your batting glove (off) to show you got hit. I was expecting to do the same thing," Altuve said, according to an Associated Press and ESPN report . "It was going through my head that it can't happen. ...It's the ninth inning, winning run on second base, I'm battling against a good pitcher, Robert (Suarez), the closer, so I'm obviously trying to get a hit and drive the run in and win the game. I get a foul ball because it hit my foot and they just took it away from me. I don't think that can happen. There are four guys on the field and you can see the change of direction on the ball. Just make the right call."

"It's a foul ball," Espada added. "You have to see the ball once he hits the foot, the flight of the ball. I don't get it. I don't understand. That's twice this year. I have a lot of respect for the umpires. They work hard. But there are four out there. You have to be able to see it. They missed that call."