Red Sox, Orioles Benches Clear After Hard Slide

The Boston Red Sox defeated the Baltimore Orioles 1-0 on Friday after Mickey Gasper’s first-inning home run, but the game’s main flashpoint came in the eighth inning when Blaze Alexander slid hard into second base during a double play. Alexander said he made a clean slide and confronted Nick Sogard after believing the Red Sox infielder was staring at him, while Sogard said he was only looking back to see how far Alexander had slid and had no issue with the play itself. The exchange prompted both teams to empty their benches and bullpens, though there were no reported ejections or serious physical altercations. The loss was Baltimore’s fourth straight, leaving the Orioles three games behind for the final American League wild-card spot, while Alexander has hit .346 since returning from a fractured hand.