.@bbelt9 was tossed by the 3rd base umpire in between innings. pic.twitter.com/DnXkSOck9Y
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) July 15, 2018
It wasn’t Brandon Belt’s night.
Belt had grown visibly frustrated as he fought through his third at-bat of Saturday night’s game against the visiting Oakland Athletics in the bottom of the fourth inning. Two strikes found the corners, much to Belt’s frustration, to make the count 2-2. On the fifth pitch of his at-bat, Belt check-swung and turned away, as to prepare for an ensuing pitch.
In Belt's defense, this is not a swing. pic.twitter.com/NRp6hs2euy
— Ahmed Fareed (@FareedNBCS) July 15, 2018
The third base umpire had other ideas. He signaled that Belt had swung for a strikeout.
A half-inning later, as the Giants took the field, Belt had words with the umpire. He progressively grew angrier, throwing his glove and getting face-to-face with the umpire before Giants players and Bruce Bochy stepped in to split it up.
Belt was promptly ejected. When the umpire tossed Belt he told Bochy “I warned him 5 times.” Pablo Sandoval replaced him at first base. It was San Francisco’s fifth ejection this year and the third from a player (Brandon Crawford and Madison Bumgarner had the other two).
Belt’s 0-3 night ended early.