The benches cleared in the third inning in Arizona and Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo was ejected after coming out to argue that the Phillies intentionally hit Corbin Carroll, the D-backs’ star outfielder.
Carroll was hit by Matt Strahm in each of his first two plate appearances. Perhaps Lovullo thought it was some sort of retaliation after the big days Carroll had in Philadelphia three weeks ago when he went 4-for-8 with three doubles in the final two games of a series the D-backs won.
In the context of the game, hitting Carroll intentionally would have been illogical. He came up with one on and one out in the bottom of the first inning of a scoreless game. Is Strahm, who knows he’s out there for two or so innings in a bullpen game, really trying to hit someone intentionally there?
Carroll’s second plate appearance came with one on and nobody out in the third, after the Phillies had just taken a four-run lead. Is a pitcher really trying to bring the tying run to the on-deck circle with no outs in that spot?
Lovullo was animated in his argument with home plate umpire Vic Carapazza and then appeared ready to take on the Phillies’ entire team. He went at JT Realmuto, who homered and tripled in his first two at-bats. He yelled at Rob Thomson and continued to shout at Kyle Schwarber, who looked to be trying to diffuse the situation. Both benches cleared and the bullpens ran in.
The chippiness continued the rest of the half-inning and Diamondbacks infielder Josh Rojas, who did not start, was also tossed.
Monday night’s game was the first of four the Phillies have with first-place Diamondbacks this week at Chase Field.