masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgThe Orioles lost their center fielder after one inning tonight and it had nothing to do with an injury.
Plate umpire Pat Hoberg tossed Adam Jones from the game for arguing balls and strikes. Jones stood in the dugout when Hoberg turned toward it and signaled for his removal.
Jones struck out on three pitches, all fastballs, from Blue Jays starter Joe Biagini. He fouled off the first, took the second and swung through the third.
Manager Buck Showalter raced out of the dugout to argue on Jones’…

The Orioles lost their center fielder after one inning tonight and it had nothing to do with an injury.

Plate umpire Pat Hoberg tossed Adam Jones from the game for arguing balls and strikes. Jones stood in the dugout when Hoberg turned toward it and signaled for his removal.

Jones struck out on three pitches, all fastballs, from Blue Jays starter Joe Biagini. He fouled off the first, took the second and swung through the third.

Manager Buck Showalter raced out of the dugout to argue on Jones’ behalf, giving the initial impression that he had been tossed. Showalter threw his hands up in the air, his face reddened, and Jones yelled at Hoberg before heading down the steps toward the clubhouse.

adam-jones-bubble-orange.jpgThis is the second career ejection for Jones, the other coming on May 3 in Boston on the night that plate umpire Sam Holbrook tossed starter Kevin Gausman for hitting Xander Bogaerts. Gausman was gone in the second inning and Jones in the fifth.

Jones fired his batting helmet toward the plate after striking out against Drew Pomeranz. He wasn’t as demonstrative tonight, chirping at Hoberg on his way out of the batter’s box and again on the bench. He clearly didn’t like the called strike that put him behind 0-2.

Craig Gentry has replaced Jones in center field, as he did in Boston, and will bat fourth. He’s not usually a guy who occupies the cleanup spot.

Hoberg made his debut in 2014 and was one of four umpires promoted to the full-time staff in February 2017.

Tim Beckham led off the first with an infield hit – he’s hit safely in 28 of 30 games with the Orioles – and Manny Machado grounded a single up the middle to put runners on the corners. Jonathan Schoop struck out looking with the count full, Jones went down swinging and Trey Mancini grounded out to keep the game scoreless.

Mark Trumbo reached on an infield hit with one out in the second and Caleb Joseph walked with two outs, but Beckham struck out looking. Beckham disputed the call and Showalter again rushed out of the dugout to make certain that he didn’t lose a second player.