Yankees start critical Orioles series with win after tempers ‘boiled over’ in ninth-inning fight

New York Post - 13/07
A battle for first place in the AL East on a steamy and tense Friday night turned into fireworks, ignited by an errant 97 mph sinker in the rain.

BALTIMORE — A battle for first place in the AL East on a steamy and tense Friday night at Camden Yards turned into fireworks, ignited by an errant 97 mph sinker in the rain.

Clay Holmes’ 0-2 pitch in the bottom of the ninth drilled Heston Kjerstad in the helmet, which eventually set off Orioles manager Brandon Hyde toward someone in the Yankees dugout and the benches cleared for pushing and shoving without any punches being thrown.

The end result was a crucial 4-1 Yankees win on a night when Gerrit Cole pitched like an ace to lift his struggling team back within one game of the Orioles for first place in the AL East.