HOUSTON (AP) — Astros starter Ronel Blanco was ejected at the start of the fourth inning against the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night after a foreign substance check.
Third base umpire Laz Diaz ejected Blanco after a check of his glove before he threw a pitch in the fourth inning. The umpires, Blanco and Houston manager Joe Espada stood at the mound for a couple of minutes discussing the issue before the right-hander was ejected.
Blanco’s glove was confiscated and first base umpire Erich Bacchus ran off the field with it and took it somewhere before returning.
Blanco held out his hands and patted them together in front of the umpires while they inspected his glove before he was ejected, and he did the motion again after he was tossed.
Blanco, who threw a no-hitter in his season debut, allowed four hits and struck out one in three scoreless innings Tuesday. He has a 2.09 ERA this season. The Astros led 1-0 when he was replaced by Tayler Scott.
MLB began cracking down on foreign substances in June 2021, and Blanco will likely face a 10-game suspension for the infraction.
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