Sports

Texas Rangers Manager Paused Tirade To Respect The Stars And Stripes In The Most Patriotic Ejection

#MLB
by

iStockphoto / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Skip Schumaker was ejected after "God Bless America."



Texas Rangers baseball manager Skip Schumaker was ejected from a Sunday night contest against the Houston Astros. His seventh inning tirade was briefly interrupted by the singing of “God Bless America.”

Schumaker put his argument with home plate umpire Todd Tichenor on pause for the seventh inning stretch. The tirade continued after the song’s conclusion, which eventually led to an early exit.

It has to be the most patriotic ejection of the MLB season thus far. Both parties put their disagreement aside to respect the stars and stripes.

Skip Schumaker was ejected for arguing balls and strikes.

The Rangers are in the midst of a frustrating losing skid, having dropped four straight contests upon entering the Sunday afternoon showdown.

AL West rival Houston had already downed Texas in the first two games of the series. The Rangers’ woes would continue into the finale.

The Astros jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead over the first four frames. Texas closed the gap with two runs in the fifth. A run in the top of the seventh evened the score. Schumaker wanted more.

With two on and two out, pinch hitter Nicky Lopez stepped up to the dish. He worked a 3-2 count. A pitch outside the zone should’ve loaded the bases with a walk. It was instead called a strike to end the at-bat and the scoring threat.

Out of challenges, the Rangers could not ask for ABS review. Schumaker voiced his frustration from the dugout.

The call was impactful for a number of reasons. Most notably, it ended an inning that should’ve continued. Secondly, it prevented the top of the order from getting a shot with the bases juiced.

Lopez was hitting in the nine-hole. Leadoff man and home run leader Joc Pederson was on deck. He didn’t get an opportunity to swing away.

Schumaker confronted Tichenor on the diamond. Their argument was hilariously paused mid-tantrum.

Tirade paused for “God Bless America.”

The manager and umpire began their back and forth in between innings. A guest singer was slated to perform for the seventh inning stretch.

Upon hearing the start of the patriotic tune, both men put their feelings aside, removed their caps, and saluted the flag.

The comical pause mirrored Jim Leyland’s 2006 argument with an umpire during a game between the Tigers and Yankees.

When the song concluded, Skip Schumaker went back to his argument which resulted in an ejection.

The bad call would come back to bite. Houston scored four runs in the bottom half of the inning to pull away. They’d go onto win, 7-3. Schumaker was forced to watch from the clubhouse as his team lost for a fifth straight time.