It was a busy Tuesday night across Major League Baseball, with newsworthy items coming in from across the country. Start on the East Coast, where Pete Alonso smashed home run No. 42, setting the Mets single-season record as a rookie. Move to Houston, where Astros ace Justin Verlander argued balls and strikes, earning an ejection — in a 9-0 game, no less. And then check in on the West Coast, where Mike Trout took over the Major League home run lead from Alonso and Cody Bellinger with his 43rd blast for the Angels.
Alonso is the first rookie to set his franchise’s single-season home run mark since 1938. And there’s still a month to play. Wow.
With his 42nd HR, @Pete_Alonso20 has set a new @Mets record for HR in a season.
He is the 1st rookie to set a new team record for HR since 1938. pic.twitter.com/ZAq7ZZQu5p
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) August 28, 2019
Verlander complained one too many times to home-plate umpire Pat Hoberg, who ejected him as he turned his back.
Justin Verlander thought he had rung up Tommy Pham on pitch 5. On pitch 6, Tommy Pham hit a double. Verlander went straight at Pat Hoberg after the hit was struck and yelled at him. Hoberg tossed him. pic.twitter.com/Q8DxiHCZui
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) August 28, 2019
Mike Trout was once way back in this four-man home run race. Now he’s in the lead with a month to go. Is there anything he can’t do?
Holy smokes, Mike Trout banged this ball. That was 114.0 mph off the bat. pic.twitter.com/VfAAaKMBqT
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) August 28, 2019
More fun with umpires: The Dodgers’ Justin Turner is appealing his suspension for bumping an umpire who he says walked into him after L.A.’s loss to San Diego on Monday night.
Justin Turner said he asked ump Rob Drake after the final pitch, “You called that a strike?”
“He told me it was right down the middle, which was pretty upsetting,” Turner said. “If he thinks that’s down the middle, no wonder he was missing a lot of pitches throughout the night.”
— Pedro Moura (@pedromoura) August 27, 2019
A horrible tragedy from the Rays system, where a Double-A pitcher had his wife and child killed, allegedly by a family member.
Just an awful tragedy: The wife and child of Blake Bivens, a Double-A pitcher in the Tampa Bay Rays organization, were among three people killed in rural Virginia on Tuesday, sources tell ESPN. Police have charged Bivens’ wife’s brother with first-degree homicide.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 28, 2019
TOP STORIES
• Video: Watch Pete Alonso Break Mets’ Franchise Record with 42nd Home Run | Bleacher Report
• What Astros’ Justin Verlander had to say after his ejection | Houston Chronicle
• Alonso, Bellinger, Trout or Yelich? Handicapping the home run race | ESPN.com
• Turner appeals suspension for umpire contact | MLB.com
• Wife and child of Blake Bivens, Tampa Bay Rays prospect, allegedly killed by brother-in-law | CBS Sports
