Red Sox 10, Orioles 3: If they can't win, I'll take a brawl

The Orioles played another miserable game tonight as Zach Britton gave up eight runs in the first inning to put the Orioles in a hole from which they could not climb out. Such as the case in the last several games, the Orioles were up against one of the better teams in baseball and they couldn't pitch, hit, or play defense (the suck even seems to have affected J.J. Hardy in the field, which is just a crying shame).

This game was basically a replay of the last four, so just read those recaps if you're interested, because tonight something interesting happened in the Orioles game as Kevin Gregg stood up for teams everywhere that have been pushed around by the Red Sox sense of entitlement. 

Let me get this part out of the way first: yes, it sucks and is actually a tad bit embarrassing that the most interesting thing that can happen to the Orioles is a brawl, but at this point I'll take what I can get. It's hard to watch this team 99% of the time, so the few minutes of fighting that broke up the misery were pretty cool. 

To set the stage, the Red Sox were up 10-3 in the eighth inning when David Ortiz stepped up the plate. If you've watched the Red Sox at all you probably know that David Ortiz thinks he owns the inside of the plate. Kevin Gregg decided to inform him that he does not. Gregg threw three pitches to Ortiz on the inside of the plate and Ortiz took exception. Unfortunately there isn't video of the pitch sequence on MLB.com, but Gregg did not throw behind Ortiz, he did not throw at his head, he didn't do anything dirty. He pitched Ortiz inside, and Ortiz yelled at him like Gregg was head hunting. 

After the third pitch, Ortiz began to walk towards the mound, yelling the F word and other not-so-nice things at Gregg. Ortiz had to be physically restrained by the umpire from going after Gregg, and after he was calmed down the at-bat continued. Now, in what world is it okay to charge the mound? Ortiz should have been tossed at that point, in my opinion. But he wasn't, he was allowed to continue the at-bat. 

On a 3-0 count, Ortiz popped a ball to shallow center field that Adam Jones caught easily. Gregg yelled something at him, and Ortiz decided he didn't want to go toward first base, he wanted to go after Gregg. MLB.com does have that video, so go check it out. I'll wait. 

After the game, Kevin Gregg was asked about what happened, and you really have to hear it in his own words. The interview is on MASNsports.com, so go watch it if you haven't. You won't be sorry. 

What Gregg said in that interview was basically that the Red Sox think they're better than everybody else and that pitching inside is part of the game and maybe Big Papi better just shove it. That last bit was some paraphrasing on my part. On Sportscenter after the game, Joe McDonald, who covers the Red Sox for ESPN Boston, said that the Red Sox were watching Gregg's postgame comments in the clubhouse and the sentiment from them was that Gregg should have been tossed as soon as he started throwing inside. 

Um, hello, Red Sox? PITCHING INSIDE IS ALLOWED! He should have been thrown out for throwing inside? I think Kevin Gregg was right when he called you guys some whiny babies. 

I don't know what's gonna happen tomorrow, but Alfredo Simon is pitching and he's dangerous when he's NOT trying to hit someone, so it could be interesting.