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Valdez Ejected After Hitting Story, Red Sox Win 10-3

5/6/2026

30 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Valdez Bench-Clears

Detroit pitcher Framber Valdez hit Boston shortstop Trevor Story with a 94 mph fastball, sparking a bench-clearing and his ejection by umpire Adam Beck.
Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said the pitch seemed intentional and praised his players.
Boston led 10–2 and won 10–3 after Valdez was replaced by Brenan Hanifee, having allowed ten runs, seven earned, three homers and three strikeouts.

Summary

Valdez Hits Batter

Framber Valdez, a signee, hit a batter with a pitch his agent said was unintentional.
Detroit’s rotation, now only Tarik Skubal, Casey Mize and Justin Verlander, would be crippled by a suspension.
Valdez’s outing left him with a 4.57 ERA after ten runs (seven earned) on nine hits.
With the Astros, Valdez appeared to bean catcher Cesar Salazar after a grand slam, prompting Chad Tracy to call the pitch weak and intentional.

History

Historical Context

The 1979 Detroit-Boston bench-clearing fight mirrors the 1972 ALCS Game 2 clash when Tigers reliever Lerrin LaGrow’s pitch struck Oakland shortstop Bert Campaneris, sparking a brawl that resulted in both teams’ suspensions for the remainder of the series. That incident helped shape MLB’s later retaliation rules and disciplinary standards and prompted stricter enforcement of safety protocols.

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Valdez Bench-Clears

Detroit pitcher Framber Valdez hit Boston shortstop Trevor Story with a 94 mph fastball, sparking a bench-clearing and his ejection by umpire Adam Beck.
Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said the pitch seemed intentional and praised his players.
Boston led 10–2 and won 10–3 after Valdez was replaced by Brenan Hanifee, having allowed ten runs, seven earned, three homers and three strikeouts.

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