Tensions briefly flared in the eighth inning of Tuesday’s game after Angels players Zach Neto and Mike Trout were hit by pitches from Rangers reliever Shawn Armstrong.
With the Angels leading 7-5 and a runner on third with one out, Armstrong hit Neto with a 2-2 fastball. Just two pitches later, another 92-mph fastball struck Trout on the hand. Interim Angels manager Ray Montgomery reacted angrily, shouting toward the Rangers’ dugout as he approached home plate. After the game—an 8-5 Angels win—Montgomery explained he was simply urging the Rangers to get things under control, noting that it was the fourth Angels player hit by a pitch that night.
Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said he didn’t catch exactly what Montgomery yelled, but was clearly irritated by the incident.
“I just heard yelling—didn’t like it,” Bochy said. “The last thing we’re trying to do is hit people. I brought Armstrong in to prevent runs, not to stir things up. But apparently when we hit someone, it’s intentional. When they hit Seager, it’s nothing. I’d had enough of that.”
The altercation prompted both benches and bullpens to clear, though no physical confrontations or ejections followed.
Rangers catcher Kyle Higashioka said the incident was understandable from both sides.
“We’re not trying to hit anyone,” he said. “But I get why they’d be upset. That’s just part of the game sometimes.”
Trout said the ball struck the padding on his glove hand and appreciated his manager standing up for the team.
“The guys loved it,” Trout said. “He backed us up. That means a lot.”
The inning wrapped up with Nolan Schanuel adding an insurance run via a sacrifice fly, and Taylor Ward striking out.
Kenley Jansen, who had continued warming up despite the commotion, came in to secure the ninth inning and earned his 20th save of the season—his 13th career season with at least 20 saves.
“Somebody’s got to close the game,” Jansen said with a grin. “I wasn’t going to let that derail me. I stayed locked in to finish the job.”