Cubs' John Lackey, Willson Contreras Ejected After Erupting On Plate Umpire's Missed Strike Call
(CBS) In a high-stakes NL Central showdown Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field, the Cardinals caught the first break against the Cubs.
Then right-hander John Lackey and catcher Willson Contreras erupted.
In a 1-1 game, Lackey, Contreras and just about everyone else at Wrigley Field thought the Cubs had escaped a fifth-inning jam when Lackey's 2-2 pitch split the strike zone with two outs and Cardinals right-hander Carlos Martinez batting. But home plate umpire Jordan Baker didn't agree. After words were exchanged and Cubs manager Joe Maddon came out of the dugout, order was restored for the 3-2 pitch.
Martinez then lined that pitch into center field for an RBI single to give St. Louis a 2-1 lead, and Lackey and Contreras each went bananas and were ejected. Lackey was berating Baker while the play was still going on, then Contreras got the boot for slamming his mask down and arguing.
Lackey's wife, Kristina, even sarcastically took Baker to task.
