The benches cleared at Camden Yards after Clay Holmes bashed Heston Kjerstad in the helmet with a 96.8-mph sinker in the ninth inning of Friday's game. The tension loomed over the stadium as Kjerstad dropped to the ground after walking up the first base line.
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde instantly came to his aide and exchanged some words with the Yankees' relief pitcher. However, the situation took a turn when Kjerstad left the field and went back into the dugout.
Brandon Hyde started shouting at the Yankees' dugout while Yankees catcher Austin Wells tried to calm him down but got shoved out of the way. This caused a brawl between the two teams. Both dugouts were cleared, and every player was on the field.
The umpires were trying to settle the dispute. Even the relievers ran out from their bullpens. It seemed that there were already issues among the team after the last time they met at The Bronx, where batters from both sides were hit by pitches.
The New York Yankees ended their streak of losing the series opener for the last three series. The Yankees displayed their desperation to triumph their slump with the 4-1 victory against the Orioles.
Brandon Hyde talks about his reaction and getting ejected
Despite boasting a dominant 73% win record within their division, the Baltimore Orioles seem to be struggling lately. Coming off a sweep by the Chicago Cubs where they only managed two runs, their ordeal continued against their AL East rivals.
The Orioles' offense fell short again, as they scored just one run against Yankees ace Gerrit Cole as the Yankees offense capitalized on their opportunities.
They plated four runs to secure a win in front of the Camden Yards crowd. However, the game will be remembered for its chaos rather than the masterful plays. Brandon Hyde reacted to the incident after the game, saying:
"I was walking back and I heard stuff from their dugout. I reacted the way I did. It's an emotional time at that time. My guy just got hit right in the ear. I'm upset, and then I see their dugout, and they're waving at me and yelling at me. I just didn't appreciate it at the time."
Hyde explained that he lashed out in an impulsive response to how the Yankees reacted after Heston Kjerstad fell to the ground.