Reds manager David Bell is sent off against the Red Sox because referee overlooks obvious strike call

David Bell was ejected for the 30th time in his career after the Cincinnati Reds manager was ejected early in the fourth inning in Sunday’s final game of the series against the Boston Red Sox.

After Red Sox first baseman Dom Smith took a questionable six-pitch walk, Reds starting pitcher Nick Lodolo was visibly frustrated with the home plate umpire. Bell, seeing what was beginning to happen, diverted attention from his pitcher and began yelling at Todd Tichenor from the Cincinnati dugout.

Bell must have used some pretty harsh or direct words because Tichenor had an incredibly quick catch. The referee quickly threw Bell out, but not before the Reds captain got his money’s worth. Bell stormed onto the field and made sure to give Tichenor a piece of his mind before leaving the field.

While it may have seemed like it was Smith’s performance at the plate that enraged Bell and Lodolo, it was most likely the decision to block the strikeout of Red Sox leadoff hitter Rafael Devers that drew the ire of the Reds starter and manager.

Devers worked a six-pitch walk to open the inning, but the supposed strike 3 was ruled a ball 4, which went to Tichenor. Replays showed that the ball was obviously in the strike zone and Devers should have returned to Boston’s dugout. Instead, the next batter, Connor Wong, hit a two-run homer to put Cincinnati in a 2-0 hole.

This wasn’t Tichenor’s first bad miss. In fact, nearly the same pitch was ruled a ball by Lodolo during a plate appearance in the first inning. Former Reds minor league talent Rob Refsnyder managed a questionable seven-pitch walk with ball four appearing to be in the strike zone.

The ejection was Bell’s 30th during his Reds managerial career, tying him with Hall of Famer Sparky Anderson. It looks like Bell will soon hold that record all by himself – perhaps as soon as Monday, unless the Reds’ bats turn things around.

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