Yankees start Orioles series with win after tempers “boil over”

But along the way, emotions boiled over and it was a heated scene that could linger for a long time as the teams play the final two games of the series before the All-Star break.

“It was obviously an emotional moment,” said manager Aaron Boone. “Two teams are playing for a lot. I’m glad it didn’t escalate too much.”

When Kjerstad was back on his feet, Holmes tried to explain to him that the throw was not intentional and that he hoped he was okay.

From then on the situation escalated.

“I saw Hyde say some things,” said Holmes, who was not sure what Hyde had actually said. “I think some people didn’t like that and things got heated.”

Nevertheless, Hyde was just about to leave the field with Kjerstad (who had to be replaced by a pinch runner) before he turned around and ran toward the Yankees’ dugout, where catcher Austin Wells intercepted and held him back.

However, he could not prevent the benches from being cleared.

“I just went back and heard stuff coming from (their) dugout, so I reacted the way I did,” Hyde said. “I saw them pointing at me. … (I) reacted to their coaches. … An emotional moment, my husband just got hit in the ear. I saw their dugout waving at me and yelling at me.”

Wells said: “Being in the middle of it and just trying to limit unnecessary impacts.”

Boone and Hyde clashed during the scrum, but when the situation calmed down, Hyde was the only one sent off.

Boone and all of his players who spoke to reporters after the game said they understood Hyde’s motive, even if Holmes’ throw was not intentional.

Rain had started falling early in the ninth inning on an already muggy night, and Holmes had Kjerstad on an 0-2 count, two outs away from securing a much-needed win for the Yankees (57-39), who had lost 18 of their last 25 games before Friday.

“Two good teams are in action,” said Cole, who landed in the thick of the action. “Both clubs are throwing inside. Dude, it’s so wet out there tonight. Clay throws the next pitch, the first pitch went to Ryan (O’Hearn), Ryan almost loses his bat and wipes his hands on his pants trying to hold onto the bat. Everyone out there knows it was tough to hold onto the baseball tonight. That being said, the guy got hit in the head, so it’s understandable that Brandon is mad. He’s defending his players.”

Aaron Judge, who had hit his 33rd home run of the season earlier in the game, called it a “scary moment” when Kjerstad was devastated.

“When someone gets hit in the head like that, you never like to see it, whether it’s your team or the other team,” Judge said. “I think there was just a little bit of chirping back and forth. We got hit by their guys quite a few times, they caught us. It kind of heated up over there.”

“Whenever the benches are empty, all the guys come together. But it’s baseball.”

Perhaps it is an electrifying moment for the Yankees, who desperately need some form of momentum to end the slump that has plagued them for the past four weeks.

On Saturday, they will try to win two games in a row for the first time in a month, provided extracurricular activities do not get in the way of their divisional battle.

“I hope not,” Boone said. “I don’t think so. There’s too much at stake for us to get carried away. We have to play well, we have to win games. The same goes for them.”

— Additional reporting by Dan Martin