Things got a bit testy at the end of the Mets' 9-0 win over the Phillies on Tuesday night at Citi Field.
With two outs in the ninth inning, Mets reliever Jacob Rhame zipped a pitch behind Rhys Hoskins' head, who did not appreciate it.
Hoskins began walking toward the mound and both benches began to clear but nothing further escalated as Hoskins was stopped by home plate umpire Scott Barry.
👀 pic.twitter.com/u0HGUMGGVi
- SNY (@SNYtv) April 24, 2019
Six pitches later, Rhame sailed ball four over Hoskins' head and the Phillies slugger was visibly frustrated as he took his base.
The Phillies had hit Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil the day prior, but Rhame insisted after the game it was not intentional.
"I'm just trying to work inside," he said. "Historically I've left a lot of balls over the plate. Guys have been diving. I gotta try and get better at my game too."
Jacob Rhame on accidentally sailing a pitch over Rhys Hoskins's head in the 9th inning: pic.twitter.com/S1bDKW4B47
- SNY (@SNYtv) April 24, 2019
Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud tried to explain to Hoskins that is what happened but he was not buying it.
"He just said they were trying to go inside, and I laughed," Hoskins said. "He didn't miss up-and-in or out-and-up to a lefty the rest of the inning, so I'll let you decide."
His manager and teammates seemed to be in agreement as well.
"It sure looked [intentional] to me," manager Gabe Kapler said. "It damn sure did look like it."
Added Phillies slugger Bryce Harper: "I don't get. I understand that two of their guys got hit yesterday. But, I mean, if it's baseball and you're going to drill somebody, at least him in the ass. Not in the head."
Rhame did not actually hit Hoskins, though, but the Mets reliever understands why Hoskins did not like it.
"When you accidentally sail one, it's probably pretty scary," Rhame said. "I'd get pissed too."
Whether or not he may have fired up the Phillies, Rhame shrugged at that notion.
"That's baseball," he said. "If it did, that's the game."