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Mets manager Luis Rojas ejected after wild first inning error vs. Pirates

New York Mets manager Luis Rojas was ejected almost instantly Sunday afternoon at PNC Park, all after a wild error put the Pittsburgh Pirates up 6-0 in the first inning.

Rojas went off on umpire Jeremy Riggs and appeared to bump into him at one point before Riggs threw him out of the game.

Somehow, though, the Mets still walked away from the game with a 7-6 win.

Rojas ejected after wild Mets error

The Pirates jumped to a 3-0 lead quickly in the first inning when Kevin Newman stepped up to the plate.

Newman hit a short dribbler up the third base line and took off, while Mets pitcher Taijuan Walker ran after the ball that he believed to be in foul territory.

Thinking it was out of play and not wanting it to roll back in, Walker swatted the ball back toward the dugout.

Riggs, however, called the ball fair, and replays later showed the ball touching the chalk line when Walker made contact. The call was correct, but Walker instantly started arguing with Riggs. Rojas then came storming out and got into it with Riggs, too.

Nobody went after the ball, though, and three Pirates scored on the play.

“Obviously, I thought it was foul,” Walker said, via The Associated Press. “It was so close. I didn’t realize it was still in play. It was one of those plays that just happen. Crazy play.”

When everything settled down, Newman was granted a single and one RBI, and Walker was hit with an error on the play.

Walker, who pitched in the All-Star Game last week, then walked JT Brubaker and was pulled from the game.

Despite the mistake, the Mets rallied and escaped with a one-run win after Michael Conforto hit a two-run homer in the ninth.

One of the biggest issues about the play for Rojas, he said after the game, was that the play wasn’t talked about between the umpires on the field.

“I still have it foul to this point, but that’s what led to my emotions to maybe erupt a little bit in the moment and I just didn’t agree with it,” Rojas said. “This game is like this. It ended up being three runs against us at the moment, but I’m glad they played it like they did and got this big win.”

And still, even after seeing the replay, Rojas is sticking with his call.

“We can agree to disagree, whatever, but I still think just looking at it [that it was foul],” Rojas said. “There was a call, it stood, and the game was played. We won, the guys are celebrating.”

Mets manager Luis Rojas
Mets manager Luis Rojas argues with umpire Jeremy Riggs after an error in the first inning of their game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Sunday. (Justin Berl/Getty Images)

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