Padres reliever Ron Marinaccio suspended 3 games for intentionally throwing at Orioles’ Gunnar Henderson

San Diego Padres pitcher Ron Marinaccio was suspended for three games by Major League Baseball for intentionally hitting Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson with a pitch in the ninth inning of Saturday’s game.

In the bottom of the ninth with two outs and the Orioles trailing 9-3, Marinaccio hit Henderson with a pitch on the right hip. After a brief meeting of the umpires, crew chief Chris Conroy ejected Marinaccio, and moments later booted Padres manager Craig Stammen.

Stammen was suspended for one game. He also was fined.

Another San Diego reliever, Bradgley Rodriguez, threw two pitches close to Henderson in the seventh inning.

“I guess they were trying to make up for missing,” Henderson said. “They had their two opportunities in my previous at-bat and missed, so thought that should have been the end of it. But I guess they were trying to get payback, so I guess we’re even now. I thought it was done after the previous one. But, yeah, I guess he can’t hit me; he missed twice. So, I don’t know.”

In the fifth inning, Orioles starter Trey Gibson hit Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts on the left ear flap of the helmet with a pitch. Bogaerts left the game an inning later but played on Sunday.

Manager Craig Albernaz, who went on the field after Henderson was hit, thought it was handled correctly by the umpiring crew.

“Trey hit Bogaerts in the head and their dugout didn’t like it at all,” Albernaz said. “Obviously, it definitely wasn’t intentional. It was a two-seam that slipped out of his hand. I get there why they’re mad, the ball hit him in the head and he had to come out of the game. I’m not saying the ball to Gunnar was on purpose, but it was done the right way. And that’s why there was no gripes from us and Gunnar was fine with it and just took it to first base.”

Henderson did express his anger, yelling at Marinaccio and holding up three fingers  to illustrate that it was the third pitch Padres’ pitchers threw at him.

Marinaccio expressed surprise that he was ejected, even though it was the third time Henderson appeared to be a target.

“I mean there’s no warnings yet, so I guess shocked a little bit,” he said. “I could understand the visual, a couple guys pitching inside earlier, but there’s no warnings.”

Stammen wasn’t satisfied with what he was told by Conroy.

“They definitely thought he did it on purpose,” he said. “That was not my understanding or my take from it. Ultimately, that’s why I went out and argued. Just didn’t think it was warranted. It would have been fine if they just warned everybody, and we’d have been fine, and move on from there.”

Marinaccio has elected to appeal his suspension. Stammen will serve his suspension on Monday night when San Diego plays at St. Louis.

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