Gibbons, Lilly tussle
Blue Jays manager John Gibbons wound up with a bloody nose after tangling with Toronto pitcher Ted Lilly near the dugout during Monday night’s game against Oakland.
It was not known whether any punches were thrown in the tunnel leading to the clubhouse.
Lilly was pulled in the third inning, when the Athletics scored seven runs to close to 8-7. Gibbons chewed out the pitcher, who refused to give him the ball.
When Lilly left the mound for the locker room, Gibbons followed him. A team trainer and a number of players then ran down the stairs.
Cameramen near the dugout saw Gibbons push Lilly first. A television camera later showed Gibbons with a bloody nose.
Canadian Press photographer Aaron Harris was one of a handful of photographers to witness the skirmish and said Lilly was wating for Gibbons who “went at him” in the tunnel.
Gibbons challenged Shea Hillenbrand to a fight in July after the infielder wrote on the clubhouse bulletin board that the “ship was sinking.”
Hillenbrand declined to fight him and the Blue Jays designated Hillenbrand for assignment during the game and later traded him to San Francisco.
Ramirez exits series finale early
Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez left the game against the New York Yankees in the fifth inning with a cramp in his right hamstring.
Although Boston had lost four straight to start the five-game series, the left fielder had been the most productive player in the Red Sox lineup. Ramirez was 8 for 11 with two homers, seven RBIs and nine walks.
Clearing the bases
San Diego Padres right-hander Chan Ho Park was scratched from his start against the Los Angeles Dodgers due to a recurrence of intestinal bleeding that recently forced him to go on the disabled list. Tim Stauffer was summoned from Triple-A Portland to make the start against the Dodgers. … Tampa Bay Devil Rays senior adviser Don Zimmer said he would like to return next season, which would be his 59th in baseball. … The Philadelphia Phillies placed All-Star closer Tom Gordon on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right shoulder after the game against Chicago. … Boston Red Sox shortstop Alex Gonzalez, who missed the previous two games with back spasms, was originally in the starting lineup but was scratched. … Houston Astros’ Willy Taveras extended his hitting streak to 24 games, one shy of the club record.