Padres manager Andy Green called it a "cheap shot" while Rizzo defended it as a "hard" play.
San Diego Padres manager Andy Green did little to hide his feelings about the home plate collision that knocked Austin Hedges out of Monday night's game with the Chicago Cubs, calling Anthony Rizzo's hit on the Padres catcher "a cheap shot" in his postgame news conference.
With the Cubs trailing 2-1 in the sixth, Rizzo led off with a triple. Szczur made a running catch and fired home to nap Rizzo for the inning-ending double play - the fourth San Diego double play to that point behind starter Clayton Richard. Rizzo didn't slide and dropped down to his knee as he crashed into the catcher, who tumbled backward.
The fact that Hedges left the game afterwards with what was later determined to be a right thigh bruise only fuels that fire.
Padres infielder Yangervis Solarte then crushed his tenth homer of the season in the third frame to push San Diego's lead to 2-0.
"There needs to be something stronger after that transpires where the commissioner, baseball in general has to do something to be where you actually protect my catcher", continued Green. "The frustration is that you expect the rule to protect you when you're out there giving the guy the plate". "I'm not saying (Rizzo) is a dirty player at all - nobody is saying that, but he clearly deviated from his path to hit our catcher". I play this game hard. On the other side, the Cubs are 21-5 in Lester's last 26 home starts, are 35-16 in his last 51 outings overall, and have won six of his last eight starts versus National League West opponents.
"I don't, by no means, think that's a dirty play at all... I thought I gave him the plate".
"I've talked to a lot of umpires about this rule. And my understanding is: If they have the ball, it's game on".
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And if that's not enough of a traffic jam at the top, 18 players are separated by three shots to start the third round. You just felt like you were letting everybody down when you're not playing well, but I've gotten better with that.
"He's definitely set the tone for our entire team", manager Joe Maddon said.
"You don't see it anymore, because the runner thinks he has to avoid it", Maddon said. "You've got to be ready to hit".
"I'd much prefer what Riz did tonight". And what he did was right, absolutely right, so there's nothing wrong with that.
"I like starting", Montgomery told reporters recently.
The Cubs overcame the play the following inning, scoring two runs and winning the game 3-2. Marlins slugger Justin Bour tied the game at 6 in the third with a grand slam, his 18th homer.
Szczur, claimed off waivers by the Padres from the Cubs last month, went 0 for 2 with a walk and a hit by pitch in his return to Wrigley Field.
INDIANS 12, ORIOLES 0: Corey Kluber pitched a three-hitter for his fifth career shutout, Jason Kipnis and Carlos Santana homered and the Cleveland Indians overpowered the Baltimore Orioles 12-0 Monday night for their season-high sixth straight victory.
Lackey (5-7) allowed two hits and struck out four over six innings. "It's just been one of those things where I've been in the bullpen and able to do different things".
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