The A’s won 7-2 against the Houston Astros on Sunday to sweep the three-game series, but not without some drama.
The teams cleared the benches after Ramón Laureano charged at Astros hitting coach Alex Cintrón for saying something to him. Laureano had just been hit by a pitch for the second time of the day and was walking toward first base.
This was the result:
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SIGN UP HERE Former A’s catcher Dustin Garneau could be seen on the NBC Sports California broadcast appearing to grab Laureano and tackle him down to the ground, jumping in between the A's outfielder and several Astros players and coaches including Cintron.
Garneau later told reporters it was a preventative move.
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“I was trying to stop the situation before punches were thrown and things got out of hand. That's really my whole goal for that incident,” Garneau said after Sunday’s game.
Garneau, who was standing to the side of Cintrón while the verbal exchange began, said he wasn’t sure what was said between the two.
“My whole point was, he charged our dugout and I was trying to tackle him so nothing would happen and then I held him down there for whenever it was over for the same reason,” Garneau added.
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A’s manager Bob Melvin was asked after the game what was said by Cintrón and was directed toward Laureano.
“I can't tell you that,” he said.
Both Laureano and A’s catcher Austin Allen were ejected immediately following the scuffle. Nobody from the Astros' dugout was.
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