ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Whether he wanted it or not, Austin Romine had the best vantage point for the two most controversial pitches in the Yankees’ 12-1 win over the Rays on Thursday.
Romine was at the plate when Andrew Kittredge threw a 93-mph fastball behind his head to open the top of the sixth inning.
The catcher, filling in for Gary Sanchez behind the plate, glared at Kittredge as CC Sabathia took a few steps out of the Yankee dugout and yelled at Kittredge, and home plate umpire Vic Carapazza issued warnings to both benches.
“You can never prove intent,” Romine said when asked if he believed Kittredge threw at him on purpose. “People have been trying to do that for a long time. Six shakes and a ball behind your head, I’ll leave that up to you guys.”
Romine was referring to the fact that Kittredge shook off Tampa Bay catcher Jesus Sucre several times before unleashing the pitch.
The Yankees went on to score four runs in the frame to blow open the game, and Sabathia immediately hit Sucre with a 92-mph cutter in the lower left leg in the bottom of the inning.
Romine denied having any prior knowledge of Sabathia’s intent.
“I was trying to get him through nine [innings] at that point,’’ Romine said. “He had a low pitch count and was pitching really well.”
As for the pitch that got Sucre, Romine said: “I call games to get people out.”
Afterward, a shell-shocked Kittredge repeatedly said, “It’s baseball,” when asked about the pitch.
“Obviously, that was a high and tight pitch,’’ the right-hander said. “It’s not a comfortable feeling for [Romine]. It is what is, I guess.”
But then Kittredge noted that the Yankees hit several Rays hitters during the four-game series, including Masahiro Tanaka getting Kevin Kiermaier in the first inning on Wednesday. The outfielder ended up with a broken foot, which ended his season.
“Baseball happened today,’’ Rays reliever Sergio Romo said. “It’s one of those things you don’t see too often in baseball anymore. That’s definitely part of the game.”
“I think it’s probably a bunch of people protecting teammates, more than anything,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. “There’s not a ton to say. It looked like there was some intent there, but that’s not for me to say.’’
Not everyone seemed pleased with Kittredge.
When approached for comment, Sucre declined to talk, eventually nodding in the direction of Kittredge’s locker and saying, “You can ask him over there. He’s the one that decided to do it.”