WASHINGTON (AP) -- Angered by a strikeout and an ejection, Washington Nationals outfielder Marlon Byrd began running toward the umpire responsible for both calls. Another umpire, Joe Brinkman, stepped in the way and put out an arm, and Byrd knocked him to the ground.
Brinkman was left with a red scrape on his forehead and a bump on his arm, and the ugly moment marred what otherwise should have been a very satisfying evening for the Nationals, who beat the Florida Marlins 7-3 Tuesday.
"I thought I could get in front of him. He was running pretty hard," Brinkman said. "Once I couldn't get in front of him, I put my arm out. He hit my arm and just spun me around and flipped me and I ended up on the ground. That's all that happened."
Asked if he thought it was intentional, Brinkman said: "I really don't know. He was just running, and I was just thinking I could get in front of him, so I don't know what the intent was."
Several Nationals players and manager Frank Robinson ran over toward Miller, and eventually Byrd walked off the field.
"I was looking away, talking to somebody, when I looked around, and Brinkman was on the ground for a 10-count. Then I saw Marlon and thought, 'Oh, no," Robinson said. "So I can't be a witness for the defense."
Byrd, an all-state football player for his Georgia high school, was called out on strikes to end the sixth. It was a full count, and Byrd checked his swing. Marlins catcher Paul Lo Duca appealed to first-base umpire Miller, who ruled Byrd went around. Byrd, thinking he had drawn a walk, was about halfway to first when he realized Miller had called him out. Byrd began arguing with Miller, and Nationals first-base coach Don Buford stepped between them.
As the Nationals took the field for the top of the seventh, Byrd continued arguing on his way to left, and Miller ejected him.
Byrd -- an all-state high school football player in Georgia -- then headed toward Miller, and second-base umpire Brinkman tried to intervene. The 61-year-old Brinkman was attended to by a Washington trainer on the field, and team doctor Bruce Thomas examined him after the game.
"I'm going to talk about the win, and that's it," Byrd said. Asked why he wouldn't talk about what happened, Byrd responded: "Didn't you hear me? I am only going to talk about the win."
Brinkman was left with a red scrape on his forehead and a bump on his arm, and the ugly moment marred what otherwise should have been a very satisfying evening for the Nationals, who beat the Florida Marlins 7-3 Tuesday.
"I thought I could get in front of him. He was running pretty hard," Brinkman said. "Once I couldn't get in front of him, I put my arm out. He hit my arm and just spun me around and flipped me and I ended up on the ground. That's all that happened."
Asked if he thought it was intentional, Brinkman said: "I really don't know. He was just running, and I was just thinking I could get in front of him, so I don't know what the intent was."
Several Nationals players and manager Frank Robinson ran over toward Miller, and eventually Byrd walked off the field.
"I was looking away, talking to somebody, when I looked around, and Brinkman was on the ground for a 10-count. Then I saw Marlon and thought, 'Oh, no," Robinson said. "So I can't be a witness for the defense."
Byrd, an all-state football player for his Georgia high school, was called out on strikes to end the sixth. It was a full count, and Byrd checked his swing. Marlins catcher Paul Lo Duca appealed to first-base umpire Miller, who ruled Byrd went around. Byrd, thinking he had drawn a walk, was about halfway to first when he realized Miller had called him out. Byrd began arguing with Miller, and Nationals first-base coach Don Buford stepped between them.
As the Nationals took the field for the top of the seventh, Byrd continued arguing on his way to left, and Miller ejected him.
Byrd -- an all-state high school football player in Georgia -- then headed toward Miller, and second-base umpire Brinkman tried to intervene. The 61-year-old Brinkman was attended to by a Washington trainer on the field, and team doctor Bruce Thomas examined him after the game.
"I'm going to talk about the win, and that's it," Byrd said. Asked why he wouldn't talk about what happened, Byrd responded: "Didn't you hear me? I am only going to talk about the win."
