Gio Gonzalez could not stop the Oakland Athletics from sweeping the Washington Nationals on Sunday, as he gave up seven earned runs and nine hits in just 4 1/3 innings of work. Gonzalez gave up two home runs to A’s catcher Derek Norris in the first two innings and dug his team into an early 7-0 hole. When the second inning ended, he threw a temper tantrum in the dugout.
It is unclear which teammate Gonzalez was furious with, but he had to be restrained by pitching coach Steve McCatty after slamming his glove in the dugout.
“Nothing happened,” Gonzalez told reporters after the game.
As James Wagner of the Washington Post noted, Gonzalez may have been upset after a foul pop off the bat of Yoenis Cespedes fell safely between three Nationals players, including shortstop Ian Desmond. Gonzalez then walked Cespedes, which allowed Norris to come to the plate for a second time in two innings.
“It’s just competition,” Nats manager Matt Williams said. “We’re not going to go any further than that with it. That’s the team’s business and for nobody else. But everybody wants to do well, and everybody wants to win.”
These things happen, and they are more likely to happen in the middle of a frustrating sweep. I’m sure Gonzalez and Desmond (or whoever else he was pissed at) have already smoothed it over.
