Benches clear at minor-league game after player bunts to break up no-hitter in ninth

The ongoing debate about the so-called unwritten rules in baseball continued Tuesday night at a minor-league game in Hartford, Connecticut.

The Trenton Thunder, a Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, was being no-hit in the ninth inning of its game against the Hartford Yard Goats, who are a Colorado Rockies affiliate.

Hartford’s fourth pitcher of the night, Ben Bowden, had recorded the first out in the ninth inning when Matt Lipka stepped to the plate. The Yard Goats led 3-0 at the time, so Lipka dropped a bunt down the first-base line in an attempt to start a rally.

Bowden got to the ball late and Lipka was safe, breaking up the no-hitter.

According to MiLB.com, Bowden and some other Yard Goats players had words with Lipka after the game.

“It is what it is,” starter Rico Garcia told MiLB.com’s Chris Bumbaca. “(Lipka) was doing what he had to do. And we were really passionate about getting the no-hitter. It is what it is. I can’t really speak for what he was trying to do or what he was trying to accomplish. It’s unfortunate we couldn’t get the no-hitter. Emotions were high after.”

The debate, unsurprisingly, continued on Twitter:

This story was originally published June 5, 2019 at 11:29 AM.