Cole tossed, then Boone, but Yanks hold off Sox

NEW YORK — New York Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole and manager Aaron Boone were both ejected from Friday night’s 5-4 win over the Boston Red Sox for arguing with plate umpire Brian Knight about a called ball that preceded a game-tying home run in the sixth inning.

Cole’s 1-2 pitch to Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo — which in replays appeared to be low in the strike zone — was called a ball, and his ensuing pitch, a 100 mph four-seam fastball, was drilled by Verdugo over the right-field fence for a three-run homer that tied the game at 4.

Cole then struck out J.D. Martinez to end the inning; as he was walking off the mound, he started screaming at Knight, who promptly motioned for Cole to be ejected. At that point, an exasperated Boone started arguing with Knight in support of his starter and was also tossed.

It was Boone’s ninth ejection this season, which, according to ESPN Stats & Information research, is the most in a season by a manager since Bobby Cox in 2007 (10).

Cole has now allowed 31 home runs this season, the most in the American League and second most in all of MLB, behind the Washington Nationals‘ Josiah Gray.

Cole finished the game having recorded 8 strikeouts over 6 innings, giving him 244 for the season — the second most in a single season in Yankees history. He is only four punchouts away from surpassing Ron Guidry’s franchise mark of 248, set in 1978.