Braves' Walt Weiss Ejected During Tense Balk Controversy
WHO:
MLB.com - Braves manager Walt Weiss was ejected from the game.
MLB.com - Left-hander Chris Sale was the pitcher for the Braves during the game.
MLB.com - Home plate umpire Dan Merzel made the balk call.
WHAT:
MLB.com - Chris Sale had a total of 34 pitches in the first two innings and struck out four batters in the next two frames.
MLB.com - Sale allowed two runs on two hits in the fifth inning, with George Lombard Jr. scoring the tying run on a triple by Spencer Jones.
MLB.com - The Yankees scored a total of 5 runs in the second game of the series against the Braves, winning 5-4.
MLB.com - Walt Weiss was ejected in the fifth inning after arguing a balk call.
MLB.com - The Yankees scored a run due to the balk call, leading to a score of 3-2 in favor of the Yankees.
MLB.com - This was Weiss' first ejection as the Braves' manager.
WHERE:
MLB.com - The game took place at Yankee Stadium in New York.
WHEN:
MLB.com - The incident occurred during a game on a Saturday afternoon.
WHY:
MLB.com - The ejection occurred after Weiss and Sale argued that Sale did not twitch his right leg before throwing a pitch, which led to the balk call.
HOW:
MLB.com - Home plate umpire Dan Merzel called a balk, believing Sale twitched his right leg before throwing a pitch, which allowed Spencer Jones to score.
MLB.com - Chris Sale had a total of 33 pitches in the fifth inning, which was his worst inning during the game.
MLB.com - The umpire, Dan Merzel, believed Sale's action constituted a balk, prompting him to call the play and allow Spencer Jones to score.
(UPDATED August 9, 2026 06:35 UTC)
In a recent game, Chris Sale delivered an impressive performance, striking out four batters over two innings while throwing a total of 34 pitches. However, he allowed two runs in the fifth inning, with George Lombard Jr. tying the game after scoring on a triple by Spencer Jones. The situation escalated when home plate umpire Dan Merzel called a balk on Sale, believing he twitched his right leg before making a pitch, which ultimately allowed Jones to cross home plate.
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(UPDATED August 9, 2026 03:02 UTC)
The Yankees secured a thrilling victory against the Braves, winning the second game of their series with a final score of 5 to 4. In that game, Chris Sale struggled during the fifth inning, throwing a total of 33 pitches, marking it as his toughest moment on the mound. The matchup showcased the intensity of Major League Baseball as both teams battled for supremacy.
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(UPDATED August 8, 2026 23:19 UTC)
In a dramatic moment at Yankee Stadium, Braves manager Walt Weiss was ejected during the fifth inning after arguing a balk call that allowed the Yankees to score, bringing the score to 3-2 in their favor. The left-hander Chris Sale was on the mound for the Braves when home plate umpire Dan Merzel made the controversial call, believing Sale's movement constituted a balk. This marks Weiss' first ejection as the Braves' manager, following a heated dispute over whether Sale had twitched his right leg before delivering the pitch.