Tyler Austin Spikes Brock Holt, A Breakdown

Tyler Austin of the New York Yankees steps to the plate in the 7th inning, his team trailing the Boston Red Sox 3-2. The crowd is tense, as these longtime rivals battle it out in another close game. On a 2-1 count, Austin hits a sharp ground ball towards first base. Boston's Brock Holt fields the ball cleanly, but as he prepares to throw to first, Austin comes barreling down the line and spikes Holt's leg with his cleats. The crowd erupts in shock and outrage as the umpires immediately call Austin out for interference. Red Sox manager Alex Cora rushes out of the dugout, furiously arguing the call. "That was intentional, he was trying to hurt my player!" Cora shouts at the umpires. Yankees manager Aaron Boone also comes out to defend his player, saying "Tyler was just hustling down the line, he didn't mean to spike Holt." The umpires confer briefly before upholding the interference call, ending the Yankees' rally. Holt limps off the field as the Red Sox training staff attends to his injury. "I'm fine, it's just a little cut," Holt says later. "But that was a dangerous play and I'm disappointed the umpires didn't eject Austin." Austin, for his part, says he was simply "trying to beat out the throw" and had no intention of spiking Holt. The heated rivalry between these two teams is on full display, as tempers flare and both sides accuse the other of crossing the line. Despite the controversial play, the Red Sox hold on to win 3-2, further solidifying their lead atop the AL East standings. The loss is a tough one for the Yankees, who now find themselves 5 games back of their hated rivals. As the players head to their respective clubhouses, the bad blood between these two teams only seems to be growing. This latest incident is sure to add more fuel to the fire as they prepare to face off again in the coming weeks.