Chris Sale ejected Sunday, a day after a controversial balk call

NEW YORK — Braves pitcher Chris Sale was ejected from Sunday’s game against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium.

Sale started Saturday’s game against the Yankees, a 5-4 loss for Atlanta, and was called for a balk in the fifth inning. Home plate umpire Dan Merzel made the call, which allowed Yankees right fielder Spencer Jones to score from third in a 2-2 game.

Braves manager Walt Weiss was ejected during the ensuing arguments about the call.

“I’ll let other guys talk about it,” Sale said Saturday when asked about the balk. “If you wanna talk to (Merzel) or if you want to talk to (Weiss) about it, they obviously had a better conversation than I did. So I’ll leave it at that.”

Crew chief Dan Bellino told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution after the game that Sale did not declare he would be pitching out of the windup against Yankees catcher Austin Wells, although Sale did make that declaration to the previous batter.

Merzel, working third base Sunday, ejected Sale moments before first pitch. It was Sale’s fourth ejection of his career and first as a member of the Braves.

As Bellino, Merzel and the other two umpires part of the crew made their way onto the field before the game, and as they passed the Braves’ dugout on the third-base line, Merzel stopped and immediately motioned for Sale to be ejected from the game, then continued walking toward home plate.

Sale had a long conversation with Bellino afterward before Sale returned to the clubhouse, where he would spend the rest of the afternoon.

Sale completed six innings Saturday and was charged with three runs allowed while striking out eight.