Tigers' Framber Valdez Called Out By Red Sox's Chad Tracy After Trevor Story Hit-By-Pitch

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Framber Valdez gave up back-to-back home runs and then plunked Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story with his next pitch, leading to the benches clearing in the top of the fourth inning on Tuesday evening.

At that juncture, Valdez had allowed nine hits, 10 runs (seven earned) and three homers (Ceddanne Rafaela and then the back-to-back blasts from Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu). Boston led 10-2 when Story got hit with a 94 mph fastball on his upper back.

Crew chief Dan Iassogna immediately ejected Valdez, who was replaced by reliever Brenan Hanifee.

After the game, a 10-3 win for Boston, Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy told reporters he was sure Valdez threw at Story intentionally.

"It was weak," he added.

"It was not intentional," Valdez told reporters through an interpreter after the game. "It might look like it, but it wasn't. I was trying to throw strikes after the two consecutive home runs. I was trying to go back in the zone and that pitch came out of my hand."

Tigers manager A.J. Hinch added:

"We play a really good brand of baseball here. That didn't feel like it. It's not judging intent; I have no idea. But I know when you go out on the field and you end up sort of in those confrontations, you usually feel like you're in your right. And it didn't feel good being out there.

"So I understand their frustrations. I understand the moment, and it was a low moment of a frustrating night."

This isn't the first time Valdez has been part of a controversial moment on the mound.

Last September, when he was pitching for the Houston Astros in a 7-1 loss to the New York Yankees, Houston catcher Cesar Salazar motioned for Valdez to step off the mound. He did not and immediately gave up a grand slam to Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham.

Two pitchers later, he threw a 93 mph pitch that appeared to cross up Salazar, as he hit him directly in the chest.

"What happened with us, we just got crossed up," Valdez said in Spanish via an interpreter (h/t ESPN News Services). "I called for that pitch, I threw it and we got crossed up. We went down to the dugout and I excused myself with him and I said sorry to him and I take full responsibility for that."

Valdez also denied that the cross-up was intentional.

The southpaw signed a three-year, $115 million contract with the Tigers last offseason after playing on Houston for eight seasons, including two All-Star Games. He has a 4.57 through eight starts this season, although much of that run allowance occurred on Tuesday and April 8, when he gave up eight earned runs in five innings against the Minnesota Twins.