"100% on purpose"; "Too close to face" - Fans explode after Camilo Doval drills Ernie Clement, sparking tension in ALDS Game 4

Tensions flared between the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays in an intense Game 4 of the American League Division Series on Wednesday.

The Yankees were under pressure in the do-or-die game to continue their postseason journey. The pressure told on Camilo Doval as the Yankees reliever drilled Ernie Clement in the top of the eighth inning.

Clement had a few words for the Yankees pitcher as it clipped his shoulder and not too far away from his head. He was seen being told to calm down by Blue Jays teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr. from the dugout.

Fans reacted to Doval's hit-by-pitch on the Blue Jays slugger.

"100% on purpose."

"Ooh, too close to face.*

"The receipt is being saved for next season! We've got bigger things to focus on!"

"What a typical Junkees loser move. You can't beat them so you beat them up...."

"Typical Yankee & New York. Triggered that they’re gonna lose & aim for their head. You deserve to lose this game."

The Yankees pitcher apologized to Clement for not being able to locate his slider and hitting the Blue Jays slugger on his shoulder.

Blue Jays held on Instagram bullpen game to end Yankees' World Series dream

The hit-by-pitch had little significance on the outcome of the game as the Blue Jays escaped a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the eight inning to preserve their 5-1 lead.

The Yankees threatened in the ninth inning but had to settle for a consolation run as the Blue Jays held on for a 5-2 win to progress to the championship series and eliminate the Bronx Bombers from the postseason.

The Blue Jays outscored the Yankees 37-19 and were all over the Yankees starting rotation in the series. Yankees starters Luis Gil, Max Fried and Carlos Rodon lasted a combined eight innings with a staggering 16.88 ERA.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash