Papelbon gets tossed as Phillies lose to Marlins

His performance had been difficult enough to endure, then things went downhill even further for Jonathan Papelbon.

After he blew the first save of his career against the Miami Marlins, the Phillies closer was ejected Sunday by second-base umpire Joe West as he walked off the field.

Papelbon and West described the incident in completely different ways.

It was all part of the drama during a 5-4 Phillies loss at Citizens Bank Park as Papelbon coughed up a 4-1 lead in the ninth inning. He had been 18 for 18 in his career in save opportunities against Miami.

Even though he pitched in his third consecutive game, Papelbon did not blame fatigue after he allowed four ninth-inning runs.

He did blame West for overreacting and tossing him from the game. West felt otherwise.

As he walked off the field in the ninth, Papelbon stopped in front of the dugout and grabbed his crotch. That's where the versions of the incident differ.

"The whole thing started because the fans booed him and he made an obscene gesture," West told a pool reporter. "He had no business doing that. He's got to be more professional than that. And that's why he was ejected."

Papelbon said there was no inappropriate gesture, that he was simply adjusting his uniform.

"I mean, this is baseball; I had to make an adjustment and did it and by no means whatsoever [was it directed toward the fans]," Papelbon said.

Even though he was booed while he came off the mound, Papelbon insisted he was not angry with the fans.

"I don't even hear the fans out there," he said. "When I am out there, I am in the moment, the fans are irrelevant to me. I don't even see them or hear them."

His problem, he said, was with West.

The fans "have the right to boo and do whatever they want to do, but an umpire gets caught up in that and starts trying to look for extra things he may think are going on," Papelbon said. "Just umpire the game and I don't think we would have been in this situation."

Papelbon said he would not direct any actions toward the fans.

"I mean, I have a 4- and a 5-year-old son and daughter; I am not out here doing inappropriate things," Papelbon said. "Come on, this is baseball, this is what we do. Go look at the game and see how many people do that just in today's game."

After the ejection, the fireworks continued. Papelbon and West met on the field.

"And then [after the ejection], he charged out of the dugout and his head bumped into my hat," West said, "and I grabbed him and I said, 'Get off of me.' "

Papelbon had a different spin.

"Joe had no right to grab me by any means, so I will file a complaint for that for sure," Papelbon said.

Papelbon allowed four earned runs on four hits, walked a batter, and needed 38 pitches in the inning.

In the previous two games, he needed a total of 18 pitches in throwing two scoreless innings.

"I was just catching too much of the plate today and wasn't as sharp as I have been here for most of the year," Papelbon said. "It was just one of those days I didn't have much on the baseball today, much control."

Papelbon allowed an RBI grounder by pinch-hitter Jordany Valdespin (ending a 12-pitch at-bat) and run-scoring singles by Christian Yelich and Justin Bour to tie the score. Yelich scored the winning run on a wild pitch.

Freddy Galvis walked and Cody Asche singled, putting runners on first and second to open the Phillies ninth against righthander Steve Cishek.

The Marlins closer ended the game by striking out Ben Revere, Maikel Franco, and Chase Utley.

Lost in the effort was the performance of starter David Buchanan, who allowed one run in 61/3 innings. Franco and Carlos Ruiz had RBI singles, and Revere was 2 for 5 with a run scored.

That took a backseat to Papelbon's performance and his controversial exit from the mound.