PITTSBURGH -- Pirates manager Clint Hurdle was ejected three batters into Wednesday night's 9-5 loss to the Brewers at PNC Park for arguing with home-plate umpire Sam Holbrook.
"It's the earliest I've been run," Hurdle said about three hours and 40 minutes later.
Batting with two runners on and nobody out, Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun made contact with a 1-0 fastball from left-hander Jeff Locke. The ball bounced in front of the plate and appeared to roll off Braun's shoulder as he ran into fair territory.
It was ruled a foul ball, and Braun returned to the batter's box. Apparently believing Braun should have been called out, Hurdle expressed his opinion from the Pirates' dugout.
"There was no checking. There's no replay. I just shared my view that I thought it hit him in fair play," Hurdle said. "[Holbrook] said, 'That's enough,' and I thought it was a little early to say that's enough."
Asked to describe the conversation between him and Holbrook, Hurdle said, "Short." Holbrook ejected Hurdle, who walked onto the field to further protest the call.
"Obviously that was enough, because I exited at that point," Hurdle said. "I was put in timeout."
The ejection was Hurdle's fifth of the season and the 50th of his career. Hurdle's last two ejections have come with Holbrook behind the plate; he was tossed on July 3 in Oakland for arguing balls and strikes.
With their manager heading back to his office, the Pirates made the best of the situation. Third baseman Jung Ho Kang made a diving stop to start a 5-4-3 double play, and Locke struck out Jonathan Lucroy to end a scoreless first.