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DETROIT -- It was 78 degrees at game time Thursday afternoon at Comerica Park.
Then the sixth inning rolled around and the temperature went up.
Way up.
Alexei Ramirez was hot. Jim Leyland was hotter.
And it all stemmed from the heat Chicago White Sox starter Chris Sale threw under Prince Fielder's chin an inning earlier in the Detroit Tigers' 6-3 loss.
Benches cleared in the top of the sixth after Tigers right-hander Luke Putkonen retaliated for that pitch with one of his own, a fastball behind Ramirez, Chicago's shortstop.
He reacted with strong steps toward Putkonen, finger pointed. Miguel Cabrera reacted with strong steps toward Ramirez, finger pointed.
And Brayan Pena reacted by holding Ramirez back as benches spilled onto the field.
"He was pretty heated up," Pena said.
While tempers settled around home plate, one didn't. Leyland was ejected after three rounds of arguments with the umpires.
"Skipper was pretty hot," Pena said.
The incident came two batters after White Sox rookie Josh Phegley chased Anibal Sanchez and the Tigers' lead that proved to be the game-winning hit in front of a sold out crowd in downtown Detroit.
Putkonen said it wasn't intentional.
"I wasn't trying to hit anybody," he said. "I was throwing an inside fastball and it got away from me."
Sale said it wasn't intentional.
"I promise everything I love I wasn't trying to send a message or throw at him," he said. "Nothing. Not even close."
And Leyland said nothing, declining to speak with reporters after the game.
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