For the second time this season, a piece of chewing gum was in the middle of a bench-clearing scuffle between the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants.
In the top of the ninth with the Giants leading 9-0 in what would end up a 9-3 victory, benches cleared after words were exchanged between Padres reliever Shawn Kelley and Giants catcher Hector Sanchez, after Sanchez grounded out to first.
The tension stemmed from a sixth-inning grand slam by Sanchez in which he flipped his bat and admired his homer for a few seconds too long, according to Dale Thayer, who let up the homer.
Thayer took exception and chucked his piece of gum in Sanchez’ direction as he trotted toward first base.
Earlier this season, benches cleared after Giants outfielder Angel Pagan flicked gum in the direction of Derek Norris ub the batters box and Norris took exception.
The grand slam was just icing on the cake for the Giants, who were already leading 5-0 before the blast. Brandon Crawford and Hunter Pence also contributed home runs for San Francisco off Padre starter Odrisamer Despaigne.
While Despaigne struggled, Giants starter Chris Heston was spinning a gem, holding a no-hitter for five innings. He would end up with 7 1/3 innings pitched while allowing no runs, six hits and struck out six.
The Padres tacked on three runs in the ninth, two of which came on a two-run double by Brett Wallace.
With the loss, the Padres five-game winning streak—their longest of the season—was snapped.
James Shields (8-3, 3.92 ERA) will go for the Padres tomorrow against Matt Cain (1-1, 5.06) for San Francisco in an afternoon affair starting at 12:40 p.m.