Jays Blow Huge Lead, Gibbons And Lilly Scuffle
Posted August 21, 2006 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Toronto Blue Jays fell apart on, and off the field on Monday night. Not only did the Jays let a huge lead slip away, eventually falling 12-10 to the Oakland Athletics, but internal strife once again rocked the clubhouse after pitcher Ted Lilly and manager John Gibbons scuffled in the tunnel leading to the locker room.
The trouble started after Lilly was pulled in the third after giving up seven runs including homers to Bobby Kielty and Milton Bradley, eradicating what previously looked to be an insurmountable 8-0 lead.
A photographer who witnessed the incident, said Gibbons went right at Lilly and the two began wrestling. Several players and team officials rushed to break up the embarrassing bout.
Lilly remained in the clubhouse afterwards but Gibbons returned to his job in the dugout.
The A’s went on to score four more times in the sixth before Vernon Wells’ two-run double in the bottom of the inning brought the Blue Jays (66-59) to within 11-10.
Jay Payton added a solo shot in the top of the ninth to close the show and put an end to a sad display on home turf at Rogers Centre.
Lilly’s future with the club wasn’t immediately known, although both he and Gibbons downplayed the incident after the game.
