The Boston Red Sox are finishing off a series with the Houston Astros on Wednesday in Texas. After a 14-1 win on Tuesday, Boston is looking for a series win. But the Red Sox will have to do it without their manager, as Alex Cora was ejected from the game for arguing a non-call he felt should have been a balk.

Jarren Duran was on third base with Romy Gonzalez up to bat in the top of the sixth inning. The Red Sox had the tying run 90 feet from home plate and thought they should have scored. Astros starter Hunter Brown switched from the wind-up to the stretch during Gonzalez's at-bat.

Balk rules are not black-and-white in the MLB rulebook. It is vaguely defined as “…an illegal motion on the mound that the umpire deems to be deceitful to the runner(s).” Cora and the rest of the Red Sox dugout thought changing stances mid at-bat qualified as deceitful. Despite a balk call earlier in the inning, they did not get the call.

Gonzalez grounded out to first base to end the sixth inning. Cora continued to argue through the breaks between innings and was ejected during the top of the seventh. After getting out of the inning, the Astros took advantage with a two-run homer from Yainer Diaz. While the call changed the game, Boston's bullpen did not keep the game close in the immediate aftermath.

The Red Sox came to Houston with Astros legend Alex Bregman playing third base. It is quite the change from the past seven years, where Bregman would man the hot corner in Houston while Rafael Devers was at third in Boston. Despite his great run in Houston, Bregman received a mixed reaction from the crowd. 

The Red Sox head back to Fenway for three games against the Miami Marlins on Friday.

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