The Minnesota Twins are trying to keep pace in the American League playoff race, and they had to battle through some controversy on Saturday night against the Seattle Mariners.

With the Twins leading 3-2 in the seventh inning, home plate umpire Austin Jones shockingly ejected star shortstop Carlos Correa while he was standing in the on deck circle. Twins manager Rocco Baldelli immediately stormed out of the dugout to object, but he was also tossed after the heated altercation.

It's unclear what Correa was ejected for, but it appeared the he had something to say to Jones after a questionable strike call to Brooks Lee. Whatever he said, Jones threw him out of the game quickly and had no interest in hearing a counter-argument from the former Astro.

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The controversial decision by Jones was a big one that arguably swung the momentum of the game. During the bottom half of that seventh inning, JP Crawford crushed a two-run home run to give the Mariners the lead. The Twins tied the game in the ninth inning, but the Mariners eventually won it 5-4 in 11 innings.

The series between these two playoff contenders is now tied at one game each after the Twins won an extra-innings clash of their own over the Mariners on Friday night. The two now have the same record for the season overall at 31-26 as both try to cement their place in the playoff picture as the season approaches the midway point.

Even if both teams are not able to land at the top of the standings in their respective divisions, the Twins and Mariners will both be battling it out for wild card spots in the American League, so these games are very important even early in the season.

Chris Paddack will get the ball for the Twins in the decider on Sunday afternoon, while Luis Castillo will take the mound for the Mariners. The winner will have the upper hand in the wild card picture heading into next week.