Reds slugger Joey Votto goes wild after he gets ejected [video]

Reds star Joey Votto lost his cool Wednesday night when home plate umpire Bill Welke ejected the first baseman after the two had words following a strike call in the eighth inning of Cincinnati’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Votto slammed his helmet to the ground and charged toward Welke, who stood his ground. Votto continued his tirade nose to nose with Welke, who appeared to gesture that Votto had touched his face.

By that time Reds Manager Bryan Price and some teammates had arrived to separate the two, with first base umpire Laz Diaz, who is a former Marine, helping remove Votto from the home-plate area.

Votto eventually went to the dugout and Price continued to question Welke over what happened.

In a postgame interview, Price said that the strike call was not the issue. The Reds manager said Votto had asked for time out but did not receive it from Welke, who called the ensuing pitch a strike, though it appeared to be outside.

“By the time I got isolated with Bill at home plate, we did both come to the conclusion that Joey had asked for time out, and Bill didn’t feel like he was going to give him time out for whatever, due to whatever history had happened,” Price said. “So our argument is, of course, a guy asks for time out, you give him time out, and then you give him a certain period of time out of the box, and then you insist he gets back in the box or you put the ball in play. Those are some of the options.”

Pittsburgh, which got its first grand slam of the season in the sixth inning from Jung Ho Kang, won the game, 5-4.

Internet and wire reports contributed to this story.