(670 The Score) Cubs manager David Ross is frustrated by the Brewers' continued plunkings of catcher Willson Contreras, saying the emotion shown by Contreras during the ninth inning Tuesday was "warranted."
Contreras was hit by a pitch from Brewers reliever Brad Boxberger in the bottom of the ninth of the Cubs' 4-0 loss, then exchanged words with Boxberger and other Brewers. The two teams' benches cleared, but no punches were thrown.
It marked the second consecutive game Contreras was hit by a pitch from the Brewers. He was hit in the helmet by Brewers reliever Devin Williams during the seventh inning of the Cubs' 5-3 win on Monday. Contreras has been hit six times in his past 11 games against the Brewers.
The Brewers maintained they haven't been intentionally targeting Contreras, something that Ross said he believes. But Ross also recognizes the anger from Contreras after taking another bruise from the Brewers.
"It was warranted," Ross said Wednesday. "He's an emotional guy. I don't know that I would've reacted any different after what happened, how many times he's been hit by that particular group.
"At some point, enough is enough. Whether it's intentional or unintentional, there are usually consequences for those things."
Contreras isn't in the Cubs' lineup for the series final against the Brewers on Wednesday afternoon, though the decision didn't have anything to do with the drama of Tuesday. Ross had previously planned to get veteran catcher Tony Wolters in the lineup and give Contreras a rest.
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Contreras has been hit by a pitch 11 times in 258 plate appearances and 69 games against Milwaukee since he entered the big leagues in 2016.
"I don't think anybody's trying to hit people," Cubs outfielder Ian Happ said on the Bernstein & Rahimi Show on Wednesday. "I think the (scouting) report on Willson -- if you see them pitch consistently up and in, it's because that's the report, that's where the analytics have said you have to throw up and in, either because he has a hole there or because it opens him up to sliders down and away or another pitch on the outside part of the plate.
"If pitchers are going to throw up and in, you have to be able to command it, because there are no repercussions for guys throwing 95 miles per hour heaters off guys' heads or shoulders. They're the ones who control it. They're the ones with the baseball. As a hitter, you're just reacting to them.
"When it's coming like a heat-seeking missile up and in at 95, obviously Willson got frustrated from getting hit in the head the night before and then back up and in again. It's not cool. It's scary, what it is."
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago's sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
