Red Sox, Orioles' Benches-Clearing Confrontation Discussed by Blaze Alexander, Nick Sogard

Baltimore Orioles second baseman Blaze Alexander said he felt he made a clean slide into second base Friday night before an argument that led to a benches-clearing brawl with the Boston Red Sox.

Alexander slid hard into second base as Red Sox second baseman Nick Sogard completed a double play to end the inning of the Red Sox's 1-0 win.

Shortly after the end of the frame, the broadcast showed Orioles players holding Alexander back as he argued with Sogard and other Red Sox players.

Alexander told reporters after the game he thought he made a clean side and was wondering afterward "why I'm getting stared at," per MLB.com's Jake Rill .

Alexander added he felt he took more contact when the Red Sox's Jahmai Jones slid into second base during a Thursday matchup between the two teams.

"I don't know why they're upset. I didn't touch them," Alexander said, per Jacob Calvin Meyer of the Baltimore Sun. "There's more contact on the play last night."

Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said after the game he didn't feel Alexander's play was related to Jones' slide the day prior.

"I love what Blaze brings to the table. He's just trying to go out there to win. Nothing malicious, he's just a fiery competitor," Albernaz said.

Sogard said after the game he felt the slide was not related to the Thursday night game but was instead the result of Alexander playing hard.

"He slid in pretty hard. I didn't have a problem with the slide, but we turned the double play," Sogard said after the game (h/t NESN ). "I was just looking back to see how far he went. I don't know if he liked me looking back... I didn't say nothing until he started talking."

Alexander made his return last week from the fractured left hand that sidelined him for more than a month. He has batted .346 in seven games since slotting back into the lineup.

The Orioles, which have gone 3-4 since Alexander's return, will hope he can provide a spark down the stretch as Baltimore looks to make up ground from three games back in the AL Wild Card race.