Reds-Giants tension keeps rising after blatantly intentional Spencer Steer HBP

If you've watched baseball for any length of time, you know there are some unwritten rules and the players like to police themselves from time to time. That's exactly what we saw on Thursday afternoon when San Fransisco Giants starter Landen Roupp plunked Cincinnati Reds outfielder with a four-seam fastball during the second inning.

Steer came up to bat during the bottom of the second inning with with one out and a runner on first base. Roupp wasted no time and hit Steer with a 93 mph heater. It's always difficult to judge intent, but that pitch was on purpose, and was retaliation for an exchange between Steer and Giants' pitcher JT Brubaker from the night before

In a social media clip that's since gone viral, Steer can be seen telling Brubaker to, "Throw the f------ ball." The Reds' outfielder then laced a liner into left field and was seen shouting in Brubaker's direction.

Reds outfielder Spencer Steer plunked by Giants pitcher

Steer wasn't the only Reds player who was hit by a pitch on Thursday afternoon. TJ Friedl also reached first base the hard way after being struck in the ankle with a breaking ball during the bottom of the sixth inning.

Unlike Steer's HBP, this one did not appear to be on purpose. At the time, the game was tied 0-0, and pitchers are rarely going to get six pitches deep into an at-bat if they have plans to hit the opposing batter intentionally.

Not to be outdone, however, Reds pitcher Connor Phillips came inside on Giants' shortstop Willy Adames during the top of the eighth inning. Failing to get his point across with the first pitch that was up and in, the Reds reliever came back with a 98 mph heater and drilled Adames.

Tensions were high, and a few players from both dugouts came onto the field, but nothing explosive ever happened. After a brief conference between the umpires, Phillips was ejected and eventually replaced by left-hander Sam Moll. Terry Francona protested, but it was to no avail.

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