Both Adrian Beltre and Terry Francona were ejected just prior to the third inning Wednesday night. (AP)

[Click here to listen to Adrian Beltre explain his side of the story after being ejected by home plate umpire Dan Bellino before the third inning began Wednesday.]

Adrian Beltre explained that when he was ejected by home plate umpire Dan Bellino just prior to starting the third inning of the Red Sox’ 4-2 loss to the Mariners he was talking some friendly “smack” to Seattle pitcher Felix Hernandez and didn’t say a word to the ump. Bellino tossed Beltre while the third baseman was getting ready to warm up at his position, presumably believing he was still talking about a called third strike the half-inning prior.

“I was talking to Felix, we had a little bet where he told me he was going to strike me out three times and I told him I was going to take him deep. He struck me out in the first at-bat and I went back to my position and he was talking smack,” Beltre explained. “I was facing him, talking in spanish. I told him the next at-bat I was going to take him deep over the Monster. That’s all I said to him. I heard the umpire talking to me. I told him I was talking to [Hernandez], and he threw me out. I had no idea why he threw me out. I wasn’t even talking to him.”

Beltre immediately ran in from third when he figured out Bellino — a 31-year-old umpire who had been called up from the International League (AAA) — had ejected him. Second base umpire Angel Hernandez, who had sprinted in from his position, got between the player and the ump.

“It’s frustrating for a rookie umpire to do something like that, especially with how important the game is to us,” said Beltre, who had only been ejected fro one other game in his career, coming on Aug. 24, 2002. “Knowing I’m not even facing him. I’m not even talking to him. I’m talking in Spanish and he’s behind me. So how does he take the initiative to take me out of the game in a game like in the second inning?

“I never got close to him. They wouldn’t let me. I was trying to find out why, why he would throw me out. He has no reason to throw me out in that situation. I don’t know why a rookie is behind home plate today. I’m guessing he’s a rookie because I’ve never seen him before. So why would he take the initiative to throw me out in a game like that, in the second inning when we’re trying to win a pennant race.”

Also ejected was Red Sox manager Terry Francona, who had come out to calm down his player before attempting to get an explanation from Bellino. Hernandez also stepped in between Francona and the rookie umpire during the ensuing argument.

“He’s protecting the young umpire. They have their code or whatever, like we do. I guess I figure, if a guy’s old enough to throw you out, he’s old enough to get yelled at,” Francona said of Hernandez’ involvement. “I just wanted an explanation. Like I  said, if a guy’s going to throw you out, he out to be able to tell you what happened. So I couldn’t get an explanation. So I started cursing. That was real helpful.”

“I think Tito was trying to get an explanation as to what was going on,” Beltre said. “We were all confused.”

“I don’t have any history with the guy. He struck me out a pitch me seeing on the video was low. I said it was low, he said it was a good pitch and I walked away. That was it.”

For more on the Red Sox see the team page at weei.com/redsox.