Major League Baseball games played Thursday, August 23, 2007: A partial slate of 13 games scheduled for play on Thursday produced 12 games played to completion and a rainout of the American League contest that was to be played in Chicago. Those 12 games produced three ejections.

In St. Petersburg, Florida, where the Tampa Bay Devil Rays hosted the Oakland Athletics, home plate umpire John Hirschbeck ejected Athletics pitcher Santiago Casilla after the first pitch Casilla threw in the bottom of the 9th inning sailed behind the Devil Rays batter and just above the batter's head. The A's won the game by a score of 12-2. You can access the box score at this link, while wraps from MLB.com are here and here. Additional coverage is available from The Oakland Tribune; The San Francisco Chronicle; The St. Petersburg Times; The Tampa Tribune; and The Associated Press.

And in Cincinnati, where the Reds hosted the Atlanta Braves, home plate umpire Jerry Layne ejected all-time ejection recipient Bobby Cox between the bottom of the 2nd inning and the top of the 3rd inning for arguing balls and strikes. Then, in the top of the 6th inning, Layne ejected Braves batting coach Terry Pendleton, also for arguing balls and strikes. The Reds won 9-7 in 12 innings on a walk-off home run. You can access the box score at this link, while wraps are here and here. Additional coverage is available from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution; The Cincinnati Enquirer; The Cincinnati Post; and The Associated Press. You can view a related photo at this link.

Credit John Hirschbeck with an ejection, his third of the season; credit Jerry Layne with two ejections, giving him four on the season; and adjust your Umpire Fantasy League standings accordingly.