Astros' Gurriel makes racist gesture toward Darvish
HOUSTON (AP) - Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel says he didn't intend to offend Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish when he made a racist gesture after homering against him during Houston's 5-3 win in Game 3 of the World Series on Friday night.
Gurriel, a 33-year-old from Cuba, made the gesture shortly after homering to start Houston's four-run second inning. While sitting in the dugout, Gurriel put his fingers to the side of his eyes and said "chinito" - a derogatory Spanish term that translates literally to "little Chinese."
Gurriel says through a translator that he "didn't try to offend nobody." He says he was making a comment that he "didn't have any luck against Japanese pitchers here in the United States."
Darvish was born in Japan to a Japanese mother and Iranian father. He says Gurriel was showing "disrespect."