NEW YORK — Yankees reliever Ben Heller was ejected from Wednesday night's game against the Tampa Bay Rays for hitting Hunter Renfroe in the leg with a pitch, the latest chapter in a simmering rivalry between the top two teams in the AL East.

Heller plunked Renfroe with a 95 mph fastball with one out in the fifth inning and was promptly tossed by first base umpire Chad Fairchild. Heller tried to plead his case and so did acting New York manager Carlos Mendoza before Luis Cessa came on to pitch.

The ejection occurred hours after Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman was handed a three-game suspension by Major League Baseball for throwing a 101 mph fastball over Mike Brosseau's head in the ninth inning of New York's 5-3 win over the first-place Rays on Tuesday night.

Chapman said Wednesday afternoon the pitch was not intentional and he is appealing the suspension.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone and Tampa Bay counterpart Kevin Cash were each given a one-game suspension and served them Wednesday.

Chapman's first pitch to Brosseau with two outs in the ninth inning whizzed past Brosseau's head. After the game, Cash seemed to threaten the Yankees.

“Somebody's got to be accountable,” he said. “And the last thing I'll say on this is I got a whole damn stable full of guys that throw 98 mph. Period.”

Tensions have run high between the teams in recent years.