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The Brewers manager lashed out at the umpiring crew for two critical two-out calls in the seventh inning, either one of which had they gone the Brewers' way would have changed the complexion of the inning if not the result, of what turned out to be a deciding four-run inning in the Brewers' 7-4 loss at Turner Field.
''That umpiring was a joke, a bad joke,'' said Yost, who rarely publicly criticizes umpires.
But this time Yost could not contain himself about about the calls at first base and second base that allowed the Braves to extend a seventh inning in which they turned a 4-1 deficit into a 5-4 lead. Yost was especially incensed by what he called the umpires' ''nerve to smile'' when he was ejected for arguing the second call in question.
Yost unleashed his frustration following the Brewers' third loss in four games.
''Two times we're out of that inning with the lead, and that changes the game completely,'' Yost saidin a postgame session he cut off after 20x189 minutes.
Yost was upset about a call at first in which umpire Jerry Layne ruled Braves' Mark Teixiera safe as reliever Claudio Vargas tried to protect a 4-2 lead for starter Chris Capuano.
Vargas was working his second inning in relief and a run had already scored on a wild pitch, an offering in the dirt that catcher Mike Rivera inadvertenly kicked up the first-base line that allowed Edgar Renteria to touch home.
Teixeira hit a hopper up the middle fielded by second baseman Rickie Weeks, who ranged to his right, jumped and made the throw.
Yost didn't challenge that call. ''We don't moan and cry about every little call,'' Yost said. ''So every time something happens, we don't run out there. We expect (the umpires) to do their jobs just like we're doing our jobs. You're paid to get the call right. So, yes, we were tempted. But I try to give them the benefit of the doubt.''
Vargas compounded the problems with a full-count walk to Jeff Francoeur, who rarely walks but laid off Vargas' offerings after falling behind 0-2.
Andruw Jones then hit a soft liner to center that scored Teixeira with the third run. Francoeur stopped on his way to third and dived back into second. Bill Hall's throw beat Francoeur to the base but umpire Chris Guccione, in position to make the call, said Francoeur beat Weeks' tag.
Yost sprinted on the field and within seconds was ejected by Guccione. On his way back to the dugout, Yost also gestured at Layne.
''A game with the implication of this right there and we get this kind of effort,'' Yost said. ''And you have kids out there busting their (butts) and their hearts out, and you get that kind of effort. It's a joke. I mean, it's a joke.''
Guccione was unavailable for comment. Crew chief Ed Montague, who worked behind the plate, said he had not seen any replays but that umpire supervisor Richie Garcia said they made the correct calls on the plays in question.
Montague was not pleased when told Yost was blaming the umpires for the loss. ''You better tell him to go look in the mirror,'' Montague said.
Francoeur scored on Matt Diaz's single off Vargas. Pinch-hitter Martin Prado added the lead run with a single off reliever Ray King that scored Jones. The Braves added two more in the ninth on Teixeira's two-run double off Chris Spurling.
The Brewers had staked Capuano to a 4-1 lead after five innings as Ryan Braun picked up three RBIs, including two on his 32nd home run, and Corey Hart's fielder's choice grounder.
But the lead didn't hold up and the Cubs, who have six games left, now lead the Brewers by 30x189 games.
