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Astros' Gurriel Makes Racial Gesture Toward Darvish

HOUSTON (CBSLA/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."

(© Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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