OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh has never been a favorite of Boston sports fans, from his playoff run-ins with the New England Patriots to his criticism of the now-illegal formations used by Bill Belichick.

So Harbaugh's comments on the heated baseball feud between the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox won't go over very well.

After bringing up the Orioles and Red Sox unprompted toward the end of Saturday's media session, Harbaugh defended Orioles pitcher Kevin Gausman, who was ejected Wednesday after hitting Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts with a pitch.

"It was a curveball. It was a curveball," Harbaugh said. "It didn't break."

Someone mentioned the pitch was clocked at 77 mph.

"That's a love tap," Harbaugh said.

Harbaugh likened this to the Ravens-Patriots.

"It's Baltimore-Boston," he said. "That's a pretty good rivalry."