BASEBALL BRAWL: Cincinatti sees red over Pirates’ wild pitch

PITTSBURGH — Cincinnati’s Derek Dietrich admired a home run off Chris Archer in the second inning, and two innings later the Pittsburgh Pirates starter threw a 93 mph fastball behind Dietrich’s waist, setting off a brawl Sunday that led to the ejections of four players and Reds manager David Bell.

Dietrich’s 436-foot drive to right-centre gave the Reds a 2-1 lead. Dietrich dropped his bat and stood in the batter’s box and watched the ball clear the fence atop the Clemente Wall and bounce into the Allegheny River.

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Chris Archer walks away from a bench clearing brawl with fellow pitcher Trevor Williams during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, April 7, 2019.

After Archer’s pitch went behind Dietrich leading off the fourth, plate umpire Jeff Kellogg warned both benches. Bell jogged from the dugout to the infield, arguing Archer should have been ejected. Players from both dugouts and bullpens followed, and Reds outfielder Yasiel Puig grab Pirates bench coach Tom Prince in a headlock. Pirates closer Felipe Vazquez and set-up man Keone Kela were also in the middle of the fray.

Bell, Kela, Puig and Vazquez were ejected, as was Reds reliever Amir Garrett.

Matt Kemp replaced Puig, and Archer was allowed to remain in the game. The Reds led 3-2.

Cincinnati Reds’ Yasiel Puig, right, gets away from Tucker Barnhart as he attempts to re-enter a bench clearing brawl during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Sunday, April 7, 2019.

from Canoe http://bit.ly/2D4tJSL