MLB suspends Chris Archer, Yasiel Puig, and David Bell for bench-clearing fracas

NEW YORK — Pittsburgh pitcher Chris Archer has been suspended for five games, Cincinnati outfielder Yasiel Puig for two and Reds manager David Bell for one for their roles in a bench-clearing fracas last weekend.

The commissioner’s office said Tuesday that Archer has appealed his penalty and will play pending a decision. Puig and Bell were to serve their discipline starting Tuesday.

Chief Baseball Officer Joe Torre also fined all three for their behaviour Sunday.

Cincinnati’s Derek Dietrich stood in the batter’s box to admire his long home run in the second inning, and two innings later Archer threw his first pitch behind the waist of Dietrich. Plate umpire Jeff Kellogg warned both benches and Bell jogged from the dugout to the infield, arguing Archer should have been ejected.

Benches and bullpens emptied, and an enraged Puig barrelled into a bunch of Pirates.

Archer maintained he missed his location while trying to throw an inside pitch.

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