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Pirates, Reds, Puig await suspensions for brawl

CINCINNATI -- Major League Baseball is reviewing video of the latest fight between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds, with Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle expecting suspensions on both sides.

Reds manager David Bell, who had already been ejected earlier in the game, faces a significant suspension for running onto the field and going after Hurdle during the ninth inning of Pittsburgh's 11-4 win Tuesday night.

Hurdle spoke with chief baseball officer Joe Torre before Wednesday's game, which will conclude the raucous series. Hurdle said MLB was reviewing video of the numerous confrontations during the game. One of the confrontations turned into a fight in the ninth when Reds reliever Amir Garrett charged the Pittsburgh dugout.

Four from each team were ejected, including Yasiel Puig, who was traded Tuesday night to the Cleveland Indians.

"Yeah, I anticipate suspensions, and seeing some of the things that our guys were involved with, there definitely could be ramifications coming our way as well," Hurdle said.

On Wednesday, Hurdle pulled starting pitcher Dario Agrazal in the fourth inning after the right-hander hit the Reds' Tucker Barnhart and Jesse Winker with pitches. Umpires got together, but decided against ejecting Agrazal before Hurdle came out to make the change. Both Reds players went to first base without further incident.

The NL Central rivals have a history of run-ins that crept into this season when Derek Dietrich admired his home run at PNC Park in April, prompting a fracas. Puig was at the center of the fight, taking on the Pirates by himself at one point. Puig got a two-game suspension and Bell a one-game ban.

Tempers flared again Tuesday night in the eighth inning when Keone Kela threw up-and-in to Dietrich. Joey Votto yelled into the Pirates dugout between innings, taking exception to the pitch.

Bell was then ejected for arguing after a strike was called during Puig's at-bat in the eighth.

Jared Hughes hit Starling Marte with his first pitch in the ninth, bringing things to a boil. Garrett later traded words from the mound with Pittsburgh's Trevor Williams, who was in the dugout. Garrett ran to the dugout and started swinging as the benches emptied.

Bell emerged from the Reds dugout and ran across the field toward Hurdle, who was shoved to the ground. Pirates hitting coach Rick Eckstein got Bell in a headlock, and Bell screamed profanities at Hurdle as he left the field.

"There's a lot of adrenaline and even rage," Bell said Wednesday.

Bell contends the Pirates throw at batters purposely and has complained that Major League Baseball hasn't clamped down. Bell and Hurdle exchanged lineup cards with the umpires before Wednesday's game but didn't interact.

"I told him exactly how I felt about it last night," Bell said.

Hurdle pointed out pregame Wednesday that he was hit in the head three times as a player. He said he's never told one of his pitchers to throw at a hitter, contrary to Bell's opinion.

"He's going to think what he thinks; he's going to feel what he feels," Hurdle said. "I just shared with him, as he was telling me what I was [during the brawl]. I just said, 'You have no idea what you're talking about.'"

Bell, Puig, Garrett and bench coach Freddie Benavides were ejected from the Reds. Williams, Chris Archer, Kyle Crick and Francisco Cervelli -- who is on the injured list -- were ejected from the Pirates.

Garrett said Wednesday that he can't explain how he lost his cool and charged the Pirates dugout.

"I don't know what to say," Garrett said. "I got out of character. That's not my character. I don't pretend to be a tough guy."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.