Major League Baseball on Thursday suspended six players and both managers for their roles in the benches-clearing brawl between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.
Reds manager David Bell (six games) and pitchers Amir Garrett (eight games) and Jared Hughes (three games) were disciplined. Yasiel Puig, who acknowledged after Tuesday's game that he had been traded to the Cleveland Indians before Wednesday's official announcement, was suspended for three games.
Pirates pitcher Keone Kela got the longest ban at 10 games for "intentionally" throwing a pitch near the head of the Reds' Derek Dietrich and later instigating the brawl. Teammates Jose Osuna (five games) and Kyle Crick (three games) and manager Clint Hurdle (two games) also were disciplined by MLB.
"The incidents between these two clubs remain a source of concern, and it's reflected by the level of discipline we are handing down today," Joe Torre, chief baseball officer for MLB, said in a statement. "Everyone on the field should be aware of the example they are setting for fans, particularly young people.
"I firmly expect these two managers and all others to hold their players accountable for appropriate conduct and to guide them in the right direction."
All six players have appealed the suspensions and can continue to play until those appeals are heard. Bell began his suspension Thursday night, and Hurdle will begin serving his ban Friday.
"I didn't have a say. I didn't talk to anyone," Bell said Thursday. "I want to be in the dugout. We'll be fine, but I have a responsibility to be in the dugout, so that part, I'm remorseful. It's my job. But I can't live with handling it any other way."
MLB fined Pirates pitcher Trevor Williams, Reds first baseman Joey Votto and Reds outfielder Phillip Ervin undisclosed amounts. Other players who participated in the skirmish while on the injured list, including Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli, also have been fined.
Tempers flared in the eighth inning after Kela threw up and in to Dietrich. In April, Dietrich admired one of his homers at PNC Park, and it led to a benches-clearing clash in that game.
Bell said he thought Kela's 10-game penalty -- double the ban for what some high-and-tight pitches draw -- was a message from MLB.
"But that wouldn't have happened if we didn't protect ourselves," Bell said. "If we wouldn't have done anything about it, then he would have got away with it."
Between innings, after Kela's pitch, Votto yelled into the Pirates dugout. Separately, Bell was ejected for arguing after a strike was called with Puig at bat in the eighth.
Hughes hit Marte with his first pitch in the ninth, bringing things to a boil. Garrett later traded words from the mound with Williams, who was on the Pirates bench. Garrett then ran toward the dugout and started swinging while being dragged to the ground by roughly half the Pirates team before backup arrived as the benches emptied.
Bell, despite having been ejected, 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.
Bell later helped restrain Puig, who reignited the melee with more shouting and shoving, and screamed profanities at Hurdle as he left the field.
"Things happen in the moment," Puig said Thursday. "You need to defend your teammates. Off the field, we're all friends."
Pittsburgh won 11-4, and Bell later contended the Pirates throw at batters purposely. Bell and Hurdle exchanged lineup cards with the umpires before Wednesday's game but didn't interact, and Cincinnati won 4-1 in a quiet game.
"This comes down to, really, one of our guys, the ball was thrown at his head," Bell said. "What were we supposed to do? ... I can't live without doing anything to protect one of our guys. It's that simple. If we don't do anything, if we don't protect ourselves, then their pitcher just gets away with throwing at one of our guy's head."
The Reds and Pirates next play Aug. 23 at Pittsburgh. That game, incidentally, was already billed as fireworks night.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.