PHOENIX - A fierce brawl in which several players threw nasty punches erupted Saturday in the ninth inning of Canada's 10-3 romp over Mexico in a World Baseball Classic game. The melee also involved fans.
Multiple fights broke out after Canada's Rene Tosoni was hit in the back by a pitch from Arnold Leon with the score 9-3.
After the fisticuffs ended, Canada's pitching coach, Denis Boucher, was hit in the face by a full water bottle thrown from the crowd. Canada shortstop Cale Iorg angrily threw the bottle back into the crowd.
Article Photos
Canada’s Jay Johnson and Mexico’s Eduardo Arredondo fight during the ninth inning of Canada’s 10-3 win in a World Baseball Classic game Saturday.
AP photo
Just as the game resumed, someone in the crowd hurled a baseball that almost hit Canada first-base coach Larry Walker in the head.
Several police officers came onto the field trying to restore order, and there were a few skirmishes in the crowd of 19,581.
A bunt single by Chris Robinson in the ninth added to already existing tension - a WBC tiebreaker relies heavily on runs. Third baseman Luis Cruz fielded the bunt and seemed to tell Leon to hit a batter.
Fact Box
WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC
All times HST
Saturday's Results
First Round
At San Juan, Puerto Rico
Dominican Republic 6, Spain 3
Puerto Rico 6, Venezuela 3
At Phoenix
Canada 10, Mexico 3
U.S. 6, Italy 2
Second Round
At Tokyo
Cuba 14, Taiwan 0
* * *
Today's Games
First Round
At San Juan, Puerto Rico
Spain vs. Venezuela, 6:30 a.m.
Dominican Republic vs. Puerto Rico, 1:30 p.m.
At Phoenix
U.S. vs. Canada, 10 a.m.
Second Round
At Tokyo
Netherlands vs. Japan, midnight
Leon, Alfredo Aceves, Eduardo Arredondo and Oliver Perez of Mexico, and Tosoni, Pete Orr and Jay Johnson of Canada were ejected.
Later in the day, the U.S. got a grand slam from David Wright and beat Italy 6-2. The American team's Shane Victorino, a St. Anthony High School graduate, did not play.
