The bad blood between the Los Angeles Angels and Atlanta Braves went absolutely out of control on Tuesday night.
It started normally as a routine mid-week matchup. But then it ended in a fifth-inning brawl that saw helmets flying, punches thrown, and a 58-year-old manager tackling a 235-pound designated hitter on national TV.
Though the MLB community saw the brawl unfold in the fifth inning, the crowd at Angel Stadium noticed the tension building three innings earlier. It began in the first inning when Jorge Soler hit a two-run homer off Reynaldo Lopez, followed by the third inning where Lopez plunked Soler with a high-and-tight pitch.
Soler has always hit well against Lopez, coming into the game with 13 hits in 22 at-bats and four home runs. In the first inning, he added another homer to give the Angels the lead.
Two innings later, Lopez hit Soler with a pitch. Then, in the fifth, with a runner on base, Lopez threw a 97 mph fastball over Soler’s head, and that was the breaking point as the two players ended up throwing punches eventually.
Both men fired haymakers, though neither connected cleanly. But none of those shots were weak. The benches and bullpens cleared immediately, and in a bizarre twist, Lopez was still holding the baseball when he punched Soler’s helmet.
Braves manager Walt Weiss, who coached Soler in Atlanta, helped end the fight by tackling him to the ground alongside coach Dustin Garneau. He later stated his instinct was to get the "big man" off his feet before someone got hurt.
While Garneau helped Weiss restrain Soler, Mike Trout was instrumental in pushing Lopez back toward the dugout to prevent him from re-entering the fray. Home plate umpire Edwin Moscoso ejected both players on the spot, and they might face serious punishment following the brawl.
After the game, Lopez denied any intent through his official translator, saying, "On my part, there was never any intent to hit him at any point. It's just a shame.”
Braves manager supported his pitcher, adding, "I don't allow our pitchers to throw at people just because they can't get them out. Our job is to get ’em out. But I understand why Soler got angry. And he’s a really mild-mannered guy. So, I think the switch flipped for him."
Lopez finished with seven strikeouts in 4⅔ innings before he was ejected. Soler ended his night with a two-run home run. The Braves won 7-2, with Ozzie Albies hitting his third home run of the season after the brawl.
With the series tied at 1-1, the Wednesday afternoon matchup will decide the winner. Angels left-hander Reid Detmers will face Braves righty Grant Holmes. Neither Soler nor Lopez will be available for the finale.
