Padres, Rockies brawl after multiple batters hit

DENVER — Both starting pitchers and three other players were ejected after the San Diego Padres and Colorado Rockies brawled in the bottom of the third inning Wednesday at Coors Field.

The fracas was preceded by Padres pitcher Luis Perdomo throwing behind Rockies batter Nolan Arenado on the first pitch to the inning’s leadoff hitter.

Arenado immediately took off charging the mound, and Perdomo threw his glove at Arenado, high over the star third baseman’s head. Perdomo then ducked an Arenado punch and backpedaled toward third base as Arenado chased and swung again.

By that time, players from both teams had reached the scene and a real scuffle ensued, with more punches thrown and multiple players swinging and grappling.

At one point, Rockies left fielder Gerardo Parra appeared to land a punch to Padres catcher A.J. Ellis’ face, and Ellis ended up on the ground. Ellis had given chase to Arenado all the way to the mound and over the third base.

Parra, Ellis, Perdomo, Arenado and Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez were ejected. Marquez had thrown a towel from the edges of the skirmish to reignite tensions after the brawl had subsided.

Buddy Baumann replaced Perdomo on the mound, and the Rockies scored five runs in the inning.

Perdomo had also hit Trevor Story to load the bases with two outs in the first inning. The pitch to Arenado seemed to be in response to two hit Padres batters in the previous four innings.

Padres center fielder Manuel Margot was placed on the 10-day disabled list with bruised ribs after being struck by a Scott Oberg fastball in the ninth inning Tuesday. Marquez hit Hunter Renfroe in the wrist in the second inning.

An inning passed before Arenado, the Rockies’ marquee player, came to the plate.

The Padres had taken notice of the Rockies pitchers throwing inside in the series’ previous two games, both won by the Padres.

This is the finale of this series, but the teams play again April 23-25 back at Coors Field.