Arenado, Perdomo suspended five games for brawl

Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado was suspended five games for charging the mound after Luis Perdomo threw a pitch behind his back, inciting a benches-clearing brawl during Wednesday’s game against the San Diego Padres.

Major League Baseball announced Friday that Perdomo also was suspended five games for intentionally throwing at the all-star third baseman.

Rockies outfielder Gerardo Parra was suspended four games for fighting, and Padres pitcher Buddy Bauman got a one-game suspension for fighting. The suspended players also were fined.

Padres catcher A.J. Ellis and infielder Freddy Galvis and Rockies right-hander German Marquez were fined but not suspended.

Arenado swung wildly at Perdomo after he reached the mound, but none of his punches landed squarely.

The brawl came during a tense series that included three batters being hit by pitches before the benches-clearing incident. San Diego’s Manuel Margot was hit first and ended up on the disabled list.

The suspensions were effective Friday, pending appeals by the players. Colorado was at Washington on Friday night and the Padres hosted the Giants.

Hurdle’s comments irks Maddon: Cubs manager Joe Maddon fired back at Pittsburgh Pirates skipper Clint Hurdle for criticizing Chicago star Javier Baez’s bat flip on a pop-up.

Maddon was “surprised” and didn’t “really understand” why Hurdle criticized Baez. He also said he believes “in not interfering with other groups.”

“Be careful when you start becoming hypercritical because you’re pretty much defining yourself,” Maddon said.

The 25-year-old Baez homered twice for the second straight day in Chicago’s victory over Pittsburgh on Wednesday. But he also flipped his bat high into the air on a pop-up to shortstop Jordy Mercer in the seventh inning.

Baez acknowledged after the win it was a mistake.

Hurdle questioned Baez’s “respect for the game” on Thursday.

Donaldson sidelined: The Toronto Blue Jays placed third baseman Josh Donaldson on the 10-day disabled with right shoulder inflammation.

Donaldson, the American League’s most valuable player in 2015, is batting .239 with three home runs and nine RBI.

Maxwell pleads guilty: Oakland Athletics catcher Bruce Maxwell pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in an incident in which he was accused of pointing a handgun at the head of a woman who delivered food to his home in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Maxwell pleaded to an undesignated felony, meaning the offense will go down to a misdemeanor upon successful completion of his probation.

According to court records, Maxwell was arrested in October on suspicion of disorderly conduct and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after the delivery woman reported the incident to police.

Police said in the court documents that Maxwell lowered the gun once the woman explained why she was there.