BRAWL AT COORS
Rockies, Padres clear benches
A feud simmering below the surface burst into full view Wednesday afternoon at Coors Field after San Diego starting pitcher Luis Perdomo threw behind Nolan Arenado to start the third inning. Arenado tossed his bat and charged the mound while Perdomo threw his glove at Arenado as the benches and bullpens cleared.
Five players were ejected in the aftermath — Perdomo and Padres catcher A.J. Ellis as well as the Rockies’ Arenado, German Marquez and Gerardo Parra — with suspensions expected to be announced by the weekend.
After avoiding the bean ball, Arenado chased a backpedaling Perdomo to the third base side of the mound as players rushed the field. The all-star took swings at Perdomo. The fight took about 15 minutes to subside, but Arenado, restrained by teammate Carlos Gonzales near the Rockies dugout, was as visibly angry as he left the dugout as the hometown fans have ever seen him.
“It is what it is,” Arenado said postgame. “I didn’t like it — they thought they had to do something, but I had to do something, too — that’s kind of why I went out there.”
Tension between the teams rose in the ninth inning of Tuesday night’s game, when the Padres’ Manuel Margot was plunked by a 95-mph fastball from Rockies reliever Scott Oberg. Margot had to be helped off the field and was later placed on the 10-day disabled list with bruised ribs. (Oberg reached out to Margot after the game to reiterate the pitch was unintentional.)
Wednesday, Perdomo hit Trevor Story with a fastball in the first inning which was followed by Marquez beaning Hunter Renfroe in the second, also with two out. By the time Perdomo threw a shoulder high fastball behind Arenado with the first pitch of the third, things had reached a boiling point.
“Oberg’s hit two of our guys (this year), Marquez drilled Hunter today — so they’re pitching aggressively inside, and we’ve seen that repetitively,” Padres manager Andy Green said. “Our guys, at some point in time, are going to take up for each other and pitch inside as well.”
When play resumed, the Rockies offense was suddenly reinvigorated, and scored five runs with the help of some sloppy Padres’ defense. That proved enough in a 6-4 victory.
Once suspensions are handed down, the Rockies will have to play short of a full 25-man roster considering discipline for onfield altercations does not allow clubs to replace suspended players. But the team is unlikely to be without more than one suspended player at a time, as the appeals for Arenado, Marquez and Parra might be staggered.
“I’m sure the league will look at
Bean ball
Batters hit by pitches in seven Rockies vs. Padres games this year: April 2: A.J. Ellis (Chad Bettis)
April 3: Christian Villanueva (Scott Oberg)
April 4: Jose Pirela (Jon Gray) Tuesday: Manuel Margot (Oberg) Wednesday: Trevor Story (Luis Perdomo), Hunter Renfroe (German Marquez) it, make their assessment and we will do what we need to do on our end,” Rockies manager Bud Black said.
Colorado takes on San Diego at Coors Field again for a threegame series from April 23-25. Will the feud be over by then?
“We’ll see,” Arenado said. “I don’t have the answers for that one.”