Punches fly after Harper gets plunked
SAN FRANCISCO— The baseball season is long. The memories of baseball players are longer.
Giants right-hander Hunter Strickland faced Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper for the first time since the 2014 NL Division Series, and it resulted in more on-field fireworks in a 3-0 Nationals win on Monday afternoon.
Strickland’s first pitch of the at-bat drilled Harper in the left hip. Harper responded by charging the mound. And an honest to goodness street fight ensued as players from both teams rushed the field.
Harper and Strickland each appeared to land at least one solid punch to the face before players intervened. First baseman Michael Morse and pitcher Jeff Samardzija were first to get in between the two combatants, and their heads forcefully collided. Although the catcher is usually the first one to hold back a charging batter, Buster Posey made little apparent effort to break up the melee.
Harper and Strickland were ejected, and both are likely to receive fines. Harper dropped his bat as he approached the mound and lost his grip as he tried to fling his helmet.
It took three Giants players to drag Strickland all the way off the field and into the dugout. Strickland struggled to get free the entire time.
It was the first time that Strickland faced Harper since the Nationals star twice took him deep in a 2014 playoff series that the Giants won in four games. Strickland had stared at Harper as he rounded the bases, and Harper yelled at him from the dugout. Strickland also angered the Kansas City Royals in the World Series that October; he later apologized for losing his temper and called it a learning experience.