BOSTON (AP) — Boston’s Kevin Youkilis charged the mound after being hit with a pitch, throwing his helmet at Detroit pitcher Rick Porcello and tackling him before the benches and bullpens poured onto the field Tuesday night.

Order was restored minutes later without any punches thrown, but Youkilis and Porcello were ejected in the second inning. Porcello turned back to scream at the umpire as he left the field.

Red Sox manager Terry Francona was ejected later in the inning for arguing about a play at second base.

The hostilities had been brewing since Monday night, when Miguel Cabrera was hit in the top of the fourth and Youkilis was plunked in the bottom half; Detroit’s Brandon Inge was hit in the eighth.

On Tuesday, Cabrera was hit in the left hand in the top of the first by Junichi Tazawa; when Porcello threw one inside to Boston first baseman Victor Martinez in the bottom, he took a few menacing steps toward the mound before returning to the batter’s box.

Youkilis led off the second inning and was hit in the back with the first pitch. He dropped his bat and ran toward Porcello, missing the pitcher with his batting helmet before wrapping him up and bringing him to the ground.

Players ran out of the dugouts and trickled in from the bullpens, but they mostly milled around as the umpires sorted things out. Youkilis headed straight to the dugout and, after a discussion, Porcello was tossed.

Mike Lowell pinch ran for Youkilis and Chris Lambert relieved Porcello. David Ortiz singled and Jason Bay followed with a three-run homer to tie the game 3-all.

Cabrera, who remained in the game after he was hit in the first inning, left with a 1-2 count on him when he came up in the second. Ryan Raburn swung at the first pitch, which was in the dirt, to finish the at-bat; the strikeout is charged to Cabrera.

Copy the Story Link