ANAHEIM, Calif. — A baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels erupted into violence Tuesday evening when pitcher Reynaldo Lopez and designated hitter Jorge Soler exchanged blows on the field, leading to both players being thrown out of the game.
The confrontation began during the fifth inning when Lopez delivered a high inside pitch that deflected off catcher Jonah Heim’s mitt, causing Soler to rush toward the pitcher’s mound in anger.
Initially, Lopez raised his hands defensively as the two players stared each other down, but the situation quickly escalated into a fistfight. Players from both dugouts rushed onto the field in an attempt to break up the altercation, with Atlanta manager Walt Weiss among those who brought down Soler during the melee.
During the scuffle, Lopez managed to strike Soler’s batting helmet while still gripping the baseball in his hand.
The tension had been building throughout the game, as Soler had previously connected for a home run against Lopez during his first plate appearance, then took a hit-by-pitch during his second trip to the batter’s box. Atlanta held a 4-2 advantage when the fight erupted.
Lopez’s night ended after throwing 4 2/3 innings, giving up two runs on three hits while recording seven strikeouts. Soler’s performance included the home run and two runs batted in before his ejection.
The Angels had taken the series opener with a 6-2 victory on Monday in the first game of their three-game matchup.
