A heated confrontation during Tuesday night’s baseball game in Anaheim led to the ejection of two players after a bench-clearing brawl erupted in the fifth inning between the Los Angeles Angels and Atlanta Braves.
Angels designated hitter Jorge Soler and Braves starting pitcher Reynaldo Lopez were both thrown out of the game following the on-field altercation.
The incident unfolded after Soler, who had already homered earlier in the game and been hit by a pitch in the third inning, took offense to a high inside fastball. The pitch deflected off catcher Jonah Heim’s glove and rolled to the backstop, allowing baserunner Nolan Schanuel to move up to second base.
After glaring at Lopez for several moments, Soler charged toward the pitcher’s mound. The two players then engaged in a brief scuffle, exchanging punches that didn’t appear to connect cleanly as teammates from both dugouts rushed onto the field. Lopez defended himself using his glove while swinging with his pitching hand, which was still gripping the baseball.
Braves manager Walt Weiss helped end the melee by tackling Soler near the first base line.
Only the two primary participants in the fight were removed from the contest.
Lopez had been working deep into his start, having thrown 80 pitches across 4 2/3 innings while recording seven strikeouts and giving up two runs on three hits and two walks.
Soler, who earned World Series MVP honors with the Braves in 2021, has since played for three different organizations, including a return to Atlanta this season.
Following the ejections, Tyler Kinley came in to pitch for Lopez and successfully stranded a runner at third base, while Jeimer Candelario entered the game as Soler’s replacement in the Angels’ batting order.
