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DAYTON — It had all the elements of a good baseball game — as well as hockey game, rugby contest and boxing match. Extreme martial arts? Oh, yeah, that, too.
Before the first inning was finished Thursday, July 24, at Fifth Third Field, three batters were hit by pitches.
The victims included:
• Dayton shortstop Zack Cozart, who left when hit in the head.
• Peoria's second baseman, who suffered a broken leg.
• A fan, who was hit by a ball thrown by Peoria starter Julio Castillo.
No information was available about the condition of the fan or Cozart.
Castillo, both managers as well as 15 players were thrown out of the game. But almost an hour after the brawl, which lasted about 10 minutes, all of the ejections were reversed by the Midwest League.
The reversal came after the Reds and Cubs — parent teams of the Dayton Dragons and Peoria Chiefs — indicated they didn't want pitchers playing in the outfield, which is what each team would have needed in two spots.
Reds General Manager Walt Jocketty and Terry Reynolds, director of player development for the Chiefs, were in the stands and spoke by telephone with league President George Spelius, who likely will re-invoke the suspensions today.
Fans had different reactions to the mayhem, and most stayed to see the entire game.
"It was a big brawl," said Ben Means, 25, a fan from New Carlisle. "I like that kind of enthusiasm. It was sweet. We're excited. It's cool."
Joseph Albrecht, a season ticket holder from Oakwood, wasn't so pleased.
"Somebody needs a timeout. I don't think it's the crowd," he said.
Trouble began with Peoria's second batter, who was hit with a pitch by Dayton starter Kyle Lotzkar, the fourth Peoria batter hit in two nights. That may or may not have prompted Castillo to drill Dayton's second batter, Cozart, in the helmet.
By the way, Dayton won, 6-5.
Before the first inning was finished Thursday, July 24, at Fifth Third Field, three batters were hit by pitches.
The victims included:
• Dayton shortstop Zack Cozart, who left when hit in the head.
• Peoria's second baseman, who suffered a broken leg.
• A fan, who was hit by a ball thrown by Peoria starter Julio Castillo.
No information was available about the condition of the fan or Cozart.
Castillo, both managers as well as 15 players were thrown out of the game. But almost an hour after the brawl, which lasted about 10 minutes, all of the ejections were reversed by the Midwest League.
The reversal came after the Reds and Cubs — parent teams of the Dayton Dragons and Peoria Chiefs — indicated they didn't want pitchers playing in the outfield, which is what each team would have needed in two spots.
Reds General Manager Walt Jocketty and Terry Reynolds, director of player development for the Chiefs, were in the stands and spoke by telephone with league President George Spelius, who likely will re-invoke the suspensions today.
Fans had different reactions to the mayhem, and most stayed to see the entire game.
"It was a big brawl," said Ben Means, 25, a fan from New Carlisle. "I like that kind of enthusiasm. It was sweet. We're excited. It's cool."
Joseph Albrecht, a season ticket holder from Oakwood, wasn't so pleased.
"Somebody needs a timeout. I don't think it's the crowd," he said.
Trouble began with Peoria's second batter, who was hit with a pitch by Dayton starter Kyle Lotzkar, the fourth Peoria batter hit in two nights. That may or may not have prompted Castillo to drill Dayton's second batter, Cozart, in the helmet.
By the way, Dayton won, 6-5.
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