Ugly Brawl Between Team Canada and Team Mexico in World Baseball Classic

Up six runs over Team Mexico in the ninth inning, Chris Robinson, Team Canada’s catcher, bunted for a single to lead off the top of the frame. Obviously Team Mexico’s pitcher Arnold Leon took offense to this, because he proceeded to hit the next hitter Canadian batter, Rene Tosoni, square in the back.

After Tosoni was plunked by Leon, chaos broke loose at Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz. Immediately following being hit, Tosoni began walking toward the mound, and then both benches quickly cleared. A brawl ensued once players from both squads gathered, including punches thrown by both sides.

When they were finally able to pull everyone off of each other, and the teams began to head back to their dugouts, tempers flared once again. A Team Canada player seemed to provoke a few Team Mexico fans by raising his arms in the air. Not appreciating the gesture, the fans then threw a bottle onto the field, which hit another member of Team Canada in the face. This followed by the player appearing to try and climb his way into the stands, but he was pulled back by a few teammates.

The game finally resumed, the fans never completely settled down and a ball hit into the stands was then thrown back onto the playing field.

With the tiebreaker in round-robin play in the World Baseball Classic being run differential, it appeared that Team Canada was just trying to add onto their lead by bunting to start the ninth.

As crazy as this sounds, this fight is a good sign for the WBC. The discussion whether players truly care about the Classic has been asked over the past couple of weeks, and this brawl, while childish, proves the passion is there.