By RICH ROVITO, Associated Press
MILWAUKEE (AP) – Milwaukee reliever Abner Uribe was suspended for six games and starter Freddy Peralta for five on Wednesday for their roles in a brawl during a Brewers’ game against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Rays outfielder Jose Siri was suspended for three games and Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy for two by Mike Hill, Major League Baseball’s senior vice president for on-field operations. All four also were fined.
Murphy started his suspension on Wednesday, when associate manager Rickie Weeks led the team against the Rays.
Milwaukee said Uribe and Peralta planned to appeal. If a player appeals to MLB special assistant John McHale Jr., discipline remains pending until the appeal is resolved.
MLB cited Peralta for intentionally throwing at Siri and Murphy for Peralta’s actions plus “inappropriate conduct towards umpires.” Uribe was disciplined for causing a benches-clearing incident and Siri for his actions during the incident.
Before Wednesday’s game, Siri revealed a bruise on his left leg that he received after getting hit by a 3-0 fastball from Peralta in the sixth inning of the Brewers’ 8-2 victory Tuesday. That incident led to the ejection of Peralta and Murphy.
The animosity between Siri and the Brewers had been building since he took a long look at his solo home run off Peralta in the third inning.
After Siri grounded out leading off the eighth against Uribe, the two exchanged words near first base and Uribe threw a punch at Siri, who then took a wild swing at the pitcher. Milwaukee first baseman Rhys Hoskins tried to break up the fight and was knocked to the ground as dugouts and bullpens emptied.
Siri wasn’t in the Rays’ starting lineup Wednesday but said he planned on getting treatment and would be available later in the game.
“He was the one who threw first. I don’t think I did anything bad,” Siri said through an interpreter. “Of course, I would expect (Uribe) to get a suspension. Me, I might even get a game or two.”
Siri said he remained unsure why Uribe took a swing at him.
“When I was in the on-deck circle and he was warming up I felt like he kept looking over at me and staring at me, so I just had that feeling,” Siri said. “Obviously, when I went to first base, I confirmed that he had a problem with me.”
Uribe assessed the situation after Tuesday’s game.
“I think there were some words shared that didn’t have much to do with the game, that probably shouldn’t have been shared there in that exchange” he said through an interpreter.
Siri stressed on Wednesday he has no dispute with Peralta.
“I never really had a problem with Peralta. Never have,” he said. “He hit me, and I just went to first base.”
Siri said celebrations by pitchers and batters alike are part of the game but insisted that he wasn’t trying to show up Peralta.
“I don’t think I did anything wrong. I stood there. I didn’t look at it. I put my head down and just ran,” he said.
Murphy had been ejected from each of the Brewers’ previous two games. He was tossed from a 1-0 loss to Tampa Bay on Monday after arguing with a decision that kept the Brewers from scoring a tying run in the ninth inning.
