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ORIGINAL STORY by Andrea Hill The StarPhoenix - with video
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A melee broke out at the WBSC Men's World Championships on Thursday during a tense game between Great Britain and Argentina.
At the top of the sixth inning, with Argentina up 2-0 after two scores in the first, Argentinian pinch runner Juan Brandauer collided with Great Britain infielder Darrin Newson, who fell to the ground.
Punches were thrown as members of both teams flooded onto the field.
Argentinian players Brandauer and Santiago Carril were ejected from the game, which resumed shortly after the brawl broke up.
“All I have to say is to apologize for the team. I’m sure these things should not happen,†Argentinian head coach Julio Gamarci said after the game, which Argentina won 2-0.
“Unfortunately, the players sometimes get too emotional and they can’t control themselves in a situation like that. Not only my players. Sometimes these things happen, even in pro baseball it happens. Always it’s a shame because it’s hurting the game.â€
He said he respected the umpires’ decision to eject Brandauer and Carril from the game and would respect any further decision from the discipline committee.
“The only thing is that nobody on the other side got even a warning or ejected. I thought a guy just pushed the runner (Brandauer) after the collision, he got pushed and then he fell down and that’s why it all started.â€
Norman Ames, head coach for Great Britain, said three of his players were injured in the brawl, which he described as “a cheap shotâ€.
Outfielder Luke Peters was punched in the face, outfielder James Darby was spiked in the stomach and Newson was run over.
“We’d like to avoid those things, everybody would like to avoid those things, but if you do it, do it fair,†he said after the game. “Do it like a man and not hit somebody and run away.â€
Ames said that despite the loss he was happy with his players’ performance.
“I think that’s more important than guys who got suspended. I’m never happy with a suspension on the other team. It doesn’t bring me anything, it doesn’t bring the boys anything,†he said.
The two teams did not shake hands after the game.
Argentina is now third in pool A with five wins and two losses, behind Canada (6-0) and the Czech Republic (5-1). Great Britain (3-4) sits in fifth.
- With files from Phil Tank