Is there bad blood brewing between the Boston Red Sox and New York Mets from the depths of their respective organizations?
Probably not.
Nevertheless, the question bears asking after prospects from the Major League Baseball clubs brawled Thursday in Portland, Maine, at Hadlock Field in a minor-league game between the Sea Dogs, Boston's Double-A affiliate, and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, New York's affiliate at that level.
The fracas took place in the third inning after Rumble Ponies pitcher Marcel Renteria hit Sea Dogs designated hitter Tyreque Reed with a pitch. The Press-Herald's Travis Lazarczyk explains what happened next:
As Reed jogged to first base, Renteria stepped off the mound and said something to him, prompting Reed to charge him and throw a punch. Both benches cleared.
... Renteria was injured in the fight and left the game ... .Reed was ejected, as was David Hamilton, who sprinted into the fray after he trotted home to score. For Binghamton, backup catcher Francisco Alvarez was ejected. Rumble Ponies third baseman Brett Baty was thrown out in the top of the third inning for arguing a called third strike.
BoSox Injection's Hunter Noll shared video of the wild scene via Twitter, and you can watch it here.
What Renteria said to provoke Reed is anyone's guess.
"It's just one of those things," Sea Dogs manager Chad Epperson told Lazarczyk. "Obviously, something was going on there to set something off, but as far as what, I have no idea."
The Sea Dogs and Rumble Ponies will meet again Friday evening at Hadlock Field. Lets hope cooler heads prevail for all nine innings.
