Jul 25, 2008 8:36 am US/Eastern
Pitcher Arrested After Minor League Brawl In Ohio
DAYTON, Ohio (AP) ―
A minor league pitcher accused of throwing a ball that hit a fan during a bench-clearing brawl was charged with felonious assault.
Peoria Chiefs pitcher Julio Castillo was arrested Thursday following the fight with the Single-A Dayton Dragons, authorities said Friday. Umpires ejected 15 players and the team's managers following the 10-minute brawl.
Video from the game shows Castillo angrily throwing a ball, but doesn't show where the ball landed.
The fan, who remains unidentified, was treated at Miami Valley Hospital and released, said hospital spokeswoman Nancy Thickel. She didn't know the extent of the fan's injuries.
Castillo, 21, was arraigned Friday via video from the Montgomery County jail and ordered held on $50,000 bond. Dayton Municipal Judge Carl Henderson also required Castillo, who is from the Dominican Republic, to surrender his passport.
Through an interpreter, Castillo said he's been in the United States for a month and living with teammates in Peoria. Defense attorney Kevin Braig asked for Castillo's release.
Things got heated on Wednesday, when three Peoria batters were hit in a game between the Dragons (affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds) and the Chiefs (affiliated with the Chicago Cubs).
After a Peoria player was hit in the top of the first in Thursday's game, Castillo hit two batters in the bottom half -- one in the head. The second hit batsman by Castillo, Angel Cabrerra, made an aggressive slide into second to break up a double play.
Castillo followed that by throwing his next pitch up-and-in, prompting Dayton manager Donnie Scott to complain to the home plate umpire. Interim Peoria manager Carmelo Martinez -- filling in for Ryne Sandberg -- came onto the field to join the discussion.
The two managers began arguing, and when Martinez pushed Scott, the benches emptied.
The teams protested the ejections by phone to Midwest League president George Spelius, saying they didn't want pitchers playing in the outfield to complete the game. After an hour delay, the ejections were reversed and the game resumed. Dayton won 6-5.
Spelius said Friday that he spoke to the umpires about the brawl. He said he needs to read a report, review video footage and talk to team officials before any possible sanctions.
Chiefs spokesman Nathan Baliva said Spelius will handle the issue.
"He'll hand down the appropriate punishments he deems necessary," Baliva said.
Reds general manager Walt Jocketty witnessed the fight from the stands. Cincinnati spokesmen Rob Butcher said Friday neither the Reds nor the Dragons would comment.
Sandberg was in Cooperstown, N.Y., for the weekend's Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.
Aaron Brown, a fan seated near home plate, said the fight marked a sad day for baseball.
"I've never seen anything like it before," Brown said. "You see paramedics running into the stands. Just when you think it ends, there is another group trying to fight.
"I was really surprised they continued the game."
(© 2008 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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