This was the extraordinary moment a mass brawl broke out between players at a major US baseball game.
Dozens of players and coaches from both teams got involved as the Boston Red Sox scrapped with the New York Yankees during the middle of Wednesday night’s game.
It began when Boston’s Joe Kelly threw the ball straight at Tyler Austin in retaliation to an earlier incident – where Austin had slid along the grass with his boot spikes dangerously facing upwards.
After being hit, Austin threw his bat to the ground and ran straight for Kelly. The two dragged each other to the ground in a frenzy of punches as tens of thousands of spectators watched on at Fenway Park in Boston.
It took around 50 men to eventually drag the players apart.
Both were then ejected by the referee, along with the Yankees’ third base coach Phil Nevin.
It is the latest incident in a long-running rivalry between the two sides, which has seen similar brawls in the past.
Boston Red Sox v New York Yankees Brawl - In pictures
“It’s Yankees-Red Sox. That’s what everybody wants. That’s what they got,” said Boston starter David Price.
“Two competitive teams going at it and stuff happens,” said Yankees general manager Brian Cashman. “But sometimes stuff shouldn’t happen and there was no reason for fisticuffs to have to happen based on that slide at second base.”
The game resulted in a 10-7 victory for the Yankees, ending the Red Sox’ nine-game winning streak.
It came after another fight erupted at a game between the San Diego Padres and the Colorado Rockers just hours earlier.
Five players were ejected after a similar brawl broke out on the field.
