CINCINNATI – The Reds and Cardinals have played several times over the years and renewed that part of their rivalry with an extensive bank clearing fight in the fourth opening game.
Cincinnati was leading, 6-2, when pitcher Jake Woodford punched Nick Castellanos with a quick ball to the shoulder. Castellanos showed his displeasure against Woodford and Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina by picking up the ball and offering it to the pitcher.
Later in the entry with Mike Moustakas, Woodford threw a wild throw that marked Castellanos from third base with a header slide. Woodford was covering the plate when the two came together. Castellanos stood up and flexed over Woodford, prompting Molina to defend his teammate.
This emptied both cavas and bulls.
The calamity was running out and both teams returned to their sides when the donnybrook restarted the field after Cardinals reliever Jordan Hicks pushed the Reds ’field goal, Eugenio Suarez. Participants spilled onto the grass while Castellanos and Molina remained on the field talking.
Castellanos was the only player expelled from the match. He was replaced by Aristides Aquinas at the top of the fifth.
Back Thursday, Castellanos jogged and threw the bat after hitting an Opening Day home run against the cards, with Cincinnati behind by six runs.
The two teams infamously clashed in 2010. Molina was in the middle of it when he and Brandon Phillips exchanged words on the home plate in front of a Reds second baseman bat.