As the Cincinnati Reds open a four-game series against the National League Central-rival Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park, it's been seven years to the day since a memorable brawl between the two teams at the same venue.
On July 30, 2019, bad blood from earlier in the season and earlier in the game boiled over during the ninth inning between the Reds and Pirates at GABP.
Former Reds relief pitcher Amir Garrett was on the mound during the Reds' 11-4 loss when Pirates pitcher Trevor Williams started yelling at him from the visitor’s dugout. Garrett charged toward the Pirates' dugout and essentially challenged the entire team to a fight. Garrett was suspended for seven
games, and it was reduced to five.
Former Reds outfielder Yasiel Puig was one of the main participants in the melee despite having been dealt to the Cleveland Indians in a three-team trade before the deadline.
It was the second benches-clearing incident between the two teams that season. In July, Reds manager David Bell had returned to the field for a benches-clearing brawl after having been ejected from the game.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Reds face Pirates on seven-year anniversary of Amir Garrett vs dugout
