Video: Red Sox RP Aceves, “Satan in His Eyes,” Involved in WBC Brawl

By Nick Bohlen in Featured, Now!, Red Sox, Top Story ⋅ March 10, 2013 at 1:00pm ⋅ Post a comment

Red Sox pitcher Alfredo Aceves is hurled to the ground in an all-out brawl between Canada and Mexico in the World Baseball Classic. (AP Photo/Matt York)

There’s just never a dull moment with Alfredo Aceves, is there?

Away from spring training to play for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic, Aceves still managed to make himself the talk of Red Sox Nation when he became involved in an all-out brawl in Saturday night’s game against Canada.

The altercation started when Canada’s Chris Robinson laid down a bunt single to lead off the top of the ninth inning with Canada up 9-3. Mexico third baseman Luis Cruz immediately signaled for pitcher Arnoldo Leon to hit the next batter. After two inside pitches, Leon planted a fastball square in the back of Canadian batter Rene Tosoni, and both benches cleared.

In the ensuing melee, Aceves, who came charging off the bench, was thrown to the ground by minor leaguer Tyson Gillies, and when he went chasing after Gillies to retaliate, the enigmatic Red Sox reliever ended up surrounded by Canadian players and received multiple haymakers to the head. But don’t take my word for it. Check the brawl out for yourself after the jump (video courtesy of ESPN):

Aceves eventually had to be held back by Canada first base coach and former NL MVP Larry Walker, who said, “I had a hold of him, and I thought I saw Satan in his eyes.”

In all, seven players were ejected for their roles in the altercation. Other significant major league players playing in the game included Justin Morneau, Joey Votto, Sergio Romo, and Adrian Gonzalez, who Walker also said he held back from the fray.

Fans also became involved, as Walker was nearly struck by a baseball thrown from the stands and a Canada coach was hit in the head by an unopened water bottle. Canada shortstop Carl Iorg hurled the bottle back into the crowd, and one Canadian player had to be restrained from entering the stands, according to the ESPN report. Police officers had to come onto the field to try to keep the situation from escalating further.

Both teams blamed the incident on the WBC’s tie-break rules, which make run differential the first tiebreaker.

About Nick Bohlen - My Twitter

I am a weekly contributor for the Patriots, Celtics, and Red Sox sections of SoB. As a Red Sox fan first and foremost, I am predisposed to expect the worst and masochistically relish it. I apologize in advance with a celebratory '04 David Ortiz (see right).

Tags: Alfredo Aceves, Canada, Larry Walker, Mexico, WBC, World Baseball Classic