A.J. Pierzynski barrels Michael Barrett then gets punched in the face, a breakdown

Mar 26, 2020 290.0K views 2:06
MLB 2020

What Happened

In a 2006 matchup between the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox, the stage is set for a heated rivalry game. Rich Hill of the Cubs is on the mound and he has walked three batters in a row. A.J. Pierzynski of the White Sox tags up and heads home after a sacrifice fly. Pierzynski, the catcher, collides with Cubs catcher Michael Barrett at the plate, a legal play under the rules at the time. Pierzynski barrels through Barrett, sending him flying. Barrett, who did not have the ball yet, becomes incensed and immediately punches Pierzynski square in the face. "BAM, right in the face," the announcer exclaims. Pierzynski is stunned, giving Barrett a look of disbelief, as if to say, "Why are you so mad? That was a clean play." The benches quickly clear as a melee ensues. Cubs pitcher Rich Hill gets involved, but White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen holds him back. White Sox outfielder Brian Anderson attempts to throw a punch at Barrett but misses, instead flipping Cubs outfielder John Mabry to the ground. The scuffle continues, with players from both teams piling on. Ultimately, order is restored, with Cubs pitching coach Larry Rothschild pulling Barrett away. Anderson wonders aloud if he may have broken Mabry's rib during the fracas. Throughout it all, the ever-polarizing Pierzynski revels in the moment, "pumping up the crowd" as the announcer notes. Despite the chaos, Pierzynski simply straps his gear back on, ready to continue the game. "Damn, I love being a catcher. So cool that after big plays you just throw the pads back on, you're like 'All right, back to the trenches I go. Let's do it,'" Pierzynski says. The heated rivalry between the Cubs and White Sox is on full display, with tensions boiling over into a melee at home plate. The altercation showcases the passion and intensity that can arise in the heat of a cross-town matchup, leaving a lasting impression on all who witness it.

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two thousand six Cubs versus White Sox

rich hill on the mound he walked three

in a row gives up this sack fly

Pierzynski is tagging he's coming home

at this point this was part of the rules