Griffin, Samuel Charged in Fight : Dodgers: Infielders are jailed then released after altercation at a bar in Pittsburgh. Griffin is treated at hospital for an injured eye.

Dodger infielders Alfredo Griffin and Juan Samuel were charged Saturday morning with assaulting a bartender-bouncer at a local nightspot.

After spending the night in jail, Samuel and Griffin were arraigned at 11 a.m. Saturday before District Justice Raymond Thomas at Pittsburgh’s North Side Police Station on charges of simple assault. They were released on their own recognizance, and a preliminary hearing was scheduled for July 31.

Police say the incident occurred at 2 a.m. at Chauncy’s, a popular bar-restaurant featuring top-40 music and dancing. Samuel and Griffin visited the nightspot after the Dodgers’ 4-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Police gave this account:

The altercation began when the players interfered in a dispute between unidentified male and female customers. Griffin grabbed the male, turned him around and threw him against the bar. Wilson Sturgeon Jr., 25, who was working behind the bar at the time, allegedly confronted Griffin and asked him what he was doing.

Samuel then threw a punch at Sturgeon but missed. Sturgeon then returned a punch, hitting Griffin in the eye with a forearm. Griffin and Samuel then assaulted Sturgeon.

Sturgeon could not sleep the rest of the night, according to members of his family, and was taken to Ohio Valley General Hospital Saturday morning complaining of severe headaches and bleeding in one eye. Hospital officials said he was treated for multiple cuts and bruises and released. He is reportedly planning to contact a lawyer.

“I have no comment,” said Sturgeon, who is 6-feet, 185 pounds.

“He is hurting all over,” said Sturgeon’s mother, Lydia.

“He was scratched in the eye and has injuries underneath the eye,” she said.

Griffin was taken to Allegheny General Hospital and treated for a swollen eye. He and Samuel were booked into the North Side Police Station, where they were held until arraignment. Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda, coach Manny Mota and traveling secretary Billy DeLury were summoned to pick them up.

Griffin did not suit up for Saturday’s game against the Pirates, partially because of the injury. He remained at the team’s hotel and missed his first start of the season. Lasorda said it was unlikely that the injury would cause him to go on the disabled list.

Samuel arrived at Three Rivers Stadium on the team bus, and appeared unscathed as he took his place in the lineup. But he would not comment about specific details of the incident.

Lasorda declined to comment.

“Whatever I say to my players is confidential,” he said, adding, “I didn’t like to see it happen . . . both of these players are outstanding young men who have not caused trouble since I’ve had them.”

Fred Claire, Dodger vice president, learned of the arrests while scouting the Dodgers’ triple-A team in Albuquerque, N.M.

“This is a matter that is pending, so I can have no comment,” Claire said.

Griffin and Samuel have struggled throughout the season, and neither is expected to remain with the club next year.

League sources say the Dodgers have made Griffin available for a trade, believing that triple-A shortstop Jose Offerman, batting .337 with 52 stolen bases in 95 games, is ready for the major leagues.

Griffin, who was removed for a pinch-hitter for only the third time this season in Friday’s 4-2 loss, is batting .145 in July and .229 overall. He has also committed 18 errors in 90 games, four more than he committed in 131 games last year.

Samuel went two for four Saturday, driving in three runs, hitting his seventh home run of the season and raising his overall batting average to .215.

Samuel will become a free agent at the end of this year and has already hinted he will test the market.

“I have options out there and I have to think about using them,” he said.