Galarraga Fights Back

Andres Galarraga of the Atlanta Braves wasn’t going to take it anymore.

Dodger pitcher Darren Dreifort wasn’t going to back down.

That combination produced a volatile reaction when Dreifort hit Galarraga with a pitch for the second time in a week, stirring a bench-clearing brawl in the Braves’ 7-5 victory Saturday afternoon before a crowd of 48,326 at Turner Field.

Galarraga became enraged when Dreifort hit him with a pitch on his left leg while leading off the second inning. He charged the mound and swung wildly at Dreifort, who ducked and grabbed Galarraga’s legs.

They began wrestling on the mound and were quickly encircled by their teammates, managers, coaches and the umpires.

Galarraga was ejected and Dreifort was forced to leave because he suffered cuts on his throwing elbow. National League President Leonard Coleman will review a videotape of the brawl, and fines and suspensions are expected.

Dreifort hit the all-star first baseman with his second pitch during the at-bat. The Atlanta slugger has set a franchise record by being hit by pitches 22 times this season, including against Dreifort during the second inning of the Dodgers’ 1-0 victory last Sunday at Dodger Stadium.

Galarraga, who had hit three-run homers in the first two games of that series, exchanged words with Dreifort as he walked up the first-base line because he believed Dreifort was throwing at him.

“Probably the first time he hit me, I should have fought him in that situation,” said Galarraga, who acknowledged that he recently vowed to charge the next pitcher who hit him with a pitch.

“But I tried to be patient, I tried to be the nice guy. I tried not to be the bad guy, but two times? I can’t believe he hit me.”

Dreifort said that both incidents were inadvertent. He said that he was only trying to establish the inside corner of the plate.

“The guy stands right on top of the plate, and then he strides into the ball,” Dreifort said. “We’ve got guys who pitch inside in this game, and guys have gotten hit for years, that’s the way it is.

“Certain guys you just have to pitch inside. I’m not going to stop [pitching that way] unless he starts hitting bombs [home runs] off of me.”

Not surprisingly, perception of the incident was split along team lines.

“That was a disgraceful display by Galarraga,” said Dodger interim General Manager Tom Lasorda, accompanying the team on the trip.

“Dreifort wasn’t trying to hit him at all. [Galarraga] caused a big riot out there, and he should be suspended. He should really be suspended--and I don’t mean for only three games.”

Atlanta Manager Bobby Cox viewed things differently.

“That was as intentional as it gets,” he said. “It’s cheap and it’s really selfish on his part, because they’ve got 24 guys over there trying to qualify for the playoffs--and one idiot on the mound. One dope, that’s it. But that doesn’t surprise me. I’ve heard he was spoiled in college, spoiled in the minor leagues and spoiled up here. What’s new?”

After the wrestling match, the Braves and Dodgers played baseball. Atlanta quickly took a 3-0 lead after Dreifort departed in the second, holding on for its sixth victory in seven games against the Dodgers this season.

Dreifort (6-12) took the loss despite pitching only one-plus inning. Atlanta starter Denny Neagle (12-11) gave up three runs in five innings to earn his first victory in four starts, and closer Kerry Ligtenberg pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his 22nd save.

The Dodgers dropped a game under .500 at 64-65, falling to 2-3 on the trip with two games remaining against the Braves.

They now trail the New York Mets by eight games in the NL wild-card race with 33 games remaining. The National League East-leading Braves improved to 85-44, continuing to prepare for their annual postseason run.

But neither team was focusing on the future after Saturday’s events.

“I was really worried about [Dreifort], and not only about losing him for a game,” Manager Glenn Hoffman said. “Galarraga is a big man, and he could have done some serious damage to Dreifort’s career.

“Luckily, he didn’t connect, but the whole thing shouldn’t have happened. He was trying to pitch him inside, and that’s only way you can pitch to him.”