Youkilis Charges Mound As Red Sox, Tigers Brawl At Fenway

By The Associated Press
Aug 12, 2009, 11:20 AM
25 Comments

Boston's Kevin Youkilis, below, wrestles with Detroit Tigers starter Rick Porcello after being hit by a pitch in the second inning of a baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston, Tuesday. (AP)

The Boston Red Sox may have found a solution to their surplus of corner infielders — for a while, anyway.

Kevin Youkilis was ejected and faces a suspension for charging the mound after getting hit by a pitch and throwing his helmet at Tigers pitcher Rick Porcello on Tuesday night. That would give more playing time to Mike Lowell, who pinch ran for Youkilis and hit two homers to lead the Red Sox to a 7-5 victory over Detroit.

“I’m sure something will happen,” Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. “Youk’s a real good player and his versatility makes him even better for us. But we have guys, we should be able to do this.”

Lowell hit a solo homer in the third to break a 3-3 tie, then added a two-run shot in the fifth to make it 6-3. He also scored on Jason Bay’s three-run homer after entering the game as a pinch-runner when Youkilis and Detroit starter Rick Porcello were ejected for sparking the second-inning melee.

“The important thing was: we answered back right away,” said Lowell, who has been part of a rotation at the corner infield positions since the Red Sox acquired Victor Martinez at the trading deadline.

The 2007 World Series MVP started the game on the bench, with Youkilis at third and Martinez at first.

“He starts out there watching and pretty quickly he’s down there stretching and he ends up having a huge impact on the outcome of the game,” Francona said. “That’s not easy to do.”

Junichi Tazawa allowed three runs — just one earned — while walking two and striking out six in five innings in his first major-league start. In his only other appearance he lost to the New York Yankees on Friday after giving up Alex Rodriguez’s two-run, game-ending homer in the 15th inning.

Chris Lambert (0-1) allowed five runs on five hits and four walks in five innings, striking out three in relief after Porcello hit Youkilis in apparent retaliation for Tazawa’s plunking of Miguel Cabrera. Cabrera, who like Youkilis was also hit in the series opener on Monday night, later left the game with a bruise on his left hand.

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Deb Plumb

Being a former Red Sox fan, I’ve watched the team for dozens of years. I am not surprised by the brawling Youkilis. He is the 1 “team member” whose seems to be a cave man, too in love with himself to exercise restraint, good judgement, and sportmanship. Yup, everyone must be out to get Youk (ahem!), despite the fact that he intentionally positions himself to hang over the plate. Bawl or brawl, Youk chose the latter.
Ted Reich

This is getting out of hand. Last week Prince Fielder was trying to get into the Dodgers clubhouse to brawl after being hit by a pitch. Yesterday Youkilis charges the mound and throws his helmet. This isn’t the UFC. It’s baseball. Take your base and cut the high-school crap. Have a little bit of class.
Seth

Youk actually stands the average distance away from the plate and has a very straight up and down batting stance, so your “hanging over the plate” statement is a bit inaccurate. In love with himself? I don’t think so, he’s probably the biggest team player on the Red Sox, he plays 1st, 3rd and even left field when asked to, doesn’t seem too selfish to me. I’d like to see you get hit by a ball in the flat of the back going over 80 miles an hour, intentionally thrown at you, and not get pretty mad about it.
bosox fan

First of all, Youkilis is the last ball player that hangs over the plate. Have you ever seen this guy bat. He had every right to charge after the pitcher. Porcello meant to hit Kevin. Rick used a ball, Kevin used a helmet, what would you wanna get hit by.
Umpinator

I thought it was kind of funny seeing a skinny 20 year old kid throw big ‘ol roid-ragin’ Youk to the ground. Youkilis deserves a suspension.
hottubejimmy

hey,Chowerheads,that was a very nice……………… judo hip -throw by that tiger pitcher,3points to DET.HAVE A NICE FALL SITTING HOME THIS COMING WORLD SERIES .
jh2b12

he doesnt hang over the plate, and porcello didnt throw him to the ground youk grabbed and they both flipped to the ground and you say he is a caveman?? he got hit intentionally this game and the game before and its the second time porcello hit a batter this year and they were both youk and if he is such a “caveman” and has “roid rage” how come this is his 2nd time being ejected out of a game in his career and the first time he has charged the mound in his career maybe you guys should actually pay attention to baseball and know what your talkin bout before you come on here and start talkin bout stuff you dont know bout
TO

I think all you boston fans are just frustrated because Youk got thrown around by a younger, skinny less experienced baseball player. Youk is a good baseball player, charging the mound made him look really bad though. You are awarded a base, so take it and move on. Not only did he charge the mound, he lost the wrestling match which emabarassed him even more.
jim conner

yes “youk” is a caveman! charging the mound is inexcusable behavior. i didnt see cabrerra or inge charge the mound after being! umpires handed the game to the red sox by ejecting porcello without warning either team. the tigers need to use this strategy tonight, so if you con=me inside beckett tigers hitter charge the mound and it should be an early shower for josh
hockeyball

Rick did not intentionaly hit Youk! Leyland won’t even let him pitch 9 innings even under 100 pitches, so he is not going to put him in the position of being charged! Miguel C has alot more class than Youk! He was hit yesterday and the day before in the hand which would do alot more damage then the back but did not rush the mound! Oh wait the Red Sox and Yankees can do no wrong!!!!!!!!!
Tori…go yankees

what a jackass!!
Tori…go yankees

i can’t stand this guy! he is such a monster. thinks he’s so cool, he should be suspended a few more games if u ask me. go yankeessssssss(:
DeadSox

Haha. I’m so glad Youkilis got beat up last night. He thinks he is so tough and Porcello made him look like a chump. It’s funny cause Youkilis is charging the mound expecting to take Porcello out and Porcello just slams him to the ground like a bag of rocks. GOOD! Maybe Youk will think twice before charging the mound next time!
Umpinator

They say roids are easy to get around Fenway. Do they make your hair fall out?
yank fan

the punk youkilis just frustrated after what the yanks did to the sox. ha, ha ,ha
shell11583

Alright, as others have stated, Youkilis does not crowd or hang over the plate, if u have ever seen him bat he stand almost perfectly perpendicular to the ground, personally I think it looks strange and uncomfortable, but watch a few Red Sox games, see how he bats, it’s always the same. Now don’t take this the wrong way, I don’t think he should have charged the mound, But you get hit by a pitch two games in a row, and this pitch that set him of looked totally intentional. The pitcher was in the wrong and so was Youk. I’m a die hard Red Sox fan, but I can be a big enough person to admit when they, or any one of their players do something wrong. Youk is a great TEAM PLAYER. And just to repeat what jh2b12 said, 2nd ejection in his career, and 1st time he charged the mound. If he wouldn’t have though, how far was this going to go??? Someone could be seriously injured being hit by a pitch, Just play Baseball, pitch it over the plate, not at someones body!!!! No one should play dirty, and that goes for evey sport!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
mmkhan123

what a mowrawn, idiot, loser throws helmet at the pitcher.
hey loser be a man, iam glad rick put him on the ground where he belong.
Angel fan (go halos)

throwing helmet at a pitcher is not a good thing..cause 1. you not a man. 2. you are a loser. I was so happy that rick put you (loser Youklis) on the ground. Cry baby all the way..Go angels Go halos.
Peggy

Remember Yankee fans 2004? Has I remember I think the Red Sox were down in the standings by 10and1/2 games. The brawl was between Yankees and Red Sox ! RED SOX WIN WORLD SERIES THAT YEAR! HA HA HA HA HA ! GO RED SOX !
MIKE

grow up? show some class? obviously most of u either never played the game or started playing with “no winners or losers” bs teeball
thats old school get plunked charge the mound “team fight”
Peggy

I love that kind of game ! Bring it on tonight ! GO RED SOX !
Bay Area

youko who?… this guy is the biggest disgrace to baseball ( well 2nd to manny ramirez) what is it with these boston players and their fans. it must be because their from massachussets the most liberal state in the union.
hottubejimmy

ONCE AGAIN ,CHOWDERHEADS ALWAYS MAKE EXCUSES FOR THEIR PRECIOUS RED SOX ,BUT,REMEMBER CHOWDES,YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO WATCHING YOUR BRADY GET HIS LEG SNAPPED LIKE A TWIG.FORGET YOUR WORLD SERIES DREAMS EAST COAST LOSERS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!LOSERS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
redsoxrock

ok Youk was not “hanging” over the freaking mound, and i dont care what anybody says about the pitcher being young and everything, he still DEFINITELY hit him on purpose or he really effing stinks, that may sound a little harsh but sorry. alright, charging the mound isnt that bad of a thing, i mean what else can you do, he was frustrated. and you should give credit to you because usually players dont even make it to the pitcher. also, how he threw his helmet, didnt seem that tough but whatever, if he wanted to do something to the pitcher that was it, he didnt really want to actually hurt the pitcher. and Rick is an effing woosy and sissy, he tried running away! if you call throwing the helmet a baby thing to do, why doesnt Rick just stay and fight? Youk is great, and that is all
Bigwheel194

dipshit liberals have nothin to do with the conduct of baseball

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Youkilis Charges Mound As Red Sox, Tigers Brawl At Fenway

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