An intense brawl between the Yankees and Red Sox made April baseball exciting for once

One of the most intense baseball games of the season just happened…in April? 

After a slow start—including a snow delay for the home opener—the Yankees trekked to Boston to play their archenemies for a three-game series this week. And on Wednesday—exactly two weeks into the 2018 season—the rivalry between the Yankees and Red Sox came to fisticuffs. 

After losing 14–1 at Fenway Park on Tuesday, the Bronx Bombers went into last night’s game looking for a win. Tension began to rise in the top of the third when Yankee first baseman Tyler Austin slid into second and caused a kerfuffle after colliding with the Red Sox's Brock Holt. It was arguably an innocent play, but the game halted and benches cleared while the players quarreled. Punches were not throw…yet. 

Then, in the top of the seventh, Red Sox pitcher Joe Kelly pegged Austin with a 97.7-mph fastball, and all hell broke loose. Austin immediately rushed the mound and swung at Kelly, who swung right back.

Both teams’ benches raced onto the field in a storm of testosterone, brawling as if it were the seventh game of the World Series (and not, you know, a mild game in early April with cheap tickets). Aaron Judge joined the fray, pulling apart the rowdy Kelly and Austin and living up to his arbitrative name. But the fight quickly dissipated, resulting in the ejection of Kelly and Austin along with the Yankees reliever Tommy Kahnle and third-base coach Phil Nevin. 

And then the Yankees won 10–7. 

The third game between the competitors will go down tonight at 7:10pm, once again in Boston. Get ready. 

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