What the...?

Interesting night in Dayton.

A first-inning four-run rally quickly escalated into a bench-clearing brawl between the Dayton Dragons and Peoria Chiefs tonight at Fifth Third Field that halted play for an hour and 9 minutes.

The game was resumed at 8:51 p.m. after the league office in Beloit, Wis., reversed 17 ejections that were handed down following the brawl, which lasted about 10 minutes.

Dayton shortstop Zack Cozart had to leave the game after being hit in the head with a pitch and Peoria second baseman Gian Guzman went out with a broken left leg.

Holy....

Trouble may have started in the top of the first when Dayton pitcher Kyle Lotzkar hit the second batter, Nate Samson.

That half-inning ended without further incident, but when Cozart came to bat as Dayton's second batter — with a runner on first — he was drilled in the left side of the helmet by a Julio Castillo pitch.

Cozart fell to the ground immediately and eventually was helped to the dugout, finished for the evening.

Following an out, Brandon Waring then hit a slow roller toward second that Castillo tried to field. Guzman ran up behind him and fell over Castillo, breaking his leg. He had to be removed by stretcher.

What the...

That loaded the bases and Denis Phipps hit a pop fly half way down the right field line that bounced sideways into the stands for a ground rule double, scoring two runs. Catcher Devin Mesoraco then singled home two more runs.

Dayton's next batter, Angel Cabrera, was hit with a pitch, reacting angrily by throwing his bat and batting gloves toward his dugout. When Keltavious Jones, Dayton's next batter, hit a grounder to second, Cabrera slid into second, legs high, to break up the double play.

Now Peoria shortstop Nate Samson reacted angrily, gesturing it was too rough a slide.

Oh, there's more...

Castillo then threw a pitch close to Brandon Menchaca's head, prompting Dayton manager Donnie Scott to leave the third base coaching box and complain to home plate umpire Tyler Wilson.

That prompted interim Peoria manager Carmelo Martinez to join the conversation, which quickly became heated, and when Martinez pushed Scott, the benches emptied.

Several fights broke out behind home plate, and Castillo threw a ball that sailed into the stands behind the Dragons' dugout, hitting a fan who had to be taken to a hospital.

There is video right there in the sidebar. It's about :45 and it is not pretty. Also, read the story and find out how the ejections were overturned and who stressed the importance of overturning them.

Here is a release from Gary Mayse, GM of the Dayton Dragons, that was waiting in my inbox when I got back to the hotel tonight.

Statement from Gary Mayse, General Manager of the Dayton Dragons

Tonight’s on-field incident between the field staffs of the Dayton Dragons and Peoria Chiefs was unfortunate and we sincerely wish that it would have not happened.

We are confident that the footage of tonight’s incident will be reviewed by Midwest League President George Spelius and appropriate actions will be taken.