A seemingly innocent June 2013 night followed by a pool celebration at Chase Field later that season has left no love lost between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers. A summer brawl broke out after Zack Greinke and Ian Kennedy went eye-for-an eye in hitting batters.
However, Kennedy pushed the limit and ignored the fact that the Diamondbacks and Dodgers each had one batter hit, by plunking Greinke, which led to benches clearing. The Dodgers’ National League West division title celebration added to the bad blood between the two clubs.
During a 2015 Spring Training game, four were ejected — Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale, bench coach/acting manager Glenn Sherlock, and pitchers Allen Webster and Derek Eitel — after multiple Dodgers batters were hit by a pitch.
Justin Turner, who was hit during that spring game, was plunked twice on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium. He was struck on the left hand the second time, which prompted the Dodgers to send their third baseman for X-rays. Joc Pederson was also hit by a pitch.
After Turner was hit, Hale and Dodgers pitching coach Rick Honeycutt exchanged words:
Los Angeles went on to beat Arizona, 3-1. Hale explained his exchange with Honeycutt, via Steve Gilbert of MLB.com:
“I guess their pitching coach didn’t care for their guys getting hit,” Hale said. “It was OK yesterday when our two guys got hit in the wrist, but tonight it wasn’t right even though the last pitch that [Jake] Barrett threw was a slider. Pitching in is part of the ballgame, we know that. I’m not going to allow anybody from the other team to yell towards my dugout, whoever he’s yelling at. It’s not acceptable.”
Dodgers batters have been hit nine times this season, which leads the Majors. On Wednesday, Rubby De La Rosa and Jake Barrett hit Turner, while Randall Delgado plunked Pederson.
Diamondbacks infielders Nick Ahmed and Jean Segura were hit in the series opener on Tuesday; so too as was Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig. Ross Stripling and Robbie Ray duel in the three-game series finale on Thursday night.
