Video: The Cubs and the Nationals Brawl on the Field During Thursday’s Game

We were among the lucky thousands at the game last night between the Washington Nationals
and the Chicago Cubs. Given the previous three games in the series, in which the Nats
prevailed, it looked to be a fairly relaxed, happy, almost ho-hum evening. That is,
until the fifth and sixth innings, when frustrated members of the Cubs—losing their
86th game of the season—started to get into it with some of the Nats. There were words
between Washington’s third-base coach,
Bo Porter, and the Cubs’ bench coach,
Jamie Quirk. That pulled the players off the benches for one brawl. When it subsided, the players
had only just sat down when there was a dust-up between
Bryce Harper and Cubs relief pitcher
Lendy Castillo.

What else to do but aim the phone at the brawl and try to capture some video? What
to watch for: On the right-hand side of the screen, about midway through, you’ll see

Bryce Harper head into the fray, and then you’ll see “older brother”
Ryan Zimmerman move in, pull him out to the edge, and keep a hold on him.

In his post-game news conference, manager Davey Johnson was unmoved. “I think it was
the bench coach’s frustration in us handing it to them for a couple days. If they
want to quit competing and forfeit, then fine. But we’re going to keep competing.”

The Nats won 9-2, moving them one step closer to the playoffs.

Carol Ross Joynt