SF Giants star's homer sparks 1st inning benches-clearing brawl

"San Francisco Giants star Rafael Devers had a second straight game with a homer in the first inning at Coors Field on Tuesday, but this one sparked a benches-clearing brawl that saw several punches get thrown between the Giants and the Colorado Rockies. Devers hit a towering homer off Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland. As the NBC Sports Bay Area broadcast showed on replays, Freeland started yelling at Devers once the ball cleared the fence."

"While Freeland and Devers exchanged words, Giants shortstop Willy Adames and third baseman Matt Chapman raced toward the mound yelling at Freeland, with Chapman giving Freeland a shove. That sparked both teams' benches to empty onto the field. The brawl spilled out over several minutes, with an additional flare-up toward Freeland as he left the field. The incident took place only two hitters into the game, with Adames and Chapman preparing to bat as the third and fourth hitters in the lineup, respectively."

"The Giants had Casey Schmitt bat for Adames in the third spot, with Dominic Smith batting fourth for Chapman. Schmitt had been hit in the elbow in Monday's game and was initially going to rest on Tuesday. But instead, the Giants inserted Schmitt at second base, moved Christian Koss to shortstop, had Smith play first base and moved Devers to third base. It's the first time the former Red Sox third baseman has played his old position in San Francisco."

Rafael Devers hit a first-inning homer at Coors Field that led to a benches-clearing brawl between the San Francisco Giants and Colorado Rockies. Devers' homer came off Rockies starter Kyle Freeland, who began yelling at Devers after the ball cleared the fence. Willy Adames and Matt Chapman ran toward the mound, with Chapman shoving Freeland, prompting both benches to empty and punches to be thrown. The altercation lasted several minutes and included an additional flare-up as Freeland left the field. Umpires ejected Adames, Chapman and Freeland. The Giants made multiple defensive and lineup adjustments, and they led 2-0 after one inning.

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