Bench-clearing brawl between Braves and Brewers leads to ejections for Carlos Gomez, Freddie Freeman

Bench-clearing brawl between Braves and Brewers leads to ejections for Carlos Gomez, Freddie Freeman

Posted by Sylvester on Thursday, September 26, 2013 0

Sponsored Advertisement?

Tempers run red-hot as Gomez admires home run, jaws with Braves first baseman Freeman, pithcer Paul Maholm and catcher Brian McCann.

Brewers’ Carlos Gomez (l.) and Braves’ Reed Johnson mix it up after a Gomez home run leads to the benches clearing.

 BREWERS 4, BRAVES 0
ATLANTA - Kyle Lohse pitched a two-hitter and the Milwaukee Brewers overcame Carlos Gomez's ejection in the first inning to beat the Atlanta Braves 4-0 on Wednesday night.

The NL East champion Braves were shut out for the second time in three nights and have been blanked 17 times, second-most in the league.

After losing three of four, Atlanta has fallen three games behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the NL's best winning percentage.

Lohse (11-10) struck out five and threw just 22 of 89 pitches for balls. In his first season with Milwaukee, Lohse was pitching for St. Louis when he had his last shutout, a 5-0 victory over Washington on April 21, 2011.

Gomez, made it 1-0 in the first with his 23rd homer, but was ejected without touching home plate during a benches-clearing argument.

Braves catcher Brian McCann (l.) walks up the third base line to speak to Gomez, who is undeterred.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman and reserve catcher Gerald Laird were also ejected.

Gomez stirred emotions on both teams as the game's second batter.

As soon as he homered, Gomez stood in the batter's box watching the ball sail into the seats in left field, stared at starter Paul Maholm and flipped his bat behind him.

Gomez was yelling at Maholm as he slowly trotted up the first base line, and Maholm yelled back. The argument continued as Gomez slowly trotted across first base and began arguing with Freeman.

Freeman yelled back at Gomez, who touched second and third without incident before McCann, Atlanta's catcher, stood in the third base line about 20 feet from the plate and stopped him.

The benches emptied, and it appeared Gomez was ejected for shoving Braves reserve outfielder Reed Johnson and Freeman went for charging toward Gomez and threatening him.

McCann and Gomez have a friendly chat.

RELATED: SEE IT: BENCHES CLEAR AFTER MARLINS' FERNANDEZ STARES AT 1ST MLB HOMER

Gomez never touched home plate, but the Brewers were still credited with a run.

Laird was ejected, too, but it wasn't immediately clear why.

Logan Schafer took Gomez's spot in center field. Chris Johnson took Freeman's spot at first while second baseman Dan Uggla entered the game for Atlanta and Elliott Johnson moved from second to take Johnson's spot at third.

One run was all Lohse needed. He retired 20 straight batters after Andrelton Simmons led off the first with a bunt single, and threw just 54 pitches, 42 strikes, through the first six innings.

Lohse is 10-4 with a 2.91 ERA over his last 22 starts. He pitched his 10th career complete game, allowing four hits, two starts ago in a 5-1 home victory over Cincinnati on Sept. 13.