Youkilis, Porcello suspended 5 games each

NEW YORK(AP) -- Boston star Kevin Youkilis and Detroit pitcher
Rick Porcello were suspended for five games each Wednesday and
fined by Major League Baseball, a day after their brawl at
Fenway Park.

Youkilis will begin his suspension during Wednesday night's game
against Detroit. Porcello appealed, and no penalty will take
effect until the process is complete.

MLB vice president Bob Watson cited Youkilis for charging the
mound, throwing his helmet at Porcello and inciting Tuesday
night's bench-clearing tussle. Watson penalized Porcello for
intentionally throwing pitches at Victor Martinez in the first
inning and Youkilis in the second.

In addition, Detroit pitched Edwin Jackson was fined for what
Watson said were aggressive actions.

Players from benches and bullpens went onto the field and
Youkilis tackled Porcello, but no punches were thrown. Youkilis
and Porcello were ejected.

Tempers had been escalating since Monday night, when Miguel
Cabrera was hit in the top of the fourth and Youkilis was
plunked in the bottom half; Detroit's Brandon Inge was hit in
the eighth.

On Tuesday, Cabrera was hit in the left hand in the top of the
first by Junichi Tazawa. When Porcello threw an inside pitch to
Martinez in the bottom, he took a few menacing steps toward the
mound before returning to the batter's box.

Youkilis led off the second inning and was hit in the back with
the first pitch. He dropped his bat and ran toward Porcello,
missing the pitcher with his batting helmet before wrapping him
up and bringing him to the ground.

Boston, trailing 3-0 at the time, tied the score later in the
inning on Jason Bay's three-run homer off Chris Lambert and went
on to win 7-5.