CINCINNATI - The Reds' new home turned into Great American Brawl Park for the second time in a week, with Paul Wilson getting the worst of it.
The former Devil Rays pitcher held Sammy Sosa to a single in seven strong innings, then was bloodied and ejected during a fight that will have an impact far beyond Cincinnati's 3-1 victory Thursday over the Chicago Cubs.
Neither team is in a mood to forget.
"I've got a question: Didn't they just get into a fight a couple days ago?" Cubs manager Dusty Baker said. "It looks like they've got some bad blood brewing with some other people.
"All I know is we're not the club to have bad blood with because we've got some guys that can hurt you with that ball. So I don't suggest too many people get into some knockdown war with us."
The Reds and the Phillies squared off June 13 in a much nastier fight. Sean Casey and Adam Dunn were ejected and await punishment from baseball.
Wilson got into it with reliever Kyle Farnsworth, who threw a fastball inside as he tried to put down a sacrifice bunt with a man on first and the Reds up 2-1 in the seventh.
"It's a 2-1 game and he's trying to bunt and make an out," Farnsworth said. "I'm not trying to hit him. He came at me, and I just did what I had to do. It kind of surprised me."
Wilson wheeled after the pitch flew past and yelled at Farnsworth, starting an exchange that escalated as they drifted toward each other. Finally, Farnsworth tossed off his glove and Wilson dropped his bat.
Farnsworth tackled Wilson with a right-shoulder takedown, then threw a wild punch that missed. The players quickly were blanketed by teammates.
Wilson, who gave up three hits, left with blood streaming from a cut on the bridge of his nose and red drops spattered across his white jersey. He had a bandage on the nose after the game.
Wilson wouldn't talk about the fight, which had its origin in the sixth. Cubs starter Mark Prior threw a pitch behind catcher Jason LaRue, and Wilson hit Moises Alou on the leg with his first pitch in the seventh.
"He was coming inside with no respect," Reds manager Bob Boone said of Prior, who didn't hit a batter in six innings. "There was no question that Farnsworth threw at Wilson. He was squaring to bunt. That's grounds for ejection right there."
The pitchers were the only ones ejected. Boone wasn't surprised at how it played out.
"You've got two teams fighting for first place or to stay in the pennant race, and little things are upsetting," Boone said. "Testosterone was flying around the field."
They don't play again until Sept. 12 at Wrigley Field.
"It's baseball. People will remember things," Prior said. "It's a tight race, and it's going to be intense to begin with, and this will probably carry over to the next time we play."
