Four players banned for Pirates-Brewers brawl

New York: Major League Baseball issued suspensions Tuesday to two players each from the Pittsburgh Pirates and Milwaukee Brewers after their benches-clearing brawl during the third innings of a game last Sunday.

Brewers reserve catcher Martin Maldonado was handed the worst penalty, a five-game ban, after knocking Pittsburgh outfielder Travis Snider with a right cross to the face during the melee.

Snider was banned for two games for his role in the scrap at the Pirates` home ballpark.

Milwaukee outfielder Carlos Gomez, who flipped his bat and stood at home plate to admire the ball he had hit off Pirates starting pitcher Gerrit Cole to thereby spark the major fight, was suspended for three games.

Pittsburgh catcher Russell Martin was banned for one game.

Suspensions and fines of undisclosed sums were set to start, pending possible appeals, on Tuesday night, when the Pirates host Cincinnati and the Brewers entertain San Diego.