NEW YORK (Reuters) - Five members of the Boston Red Sox and a player and coach from the Cleveland Indians have been fined for their role in a bench-clearing incident during a game earlier this week, Major League Baseball said on Thursday.
Tempers flared after a pitch by Cleveland's Jensen Lewis went behind Boston batter Adrian Beltre, the fourth time in the game that a player had been either hit or thrown behind by an opposing pitcher.
Both teams' benches emptied as players came on the field after Beltre took a step toward the mound.
Indians third base coach Steve Smith, who had a heated exchange with several Red Sox players, received a two-game suspension and an undisclosed fine for his "inappropriate and aggressive actions," the league said in a statement.
Boston's Josh Beckett and team mates Mike Cameron, Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis were also fined. Cameron, Ellsbury, Pedroia and Youkilis, all of whom were on the disabled list, went on the field during the incident.
Cleveland's Lewis was also fined an undisclosed amount.
Smith, who the league said will begin his suspension when the Indians play the Red Sox later on Thursday, was ejected from Tuesday's game along with Lewis and Beckett.
(Writing by Gene Cherry in Raleigh, North Carolina; Editing by Frank Pingue)
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