Brawl disrupts Raptors-Chukars marathon

At the rate they were going, if the Ogden Raptors and Idaho Falls Chukars lasted a few more innings Tuesday night, there wouldn't have been anybody left to play or coach the game. 

The Rookie-level Pioneer League matchup featured 10 ejections, including eight following a bench-clearing 10th-inning brawl. By the time the Chukars won, 9-8, in the 16th, it clocked in at five hours, 29 minutes as the longest game in Ogden history.

"It was a really long game and it was good to get the win," said Idaho Falls' Brandon Thomasson, who doubled in the winning run.

The fracas in the top of the 10th erupted after Raptors designated hitter and Dodgers prospect Justin Chigbogu whiffed against the Chukars' Nick Green for the second out of the frame. According to the (Idaho Falls) Post Register Chukars blog, Idaho Falls catcher Pedro Gonzalez said something that irked Chigbogu, who stopped walking back to the dugout, flipped his bat and yelled while walking toward Gonzalez. 

The telecast shows both benches and bullpens emptied onto the field as home plate umpire Jordan Johnson tried to keep Chigbogu and Gonzalez apart. According to the newspaper blog, Ogden manager Jack McDowell and Idaho Falls skipper Omar Ramirez engaged in a shouting and chest-bumping match that ultimately resulted in McDowell punching Ramirez.

Punches were then thrown by members of both teams, according to the video.

"[At first], it was pretty much player vs. player, which is the usual," said Thomasson, who was drafted by the Royals in the ninth round this year. "But when it got coach vs. coach and things happened between coaches that I have a lot of respect for, that's when things got crazy."

The melee died down briefly as the teams were separated, but it flared up again a little more than a minute later.

After the scrum was again broken up, McDowell and Ramirez were ejected. According to the Post Register blog, McDowell reportedly waited for Ramirez in the clubhouse area and both teams gathered there.

In addition to McDowell, the Raptors lost Chigbogu, catcher Julian Leon, right fielder Colin Hering and left fielder Theo Alexander to ejections.

The Chukars, in addition to Ramirez, had pitcher Brooks Pounder and right fielder Brawlun Gomez thrown out.

The teams had previously brawled on June 30, 2008. And the Rookie-level Chukars are the second Dodgers affiliate to be involved in a bench-clearing incident within a week's span. Triple-A Albuquerque tussled with Reno on Saturday.

Ogden pitching coach Greg Sabat was ejected in the bottom of the ninth for arguing balls and strikes, while Idaho Falls bench coach Julio Bruno followed in the top of the 15th for contesting a safe call at first base on a one-out infield hit by the Raptors' Melvin Santana.

Thomasson, who's been used as a pinch-hitter in the late innings of recent games, entered as a defensive replacement in right field in the 10th. He finished 2-for-3 with two doubles, a run scored and an RBI.

"I'm always ready in the seventh, eighth and ninth, but when I went in in the 10th, I figured we'd end it a little sooner than I'd get three at-bats," he said.

The Chukars' Brandon Downes, Ryan O'Hearn and Mike Hill contributed three hits apiece.

Brandon Thomas (2-0) pitched two scoreless innings for the win.

Santana went 3-for-7 with a triple, three RBIs and two runs scored for the Raptors.