June 29 (UPI) -- Cincinnati Reds outfielder Yasiel Puig stormed the mound and tried to fight Cubs reliever Pedro Strop after a pitch hit Puig in the thigh.
With the Reds trailing 5-0 in the eighth inning of Saturday's 6-0 loss at Great American Ball Park, Puig appeared frustrated at not seeing a hittable pitch. Strop then threw a 94-mph pitch at Puig's leg on a 3-0 count.
Both benches cleared as Puig started walking towards the mound and spiked his helmet to the ground. No players or coaches were ejected.
"This guy has got the ball. He throws the ball [at] me. What am I supposed to do? Do nothing?" Puig said. "In the heat of the game, he throws me the ball."
Strop didn't hide his feelings on Puig's decision to charge the mound.
"He's stupid as [expletive]," Strop said. "Nothing against him, he's just stupid."
Both teams were given a warning. Reds manager David Bell was ejected in the ninth inning after arguing Cubs reliever Dillon Maples intentionally hit Jose Peraza on the shoulder with a first-pitch breaking ball.
Chicago moved to 45-38 with Saturday's victory. The first-place Cubs have a 1 1/2 game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central Division.
