Pitcher charged after fan hurt at brawl in minors

A minor league pitcher accused of throwing a ball that hit a fan in the forehead during a bench-clearing brawl was charged with felonious assault, ordered held on $50,000 bond and directed to surrender his passport.

Peoria Chiefs pitcher Julio Castillo was arrested Thursday following a fight between the Class-A Chiefs and Dayton Dragons. Umpires ejected 15 players and the teams' managers after the 10-minute brawl ended.

Video from the game shows the 21-year-old Castillo angrily throwing a ball, but doesn't show where it landed.

The fan, who remains unidentified, was treated and released at Miami Valley Hospital on Thursday night, said hospital spokeswoman Nancy Thickel. She didn't know the extent of the fan's injuries.

Police identified the fan as Chris McCarthy, 44, of Middletown, and said he was hit in the forehead, the Dayton Daily News reported. Fans told police that McCarthy was knocked senseless and became incoherent.

Castillo was arraigned by video from the Montgomery County jail on Friday and ordered held on bond. Dayton Municipal Judge Carl Henderson also required Castillo, who is from the Dominican Republic, to give up his passport.

"This charge is a result of outlandish and inexcusable conduct by a professional baseball player," Montgomery County Prosecutor Mathias Heck Jr. said in a statement.

If convicted, Castillo would face up to eight years in prison and a $15,000 fine.

Dressed in jail blues, he stood with his arms folded behind his back and showed little emotion. He was flanked by his attorney and an interpreter. Castillo said he has been in the United States for a month and has been living with teammates in Peoria.

Defense attorney Kevin Braig had asked Castillo's release.

"He is employed gainfully by the Peoria Chiefs," Braig told the judge. "He has no history of prior offenses. I've been in contact with the club. This matter is being taken serious."

A message seeking comment was left with Braig.

Dragons spokesman Tom Nichols said no mention of the brawl would be made during Friday's game with Peoria, the final of a three-game series. Pregame warmups went without incident, with the players running, stretching and throwing on opposite sides of the outfield.

"I think what you're going to find is even a more controlled atmosphere tonight," said Jonathan Maurer, who brought his wife and their three children - ages 9, 8 and 5 - to Friday's game.

The first few innings went smoothly, with no sign of any animosity between the teams. No batters were hit and there were few inside pitches.

The Dragons are affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds, while the Chiefs are affiliated with the Chicago Cubs.

Three Peoria batters were hit in Wednesday's game between the clubs. After a Peoria player was hit in the top of the first on Thursday, Castillo hit two batters in the bottom half - one in the head. The second batter hit by Castillo, Angel Cabrerra, made an aggressive slide into second to break up a double play.

Castillo followed that by throwing his next pitch up-and-in, prompting Dayton manager Donnie Scott to complain to the home plate umpire. Interim Peoria manager Carmelo Martinez - filling in for Ryne Sandberg - came onto the field to join the discussion.

The two managers began arguing, and when Martinez pushed Scott, the benches emptied.

The teams protested the ejections by phone to Midwest League president George Spelius, saying they didn't want pitchers playing in the outfield to finish the game. After an hour delay, the players who were ejected were allowed to come back and the game resumed. Dayton won 6-5.

"I wanted the game to continue, really for the fans," Spelius said Friday. He said he warned both managers that there would be severe consequences for any further incidents in Thursday's game.

Spelius said Friday that he spoke to the umpires about the brawl. He planned to read a report, review video footage and talk to team officials before imposing sanctions that could include fines and suspensions.

"He'll hand down the appropriate punishments he deems necessary," Chiefs spokesman Nathan Baliva said.

Reds general manager Walt Jocketty witnessed the fight from the stands. Cincinnati spokesmen Rob Butcher said Friday neither the Reds nor the Dragons would comment.

Sandberg was in Cooperstown, N.Y., for the weekend's Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.

Aaron Brown, a fan who was standing in the lower section of the stadium near home plate, said the fight was sad for baseball. Players ran out of the dugout, and "all hell broke loose," he said.

"You see paramedics running into the stands. Just when you think it ends, there is another group trying to fight. I was really surprised they continued the game," said the 28-year-old from Columbus. "I've never seen anything like it before."