Top 20 MLB brawls of all time

May 29, 2017; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Hunter Strickland (60) and Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper (34) in a fight after Harper was hit by the pitch of Strickland during the eighth inning at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

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31 Aug 1995: Pitcher Pedro Martinez of the Montreal Expos lunges forward to deliver a pitch against the San Diego Padres at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California. The Expos defeated the Padres 5-4. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dunn/Allsport /

18. Pedro Martinez brawls in perfect game attempt, 1994

There is a time and a place for everything in baseball. Most players are willing to accept being thrown at if they understand why they are being thrown at. Everyone, even fans with only rudimentary understanding of the game, knows that a pitcher is not headhunting while carrying a bid for a perfect game into the eighth inning.

Try telling that to Reggie Sanders.

On April 13, 1994, Pedro Martinez, pitching for the Montreal Expos at the time, was only five outs away from a perfect game against the Cincinnati Reds. His target for out number 23 was Reggie Sanders who had already struck out twice in the game. Sanders was upset that Martinez had toyed with him by backing him off the plate with inside fastballs. On an 0-2 count, a pitch got away from Martinez and Sanders got plunked.

As Sanders sprinted out to the mound, Martinez barely seemed aware of what was going on, more upset over losing his perfect game.

"“There was no way I was trying to hit him,” said Martinez, who had come high and inside on both of Sanders’ previous at-bats before striking out the slugger. “I guess he took it the wrong way. I was surprised he charged out. Surprised, but not afraid.”"

Sanders was ejected and Martinez was allowed to stay in the game and chase his no-hitter. He lost that bid in the ninth inning on a leadoff single. Never afraid to pitch inside, Martinez definitely rubbed the Reds the wrong way that day.

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