Six Red Sox, Devil Rays Suspended for Brawls

Managers Lou Piniella and Terry Francona were among six members of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Boston Red Sox suspended Friday for their roles in two bench-clearing brawls last weekend.

Piniella and Francona were suspended three games apiece and fined an undisclosed amount for their teams’ actions during Boston’s 11-3 victory Sunday at St. Petersburg, Fla. The game had six ejections and two hit batters.

Boston starter Bronson Arroyo was given the harshest penalty, a six-game suspension. Tampa Bay pitchers Dewon Brazelton and Lance Carter were each suspended five games, and Boston outfielder Trot Nixon was suspended for two games. All four players were also fined undisclosed amounts.

All four suspended players said they would appeal, and are allowed to play until their appeal is heard. Nixon went 0 for 3 Friday in Boston’s 7-2 loss at Texas, and Carter pitched two-thirds of an inning in Tampa Bay’s 5-0 loss at Baltimore. Arroyo is the scheduled starter today for Boston, and Piniella said Brazelton would take his turn Sunday against Baltimore.

The managers can’t appeal their penalties.

Boston’s David Ortiz and Tampa Bay outfielder Chris Singleton were each fined for their roles in the melee. Arroyo hit Singleton in the seventh inning after both teams had been warned.

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Jose Guillen’s $4-million contract option for 2006 was exercised by the Washington Nationals. Guillen, 28, is batting .299 with six home runs and 14 RBIs through 23 games. He was acquired from the Angels in November for outfielder Juan Rivera and infielder Maicer Izturis.

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Red Sox ace Curt Schilling was officially put on the 15-day disabled list because of a bone bruise on his surgically repaired right ankle. The move was made retroactive to April 24. He is 1-2 with a 7.13 earned-run average in three starts.

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The Milwaukee Brewers put ace right-hander Ben Sheets on the 15-day disabled list because of inflammation of the inner ear. Sheets already had skipped a start. The move is retroactive to April 21.

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Minnesota Twin pitcher Grant Balfour will have season-ending ligament replacement surgery on his right elbow.

The hard-throwing right-hander has been on the disabled list since early in spring training. He had exploratory surgery Wednesday.

When the Twins opened spring training, they were counting on Balfour to be one of their top relievers.