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Friday Apr.12/2013

Padres Outfielder Carlos Quentin charged Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke after Greinke nailed Quentin with a pitch on 3-2 count on Thursday April 11, 2013. Shortly after the fight, Dodgers Outfielder Matt Kemp got infuriated and started yelling at the Padres team including manager Bud Black.

By Enrique Rivera (Dodgers Correspondent):  Follow @eriqwiththeq

It was 2-1 Dodgers lead in the bottom 6th Inning – with a 3-2 count on Padres Outfielder Carlos Quentin with Dodgers’ Right-Hander Zack Greinke on the mound, a great baseball scenario until the 3-2 pitch hit Quentin and made him run toward Greinke and collide with him.

The benches cleared as they were trying to separate the two but a furious Matt Kemp began yelling at the Padres’ bench and team including Padres’ Manager Bud Black and Quentin.

Dodgers’ legendary announcer Vin Scully tried to translate the words that were coming out Kemp’s mouth the best way he can by saying, “That’s fertilizer, that’s fertilizer!.” Dodgers’ utility player Jerry Hairston   also ran toward the Padres’ bench.

Hairston explained the reason as to why he charged the bench on Twitter by saying, “Losing Zack stings, but we ll pick each other up. Zacks like my little brother. Saw someone making fun of him being injured. Not cool!!”

Collision between Greinke and Quentin:

In 2012 Kemp hit .355/.444/1.163 with 12 HRs and 28 RBI in 2012 through just 36 Games Played and 121 AB. This year he has struggled through the 1st 9 games – hitting for a 3 Slash Line of .182/242/.516 with 0 HRs and 2 RBI. Maybe being fired up over the Greinke injury will help kickstart his season.

As a result of the collision, Kemp, Hairston, and Quentin were kicked out of the game. Greinke left the game after breaking his collarbone which allowed reliever Chris Capuano to take over.

The Dodgers went on to win that game 3-2 with the help of Third Baseman Juan Uribe. Uribe hit a solo shot on the top of the 8th that proved to be enough to pick up the W for the Dodgers.

The final score was settled but that didn’t seem to be enough for the tension that were in each of the clubhouses. While the players were leaving the stadium, Kemp confronted Quentin and Padres’ pitcher Clayton Richard.

Matt Kemp confronts Carlos Quentin after the game. Kemp was still furious at Quentin’s reaction when he got hit by the Greinke pitch. Kemp almost got hit earlier on the game by a pitch that almost hit him on the head..

One of the reasons as to why Kemp was frustrated was because he almost got hit by a pitch that would’ve nailed him on the head if he didn’t get out of the way. Kemp just let it go and focused on the next pitch. He was just frustrated that Quentin reacted right away by attacking Greinke and injuring him.  

The Quentin defenders said that Greinke has always tried to nail Carlos Quentin, which is in fact true. Greinke nailed Quentin before back when Greinke was pitching for the Kansas City Royals and Quentin was playing for the Chicago White Sox.

Greinke defenders have argued that it was unintentional because of the scenario of the game at that time, it was a 2-1 lead for the Dodgers with two out in the 6th, Greinke wouldn’t want the potential tying-run on base.

Vin Scully also noted, while he was describing the scene during the collision that Greinke’s wife and in-laws were at the game. I don’t think he’d want to make that kind of impression infront of them.

Dodgers head athletic trainer checks on Zack Greinke after his collision with Carlos Quentin. Results say Greinke broke his collarbone.  He could be out for as little as 4 weeks and out for 2 months plus.  It should be noted that it occurred on his non – throwing arm.

At the end of the night, the Dodgers did end up winning the game but also ended losing they’re expensive pitcher Greinke for at least 4-6 weeks due to his collarbone. 

This will ignite more focus on the Dodgers because it’s still early in the season. They still have they’re huge rivalry with the defending champs San Francisco Giants and now all eyes will also be on them when they take on the Padres for the rest of the season.

The Dodgers used to Twitter to send a message to the Padres, they took a photo from the Anchorman movie starting Will Ferrell with a caption saying, “Stay classy, San Diego.”

This of course made fans give a piece of their mind as to who was wrong out of the whole fiasco. Some have said that Quentin should be suspended until Greinke comes back and some say that it was Greinke’s fault for continuing to hit Quentin. 

The next time these two clubs meet is just next week as the Padres visit Dodger Stadium on Monday-Wednesday for a three-game set. Fans have already let said they’re going to let Quentin know how they feel about him during that homestand. 

The events from Thursday night have distracted some great news from the Dodgers. Juan Uribe has actually two homeruns in that Padres series including the game winner on Thursday night to allow the Dodgers to win the series at San Diego. That was also his 10th homerun of his Dodger career.

Dodgers are now 6-3 in the season after taking 2 out of 3 in San Diego. Theynow visit another state for the first time in the season when they face the Arizona Diamondbacks. The D-Backs are also 6-3 after losing 2 out of three against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw is set to kickoff the series putting his perfect record and ERA on the line.

***The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of mlbreports.com or their partners***

Today’s feature was prepared by our Dodgers Correspondent Enrique Rivera. Enrique was born in Los Angeles and raised in Compton, CA. He has  been a Dodger fan since he was introduced to the greatest sport of all time. ‘Eriq’ also has written a couple of baseball stories for another website here . Eriq has also talked Dodger baseball on a college radio show called LA Sports Weekly.

Hissecond favorite thing in the world is rock and roll – and he owns his own website called xstaticradio.com as well as hosts/produces his own college radio show called X-Static Radio Live.   You can also follow Enrique on Twitter Follow @eriqwiththeq

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