Phillies Still Shaken by Fans’ Fights

A day after a fight in the stands spilled into the Philadelphia Phillies’ dugout and delayed a game, the Cincinnati Reds reminded stadium employees to be on the alert for unruly fans.

Managing executive John Allen sent a memo to employees Wednesday reminding them of potential problems. Alcohol reportedly played a role in the front-row fight that resulted in at least two fans being arrested and two cited during the Phillies’ 11-8 victory Tuesday night.

“My understanding is that those guys had been drinking and it wasn’t noticed by the fans or Reds’ personnel that we had a potential problem there,” Allen said.

The problem got the Phillies’ attention when a man tumbled into the visitors’ dugout in the eighth inning. While the man lay on the floorboards, the fight behind the dugout escalated.

Police used pepper spray on one fan who was throwing punches. Police identified him as 28-year-old Samuel Wyatt of Hamilton, Ohio, who was charged with disorderly conduct.

Security officials at Cinergy Field said Tuesday night that six people had been arrested. Lt. Roger Wolf, spokesman for the Cincinnati police department, said Wednesday that two were arrested and two were cited.

“I just heard a thump and I saw a body laying there,” Philadelphia Manager Terry Francona said. “I thought, ‘That’s all we need.’ I went down there and there was this guy there all wiped out.”

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Major league baseball would be pleased if Marge Schott sells her share of the Reds, but it has not urged her to do so, a baseball source told the Associated Press.

The Cincinnati Post reported that baseball is trying to persuade Schott to sell the team before her suspension is up on Nov. 1. Otherwise, the other owners would consider extending the length of her punishment, the newspaper said, quoting anonymous sources.

However, a ranking baseball official said Schott’s case is not actively being considered by the owners and officials, and probably won’t be until later in the season.

The source also said that baseball has hinted to Schott it would be happy if she agreed not to resume running the team when her suspension ends later this year, but is not trying to persuade her to do so.

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Philadelphia Phillie outfielder Gregg Jefferies has a strained right ankle and will probably be sidelined until Friday, the team said.

Jefferies was hurt in Monday’s loss to Cincinnati when he caught his cleats in the outfield wall.