You’ve never seen a baseball brawl start like this

An independent league pitcher sprinted behind the plate during play to go after an opponent.

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There have been a few pretty solid baseball brawls this season, but none that kicked off like this. 

During a Can-Am League game against the Rockland Boulders last week, New Jersey Jackals pitcher Fernando Cruz ran out of the dugout and zipped right behind the plate during live play so that he could go after a guy in the other dugout. 

Look at him go!

(You can also skip to the 4:30 mark for another angle of Cruz’s mad dash.)

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It’s tough to blame Cruz for losing his cool, too. He had just blown the game in the bottom of the ninth, surrendering five runs. After hitting a guy with a pitch to force in a run, the benches cleared but without much action. (See it at the 4:53:15 mark of the video here.)

It was a bad night for Cruz. Not only did he not get to settle the score, but also he got suspended five games. 

[via Deadspin]