Benches clear in Chicago melee

CHICAGO – Derrek Lee saw the pitch and was sure it was aimed at his head. He got out of the way the best he could. The ball clipped the back of his left hand, and sent him sprawling to the ground.

Lee had words with San Diego pitcher Chris Young. He got a response he didn’t like and took a swing at the right-hander.

Young swung back and a melee ensued Saturday, almost overshadowing a splendid pitching performance. Chicago starter Carlos Zambrano lost his no-hitter in the eighth and the game in the ninth, when Russell Branyan’s solo homer gave the Padres an emotional 1-0 win.

“I really don’t mind getting hit, but when it’s at my head, I feel like it threatened my health,” Lee said. “I don’t know what his intent was, but it was at my head and he said some things to me I didn’t like. It just escalated.”

Lee, Young, Cubs hitting coach Gerald Perry and Padres pitcher Jake Peavy were all ejected.

“I will say this, I didn’t throw at him and that’s as far as I’ll go,” Young said. “I didn’t try to hit him. It had nothing to do with anything in the past. I was just trying to throw a pitch inside. It got away and hit him.”

Both benches emptied, resulting in pushing and shoving in a scrum as Lee and Young were held back.

Zambrano, who’d fought teammate Michael Barrett on June 1, was in the Cubs clubhouse when the skirmish erupted. He rushed to the field to try and separate people.

“Thank God, nobody was hurt,” he said.