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Nearly three years ago, in the NLDS, Bryce Harper and Hunter Strickland met for the first time.
Harper launched a solo home run deep into the right field stands (he watched it a little).
A few days later, Harper launched another home run into the San Francisco Bay during Game 4 of the NLDS to tie the game (the Giants eventually won the game, and the series).
Today, Harper stepped in against his old nemesis Strickland with two out in the eighth and took a 98 mph fastball off the front hip.
Harper lost it, charging the mound, throwing his helmet at the Giants’ pitcher and then throwing punches, with a full-on brawl ensuing as both benches emptied onto the field mainly with the purpose of separating the two.
Hunter Strickland drilled Bryce Harper and punched him in the face when Harper charger him pic.twitter.com/7QNliRl55K
— That Dude (@cjzer0) May 29, 2017
Both Harper and Strickland were ejected from the game, and suspensions are both likely in the future for both.
Here are some reactions from around the league and from Nats Twitter.
Hmm...
— Adam Eaton (@AdamSpankyEaton) May 29, 2017
Strickland is a punk man. All Bryce did was murder fastballs he threw three years ago
— Johann (@NLBeastNats) May 29, 2017
here we are again pic.twitter.com/SmycHIiLAg
— Cespedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) May 29, 2017
.@holly_holl this angle really got me pic.twitter.com/0fJX2OiNrf
— Cespedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) May 29, 2017
When you tell your friends you're about to text your ex at 2am pic.twitter.com/8WsDqLvb2H
— Mina (@maddc8) May 29, 2017
Of note: both Jeff Samardzija and Michael Morse came sprinting in to break up the fight but then proceeded to slam into each other.
Bryce hits Strickland and then 2 Giants accidentally destroy each other pic.twitter.com/Tvpwc0sx2b
— Danny (@recordsANDradio) May 29, 2017
This is most likely not the end of the story; the Nats and Giants will both almost certainly have some bad blood towards each other in the next games they play against each other, either at AT&T Park this week or at Nationals Park in August.