Hunter Strickland Talks Bryce Harper Fight, Bruce Bochy Says It 'Looked Bad'

San Francisco Giants reliever Hunter Strickland shared his side of the story after his pitch inside that hit Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper sparked a brawl between the two teams.

Strickland said he was trying to work inside on Harper, per Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area:

Giants manager Bruce Bochy said the situation "looked bad" and that he had discussed the incident with Strickland, per Pavlovic.

The Washington Post's Chelsea Janes didn't buy Strickland's reasoning: 

Strickland hadn't faced Harper since the 2014 National League Division Series. The Giants won the series in four games, but Harper hit two home runs in the two plate appearances in which he faced Strickland.

Harper didn't have a chance to make it three home runs in a row after Strickland's first pitch Monday hit him in the hip. Then, chaos ensued:

"It's go time," Strickland said of his mindset as Harper approached the mound, per Pavlovic. "You've gotta protect yourself and stand your own ground."

Holding a grudge for over two years is equal parts petty and impressive. The Giants won the World Series in 2014, so Strickland clearly got the last laugh. According to MASN's Dan Kolko, many Nationals players didn't expect any retribution against Harper:

For their parts in Monday's brawl, Harper and Strickland will likely face punishment from MLB.