Video: Alex Romero Attacks Catcher with Bat During Venezuela League Game

An ugly brawl occurred in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League on Wednesday as Aguilas del Zulia outfielder Alex Romero attacked Caribes de Anzoategui catcher Gabriel Lino with a baseball bat.

Daniel Alvarez Montes of El Extrabase (via IVC Networks) provided video of the attack, which occurred after an Angel Nesbett pitch was thrown behind Romero's back:

Mark Townsend of Yahoo Sports provided context behind the moment:

"The incident was a continuation of bad blood that had been brewing throughout the game. It initially boiled over in the seventh inning, when Caribes' Cesar Valera was hit by the first pitch after Niuman Romero and Alexi Amarista had hit back-to-back home runs. The benches cleared then as well, leading to the ejection of three players and Caribes manager Jackson Melian.

"In total, five batters were hit and nine were ejected stemming from the hostility. Fines and suspensions will surely follow. Romero, who played in 144 games for the Arizona Diamondbacks between 2008 and 2009, is likely to receive a significant ban."

Per Townsend, Minnesota Twins utility player Willians Astudillo was involved in the brawl and received an ejection. Astudillo plays for Caribes de Anzoategui.

The 36-year-old Romero played two seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2008 to 2009. He had a .239 batting average in 299 plate appearances over 144 games.

This incident isn't the only one in recent memory that involved a batter attacking a catcher, with Pawtucket Red Sox outfielder Izzy Alcantara kicking catcher Jeremy Salazar in the facemask in 2001 following an inside pitch. Alcantara was suspended six games.

Batters hitting catchers with bats isn't unprecedented, either, with the San Francisco Giants' Juan Marichal doing that to the Los Angeles Dodgers' John Roseboro in 1965.