Saunders shines before WBC brawl begins (with video)

Things got ugly between Canada and Mexico in the World Baseball Classic this afternoon at Chase Field in Phoenix with a big brawl in the ninth inning of Canada’s 10-3 victory.

Mariners reliever Oliver Perez didn’t pitch in the game for Mexico, but was in the middle of the dust-up. You can see him being pulled away from the pile midway through this video.

Perez wound up being one of eight players ejected from the game.

Mariners outfielder Michael Saunders is also visible in the video, though it doesn’t appear he was quite as involved. Saunders did his damage with his bat for Canada, going 4-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs and earning Player of the Game honors.

Saunders is 6-for-7 (.857) with four RBIs in two WBC games so far. Not too shabby.

Here’s the MLB.com story on the game.