Marlins' Urena suspended six games for plunking Acuna

Miami Marlins right-hander Jose Urena received a six-game suspension from Major League Baseball on Thursday for drilling Atlanta Braves rookie Ronald Acuna Jr. with the first pitch of the game the previous night.

Urena was ejected from the game after plunking Acuna above the left elbow, a pitch that led to both benches clearing and Braves manager Brian Snitker getting tossed by the umpires, too.

MLB chief baseball officer Joe Torre announced that the suspension was for intentionally hitting Acuna with a pitch. Urena also received an undisclosed fine.

The Marlins were idle Thursday, so the suspension would take effect Friday unless Urena files an appeal.

Braves first base coach Eric Young Sr. was handed a one-game suspension and undisclosed fine for his actions in the wake of Acuna getting hit by the pitch. Young was to sit out the Braves' Thursday night home game against the Colorado Rockies.

Acuna entered play Wednesday having homered to lead off each of the previous three games, all against the Marlins. He also had homered in five consecutive games, and he had hit eight homers in his past eight games.

He left the Wednesday game after the first inning due to arm cramping. X-rays were negative, and he was back in the Braves' starting lineup Thursday.

Snitker called Urena's pitch "completely, unbelievably uncalled for."

Marlins manager Don Mattingly added, "What we said with Jose is, 'I don't want to see this kid get hit. He's a great player.' ... For us, he's beat us up, but this is not the way we want to handle that situation."

Urena, 26, is 3-12 with a 4.74 ERA in 24 starts this year. He is in his fourth year in the majors, all with the Marlins, and has a career 22-33 mark with a 4.72 ERA in 106 games (73 starts).

Acuna, 20, made his major league debut April 25. In 68 games with the Braves entering play Thursday, he had a .288 average, 19 homers, and 43 RBIs.

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