Police holding pen heats up

Police have ejected more than 16 fans tonight, many of them after they got in arguments with fans from the opposing teams, police said. Meanwhile, the common refrain from the ejected was that they did nothing wrong.

Late in the game, police dragged a barefoot, handcuffed Red Sox fan in the holding pen. He wouldn't stand up as an officer yelled, "Get up on your knees!"

Shortly afterward, Andy Munkittrick, 27, came out of the holding room. He was banned from Tropicana Field today and tomorrow, which upset the two-year season ticket holder. He said he was ringing his cowbell according to etiquette after the second strike when a Red Sox fan behind him grabbed it and threatened to kick his a-- if he rang it again.

Munkittrick rang it again. Police took him to the holding area, saying it was an "aggressive move," according to Munkittrick.

"I didn't do anything wrong," he said. "This is garbage. Complete garbage."

The same was true in the view of Boston fan Zack LaChappelle.

"I was assaulted by a Rays fan," said LaChappelle, 32 of Clearwater. He was ejected from the game although he insists he did nothing more than ask the other fan why he swiped his hat and threw it. "I did nothing, zero."

--Stephanie Garry and Curtis Krueger, Times Staff Writers