Both benches and bullpens cleared Sunday night in Game 3 of the NL championship series, moments after Los Angeles Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda threw a pitch over Shane Victorino's head.

Plate umpire Mike Everitt immediately warned both teams following Kuroda's third-inning pitch, an apparent attempt to retaliate for Philadelphia's Brett Myers throwing behind Manny Ramirez in Game 2.

"I don't think anybody is really trying to hit anybody," Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard said. "If Brett was trying to hit him, he would've hit him."

Victorino shouted at Kuroda while pointing at his own head and upper body as if to say: "It's OK to throw at my body, but not my head." Los Angeles won 7-2, cutting its deficit to 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.

"The ball just got a little bit away from Kuroda, but the last thing we're trying to do is hit somebody in the head," Dodgers catcher Russell Martin said. "We were just trying to get him uncomfortable up there a little bit. Those guys have been swinging the bats pretty well. It's just baseball. They've been throwing up and tight on us, and it got us a little uncomfortable. So it was just a good time to do that."

After Victorino grounded out to first base to end the inning, he and Kuroda exchanged words. Players spilled onto the field, but no punches were thrown and nobody was ejected.

"He's a fiery guy," said Martin, hit by pitches twice in the game and brushed back another time. "And with the intensity of the playoffs, that's what happens. I'm totally fine with it. We needed something. For the most part, we needed runs. We got them early and we got the momentum. But they're in our ballpark, and it's good to send a statement. We've come too far to let down now."

Dodgers third-base coach Larry Bowa and Phillies first-base coach Davey Lopes appeared to be two of the angriest participants in the near-scuffle, yelling at each other before the teams cleared the field. Ramirez also came in from left field to bark at the Phillies and had to be restrained by teammates, manager Joe Torre and an umpire.

"We're a team and we need to protect each other," Ramirez said. "I wasn't trying to get anybody. I was there just in case anything happened. I just wanted to go out there and protect my teammates. I don't fight nobody. I'm a lover." Continued...