Yankees-Red Sox rivalry comes back in big way...big like Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton

American League baseball fans saw something Wednesday night that they haven't seen in a while, and speaking as a New York Yankees fan, it felt good. I'm talking the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry; which came back in not one, but two bench-clearing incidents.

Things got testy in the third inning after Tyler Austin's Yankees spikes clipped Brock Holt's Red Sox leg on a controversial slide into second base. Holt took issue with the minimal contact and they exchanged words before being separated and both benches emptying onto the field. 

But it was four innings later, with the Yankees leading 10-6, when Red Sox reliever Joe Kelly shooed Austin from the plate with a retaliatory 97 mph fastball aimed at his knees that things got interesting. Two pitches later Kelly plunked Austin on the elbow. A pissed off Austin slammed his bat on the plate after the intentional throw and took a step towards Kelly.

"Come on," screamed Kelly ... and it was like old rivalry days again.

WATCH: The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees got into a crazy bench-clearing brawl pic.twitter.com/Il4CMtc1DL

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) April 12, 2018

Austin, after getting in a few wild punches, found himself being protected by Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton while Kelly slinked out of the pileup with ripped buttons and scratches on his neck. The two Yankees giants stood above the fray, literally and figuratively, as they sorted out and guided both teams into their respective dugouts ... Judge with a little smile on his face.

“I felt that was a good slide,” Austin said to a disagreeing Holt after they tangled at second base. While they were staring and jawing, out came both teams, including the bullpens with Yankees reliever Tommy Kahnle leading the pack. 

Here's Tyler Austin's slide from earlier. Spikes come up a bit, but he hardly made contact with Holt. He slides through the base. His job is to break up the play. He did his job and he didn't hurt anyone. No malintent there.#Yankees #RedSoxpic.twitter.com/E5c6FwqpBe

— Gary Phillips (@GaryHPhillips) April 12, 2018

Neither brouhaha was up to the drama of Pedro Martinez shoving Don Zimmer to the ground back in the 2003 ALCS, but it's a reminder of how much these two teams really despise each other.

The funniest part? The look on the Red Sox players faces as they watched Judge and Stanton — all 13' 2" of them — wading through the scrum of the tussling players. Like giants among men.

It seems like decades since such fervor filled Fenway Park. Even the "YANKEES SUCK" chant from the Sox faithful sounded heartfelt last night. And that's a good thing.

Pat Venditte makes MLB debut by getting outs using both arms

Switch-pitcher Pat Venditte made his long-awaited big-league debut at Fenway Park Friday night since beginning his long journey in the minors in 2008.

And the Oakland Athletics reliever was the first pitcher in 20 years to throw with both hands in the same game.

The ambidextrous hurler entered in the seventh inning— with the organist playing Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" — and retired Brock Holt with his left arm and then, after allowing a single to Hanley Ramirez, got Mike Napoli to hit into a double play with his right.



Things got comical when the 29-year-old switch-pitcher faced switch-hitter Blake Swihart in the eighth and the glove and helmet chess match began.

Kole Calhoun robs Brock Holt of home run with towering catch at wall (VIDEO)

Kole Calhoun — the Angels outfielder with a rodeo wrangler's name — corralled a long fly ball to rob Brock Holt of a three-run homer with a ridiculous catch Tuesday night at Fenway Park.

Calhoun timed his second-inning catch perfectly before leaping over the right field wall bailing out Jared Weaver — who looked ready to be stampeded by the Red Sox doggies.

.@KoleCalhoun ruined this guy's night. http://t.co/YnyrzH2sG1
— MLB GIFS (@MLBGIFs) August 20, 2014

Kole, Brock and Jared? Sounds like a few cowhands from Rawhide.