Red Sox-Yankees brawl: MLB suspends pitcher Joe Kelly 6 games, DH Tyler Austin 5 games

BOSTON - Major League Baseball wasted no time Thursday with swift discipline against the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, suspending reliever Joe Kelly six games and Yankees DH Tyler Austin for five games.

Both players appealed their suspensions.

Also fined were Red Sox manager Alex Cora and Yankees third base coach Phil Nevin, along with four players who entered the field while on the disabled list: Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia and Red Sox infielders Xander Bogaerts, Marco Hernandez and Dustin Pedroia.

The suspensions and fines should eliminate any need for retaliation, the two teams insisted before playing their series finale at Fenway Park.

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 “We’re moving on,’’ Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.

Said Cora: “I think it’s over.’’

Yet, the war of words remain alive and well.

Cora still believes that Austin’s slide into Red Sox shortstop Brock Holt, which precipitated the brawl four innings later, was dirty.

Boone, after seeing the slide repeated times himself, claims it was clean.

And Nevin and Cora made it clear they won’t be grabbing a nightcap together anytime soon, let alone speak again to with one another.

Nevin admitted to yelling at Cora and Red Sox bench coach Ron Roenicke after the bench-clearing brawl, expressing his anger for waiting until 100-mph fastball pitcher Joe Kelly entered the game in the seventh inning.

“I said what I had to say, letting them know what happened with Austin,’’ Nevin said, “that that was it. At the time, there was zero response. In fact, maybe a little backpedal if you will. He didn't say anything until I came across the field.’’

Once Nevin returned to the third base coaches’ box, looking toward the Red Sox dugout, Cora gave him a dismissive wave.

“I saw something directed toward me when I was back at third,’’ Nevin said. “Everybody saw it. …I thought it was unprofessional.’’

Cora echoed the account, saying that Nevin should never have yelled at him, believing he wasn’t following protocol, and saying that responsibility should fall on managers’ shoulders.

“I took exception,’’ Cora said. “I don’t want to say I overreacted, but that’s not me. There’s something about chain of command. If we’re going to let everybody be screaming in situations like that, it can be worse. I don’t want any of my coaches to be screaming at Aaron Boone or any of their players.

“I made a signal. I know everybody saw it. It was out of character for me, but I still didn’t like the fact that he was pointing at me and screaming at me.’’

Cora says he plans to talk to Boone, one of his closest friends in the game, but won’t speak to Nevin.

Nevin uttered the same refrain.

“It’s not how the Red Sox-Yankees do things, is it?’’ Nevin said. “I’m learning.’’