Suspension for Red Sox CF Crisp reduced

Jun 27, 2008 - 8:38 PM HOUSTON (Ticker) -- Major League Baseball announced Friday that it will reduce the suspension for Boston Red Sox center fielder Coco Crisp from seven to five games.

Crisp will begin serving the suspension with Saturday's contest at Houston, which means that he will miss the entire three-game series next week against the Tampa Bay Rays.

The switch-hitting outfielder was involved in a benches-clearing brawl with the Rays on June 5, when he was hit on the leg by a pitch from Tampa Bay starter James Shields.

Crisp charged the mound and threw a punch after dodging a haymaker from the Rays righthander.

Crisp is batting .271 with five home runs and 22 RBI this season.