Boston center fielder Coco Crisp trades punches with Tampa Bay starter James Shields in the second inning of last night’s Red Sox 7-1 victory.

The Providence Journal / Bob Breidenbach

BOSTON — Coco Crisp was drilled on his right thigh by a 1-and-0 pitch from Tampa Bay starter James Shields in the second inning last night.

And the bench-clearing brawl was on, a combustible situation waiting to happen because of charges of “shady” play, a hard takeout slide and a bruised left thumb from the game the night before, featuring Crisp, a couple of Tampa Bay infielders and Rays manager Joe Maddon.

After getting hit, Crisp took a few short steps toward first, but then flicked away his bat, knocked off his helmet and charged the mound.

Shields knocked off his cap and as Crisp neared the mound, Shields threw a wild right at Crisp’s head. But Crisp ducked back, avoiding the blow and then the Red Sox center fielder threw a right of his own, which connected with the outside of Shields’ right (pitching) shoulder.

The action was fast and furious after that, all of it taking place right around the pitcher’s mound, most of it on the turf.

Tampa Bay catcher Dioner Navarro put a bear hug on Crisp from behind and dragged him to the ground as the benches and bullpens emptied, players running as hard as they could to join the fray, either as peacemakers or as combatants.

The Rays were expecting something to happen because they were on the top step of their dugout and on top of Crisp in an eyeblink, led by burly and not-very-speedy designated hitter Jonny Gomes.

Gomes jumped on Crisp as he was going down and threw a haymaker, hitting Crisp underneath his left shoulder. Speedy Carl Crawford zipped in from left field and got down on the ground, throwing a couple of quick rights in the direction of Crisp’s head.

Boston third-base coach DeMarlo Hale, meanwhile, ran from his post and tackled Shields from behind, body-slamming him to the turf as the players from the respective bullpens joined the action. The last ones out of the Red Sox’ dugout were Bartolo Colon, trailed by Manny Ramirez.

It took a while for order to be restored, with Crisp finally crawling out of the scrum, his shirt torn down the front. Manager Terry Francona stayed in front of him, making sure hostilities didn’t heat up.

Crisp said it was part of baseball, and that as far as he’s concerned, it’s over. While he had no issues with either Shields or Navarro, though, he was not pleased with what Gomes and Crawford did.

“There were some cheap shots thrown in there,” said a calm Crisp after the game. “I was on the ground covering myself as best I could from punches. There were three or four guys on top of me. I could feel fingernails near my face. I was down on the bottom expecting something. Crawford came sliding in. I think what he did was a little, well, whatever. Pulling people’s hair, hey, it’s all good. Yeah, Crawford was pulling my hair.”

“But I’m not angry at anybody. It is what it is. It’s baseball. These things happen. They have to be settled on the field. If I see Shields away from the field, I’m not going to punch him. When you leave the field, it stays there,” he said.

The league will look over films of the brawl, and Francona seemed to intimate that, while he was satisfied with what the umpires did in terms of ejections from what they could see, there could be more sanctions due against the Rays, notably Crawford.

“I thought Crawford was pretty aggressive,” said Francona.

What was clear from the brawl was that Tampa Bay was willing to sacrifice its ace starting pitcher to settle a score and send the message to the Red Sox that they are not the doormats they have been in the first 10 years of the organization’s existence.

It was about respect for the perennial last-place Rays, who entered this three-game series on Tuesday night in an unaccustomed spot in the standings — in first place, 1½ games ahead of the Red Sox. Tampa Bay lost the first two games, falling a half-game behind Boston, but it was Crisp’s actions Wednesday night that had Maddon and the Rays incensed.

“We’ve been getting stomped around the last 10 years and that’s not going to happen any more,” said Shields. “I had to let him know early and right away and he decided to come out.

“I think what [Crisp] did (Wednesday) was an absolutely dirty move, bush league and not supposed to be in the professional game of baseball. I’m out there to protect my players no matter what the cost is. If I have to get out in the second inning, then I have to get out in the second inning. I felt I did it the right way (hitting him in the thigh and not headhunting) and he came out at me and things went down,” said Shields.

He said he was not surprised Crisp charged the mound.

“That just shows the kind of character he is. He’s not a professional player. I lost all respect for him. I was just defending myself. When a guy comes out at me, my dad always told me you better knock him out, that’s the bottom line,” said Shields.

Gomes said he was going to Shields’ defense.

“James Shields is our future,” said Gomes. “James Shields has a live arm. If I can get in there and break it up and keep guys off James Shields, that’s what I’m going to do. He charged James so I basically went out there for James’ defense.”

Crisp suffered a bruised left thumb sliding headfirst into second base on a successful stolen-base attempt in the sixth inning Wednesday night. Crisp accused Tampa Bay shortstop Jason Bartlett of a “shady” play, dropping his knee in front of the bag as Crisp slid in, causing the Sox center fielder to mash his thumb against Bartlett’s leg.

That incident led to an incident in the eighth inning. Crisp slid hard into second baseman Akinori Iwamura on an unsuccessful stolen-base attempt. That takeout slide precipitated a shouting match between Maddon (from the mound) and Crisp (in the Sox dugout) as a pitching change was made later in the inning.

Maddon claimed Crisp’s slide was made with an intent to injure. Crisp said he was sending a message, though it was intended for Bartlett.

So there were expectations before last night’s game that there might be some payback or leftover hard feelings. In the first, Shields hit Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia with a pitch. Was that retribution for Crisp’s upending of Iwamura the previous night? Second baseman for second baseman?

Maybe, maybe not, but there was no doubting the purpose of Shields’ 1-and-0 pitch to Crisp, which was a fastball off the upper part of Crisp’s right thigh. Shields didn’t head-hunt. He followed old-time baseball etiquette by hitting Crisp on the leg. And Crisp knew before the game that he was likely to be a target.

But that didn’t stop the brawl from erupting. Tampa Bay’s Shields and Gomes were ejected as was Crisp and the game continued with Boston leading, 3-0, en route to a 7-1 victory and a sweep of the three-game set.

The only further flare-up came in the fifth when Boston starter Jon Lester hit Crawford — the Ray who jack-hammered a couple of punches to Crisp’s head in the pileup —with a pitch with two outs and none on and the Sox on top, 7-1.

Lester, though, nicked Crawford on the upper part of his right arm with a breaking ball that didn’t break, so plate umpire Jeff Kellogg didn’t feel the need to eject Lester.

Joe McDonald contributed to this report.

skrasner@projo.com