New York ? Baltimore’s Willis Roberts and Boston’s Derek Lowe were among five players suspended Friday for their roles in a brawl last weekend.

Roberts was suspended for seven games and Orioles teammate Melvin Mora was suspended for four games by Bob Watson, baseball’s vice president in charge of discipline.

Lowe (five games) was among three Red Sox players suspended, joined by Jason Varitek (four games) and Rey Sanchez (three games). Boston pitching coach Tony Cloninger was given a two-game suspension.

The suspensions for all except Sanchez were to start Friday, unless appealed. Sanchez’s penalty is to start Wednesday.

Baltimore manager Mike Hargrove said Watson came down too hard on the Orioles.

“It’s very heavy handed,” Hargrove said. “Lowe, who started this whole thing and admitted that he started it, got five. He’ll miss a start. I don’t understand the equity in the punishment.

“He gets one extra day’s rest. This time of year, that could be a blessing. I guess I just don’t understand the logic of the penalties.”

Eight participants in Sunday’s bench-clearing brawl at Fenway Park also were fined but not suspended.

Baltimore’s David Segui, Jeff Conine, Gary Matthews Jr. and Rodrigo Lopez were fined, as were Boston’s Carlos Baerga, Shea Hillenbrand, Doug Mirabelli and Ugueth Urbina.

The fight began after Lowe hit Matthews with the first pitch of the fourth inning of Boston’s 12-3 win. Baltimore’s Scott Erickson had hit Manny Ramirez in the previous half-inning.

Matthews took a few steps toward the mound, and both teams were issued warnings. Matthews went to first, then had words with Lowe after Tony Batista fouled off a pitch. First base coach Rick Dempsey and Boston first baseman Brian Daubach tried to stop Matthews as he went to the mound.

“Actually, I initiated the whole thing and probably said something I shouldn’t have said,” Lowe said after the game. “If it was the first time Manny got hit … but you’ve got to protect your superstars.”

Lowe was penalized because Watson concluded he intentionally threw at Matthews and incited the fight.

Mora and Roberts said they’ll appeal their suspensions.