CHICAGO -- Chicago Cubs pitcher Kyle Farnsworth had his suspension reduced from three games to two for his brawl with Paul Wilson last week in Cincinnati.

Farnsworth will begin serving his suspension Thursday against the Milwaukee Brewers. He also will miss Friday's game against the Chicago White Sox.

Wilson was suspended for five games, and he also plans to appeal.

Farnsworth was suspended three games Wednesday, but the length was reduced without a formal appeal.

"I think the more the situation was analyzed, the ball really wasn't ruled as an intentional attempt to hit someone in a one run ball game and he didn't cross the line to start the incident, he just finished it,'' Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said.

Farnsworth and Wilson tangled last Thursday at Great American Ball Park.

Wilson squared to put down a sacrifice bunt and was upset when Farnsworth threw an inside fastball. Wilson said something to Farnsworth, and the Cubs reliever headed toward the plate and flipped away his glove.

Wilson threw down the bat and met him a few feet to the left of home. Farnsworth made a football-style tackle and put Wilson on his back, then threw a punch at the head of the Reds pitcher.

Cubs manager Dusty Baker is still upset that Farnsworth was suspended.

"I'm not happy about it, I'm happy that it was set back to two,'' Baker said.

I'm not there, I don't know. It sort of sounds like some of the guys may have never been in a fight. A fight is a fight, right? Where I come from when you have a guy down you don't let him back up either.''

Both players were quickly covered by a pileup of teammates and were ejected. Wilson had a cut on the bridge of his nose that left blood spattered on his jersey.