After Brawl, Royals Beat White Sox 3-2 In 13 Innings [VIDEO]
BRIAN SANDALOW, Associated Press
CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago White Sox momentarily lost their cool and then fell again to the Kansas City Royals.
A benches-clearing fight led to five ejections several innings before Eric Hosmer hit the go-ahead double in the 13th to lead the Royals to a 3-2 win over the White Sox on Thursday night.
With two outs, Hosmer's hit off Chicago's Jake Petricka (0-1) brought in Jarrod Dyson. Wade Davis then pitched a scoreless 13th for his fourth save, giving Franklin Morales (2-0) the victory.
That also handed the White Sox their fourth loss of the season to Kansas City, during a night that tempers flared.
"They're just posturing on both sides and then there's just a mass of people out there," Chicago manager Robin Ventura said. "This game's emotional and it seems to follow them around. It's happened often enough. Everybody gets emotional and reacts to things, and that's what happened."
In the seventh, Yordano Ventura snagged a grounder from Chicago outfielder Adam Eaton and they appeared to exchange words before Ventura threw to first to end the inning. Eaton had to be restrained from Ventura, who was ejected from a second straight start.
Players from both dugouts and bullpens ran onto the field and punches were thrown during a fight that lasted a couple of minutes.
"With the brawl, I respect the hell out of that team. I really do," Eaton said. "I think they play the game the right way. They have some great pitching and some good hitters over there that play the game the right way."
The play was the culmination of tensions that seemed to rise during the game and carry over from their season-opening series earlier this month when the teams combined to hit six batters. In the bottom of the fourth, Ventura hit Jose Abreu. In the top of the fifth, Chris Sale hit Mike Moustakas.
Pitcher Ventura was thrown out after the fight. On Saturday, after he allowed a three-run homer to the Athletics' Josh Reddick, he hit Brett Lawrie and was ejected.
The four others tossed Thursday were Lorenzo Cain and pitcher Edinson Volquez for Kansas City, along with Chicago's Sale and pitcher Jeff Samardzija.
"I think everyone knows (what happened). I'm not going to sit here and put my foot in my mouth or spill the beans," Sale said. "The proof is in what you guys saw and that was about it."
Samardzija's actions didn't gain the Royals' approval.
"For me, I'm not a big fan. I'm not a big fan of him," Cain said. "I don't know what the deal is."
For Yordano Ventura, it was his fourth consecutive start that ended abruptly. Besides the ejections, on opening day against the White Sox he left with a thumb cramp. He was replaced April 12 against the Los Angeles Angels because of a right calf cramp.
Ventura said he "recognizes that some of his actions are not putting himself in a favorable light, as well as the team."
Kansas City has been in a fighting mood for a week now, something Chicago knows.
"They've earned everything they've gotten and now they want to keep it. You don't expect anything less," Eaton said. "With the other beef with other teams, I'm not sure. I've heard some things."
Before the fight, Ventura pitched seven innings and allowed two runs while striking out eight. Sale only gave up two first-inning runs and lasted seven innings and allowed nine hits.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Royals: INF Omar Infante (left groin) was not in the lineup. He left Sunday's game after suffering the injury and hasn't appeared since, though manager Ned Yost said "he's getting to the point where he's getting ready to play." ... Yost said RHP Greg Holland (right pectoral muscle) will be evaluated Saturday. ... RHP Luke Hochevar (right elbow) threw a scoreless inning during a rehab assignment at Triple-A Omaha.
White Sox: Petricka (right forearm) made his debut Wednesday and said he felt "great" before Thursday's game. "Normal soreness. That's a great feeling," Petricka said.
UP NEXT
Royals LHP Danny Duffy (1-0, 5.51) faces White Sox LHP Jose Quintana (1-1, 8.40). Duffy is 1-1 with a 3.72 ERA at U.S. Cellular Field, while Quintana is 0-6 with a 4.66 ERA in 13 starts against Kansas City.
ALL HANDS
Unlike the Royals' season-opening sweep of the White Sox, Chicago had Sale and Petricka available. Robin Ventura said "you want everything you got" when facing the Royals, who entered Thursday having won three of four. "You just always want to feel complete when you're competing with somebody as good as these guys."
MEANWHILE.
Yordano Ventura survived a scare in the third when Micah Johnson beat him to first base on an infield single and accidentally kicked the pitcher's right leg. After a couple precautionary tosses the hard-throwing righty stayed in the game.
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