Bad blood between White Sox, Royals leads to brawl
The White Sox lost the battle, again, to the Royals Thursday night at U.S. Cellular Field.
For the record, Kansas City won 3-2 in 13 innings - making the defending American League champs are 15-3 against the Sox dating back to last year.
But that wasn't the big story on the South Side.
From the first game of the season, you got the feeling the White Sox and Royals didn't care for each other too much.
The Sox opened the year at Kansas City and six batters were hit in the three-game series at Kauffman Stadium.
The bad blood spilled over into Thursday, where the White Sox and Royals opened a four-game set.
"I think everyone knows," Sox starter Chris Sale said. "I'm not going to sit here and put my foot in my mouth or spill the beans. The proof is in what you guys saw and that was about it."
Tempers started turning upward in the fourth inning when temperamental K.C. starter Yordano Ventura drilled the Sox' best hitter, Jose Abreu, above the left elbow with a 98-mph fastball.
In the fifth, Sale nailed Mike Moustakas on the right shoulder, and the Royals' third baseman temporarily laid face down in the dirt before heading to first base.
Home-plate umpire Sam Holbrook warned both benches and order was restored until the bottom of the seventh inning.
That's when Adam Eaton grounded back to Ventura, and the two exchanged heated words before Ventura threw out Eaton at first base.
That set off a nasty brawl highlighted by Jeff Samardzija squaring off with Kansas City center fielder Lorenzo Cain.
"When I came out of the box, it happened so quick to be honest with you," Eaton said. "(Ventura) kind of, you can watch the video, but I think when he came at me with the two-step that he did, and then he said something, I was a little thrown back by it. And then I had some words for him."
That started the rumble, and it stopped and started several times before order was restored.
Sale and Samardzija were ejected from the White Sox' side, and they are both facing suspensions. Ventura, Cain and Edinson Volquez were ejected from the K.C. side and are also facing suspensions.
The Royals are an interesting case. They've played six series this season and have had issues in four - including two with the Sox, one with the Angels and one with the A's.
In his last start, Saturday, Ventura was ejected after hitting Oakland's Brett Lawrie.
"This game's emotional and it seems to follow them around," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "It's happened often enough."
Losing to the Royals has been happening a lot to the Sox.
"Let's hope this is something that sparks us, lights a fire," Sale said. "We need something like that and hopefully it catapults us into a streak and we look at this and keep going up."