Benches Clear, Orioles Win

After losing a four game set (and surrendering first place in the A.L. Central) to the Cleveland Indians in Cleveland, the slumping Kansas City Royals moved on to Baltimore for a three game series with the A.L East leading Orioles. The Royals dropped Game 1 by a score of 4-1, for their 5th loss in a row.

Kansas City sent righthander Yordano Ventura to the mound for Game 2. Ventura has a reputation as a hothead who likes to throw at opposing hitters, and he lived up to that in this game. After pitching inside to the Orioles’ talented young shortstop Manny Machado in the second inning, Ventura popped Machado in the ribs with a 99 miles per hour fastball in the fifth. Machado took umbrage with said beaning, and charged the mound which emptied the benches.

Both players were tossed from the game. Rumor has it that for however much talent and ability as a pitcher Ventura has, (and the consensus is that he has plenty), the Royals are tiring of his headhunter reputation and might be willing to part with him and make him someone else’s problem.

The Orioles easily won the game 9-1, maintaining a half game lead over the Boston Red Sox in the A.L. East. Kansas City is tied for second place in the Central, and while they are 19-7 at home, they are just 11-21 on the road.