TORONTO — A dramatic series between the Kansas City Royals and the Toronto Blue Jays turned ugly on Sunday afternoon, as Kansas City fell, 5-2, in the finale. Neither team appeared happy with the umpiring crew, as a series of hit-by-pitches escalated into an on-field confrontation.
The benches emptied in the top of the eighth, shortly after Toronto reliever Aaron Sanchez drilled shortstop Alcides Escobar with a 97-mph fastball. Umpire Jim Wolf ejected Sanchez from the game. It was not difficult to discern intent — there were two outs, and the Blue Jays were still smarting from the previous inning, when Troy Tulowitzki was hit with a pitch and Josh Donaldson was moved off the plate by another.
The two teams met by the pitcher’s mound. There were no fisticuffs, but the anger was obvious. Royals hitting coach Dale Sveum and first-base coach Rusty Kuntz had to restrain Edinson Volquez, who had hit Donaldson earlier in the game.
When the dust settled, hitting Escobar proved to be a mistake. Into the game came Toronto closer Roberto Osuna. He gave up a two-run home run to Ben Zobrist, his third in the past two games.
But the Royals (62-42) could not catch up, especially after Kelvin Herrera gave up two runs in the bottom of the eight. Toronto took three of four this weekend.
The game’s first act belonged to Volquez and Donaldson. For three days, Donaldson had tormented Kansas City pitching. He homered on Thursday, smashed two doubled and a walk-off single on Friday and added another homer Saturday.
In his first encounter with Volquez, Donaldson never saw a pitch to hit. Instead Volquez drilled him with a 94-mph fastball near his left shoulder. The pair shared words as Donaldson walked to first base. Catcher Salvador Perez shooed Volquez back to the mound.
It was not the last clash between Volquez and Donaldson. Two innings later, Volquez brushed back Donaldson with a pitch near the neck. Wolf had already warned both benches, but he let Volquez remain in the game. The pitch was a changeup. When Donaldson walked to end the plate appearance, he flipped his bat like he had swatted a drive 400 feet.
The reaction befit an occurrence in the next inning. After a leadoff single by designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion, Volquez tried to bust first baseman Chris Colabello on the hands with a 95-mph fastball. Colabello muscled a two-run homer out to center field. Volquez shook his head as the drive disappeared from sight.
In the seventh, the Blue Jays came to life again. Royals manager Ned Yost removed Volquez for lefty Franklin Morales. Morales gave up a leadoff single to second baseman Ryan Goins. In came Ryan Madson soon after.
Madson hit the first batter he faced, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki. The pitch appeared to connect with Tulowitzki’s wrist, which incited the crowd. He stayed in the game. Donaldson was the next batter, and he reacted with fury when Madson threw a 96-mph fastball inside.
Donaldson stomped around the batter’s box, unable to comprehend a pitcher might throw inside. Blue Jays manager John Gibbons left his dugout to argue, and was ejected from the game. Jose Bautista tried to calm down Donaldson, who eventually struck out.
But soon after, Bautista bashed an RBI double over center fielder Lorenzo Cain’s head, which expanded Toronto’s lead to three. In the eighth, things only got uglier.
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