After losing four games in Cleveland, the Royals went 0-for-Baltimore, falling to the Orioles 4-0 on Wednesday night for their seventh straight defeat.
Advertisement
Machado charged the mound immediately after being plunked in the fifth inning and planted a solid punch on Ventura, who then tackled Machado to the ground.
The Orioles beat the Royals tonight 9-1, but the story of this game is the fight between Yordano Ventura and Manny Machado in the fifth inning. Ventura got off to a rough first inning against the Orioles offense, giving up back to back singles to Adam Jones and Hyun Soo Kim before Machado slapped a double into left field, scoring Jones.
It’s not the first time the pair have clashed, with the Royals pitcher hitting Machado in a game last September.
Both benches cleared and everyone converged on Machado and Ventura, who were already in the dirt.
Machado didn’t appreciate the beaning and had some words to say to Ventura, but the situation stayed calm.
Manny Machado felt he needed to stand up for himself and his team after getting drilled by Yordano Ventura. Based on the tepid postgame reactions of teammates and the Orioles’ unabashed support for Machado’s decision to charge the mound and slug Ventura in the face, it may be time for the Major League Baseball offices to give Ventura his comeuppance for what has become an unenviable “punk” reputation.
“There’s a little frustration when things like this happen”, manager Ned Yost said.
Ventura has been involved in a number of on-field altercations over the last two seasons as a result of him throwing at opposing batters. Let’s not forget that Ventura has become known for throwing at guys, it’s nothing new, he’s just a punk armed with a 99 miles per hour fastball that he tends to throw right at someone.
In all four incidents and three ejections for Ventura (we’re only two months into the season!), he picked fights with much stronger, brawnier players.
While Machado said he was expecting discipline, Ventura told reporters that he didn’t know why that would be necessary.
“I thought he (Ventura) was trying to hit him (Machado) the at-bat before”, Showalter said.
Almost two years ago, on June 8, 2014, Machado was suspended for five games for throwing a bat after he thought Oakland’s Fernando Abad was aiming for him. “You just have to move forward”. Suspensions are coming which will particularly hurt the Orioles with the loss of Machado for any period of time.
Without hesitation, Machado dropped his bat and sprung toward the mound. Someone is trying to hurt you maliciously, you go out there and defend yourself.
“I knew what was going to happen”, Jones said.
Advertisement
The beatdown comes just weeks after Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor connected with a hard right hand of his own against Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista after the slugger slid hard into second. For Ventura, who was suspended for seven games previous year following a bench clearing incident in Chicago, we may see something closer to ten games.
