Indians starter Jeanmar Gomez, third baseman Jack Hannahan and manager Manny Acta were ejected Saturday night after Gomez hit the Royals' Mike Moustakas with a pitch, clearing the benches for the second time in an inning.
Kansas City starter Jonathan Sanchez plunked Cleveland outfielder Shin-Soo Choo in the top of the third, causing the benches and bullpens to clear the first time. No punches were thrown and order was restored, though the angst apparently simmered until the bottom half.
Gomez wasted no time plunking Moustakas when he came to bat, and the Royals' third baseman glared out to the mound as he headed for first. Gomez was immediately ejected by plate umpire Gary Darling as players again spilled onto the field.
Hannahan was again in the middle of the fracas, this time with Royals manager Ned Yost right in his face. Moustakas wound up with his jersey ripped loose before the teams were separated.
The ejection was the seventh of Acta's career.
Josh Tomlin came in to pitch for Gomez, who had not allowed a hit through the first two innings. Jason Kipnis came into the game at second base for Cleveland, and Jason Donald moved over to third in place of Hannahan.
Sanchez and Choo have quite the history. It was Sanchez whose pitch inside broke Choo's left thumb on June 24, when Sanchez was still pitching for the San Francisco Giants.
Choo wound up on the disabled list until the middle of August.
Sanchez had just given up an RBI single to Asdrubal Cabrera when he went inside against Choo, hitting him on the knee. The Indians outfielder had some choice words for the Kansas City starter, and both teams spilled from their dugouts as players ran in from the bullpens.
Hannahan went right for Sanchez before getting pulled away.
The Indians wound up knocking Sanchez from the game after 2 2-3 innings, scoring five times in the eventful third. The erratic Sanchez threw only 38 of 75 pitches for strikes.