Anaheim, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Yordano Ventura struck out seven and mixed it up with reigning AL MVP Mike Trout before leaving another start early and the Kansas City Royals beat the Los Angeles Angels 9-2 on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep and continue their best start in 12 years.
Ventura (2-0) allowed two runs, four hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings but left after developing a cramp in his right leg. A right thump cramp forced him out of the game after seven innings on opening day against the White Sox.
The young right-hander jawed with Trout twice in the sixth inning, first after giving up a single to the star outfielder and then again after Trout scored a run.
The benches and bullpens emptied during the second altercation, but no punches were thrown and the situation was resolved in a matter of minutes.
Alcides Escobar and Alex Rios hit two-run doubles and Escobar finished with three RBI for the reigning AL-champion Royals, who improved to 6-0 for the first time since going 9-0 in 2003.
Salvador Perez added a solo homer and two RBI and rookie Paulo Orlando hit two triples and scored three runs in the win.
"To start the year off the way we have is exciting," said Royals manager Ned Yost. "We're firing on all cylinders right now. We haven't had any phase of our game let us down."
Albert Pujols hit a solo homer for the Angels, who fell to 2-4.
C.J. Wilson (1-1) took the loss, allowing seven runs -- six earned -- on nine hits and a walk. He was coming off eight shutout innings in a 2-0 win over Seattle last Tuesday, when he retired the final 17 batters he faced.
Pujols hit his second homer of the season in the first inning, but the Royals rallied for four runs in the second, starting with three consecutive singles by Kendrys Morales, Rios and Perez, who knocked in the first run. The rally was punctuated by Escobar's two-run double.
Rios added a two-run double in the fifth and Orlando scored on Escobar's sacrifice fly after leading off the sixth with a triple.
After Trout singled in the sixth, he and Ventura appeared to exchange words as Trout stood on first base. He scored later on Pujols' double and turned toward Ventura, who was backing up home plate on the play.
The second exchange lasted only a moment before Ventura was dragged away from the scene by Perez, the catcher, but players from both teams still rushed the field.
Angels manager Mike Scioscia said he didn't know what it was all about.
"For some reason Ventura was getting in his face about something," Scioscia said. "It's not on Mike. Mike is just playing baseball."
The Royals scored twice in the seventh to take a 9-2 lead on Perez's third homer of the season and Omar Infante's RBI double.
Game Notes
Kansas City had 14 hits ... Orlando was the first Royals player to hit two triples in a game since John Buck against Toronto on April 30, 2009 ... Kansas City remains on the road to start a three-game series against Minnesota on Monday ... The Angels start a six-game road trip on Monday against Texas.
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