TORONTO, CANADA - AUGUST 2: Alex Rios #36 of the Kansas City Royals yells as both dugouts empty onto the field after a hit by pitch in the eighth inning during MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays on August 2, 2015 at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
TORONTO -- Both benches and bullpens emptied after Toronto reliever Aaron Sanchez was ejected for throwing at Kansas City's Alcides Escobar in the eighth inning on Sunday. It was the climax of a game-long spat that began when Royals starter Edinson Volquez hit Josh Donaldson on the left arm in the first inning.
Donaldson and Volquez traded stares and words as the Blue Jays slugger took a slow walk to first base, and home plate umpire Jim Wolf warned both dugouts.
When Donaldson batted again in the third, Volquez missed high and inside with a pitch that sailed to the backstop. Blue Jays manager John Gibbons came out to argue but Volquez was not ejected.
In the seventh, Royals reliever Ryan Madson hit Troy Tulowitzki on the right forearm, then threw high and inside to Donaldson, who stepped out and yelled at Wolf. Gibbons and on-deck hitter Jose Bautista stepped in to break up the argument, and Gibbons was eventually ejected.
After Donaldson struck out, Bautista made it 3-0 with a double to center, and yelled at Madson as he ran to first.
Donaldson and Volquez had to be restrained after Sanchez was ejected for hitting Escobar. Gibbons and Chris Colabello, who had just been replaced for defense, both ran out to join the scrum. Wolf ejected both Sanchez and Blue Jays bench coach DeMarlo Hale.
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