BALTIMORE -- Kansas City right-hander Yordano Ventura hit Manny Machado with a pitch to spark a bench-emptying fray , and the Baltimore Orioles extended the Royals' losing streak to a season-high six games with a 9-1 rout Tuesday night.
Mark Trumbo homered and drove in four runs, and the Orioles also got long balls from Ryan Flaherty, Chris Davis and Adam Jones.
But the game's most striking moment came in the fifth, when Ventura (4-4) drilled Machado in the back with a 99 mph fastball. In the second inning, with Baltimore leading 5-0, the two exchanged words after Ventura twice threw inside to the two-time All-Star.
So in the fifth, an instant after the ball hit him, Machado charged the mound. Ventura prepared for the onslaught by slinging aside his cap and glove, but Machado landed a solid punch before the pitcher tackled him to the ground.
Both dugouts and bullpens emptied before peace was restored. Machado was restrained by teammate Chris Tillman after the initial thrust.
Machado and Ventura were ejected with the score 5-1 (see full recap).
Votto's walk-off HR lifts Reds over Cardinals
CINCINNATI -- Joey Votto homered with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning on Tuesday night, powering the Cincinnati Reds to a 7-6 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals after they blew a five-run lead for the second straight day.
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Votto connected off left-hander Kevin Siegrist (4-1) for his fifth career game-ending homer and Cincinnati's third homer of the game. The Reds have won five of their last six games overall.
Cincinnati pulled ahead 6-1 with the help of Adam Duvall's three-run homer off Mike Leake, his fourth homer in five games. The Reds got Duvall from the Giants as part of a trade for Leake last July, and the right-hander signed with St. Louis in the offseason.
Left-hander John Lamb shut down the Cardinals with his 65 mph curveball, allowing only one earned run in a career-high 7 1/3 innings. That's when the major leagues' worst bullpen let another late lead get away (see full recap).
Pirates sweep doubleheader from Mets
PITTSBURGH -- Juan Nicasio retired his first 12 batters and got his second win in six starts, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the New York Mets 3-1 on Tuesday night to complete a doubleheader sweep.
The Pirates also won the first game 3-1 behind seven scoreless innings from Jon Niese against his former team. Josh Harrison had three hits and Jordy Mercer hit his first home run at PNC Park since Aug. 31, 2014 in the first victory.
Nicasio (5-4) allowed a run on three hits and two walks over five innings. He had gone 1-2 with a 6.23 ERA in his previous five starts, and manager Clint Hurdle acknowledged last week that he was considering moving the right-hander to the bullpen.
Jacob deGrom (3-2) is winless in his last seven starts after he allowed three runs in six innings with nine strikeouts and no walks. He has not won since April 30 against San Francisco despite allowing three earned runs or fewer six times (see full recap).
