KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Slugger Mike Sweeney delivered another hard hit, charging the mound and throwing Jeff Weaver to the ground before the Detroit right-hander even threw a pitch as the Kansas City Royals beat the Tigers 7-3 Friday night.
Numerous punches were thrown as the benches and bullpens cleared in the sixth inning. There was a 12-minute delay and Sweeney, Royals pitching coach Al Nipper and Detroit bench coach Doug Mansolino were ejected.
As Sweeney got ready to bat with two outs and a runner on second base, he appeared to ask plate umpire Mike Fichter to check the ball. Weaver then said something to Sweeney, and turned his back.
But Sweeney threw his helmet at Weaver, rushed the mound and tossed the pitcher to the ground. Players, coaches and Kansas City manager Tony Muser got into the fray.
The Tigers were leading 2-1 at the time of the fight. When play resumed, Dave McCarty replaced Sweeney and walked, and Raul Ibanez hit a tying single.
After a wild pitch, Weaver (10-11) hit Mark Quinn with a pitch, loading the bases, and was pulled.
DEVIL RAYS 4, TWINS 2: Paul Wilson pitched six scoreless innings and Chris Gomez hit a rare Tampa Bay homer in a win over Minnesota.
Tampa Bay, with the majors' worst-record at 39-77, has won eight of its last 15 games against first-place teams. The Twins fell to 9-19 since the All-Star break.
Gomez went 3-for-3, including a solo homer in the sixth inning, with two RBIs. His homer was just the second by Tampa Bay in the past 12 games.
RANGERS 7, INDIANS 2: Doug Davis allowed six hits over eight innings and Gabe Kapler homered as Texas beat Cleveland.
Davis (6-8) escaped a bases-loaded, no-outs jam in the second inning without allowing a run, and went on to his first win since July 20.
Kapler went 2-for-3 with a double and a two-run homer in the seventh.
The Rangers took the lead with a four-run third off Steve Woodard (1-2) aided by Indians second baseman Roberto Alomar's throwing error.
Cleveland loaded the bases with nobody out in the second. Juan Gonzalez singled, Ellis Burks walked, and Marty Cordova singled, with Gonzalez stopping at third.
But Davis worked out of the jam, getting Travis Fryman to pop out and Wil Cordero to hit into a 1-2-3 double play.
ATHLETICS 8, YANKEES 1: Jason Giambi and Jermaine Dye hit three-run homers and Cory Lidle pitched the Oakland Athletics to their ninth straight victory.
The Athletics, with their longest winning streak since June 2000, have won the opening game of their last 12 series. They were helped this time as New York pitchers walked a season-high 11.
ANGELS 8, BLUE JAYS 7: Scott Schoeneweis took an eight-run lead into the eighth inning before Toronto stormed back, but surging Anaheim held on for the win.
Troy Glaus homered and drove in two runs as the Angels won for the 23rd time in their last 33 games. Anaheim remains five games behind Oakland, which beat New York, in the wild-card race.
WHITE SOX 8, MARINERS 6: Mariners relief ace Kazuhiro Sasaki blew another save chance in startling fashion, giving up five runs in the ninth inning as Chicago rallied for a win.
The AL West leaders held a 6-3 lead helped by Edgar Martinez's ninth career grand slam.
But Sasaki, victimized by Cleveland last Sunday in the Indians' incredible 15-14 victory, again could not hold the edge in the ninth.