The Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Angels faced a lengthy feud between full teams in the second inning on Sunday after tensions over two days of indoor camps were overcome.
Both coaches and six players were sent off after the fight, which stopped and began twice before Angels’ rower Raisel Iglesias returned to the empty field to throw a tub of sunflower seeds and another chewing gum cracker in the inner field. Three of the first four batters in the Seattle lineup were sent off, while three Angels pitchers were thrown.
Seattle’s Jesse Winker was hit by the first pitch of the second inning by Angels first pitcher Andrew Wantz, who had also pitched a shot behind Mariners No. 2 batsman Julio Rodriguez in the first inning.
Rodriguez’s first throw appeared to be a response to Erik Swanson’s 95 mph fast ball near Mike Trout’s head in the ninth inning Saturday night, a throw that infuriated the AL’s three-time MVP. The referees met after the field of play, but only issued warnings to the two dugouts.
Winker reacted by being hit screaming and gesturing angrily at the Los Angeles dugout, and the sides charged against each other moments later, with the benches and bullpens emptying. The fight lasted about four minutes, with people from both teams appearing to throw multiple punches.
When Winker finally left the field, he seemed to make an obscene gesture to the mocking Angels fans behind the Seattle dugout.
After the teams returned to their shelters, Iglesias returned moments later to toss the sunflower seeds and chewing gum as he furiously yelled at the referees.
Los Angeles interim manager Phil Nevin and Seattle’s Scott Servais were fired. The Angels lost Wantz, Iglesias and reliever Ryan Tepera, while Winker, Rodriguez and JP Crawford were thrown by the Mariners.
The goalless play was delayed by about 18 minutes, and resumed with runner Adam Frazier in first place for Seattle and Jose Suarez in the Los Angeles heap.
AL West rivals met for the eighth time in 11 days. The Angels won Sunday’s game 2-1.