Royals win fight-filled matchup with Tigers

DETROIT — Runelvys Hernandez said he was not trying to hit anybody. The Detroit Tigers did not believe him.

Hernandez allowed two hits through five innings before he was ejected after triggering a bench-clearing brawl in the sixth, and the Kansas City Royals beat Detroit 5-0 Sunday.

Three relievers finished the six-hitter for the Royals, who had three players and manager Buddy Bell ejected in the melee that started after Hernandez beaned Detroit’s Carlos Guillen in the helmet, his third hit batter of the game.

“What he did is not acceptable,” Tigers catcher Ivan Rodriguez said. “A pitcher cannot throw at a player’s head. It’s not a good thing to do.”

Mike Sweeney hit a two-run homer and Mark Teahen added a solo shot.

The Royals led 4-0 when Hernandez (7-9) threw a low and inside pitch that Guillen thought hit him. Guillen argued with plate umpire Marty Foster, and Detroit manager Alan Trammell came out to plead the case. The next pitch hit Guillen in the helmet.

“I didn’t try to hit nobody,” Hernandez said. “I feel sorry about that (hitting Guillen in the head). But I didn’t try to hit him on purpose.”

Guillen yelled at Hernandez when he got up and the two charged each other. The dugouts and bullpens then cleared, with Hernandez and Guillen being kept away from each other.

“I think that’s absolutely wrong, throwing at somebody’s head,” Detroit pitcher Jeremy Bonderman said. “If I hit somebody in the head, I expect someone to do the same thing. You stand up for your teammates because you can end a guy’s career throwing at somebody’s head.

“He might say he did it on accident, but he still did it. In my opinion, it was totally intentional and you just don’t throw at somebody’s head.”

The scuffle appeared to be over with no punches thrown, but more pushing and shoving began. Detroit reliever Kyle Farnsworth then charged Royals reliever and former Northwest Christian pitcher Jeremy Affeldt, picked him up and slammed him to the ground.

“It was nothing that I said,” Affeldt said. “He must’ve felt like we were going at it.”

Farnsworth said he had nothing to say.

Tigers manager Alan Trammell said Guillen was in the hospital for observation.

“It’s just a typical baseball fight,” Royals manager Buddy Bell said. “I just hope Guillen is OK. We’ve all been hit in the head at one time or another.”