Rays claim no intent in string of HBPs

MINNEAPOLIS - Wednesday might have been the start of some bad blood between the Devil Rays and Twins.

A mild beanball dustup broke out when Rays pitcher Seth McClung hit Bobby Kielty one pitch after Minnesota's Torii Hunter hit a three-run homer in the first in the Twins' 8-5 victory. Several Twins, led by Hunter, started to come out of the dugout before being directed back by third-base coach Al Newman.

"I think they overreacted," McClung said. "I know it looks bad, but it was not intentional."

Before it was over, Twins starter Brad Radke and Rays reliever Nick Bierbrodt were ejected for either hitting or throwing behind batters.

"Look, we weren't throwing at their hitters," Rays manager Lou Piniella said. "McClung was all over the place with the ball. And so was Bierbrodt at times. But we are going to protect our hitters. ... They want to play those type of games, we can, too."

Of course, both sides denied any intention behind their pitches. Interesting, though, that Radke is statistically the second most accurate pitcher in the majors with 1.84 walks per nine innings. And he had set down 11 in a row before hitting Rays catcher Toby Hall.

"Our guys weren't throwing at anybody," Piniella said. "Why in the hell do you think we're 7-17? We don't throw strikes as often as we can, and we don't hit our spots as often as we should."

NOT TWO OF A KIND: McClung's second big-league start didn't go nearly as well as his first.

In his start Friday, the 22-year-old rookie had the mojo, slamming the door on Baltimore with a six-inning, three-hit jewel. Wednesday he looked as if he slammed something else, like his hand in the door.

McClung couldn't even get through the second inning. He gave up six runs on six hits in just 11/3 innings.

"I didn't have it (Wednesday)," McClung said. "I let my team down. ... But you're not going to see me moping around about it. I'm going to get up (today) and come to the ballpark ready to work, ready to learn."

McClung's next start is scheduled for Tuesday against, yep, the Twins.

"If you think I didn't know that, you're crazy," McClung said.

PINIELLA EJECTED: It took 27 games, but Piniella finally was ejected. But it wasn't one of those yelling-cursing-throwing-a-base kind of ejections. He was ejected when Bierbrodt threw behind a batter after both teams were warned by home-plate umpire Gerry Davis. According to baseball rules, when a pitcher deliberately throws at a batter after the teams have been warned not to, the pitcher and the manager are ejected.

"There were lots of ejections," Piniella said. "But they were quiet ejections."

YOU'RE OUTTA HERE: Well, not all ejections Wednesday were quiet. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire was ejected in the bottom of the first by Davis after arguing a play at first base.

Minnesota's Cristian Guzman was called out when he bunted and was hit in the back on McClung's throw to first base. Replays showed Gardenhire might have been right to argue the call. It appeared as if Guzman was running straight down the first-base line.

EASY DOES IT FOR EASLEY: Damion Easley still isn't 100 percent after injuring his right knee in a collision April 23.

"It's decent at best," Easley said.

Easley still can't play the field, and he didn't look well running the bases as a designated hitter Tuesday.

"He's not all the way back," Piniella said. "And it might be a while. I can DH him, but that's about all for now."

A DOZEN DOWNERS: Wednesday was a good day for the Orlando Rays, the Rays Double-A affiliate. They didn't play.

The O-Rays lost for the 12th straight game Tuesday to match the longest losing streak by any Rays minor-league team. St. Petersburg also lost 12 in a row in 2000.