Rematch With Padres Is Calm

More than seven innings of the Angels’ 11-2 victory over the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night were played without the slightest hint of lingering bad blood between teams that engaged in two bench-clearing brawls 10 days earlier.

But after Angel pitcher Scot Shields hit Damian Jackson on the helmet with a curveball in the bottom of the eighth, and Alan Embree of the Padres hit Larry Barnes with a pitch in the ninth, home plate umpire Ted Barrett warned Angel Manager Mike Scioscia and Padre Manager Bruce Bochy.

So when Angel pitcher Mickey Callaway plunked Tom Lampkin on a 3-and-2 count with two out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, Callaway and Scioscia were ejected from the exhibition.

No players rushed the mound or left the dugout.

Scioscia said that none of the pitchers from either team showed intent.

“That was ridiculous,” Scioscia said of the ejections.

The drama at the end overshadowed an impressive if uneventful start by Angel right-hander Aaron Sele, who was facing the Padres for the first time since March 9, when he hit outfielder Ryan Klesko with a pitch that set off the first brawl.

Padre first baseman Phil Nevin said that Sele promised last year to hit Klesko in retaliation for perceived showboating after a home run, a charge Sele has denied.

Angel third baseman Troy Glaus charged the mound after he was nearly hit by Padre pitcher Bobby Jones the next inning, setting off the second brawl.

Four Padre players and three Angel players were suspended for regular-season games or fined for their roles in the fights.

Angel first baseman Scott Spiezio was suspended for six games, Glaus was suspended for two and Sele was fined.

Jones was suspended for seven games and Klesko for five. Nevin and outfielder Ron Gant were fined.

Spiezio and Klesko are appealing their suspensions, which were handed down by Bob Watson, baseball’s dean of discipline.

On Tuesday, Sele gave up one run, two hits and struck out two in five innings that were absent of drama.

“I didn’t expect anything different,” Sele said of the calm mood on the field.

Sele and Nevin joked at first base after Sele singled in the first inning against Brian Tollberg. After he came out of the game in the sixth inning, Spiezio said all the principals from the March 9 incidents had moved forward.

“When you’re in a brawl, it’s not a personal thing,” Spiezio said. “The guys are just wearing a different uniform that day.”

Nevin, who left the game after seven innings, couldn’t resist taking a good-natured shot at Sele.

“He showed he’s got pretty good control, didn’t he?” Nevin said.

First baseman Shawn Wooten underwent surgery at the Kerlan- Jobe Clinic in Los Angeles to repair ligament damage in his right thumb. He is expected to be out until the All-Star break, Angel spokesman Tim Mead said.

Dr. Norman Zemel, who removed torn cartilage in Wooten’s left wrist last September, also performed Tuesday’s surgery.

Wooten will have sutures removed in seven to 10 days and will have a pin removed three to four weeks after the sutures are removed. He will begin rehabilitation in six to eight weeks.

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Tim Salmon hit a run-scoring double in the first inning and a two-run homer in the second. Adam Kennedy also hit a two-run homer in the second. Klesko hit a fly ball to left field on the first pitch he saw from Sele in the first inning. He also flied out against Sele in the fourth.

The Angels have today off but left-hander Scott Schoeneweis will pitch in a game at minor league camp and Jose Molina will be his catcher.