BALTIMORE (AP) — The frustration of struggling through a lackluster first half of the season became alarmingly evident Sunday for both the Baltimore Orioles and Kansas City Royals.
An errant pitch from Royals reliever Lucas Erceg that struck Baltimore's Blaze Alexander on the left hand resulted in both dugouts and bullpens emptying onto the field near home plate during the seventh inning of the Orioles' 8-2 victory.
Though both teams began the day in last place in their divisions, there was no shortage of emotion after Erceg hit Alexander with an inside fastball. Alexander took a few steps toward first base before shouting at Erceg, prompting Orioles manager Craig Albernaz to quickly restrain his infielder from charging the mound.
During that time, however, players from both teams emerged from the dugouts and pitchers from both bullpens charged in from beyond the outfield wall.
No punches were thrown and no one was ejected. But Alexander ended up with a non-displaced fracture of his left hand, according to Albernaz.
"Definitely a gut punch,” Albernaz said of the prospect of being without Alexander when the team returns from the All-Star break to face Houston on Friday night.
Alexander leads the Orioles with a .312 batting average. He was not made available to the media after Sunday's game.
Erceg insisted the errant pitch was a complete accident — even though the previous batter, Samuel Basallo, homered for an 8-2 lead.
“There’s no ill intent. That’s baseball,” Erceg said. “I mean, guys are going to get hit, and you have to, I guess, kind of understand the situation. I understand why he’s mad. Obviously, you don’t ever want to get hit, especially in the hand. So sorry about that.”
It's been that kind of year for the Royals and Erceg.
“I've got like a five-something ERA,” Erceg noted. “I mean, I’m not going out there to hit guys and put guys on and give up homers and this and that.”
Kansas City dropped a season-high 21 games under .500 (38-59) after being swept for the eighth time, most in the majors. The Royals have dropped five in a row, and a four-day break might not ease the angst they're feeling.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Baltimore Orioles' Jeremiah Jackson (82) is congratulated by teammate Taylor Ward (3) after scoring against the Kansas City Royals in the sixth inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 12, 2026, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
Kansas City Royals' Josh Rojas reacts after striking out against the Baltimore Orioles in the fourth inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 12, 2026, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
Kansas City Royals' Josh Rojas reacts after the third out in the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday, July 12, 2026, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
A fire at a beer hall in Thailand's capital, Bangkok, killed at least 27 people and injured dozens, prompting an investigation into its cause and the factors contributing to the casualties, including whether any emergency exits may have been obstructed.
The blaze at Na Ladprao bar in northern Bangkok is one of the deadliest club fires in Thailand since 2009, when 67 people died in a fire at a nightclub on New Year's Day.
Here is a look at some other nightclub, bar and music venue fires that have led to significant death tolls:
— January 2026: A fire at a bar in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana in the early hours of New Year’s Day left 41 people dead and over 100 injured.
— December 2025: A fire ripped through a popular nightclub in Arpora village, in India’s Goa state, killing 25 people including kitchen workers and tourists.
— March 2025: A fire and ensuing stampede at the crowded Pulse club in Kocani, North Macedonia, killed 63 people, most of them young revelers, and injured more than 200. It was set off by a pyrotechnic flame that engulfed the roof of the club.
— April 2024: A blaze at the Masquerade nightclub in Istanbul, Turkey trapped workers and employees while the venue was closed for renovations, leaving 29 people dead. It was located on the ground and basement floors of a 16-story residential building.
— October 2023: A fire that started at a nightclub in the southeastern Spanish city of Murcia and spread to two other clubs left 13 people dead.
— January 2022: A nightclub in Sorong, in Indonesia’s West Papua province, burned after two groups attacked each other inside the building. Nineteen people were killed.
— January 2022: A blaze at Liv’s Nightclub Yaouba in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon, set off explosions that killed 17 people. The government linked the blaze to fireworks.
— December 2016: A fire broke out at a warehouse in Oakland, California that had been converted into a residence and event space for artists dubbed the “Ghost Ship,” killing 36 people. The blaze, which broke out during an electronic music and dance party, moved so quickly that victims were trapped on the illegally constructed second floor.
— October 2015: A blaze that broke out during a rock band’s pyrotechnics display at the Colectiv nightclub in the Romanian capital, Bucharest, killed 64 people and left some 190 injured.
— January 2013: A fire killed more than 200 people at the Kiss nightclub in the city of Santa Maria in southern Brazil. Investigators said soundproofing foam on the ceiling caught fire and released poisonous gases that quickly killed those attending a university party.
— December 2009: Some 152 people died when a blaze broke out at the Lame Horse nightclub in Perm, Russia. It started when an indoor fireworks display ignited a plastic ceiling decorated with branches.
— January 2009: An indoor fireworks display after a New Year’s countdown ignited a blaze in the Santika club in Bangkok, Thailand, killing 67 people and injuring many more. Victims died from burns, smoke inhalation and being crushed.
— September 2008: A fire killed 44 people at the jammed King of Dancers nightclub in Shenzhen, China, when a stampede broke out after a fireworks show ignited the ceiling.
— December 2004: In Buenos Aires, Argentina, a fire killed 194 people at the crowded Cromagnon Republic club after a flare ignited ceiling foam. Club owner Omar Chaban was sentenced to 20 years in prison for causing the deadly fire and for bribery. Others received lighter sentences.
— February 2003: A fire at the Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island, in the United States, killed 100 people and injured more than 200 others. Fireworks being used by the band set fire to flammable foam inside the club.
— January 2001: A fire at a cafe in the Dutch town of Volendam where people were celebrating the New Year killed 14 people and injured more than 200.
— December 2000: A fire that was blamed on a welding accident killed 309 people at a disco in the central Chinese city of Luoyang.
A forensic police officer inspects the site of a fire in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, July 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
Forensic police officers inspect the site of a fire in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, July 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
