Nationals Beat Angels on Every Front

That's how quickly the Washington Nationals' 6-3 come-from-behind victory over the Angels seemed to turn Tuesday night, from normal to nasty in about 60 seconds.

The bench-clearing incident in the seventh inning stemmed from the ejection of Angel reliever Brendan Donnelly because of a foreign substance -- pine tar -- on the heel of his glove.

After Donnelly replaced Santana with a 3-1 lead and completed his warm-up pitches, Washington Manager Frank Robinson asked home-plate umpire Tim Tschida to inspect Donnelly's glove.

All four umpires convened near the mound, Angel Manager Mike Scioscia was called from the dugout, and after a lengthy discussion, Tschida and crew chief Dale Scott determined Donnelly to be in violation of baseball's Rule 8.02B and ejected the reliever, who could also be suspended. The glove was confiscated and will be sent to the commissioner's office today.

Scioscia then walked toward the first-base line, where Robinson was standing, and had a few choice words for the National manager.

"He told me he's going to have every other pitcher of mine undressed -- I took that as a threat," Robinson said. "I lost a lot of respect for Mike tonight as a person and a manager."

Scioscia turned his back to Robinson and began walking toward the Angel dugout, but Robinson followed him, countering with a few choice words of his own.

"Frank obviously wasn't happy -- he was screaming," Scioscia said. "We weren't making a lunch date."

Angel and National players, taking a cue from their fearless leaders, flooded onto the field and formed a giant scrum in front of the mound. Though no punches appeared to be thrown, Angel batting instructor Mickey Hatcher had to be pulled from the fracas in a bear hug by National designated hitter Wil Cordero, and it took three men in Washington uniforms to haul right fielder Jose Guillen, the former Angel whom Scioscia suspended for insubordination last September, into the visiting dugout.

There was speculation that Guillen tipped off Robinson to Donnelly's potential violation, but Robinson said his suspicions stemmed from watching video of the reliever and the funky action he has been getting on his pitches.