The Royals were absolutely livid after the D-backs hit Bobby Witt Jr. while a single shy of the cycle

The D-backs denied hitting him intentionally.

The Kansas City Royals and Arizona Diamondbacks couldn’t be further from rivals. They’ve only met 34 times in their history. But you’d never realize that after seeing how Monday night’s game went between the two teams.

Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. is having himself a breakout season, and he put on a show against the D-backs pitching staff in the series opener. Witt tripled, double and homered in his first three at-bats. So, when he came to the plate in the sixth inning a single away from the cycle, the entire crowd at Kauffman Stadium was on their feet. They wanted to see history.

D-backs reliever Humberto Castellanos wouldn’t let that happen.

Castellanos hit Witt with a fastball on the first pitch of the at-bat. The Royals and their fans were furious, thinking that the pitch was intentional. After all, the Royals were up big and hitting a star player with a first-pitch fastball always raises suspicions.

The Royals retaliated the following half inning, hitting catcher Gabriel Moreno — presumably the one who would have called for the Witt plunking — with a 2-1 sinker after working inside for much of the at-bat.

D-backs manager Torey Lovullo was ejected after both dugouts got warned, and Salvador Perez — who was upset after the initial plunking — had more strong words for the D-backs.

After the game Lovullo strongly denied that the D-backs hit Witt on purpose.

Witt would have another chance to chase that cycle in the eighth inning, but he flew out to finish the night at 3 for 4 with three RBI and three runs. The Royals won, 10-4.

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