VIDEO: Benches clear in Angels-Royals game after Trout, Ventura exchange words

Tempers were high in Los Angeles on Sunday during a rematch of last year's AL Division Series.

Emotions nearly boiled over between the Angels and Kansas City Royals in the sixth inning after Mike Trout enthusiastically crossed home plate on an Albert Pujols double and traded words with Royals starter Yordano Ventura.

(Courtesy: MLB.com)

The pair exchanged unpleasantries before teammates from both sides poured out of the dugouts and bullpens, prompting Pujols to charge in from second base to get between Ventura and the reigning MVP. No punches were thrown in the fracas.

"It was just baseball," Ventura told reporters after the Royals' 9-2 win. "It was some back-and-forth. Competing."

Trout apparently said "Let's go!" as he crossed home plate, to which Ventura replied something in Spanish before teammate Salvador Perez hustled the right-hander away.

"I didn't want to fight," Perez said. "In that situation, we're winning by five runs. So I didn't want him to fight, get out of the game, whatever."

Angels manager Mike Scoiscia also took extra measures to protect his 23-year-old superstar, removing Trout before he had another at-bat.

Ventura, who left one play later due to an right calf cramp, exited to a 7-2 lead over the Angels, who were eliminated by Kansas City in a three-game sweep last October. The defending AL champion Royals improved to a perfect 6-0 on the season.