Mike Scioscia files official protest of Angels' loss to Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Manager Mike Scioscia is not ready to acknowledge his Los Angeles Angels lost Wednesday night.

Scioscia officially protested the Kansas City Royals' 7-5 victory, claiming Raul Mondesi ran inside the line on a bunt single in the seventh inning, which led to a throwing error and two runners scoring.

Scioscia said he is "100 percent" certain the protest would be upheld.

"It's not a judgement call," Scioscia said. "I would not have protested if I was not 100 percent correct on this. This is a misinterpretation of a rule. It was very clear. Phil Cuzzi, the home plate umpire, had Mondesi running inside the line in jeopardy the whole way, and stated that it's OK because he was stepping back toward the bag, which is wrong."

Cuzzi said he couldn't comment because of the pending protest, according to The Orange County Register.

Matt Shoemaker, who did not allow a base runner until the fifth inning, yielded singles to Alex Gordon and Paulo Orlando to start the seventh. Mondesi, who was called up Tuesday, put down a bunt and beat the throw to first as the throw by Shoemaker (5-11) ricocheted off Mondesi and sailed into right field.

"The question wasn't if the throw impeded him or he impeded the throw," Scioscia said. "It wasn't if he was running inside. It's what I believe is his misinterpretation of the rule, given the guidelines that he gave me. There's no judgement involved. He admitted that (Mondesi) was inside the line. In Phil's head he wasn't in jeopardy because he was stepping toward the bag, which is wrong. That's the basis of the protest."

Both runners scored and Mondesi wound up on third. Jarrod Dyson rifled a triple to right, scoring Mondesi and making all the runs earned. Dyson scored on Alcides Escobar's sacrifice fly.

Shoemaker questioned whether he should have thrown to first.

"A bunt right back to me, he should be out," Shoemaker said. "But he was so quick he was going to be safe anyway. I should have held onto it."

After a 6 minute, 15 second review the call on the field was not changed.

Royals manager Ned Yost said there is no way the protest would be upheld.

"You can't protest a judgmental call," Yost said. "I've never protested a game. I've never been part of a game that was protested."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.