Royals’ Yordano Ventura begins serving his suspension

Kansas City Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura has started serving his suspension Saturday night after it was cut from nine games to eight and Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado dropped his appeal of a four-game suspension for charging the mound and will begin serving the punishment Sunday.

Ventura was initially suspended nine games for his role in a bench-clearing brawl June 7 at Baltimore.

The right-hander hit Machado on the back with a 99-mph fastball. Machado charged the mound and swung at Ventura, and they wrestled on the ground.

Ventura also hit Machado with a pitch in September.

Etc.

Colorado Rockies right-hander Tyler Chatwood left at Miami in the second inning because of back spasms. ... The Pittsburgh Pirates put right-hander Juan Nicasio on the restricted list to tend to a family matter. Nicasio is not expected to make his scheduled start Tuesday.