The game of red, white and blue chicken ended with some unexpected misfortune.

Before Sunday’s Mariners-Royals game, Seattle’s Robbie Ray and Kansas City’s Luke Weaver refused to leave the field following the national anthem. Royals starting pitcher Max Castillo was throwing warmup pitches as the Kansas City defense was in place, yet neither Ray nor Weaver – both with hats on their hearts – would exit the grass in front of their dugouts.

These standoffs are not rare, but an umpire needing to intercede is. Third-base umpire and crew chief Marvin Hudson, fed up and not wanting to delay the game, hollered at both before issuing ejections.

Weaver was the first forced off the field, which made Ray – his former teammate in Arizona – the winner. Ray fist-pumped and returned to a cheering dugout.

Weaver, who has pitched to a 6.43 ERA in 11 games with the Royals, was doubly the loser. While Ray, a starting pitcher, was not going to pitch in Kansas City that afternoon, Weaver, a long man out of the bullpen, might have been needed during a 13-12 Royals victory in which their starter, Castillo, lasted just four innings.

“It kind of hurt our bullpen a little bit today,” Weaver told reporters, according to the Kansas City Star. “That’s what bothers me the most, not being able to have a hand in that game if need be. Luckily we did what we needed to do, so it worked out.”

Weaver said he was surprised he was ejected and thought there would be a warning. He and Ray are friends, and the moment wasn’t planned. They caught eyes during the anthem, and neither wanted to budge.

Six Royals pitchers were used after Weaver, a trade-deadline addition, was tossed.

“They’ve sent out a memo before,” Royals manager Mike Matheny told reporters. “It’s boys kind of being boys. I’ve had it happen before and umpires have come over and say, ‘Listen. Get them off the field or somebody is going to get thrown out.’ But the next thing you know, he’s ejected.”