Chicago ? A father and son contend they were provoked before bursting onto the field and attacking Kansas City Royals first base coach Tom Gamboa.

Gamboa, however, maintains he had no exchanges with the two before they slammed him to the ground and started punching and kicking him during Thursday night’s game.

Cleveland first baseman Jim Thome (25) pats Kansas City first-base coach Tom Gamboa on the shoulder as he takes the field. Gamboa returned to his position a day after he was attacked by two men during the Royals' game in Chicago. The Indians topped the Royals, 6-2, Friday in Kansas City, Mo.

The father, William Ligue Jr., was charged Friday with aggravated battery, a felony. He was in custody and expected to appear in court today.

Ligue’s 15-year-old son was charged with two juvenile counts of aggravated battery, one for attacking Gamboa and the other for hitting a White Sox security guard, an off-duty police officer.

The teenager was initially released to his mother, but he was later taken to a juvenile detention center after authorities reviewed the case. He is due in court Monday.

According to a law enforcement source who spoke on condition of anonymity, Ligue was at the game with two sons and several of their young cousins.

Sitting in the first row along the right-field line, the group shouted insults at Gamboa all night. The source said Ligue and his family contended there was some back and forth until Gamboa made an obscene gesture.

Ligue called a female relative on a cell phone to ask if she was watching the game, and when she could not find the channel, he said, “Well then, just watch the news,” the source said.