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Author: Dave Riggert

Duffy K’s Royals-record 16, limits Rays to 1 hit in 8 innings as KC wins 3-0

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riggertRoyalsST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Danny Duffy pitched eight innings of one-hit ball and had a franchise-record 16 strikeouts to lead the Kansas City Royals to a 3-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night.

Duffy flirted with the Royals’ first no-hitter in nearly 25 years before giving up a line-drive double to Desmond Jennings leading off the Tampa Bay eighth.

Jennings came off the disabled list Monday after missing all of July with a strained hamstring.

Kendrys Morales’ 18th home run, a towering shot over the center field wall off Rays starter Chris Archer (5-15), got the Royals on the scoreboard in the seventh.

Kelvin Herrera pitched the ninth for his second save.

Alcides Escobar and Lorenzo Cain drove in runs in the eighth for the Royals, who won for only the second time in 10 games.

Duffy, a 27-year-old left-hander who spent the first six weeks of the season in the bullpen, walked one. He struck out seven in his first trip through the Rays’ lineup, and did not allow a baserunner until walking Logan Forsythe to lead off the fourth.

Zach Greinke had set the Royals’ single-game strikeout record at 15 on Aug. 25, 2009.

Archer gave up three runs on six hits in 7 1/3 innings, striking out six to raise his AL-leading total to 161. Tampa Bay snapped a four-game win streak.

RAYS AT THE TRADE DEADLINE

The last-place Rays traded LHP Matt Moore, OF Brandon Guyer and INF/OF Steve Pearce — all to teams that were in first place — on Monday. “We wish we were in that position,” manager Kevin Cash said. “Wish we didn’t have to do that but we’ve got to do what’s right for the organization today and moving forward.”

ROYALS AT THE TRADE DEADLINE

The World Series champions, coming off their worst month (7-19) in four years, did nothing at the deadline. “It’s good that we kept the group together. Everybody’s happy about that,” manager Ned Yost said. “(General manager) Dayton (Moore) looked at some things, but at the end of the day there wasn’t anything that’s going to make us better. He wanted to stick with this group. He believes in this group.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: RHP Wade Davis rejoined the team to rehab his flexor strain. Davis and the Royals are hopeful he will be able to come off the disabled list when he becomes eligible Aug. 12.

Rays: Jennings was 4 for 15 in four games with Class-A Charlotte, where he was rehabbing a strained left hamstring. … RHP Alex Cobb (Tommy John surgery) threw another bullpen session.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Yordano Ventura will follow his first career complete game, a 3-2 loss at Texas on Thursday, in his 21st start of the season Tuesday night. He has lost five straight decisions.

Rays: RHP Matt Andriese, back in the rotation with the trade of Matt Moore, will make his first start since June 10.

— Associated Press —

MIAA Football Media Day set for Tuesday; Listen live on ESPN 1550

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riggertMissouriWesternST. JOSEPH – With one month before the 2016 Missouri Western football season opener, head coach Jerry Partridge will address the upcoming season Tuesday at MIAA Football Media Day.

Once again, media day will be held at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas. Coach Partridge, defensive back Donte Watkins and linebacker Darrian Bass will take the podium at 10 a.m. Dave Riggert will carry media day live on ESPN 1550 from 9 a.m. through noon. Press conferences will also be streamed live through the MIAA website.

Coach Partridge is entering his 20th season as head coach of his alma mater. The active wins leader among MIAA head coaches (145-76), Partridge ranks third all-time. Bass was named third team All-MIAA in 2015 after totaling 62 tackles, six sacks and three interceptions. Watkins earned an honorable mention All-MIAA pick in his first season as a starter. He recorded 59 tackles, seven passes defended and two interceptions last season.

Click here to listen to the ESPN 1550 Stream.

— MWSU Athletics —

Benedictine picked to finish 2nd in Heart North preseason football poll

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riggertBCFBKANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Heart of America Athletic Conference released its annual Preseason Coaches’ Poll on Monday in association with the second-annual Heart Summit held in Olathe and the Benedictine football team was selected to finish in second place in the Heart North.

The Ravens received 43 points in the poll to finish in a tie for second with William Penn University. The entire division will be chasing defending champion Grand View University who received 50 points and five of the six first-place votes in the preseason poll.

Receiver Christian Haack and running back Tyler Henness joined head coach Larry Wilcox at this year’s Media Day and are excited to improve on their preseason ranking.

“The pressure is on us as a team,” Haack said. “I can’t wait to see how we do this season.”

“I’m very excited (for this season),” Henness said. “We have a lot of confidence going into this season.”

Benedictine returns eight starters on offense and eight starters on defense from a season ago. The Ravens went 7-4 overall last year and finished the Heart North race with a record of 3-2 in a tie with William Penn and Peru State College behind Grand View.

For much of the 2015 season, Benedictine, Grand View and William Penn represented the Heart North in the NAIA Top 25 Coaches’ Poll.

“Even before we got the two new schools, I thought we had one of the hardest if not the hardest (conferences) in the country,” Henness said. “Then you throw Grand View and William Penn and it definitely makes us the toughest conference in the NAIA.”

“We usually have five teams in the Top 25 every year, and I can’t think of any other conference that does,” Haack said. “It was tough when we had us, MNU, Baker and Missouri Valley and now to throw in William Penn and Grand View you really can’t take any game lightly.”

Baker University was selected to defend as the Heart South preseason favorite as the earned 50 points while receiving five of the six first-place votes. MNU was selected second in the Heart South and garnered the other first-place vote while Missouri Valley was selected third.

Benedictine opens up the 2016 on the road Aug. 27 when they travel to Ozark, Mo., to take on Evangel University. A closer look at the 2016 schedule and the 2016 Ravens will be released later this week.

The NAIA will release the Preseason Top 25 Coaches’ Poll on Aug. 8. The view the complete release of the Heart Football Coaches’ Polls, click here.

— BC Athletics —

Mizzou Football’s Fan Appreciation Day set for August 7 at 6:45 p.m.

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riggertMissouriCOLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Football’s annual Fan Appreciation Day has been set for Sunday, August 7, at 6:45 p.m. on the field at Memorial Stadium. This year will mark the first year that Mizzou will hold Fan Day in the evening.  Gates will open to the public at approximately 6:45 p.m., and the team and coaches will be on hand to sign autographs for roughly an hour. Admission to this fan favorite event is free.

At Fan Day, Mizzou’s followers will have the opportunity to go onto the field and meet Tiger players and coaches and get autographs. Players will be limited to signing one item per fan, with free schedule posters available on the field for those interested. Guests bringing multiple items to the gate will be asked to return additional items to their vehicle.

Fans should enter the stadium via Gate 1 beginning at 6:45 p.m. Those with accessible needs should park in Lot G and enter through the southwest field level gate. There will be free water on hand at field level, but fans are encouraged to bring their own sealed bottled water to help beat the potential heat as well. Other outside food and beverages will not be permitted.

Parking for the event is free, and fans are encouraged to park in the lots immediately surrounding Memorial Stadium (Founder’s, Lot A, Lot B, Lot C and Lot J).

Fans looking to get the latest Mizzou Football team gear are invited to check out the Tiger Team Store, which will open at 5:30 p.m.

— Mizzou Press Release —

MIAA Softball Tournament will return to ASA Half of Fame Stadium in OKC

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riggertMIAAKansas City, Mo. — The MIAA has announced it will return to the ASA Hall of Fame Complex, located in Oklahoma City, for the 2017 softball championship.  The tournament will be a three-day event, Thursday, April 27 – Saturday, April 29, 2017.  The winner will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

The championship will be an eight-team double elimination format and will be contested at the ASA Hall of Fame Complex, which previously served as the site of the 2015 NCAA Division II National Championship.

“We are excited that the 2017 MIAA Softball Championship will return to the ASA Hall of Fame Complex in Oklahoma City next spring,” MIAA Commissioner Dr. Bob Boerigter said.  This venue will certainly provide a memorable experience for our student-athletes and fans”.

Widely recognized as the “Softball Capital of the World™”, the ASA Hall of Fame Complex is the ultimate destination in the softball world.  With four fields and other world class amenities, the Complex has played host to the best softball competition in the world, including USA teams that represent the nation in international competitions.  Annually, the ASA Hall of Fame Complex plays host to the nation’s No. 1 collegiate contest, the NCAA Women’s College World Series (WCWS), which annually draws over 70,000 spectators from around the nation.

“We look forward to hosting the MIAA Softball Championships and welcoming teams to our facility,” said ASA/USA Softball Director of Championships Chris Sebren.  “We can’t wait for the fans, teams and officials to see the renovations at our facility while creating memories that will last them a lifetime.”

About ASA/USA Softball 
Founded in 1933, the Amateur Softball Association (ASA)/USA Softball is the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. One of the nation’s largest sports organizations, ASA/USA Softball sanctions competition in every state through a network of 70 local associations and has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 165,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than 2.2 million.  ASA/USA is responsible for training, equipping and promoting the six USA Softball National Teams that compete in international and domestic competitions. The USA Softball Women’s National Team is one of only two women’s sports involved in the Olympic movement to capture three consecutive gold medals at the Olympic Games since 1996. The U.S. women have also won 10 World Championship titles as well as claimed eight World Cup of Softball titles. For more information about ASA/USA Softball, please visit http://www.asausasoftball.com/.

— MIAA Press Release —

Royals lose Sunday as Texas completes four-game sweep

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riggertRoyalsARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Mitch Moreland and Lucas Harrell helped the Texas Rangers get another big win as they pull away again in the American League West.

Moreland homered for the fifth time in his last five starts and Harrell won in his Texas debut as the Rangers beat the Kansas City Royals 5-3 to finish a sweep of the four-game series.

After having their 10-game division lead shrink to 2 1/2 games last Wednesday, the Rangers have pushed the advantage back up to six games.

Harrell (3-2) gave up three runs and four hits — including solo home runs to Eric Hosmer and Drew Butera — in six innings. The 31-year-old right-hander was acquired from Atlanta last Wednesday to help the Rangers’ injury-riddled starting rotation. Sam Dyson earned his 22nd save.

“More than anything else, what we saw this weekend is when we get quality starts . we have an opportunity to utilize our bullpen the way we need to,” Texas manager Jeff Banister said.

The Rangers received quality starts in three of the four series games. They received quality starts in only three of their previous 21 games in July.

Harrell was the eighth Rangers pitcher to make a start in July. Colby Lewis and Derek Holland missed the entire month on the disabled list, and Yu Darvish returned from the DL on July 16.

“This team’s already on a roll,” Harrell said. “My job is to come in and get people out and keep us in the game.”

Kansas City hit just 2 for 25 with runners in scoring position during the series. The defending World Series champions went 7-19 in July, their worst month since recording the same record in July 2012.

“We take probably the last couple of weeks and try to forget that,” Eric Hosmer said. “Times are just rough.”

Moreland’s two-run homer was his 18th this season, the last five coming within 16 at-bats. Nomar Mazara also homered against the Royals, who have allowed an AL-high 141 homers this season.

Since Prince Fielder was lost for the balance of the season to another neck injury, Moreland has hit .366 with six homers. In the series, Moreland hit .615 with four homers.

“I’m trying to go up there and have good at-bats,” Moreland said. “It definitely worked out well for me this series.”

Dillon Gee (3-5) gave up four runs and seven hits over six innings in his longest and most effective start of the season. He had a 6.43 ERA in six previous starts.

GALLO SITS

Banister sat young power-hitter Joey Gallo, a left-handed hitter, against the right-handed Gee. Gallo is 1-for-14 with nine strikeouts since being recalled from Triple-A Round Rock last week.

“This guy has minor league power pedigree that we’re willing to be patient with,” Banister said.

“We’re still winning, and that’s the best part about it,” Gallo said. “It just takes time.”

SHORT HOPS

The temperature was 96 degrees at first pitch and reached 99. … Gee played collegiately at Texas-Arlington and makes his off-season home in nearby Fort Worth. … Banister also sat CF Ian Desmond and SS Elvis Andrus ahead of Monday’s travel day. . Adrian Beltre got his 2,873rd career hit, tying him with Babe Ruth for 43rd place all time.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Kansas City placed closer Wade Davis on the DL (flexor strain). LHP Matt Strahm was brought up from Double-A Northwest Arkansas and made his major league debut. He faced three batters and allowed one earned run. … Rangers RF Shin-Soo Choo (back) did rehab work Sunday for the second straight day and reported no discomfort. He hopes to be ready when eligible for re-activation on Thursday.

UP NEXT

Royals: LHP Danny Duffy (6-1) will start the series opener at Tampa Bay on Monday. Duffy has five wins and four no-decisions in his last nine starts, most recently losing on June 6.

Rangers: RHP Yu Darvish (2-2) will make his seventh start since starting his season in late May following Tommy John surgery when the Rangers open a series at Baltimore on Tuesday. Both losses have come since returning from the disabled list on July 16 following shoulder discomfort. He could reach 100 pitches for the first time this season.

— Associated Press —

Cardinals drop series finale at Miami on walk-off triple

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riggertCardinalsMIAMI (AP) — Derek Dietrich won the game and lost his shirt.

The pinch-hitter’s game-ending RBI triple with two out in the ninth inning helped the Miami Marlins beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-4 Sunday for split of their four-game series.

The Marlins’ celebration began as Dietrich rounded third. Teammates doused him with water and then tore off his jersey.

“I can’t say I haven’t walked around with my shirt off before,” Dietrich said. “It was a little uncomfortable, but it was a fun moment.”

And what shape is the shirt in?

“It’s gone,” he said. “It’s probably in half.”

The score was tied with two out in the ninth when Adeiny Hechavarria — who had made a costly throwing error earlier — singled off Matt Bowman (1-3). Dietrich then hit a drive into the left-field gap, and center fielder Tommy Pham’s try at a sliding backhanded catch failed, allowing Hechavarria to score without a play.

Pham said he got his glove on the ball but didn’t go after it full bore because left fielder Jeremy Hazelbaker was also in pursuit.

“I couldn’t dive, because if I’d have dove, I’d have dove right into him,” Pham said. “So I had to slide. It should have been caught by one of the two of us.”

Hazelbaker agreed.

“That ball has got to be caught,” he said.

The teams finished their season series with Miami leading St. Louis by one game in the NL wild-card race.

Andrew Cashner allowed one earned run in six innings in his Marlins debut. Cashner, the centerpiece of a seven-player trade Friday with San Diego, walked none and allowed four hits, including a homer by Greg Garcia.

Cardinals shortstop Aledmys Diaz left the game in the first inning with a bruised right hand after being hit by a pitch. Diaz, who is hitting .312 with 14 homers, is to undergo further examinations Monday.

Carlos Martinez hit Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton in the bottom of the first. There were no subsequent incidents, but Cashner took a postgame jab at the Cardinals.

“I kind of thought they hit (Giancarlo) on purpose,” Cashner said. “That’s kind of the Cardinal way.”

Cashner, who has a history of similar episodes with the Cardinals, noted he hit Diaz with an 0-2 pitch.

“It’s never a spot where I want to hit a guy,” he said.

Cashner was in line for the victory until the Cardinals made it 4-all with two runs in the eighth off Fernando Rodney, and the tying run scored on an ugly throwing error by shortstop Hechavarria.

“That was one that we fought hard to get back into,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. “It was a shame to let it go.”

Miami bounced back thanks to Dietrich, who said his walk-off hit was the first of his career. He stepped to the plate in a 4-for-50 slump while adjusting to a part-time role with the return Thursday of second baseman Dee Gordon from an 80-game suspension.

Dietrich said he has no complaints about the demotion.

“Nothing changes for me,” he said. “I’m always ready and I’m expecting to help every day.”

SUZUKI UPDATE

Miami’s Ichiro Suzuki popped out as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning and remained at 2,998 career hits. Suzuki went 2 for 17 on the Marlins’ homestand while starting just twice.

“He’s swinging at some balls out of the strike zone, which is a little bit not like him,” manager Don Mattingly said. Mattingly declined to say whether Suzuki will start Monday at Wrigley Field.

GROOMING

Cashner said he was excited to join a contending team, and willingly shaved his long beard to adhere to the Marlins’ policy of no facial hair.

Removing the beard wasn’t easy, though.

“It took a while,” Cashner said with a laugh. “It was not fun. It started bleeding a little bit. It has been a while since my face has seen the sun. But they told me that was the rule. I’m fine with that. I’m all on board.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: 3B Jhonny Peralta (thumb) began a rehab assignment Sunday at Single-A Palm Beach, and IF Matt Carpenter (oblique) began a rehab assignment at Double-A Springfield.

Marlins: RHP Colin Rea, acquired with Cashner in the trade, will undergo an MRI Monday on his sprained elbow Monday to determine the extent of the injury. He lasted just 3 1/3 innings in his Marlins debut Saturday and was placed on the disabled list.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright (9-5, 4.16) is scheduled to start Tuesday at Cincinnati against Dan Straily (6-6, 3.84). Wainwright is 8-10 with a 4.44 ERA in 25 games against the Reds.

Marlins: LHP Adam Conley (7-5, 3.38) is scheduled to start Monday at the Cubs against RHP Kyle Hendricks (9-7, 2.39).

— Associated Press —

Sporting Kansas City stays hot at home with 1-0 win over Portland

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SportingKCriggertKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Jacob Peterson scored and Benny Feilhaber had an assist to help Sporting Kansas City beat the Portland Timbers 1-0 on Sunday.

Peterson flicked a header, off a free kick by Feilhaber, to the bottom-right corner in the 50th minute.

Alec Kann made a diving stop of a strike by Darlington Nagbe — Portland’s only shot on goal — in the 10th.

The Timbers (7-8-8) had chances in stoppage time. Jack McInerney blasted a right footer from the left side of the box off the crossbar in the first minute, and Fanendo Adi’s header, off a cross by Vytautas Andriuskevicius, from the right side of the 6-yard box missed wide right about three minutes later.

Sporting (10-10-4) has won two in a row and five straight at home.

Portland has lost two straight after an nine-match unbeaten streak.

Kansas City’s Jimmy Medranda earned and fifth yellow card and will be suspended for Sporting’s next match, Aug. 7 at Portland.

— Associated Press —

Royals lose at Texas on Mitch Moreland’s walk-off HR

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riggertRoyalsARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Mitch Moreland homered with two outs in the ninth inning to give the Texas Rangers a 2-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.

Moreland’s 17th homer landed in the second deck of seats in right field.

Brooks Pounders (1-1) had gotten the first two outs in the ninth before Moreland homered for the fourth time in five games. He had two homers Thursday night when Texas won 3-2 in the series opener against the Royals.

Matt Bush (4-2) pitched two scoreless innings, with one strikeout.

Both starting pitchers, Royals right-hander Ian Kennedy and Rangers lefty Martin Perez, allowed one run over seven innings. While both had strong outings to finish the month, they are each 0-3 in six July starts.

The AL West-leading Rangers won their third straight game to clinch the series against the stumbling defending World Series champion Royals. Texas has an AL-high 61 wins and a five-game division lead over Houston.

Kansas City has lost seven of its last eight games and 32 of 51 overall since the start of June. At 49-54, the Royals are five games under .500 for the first time since the end of the 2012 season.

Perez struck out five and got 14 of his 21 outs on groundballs, including three more double plays. The left-hander has induced a majors-high 28 double plays this season. Perez allowed consecutive singles to start the game, and leadoff hitter Alcides Escobar eventually scored on Eric Hosmer’s groundout for a 1-0 lead.

Kennedy struck out six without a walk.

Elvis Andrus led off the Texas third with a triple and scored when Bobby Wilson blooped a single over the drawn-in infield.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: Closer Wade Davis headed back to Kansas City on Saturday night for an MRI on his right arm. Davis, who last pitched Wednesday, was on the 15-day disabled list earlier this month with a strain in his forearm. … C Salvador Perez was back in the Royals lineup after being a late scratch Friday because of flu-like symptoms.

Rangers: OF Shin-Soo Choo is eligible to come off the disabled list Thursday after being out since July 20 with lower back inflammation. Choo said he’s feeling normal and able to do everything.

UP NEXT

Royals: Dillon Gee (3-4) has started only once in his career against Texas, going six innings in a win for the New York Mets in 2011. Gee is from Cleburne, Texas, which is about 45 miles from Rangers Ballpark.

Rangers: Right-hander Lucas Harrell makes his Rangers debut, four days after being acquired from Atlanta along with reliever Dario Alvarez for a minor league infielder. Harrell was 2-2 with a 3.38 ERA in five starts for the Braves, including six scoreless innings in a win Tuesday at Minnesota. He previously pitched in the majors for the Chicago White Sox (2010-11) and Houston Astros (2011-14).

— Associated Press —

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