Dave Riggert – Page 436 – St. Joseph Post Archive

St. Louis rallies past San Francisco again

Posted on June 6, 2016

ST. LOUIS (AP) — For the second straight day, the St. Louis Cardinals rallied against the hottest team in the majors.

Aledmys Diaz, Matt Adams and Yadier Molina each had an RBI during a four-run sixth inning and the Cardinals beat the San Francisco Giants 6-3 on Sunday night.

“We never feel like we’re out of it and tonight was a good example,” said leadoff man Matt Carpenter, who had three hits and an RBI. “We can score a bunch of runs and we can do it in a lot of different ways.”

Editor’s Picks

Matt Carpenter helps the Cardinals grind out a tough series

Matt Carpenter has been the spark recently in the Cardinals’ offense and his sixth-inning double helped key a St. Louis comeback.

On Saturday, they homered four times in nine at-bats and scored seven straight runs in a 7-4 victory. This time it was three hits, a walk, a hit batter and an error.

Starter Carlos Martinez said he stayed in the dugout after being taken out so he’d have a good view of the comeback.

“I feel I did a really good job of staying in the game and getting out of situations,” Martinez said through an interpreter. “I’m always positive.”

Carpenter is batting .429 (15 for 35) with eight extra-base hits since returning from paternity leave.

“This game’s such a game of ups and downs and flows and hot streaks and cold streaks,” Carpenter said. “I’m going through a stretch right now where I’m seeing the ball good.”

The tiebreaking run came on an RBI fielder’s choice with the bases loaded by Molina, who entered the at-bat in an 0-for-20 skid. Shortstop Brandon Crawford made an error on the play when he dropped the ball on the exchange trying to flip to second to start a double play.

Jarrett Parker hit a two-run homer for the NL West-leading Giants, who have lost two straight for the first time since May 8-10 when they dropped three in a row. Despite dropping the weekend series, the Giants are a major league-best 18-6 since May 11.

Martinez (6-5) allowed three runs in six innings and Trevor Rosenthal earned his 10th save in 11 chances.

Giants manager Bruce Bochy used three relievers in the sixth trying to preserve the lead for Jake Peavy (2-6), who missed a chance at his 150th career victory.

“I was going to use my guys to try and stop it there,” Bochy said. “I thought that was the ballgame. They did a good piece of hitting that inning.”

Peavy allowed four runs in five innings. His next shot at No. 150 will be next Sunday, due to off days that will mean extra rest for all of the pitchers.

“It just stinks that we couldn’t find a way to stop the bleeding,” Peavy said. “I certainly didn’t and things obviously didn’t get any better after I left, unfortunately.”

Parker, who started all three games in the series in place of injured Hunter Pence, snapped a 2-for-19 slump with his second homer in the fourth for a 2-1 lead. A hit, walk and run-scoring groundout by Crawford made it 3-1 in the sixth.

WILD STATS

Martinez threw three wild pitches after entering with three on the year.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Giants: Hunter Pence (hamstring) will undergo surgery Thursday in Dallas and is expected to miss eight weeks. … Matt Cain (hamstring) threw a second bullpen session Sunday and is likely to throw a simulated game Wednesday.

Cardinals: SS Jhonny Peralta (thumb) returned to St. Louis after going 0 for 4 and playing 3B for Class A Palm Beach and is expected to be activated off the 15-day DL on Tuesday. Peralta will play 3B due to the emergence of Diaz.

REST TIME

Giants C Buster Posey got a routine day off. He’s in a 2-for-24 slump.

UP NEXT

Giants: Albert Suarez (1-1, 3.18) makes his second career start Tuesday in the opener of a two-game series against the Red Sox. He’s filling in for Cain.

Cardinals: Mike Leake (4-4, 3.82) makes his first career appearance against the Reds on Tuesday to start a six-game trip. He’s 4-1 with a 1.59 ERA his last five outings.

— Associated Press —

Mustangs blank Joplin behind Lydon-Lorson’s complete game

Posted on June 4, 2016

The St. Joseph Mustangs bounced back from their first loss of the season to defeat Joplin Saturday night 2-0 inside Phil Welch Stadium.

St. Joe’s summer college baseball team is now 3-1 and 2-1 in the MINK League.

Mustangs’ starter Michael Lydon-Lorson was the story of the game as he threw a complete game two-hit shutout. He struck out four and didn’t walk a batter.

St. Joseph took a 1-0 lead in the fifth inning as Tyler Cox had an RBI single. Then in the seventh after a leadoff triple by Brett Marr, Trent Hill drove him in with a single.

Marr led the Mustangs’ offense as he finished 3-for-3 and he scored both runs. Hill and Jacob Richardson added two hits each.

St. Joe will be on the road for the first time this season on Sunday as they travel to Nevada. The first pitch is at 7:00 p.m. and will be broadcast on 680 KFEQ AM.

Royals fall out of first place with third consecutive loss to Indians

Posted on June 4, 2016

CLEVELAND (AP) — Francisco Lindor hit two doubles and one of Cleveland’s three home runs, leading the Indians into first place in the AL Central with a 7-1 win over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.

The Indians will go for a sweep of the four-game series Sunday, and have won five of six against the Royals this season.

Lindor, whose two-run homer came in the seventh inning, became the first Indians player to record three extra-base hits in a game this season. He also started an outstanding defensive play in the ninth. Playing in a shift near second base, he made a backhand stop of Kendrys Morales’ hard-hit grounder and flipped to third baseman Jose Ramirez, who was playing behind second. Ramirez threw to first for the out.

Tyler Naquin, who hit his first big league home run Friday, hit a two-run homer in the sixth. Mike Napoli started the four-run inning with a solo homer.

Josh Tomlin (8-1) bounced back from his first loss of the season and allowed one run in 6 1/3 innings.

Napoli belted his 13th homer of the season into the left-field bleachers with one out in the sixth off Ian Kennedy (4-4). Rajai Davis added an RBI single before Naquin’s homer carried into the seats in right-center.

Tomlin, who lost to Texas on Monday, was pulled after Rey Fuentes’ RBI single. Tomlin gave up seven hits and struck out four.

Royals catcher Salvador Perez returned to the lineup after missing six games with a bruised left thigh. He had two hits off Tomlin and is 13 for 20 in his career against him.

Kennedy allowed five runs in six innings for Kansas City, which had won six straight overall entering the series.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: RHP Kris Medlen (rotator cuff inflammation) will throw to batters Monday at the team’s training facility in Surprise, Arizona. He has been on the 15-day disabled list since May 11.

Indians: RHP Joba Chamberlain (left intercostal strain) could be activated from the 15-day disabled list early in the week. He threw a 20-pitch simulated game Saturday.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Chris Young (2-5) makes his first start since May 9. He has made two relief appearances since coming off the 15-day disabled list with a sore forearm May 28.

Indians: RHP Corey Kluber (4-6) allowed six runs, including two homers, in seven innings Monday when he lost to Texas. He’s 5-5 in 14 career starts against Kansas City.

— Associated Press —

Diaz touches off home run barrage, St. Louis beats Giants

Posted on June 4, 2016June 4, 2016

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Aledmys Diaz got the green light on 3-0. It was no big surprise, considering how much the rookie has meant to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Diaz lined a tying, three-run shot off the foul pole in the fifth inning, one of four homers in a span of nine at-bats against Jeff Samardzija, and the Cardinals rallied past the San Francisco Giants 7-4 on Saturday night.

“I just knew it was pretty close and I kept running,” Diaz said. “I looked at the umpire and he said, `fair ball,’ so that’s good.”

Brandon Moss got the long-ball binge started with his 11th leading off the fifth. Stephen Piscotty and Matt Adams hit consecutive homers in a matter of three pitches to open the sixth for a 6-4 cushion.

The 25-year-old Diaz got the starting shortstop job after Ruben Tejada was injured at the end of spring training and will stay there when Jhonny Peralta returns next week. He’s batting .324 with eight homers, 29 RBI.

“It’s not just a one-size-fits-all when you get to a 3-0 green light,” manager Mike Matheny said. “It didn’t look like he tried to do too much, because at times you’ll see a 400-foot shot pulled foul when a guy gets too big on an advantage count.”

The rally rescued Michael Wacha, who left trailing 4-0 after five seemingly on track for a seventh consecutive loss. Wacha has allowed 23 earned runs in his last 23 innings.

“I had a good feel for it,” Wacha said. “I just gave up some untimely doubles and triples, but overall I know I’ve just got to trust the process.”

Samardzija (7-4) had given up five homers in 80 innings all season, and just one in his previous five outings. He opened with four routine innings, permitting three singles and no runner past first base.

“You’ve got a four-run lead there, you’ve got to make it stick,” Samardzija said. “So, that hurts.”

Manager Bruce Bochy said Samardzija, who allowed 29 homers season last season to lead the American League, simply lost command.

“He was cruising there,” Bochy said. “Balls started drifting toward the center of the plate.”

Tyler Lyons (2-0), Seung Hwan Oh and Kevin Siegrist each worked a hitless inning before Trevor Rosenthal set the side down in order in the ninth for his ninth save in 10 chances.

Diaz was sitting on a 3-0 pitch for his eighth homer that banged off the foul pole just below the third deck in left, a drive estimated at 426 feet. Piscotty and Adams have seven homers apiece.

“A lot of things happened there, guys keeping it moving,” Matheny said. “Just a great at-bat. Diaz continues to impress us.”

Joe Panik doubled twice with an RBI, Brandon Crawford doubled and tripled and Samardzija had an RBI single for the NL West-leading Giants, who are 18-5 in their last 23 games.

“You’re going to have games like that,” Crawford said. “It did happen pretty fast, though.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Giants: Matt Cain (hamstring) is scheduled to throw his second bullpen session Sunday. If all goes well, he could throw a simulated game Wednesday that could be the final test before returning to the rotation. Cain threw 20 pitches off a mound on Friday.

Cardinals: Peralta (thumb) remains on track to be activated from the DL on Tuesday. He started Saturday for Class A Palm Beach, but will likely primarily play at 3B when he returns due to the emergence of Diaz.

GET A HIT

Wacha had been 0 for 19 with 10 strikeouts this year before a swinging bunt single in the third.

UP NEXT

Giants: Jake Peavy (2-5, 6.34) is coming off his best start, pitching one-hit ball for seven innings against Atlanta. The right-hander will get extra rest due to off days for the team and pitch again in next Sunday’s nationally televised game.

Cardinals: Carlos Martinez (5-5, 3.69) struck out eight in eight scoreless innings his last start at Milwaukee, ending a career-worst five-game losing streak.

— Associated Press —

Mustangs lose to Joplin 7-6 in 13 innings

Posted on June 4, 2016

The St. Joseph Mustangs suffered their first loss of the season Friday night inside Phil Welch Stadium as they fell to Jopin 7-6 in 13 innings.

St. Joe’s summer college baseball team drops to 2-1 and 1-1 in the MINK League.

The Mustangs struggled early and fell behind 6-1 after five and half innings. They battled back with two unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth and they tied the game with three in the seventh inning.

Matt Wollnick drove in two runs in the seventh and St. Joseph also got another unearned run.

The game remained tied until the 13th inning when Joplin got to Logan Campbell with a walk and a single to start the inning. The Outlaws then got a sacrifice fly from Brandon Pugh and the Mustangs came up empty in the bottom half of the inning.

Davey Casciola, Trent Hill and Brady Anderson each had two hits to lead St. Joe. Wollnick and Hill had two RBI a piece.

George Brandecker made the start from the Mustangs and he allowed six hits and six runs in the 5.1 innings of work.

St. Joseph is back in action Saturday as they host Joplin again inisde Phil Welch Stadium. The first pitch is at 7:00 p.m.

Kansas City drops second straight game at Cleveland

Posted on June 3, 2016

CLEVELAND (AP) — Danny Salazar pitched like an ace Friday night.

He allowed one run and struck out nine in eight innings, and the Cleveland Indians defeated the Kansas City Royals 6-1.

Salazar (6-3) held Kansas City to three hits and was in command, other than giving up Drew Butera’s leadoff homer in the third. As it turned out, that mistake woke up the pitcher.

“That made me mad,” he said. “I tried to throw a slider there. I just put it there instead of throwing it down in the zone. After that I started being aggressive.”

Yan Gomes homered in the second and Tyler Naquin hit his first major league home run in the seventh for Cleveland, which has won four of five over the defending World Series champions and trails the AL Central-leading Royals by a half-game.

Salazar’s five walks drove his pitch count to 113. Four of the free passes, including an intentional walk in the first, came in the first three innings.

“Even though he did have some walks his stuff was so good,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “His last pitch was 97 or 98 (mph). When you’re throwing that hard and he starts throwing that breaking ball and changeup, that’s a lot of good weapons.”

Alcides Escobar, who singled in the sixth for his 1,000th career hit, was impressed with Salazar after the right-hander beat Kansas City for the second time this season, allowing one run in 16 innings.

“This guy is always very good against us, but his stuff was so nice tonight,” Escobar said. “His fastball was over 95 and the splitter was painting the outside. He did a real, real good job.”

Salazar has allowed two runs or less in nine of his 11 starts.

Francisco Lindor’s RBI single in the third off Edinson Volquez (5-5) broke a 1-all tie and sparked a three-run rally. Mike Napoli followed with an RBI double while the third run scored on Volquez’s wild pitch.

Salazar got a boost from his defense in the seventh when right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall fielded Cheslor Cuthbert’s hit off the wall and threw him out at second trying for a double.

“I love it,” Salazar said. “I was just jumping there.”

Gomes, who has seven home runs, is batting only .174 but his 27 hits have produced 27 RBI.

Butera, filling in behind the plate for the injured Salvador Perez, hit his second home run of the series that briefly tied the game.

Volquez allowed five runs in 6 1/3 innings for Kansas City, which is also playing without third baseman Mike Moustakas and left fielder Alex Gordon because of injuries.

BIG MOMENT

Naquin, a left-handed hitter, homered over the 19-foot high wall in left field.

“Awesome, man,” Naquin said. “Awesome. A major-league home run. No words that could describe that. I knew when I hit it that I hit it well enough to get it out. I always run hard. I’m always going to run hard. You never know.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: Manager Ned Yost expects Perez (bruised left thigh) to be behind the plate this weekend. Perez hasn’t played since being injured in a May 28 collision with Cuthbert.

Indians: C Roberto Perez (broken right thumb) is continuing his rehab at the Indians’ training complex in Goodyear, Arizona. Perez was injured on April 30 and is on the 60-day DL.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy (4-3) threw seven shutout innings against the Indians at Progressive Field in a 7-0 win on May 7.

Indians: RHP Josh Tomlin (7-1) looks to bounce back from his first loss of the season. He allowed eight runs (four earned) against Texas on Monday.

— Associated Press —

Big 12 to hold Football Championship again; conference revenue figures announced

Posted on June 3, 2016

Irving, Texas – At the conclusion of its annual spring business meetings, the Big 12 Conference has announced that it will reinstate its football championship game, beginning with the 2017 season.

“The addition of a football championship game allows for a 13th data point for our teams under consideration for the College Football Playoff,” said Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby. “Work will begin on developing scheduling models and host site options.”

The Big 12 last staged a championship game in 2010. Six of the 15 contests in league history were rematches of a regular season game. The regular-season winner prevailed in the title game rematch in four of those six occurrences. On five occasions, the lower-ranked team defeated a higher-ranked opponent.

Along with the championship game announcement, the Conference also announced its generated revenue for member distribution for fiscal year 2015-16, with each member institution slated to receive $30.4 million, an increase of 20 percent over the previous year. All 10 league members will receive a full share. In addition to distributed revenue from the Conference, Big 12 schools also retain revenue from third-tier media rights deals. Since 2012, distributed revenue has increased over $117 million.

— Big 12 Press Release —

Huskers get blanked by Oklahoma State in NCAA Tournament opener

Posted on June 3, 2016

Clemson, S.C. – Making its 14th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and the second in three seasons, the Nebraska baseball team (37-21) dropped its opening game of the tournament to the #18 Oklahoma State Cowboys (37-20) by a score of 6-0 on Friday afternoon at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

NU’s offense had the task of facing Big 12 Pitcher of the Year Thomas Hatch, and the Huskers were unable to score a run off the sophomore right hander. Hatch scattered six hits over 7.0 shutout innings and struck out 10. It’s the first time an opposing pitcher has record 10 or more strikeouts since March 29, 2014, when UNLV’s John Ricky also struck out 10 Huskers. On the day Hatch went over 100 strikeouts on the season, becoming the 13th player in OSU history to reach the mark.

Making his NCAA Tournament debut, freshman Matt Waldron lasted a season-low 3.2 innings, he had gone at least 5.0 innings in previous 10 starts of the year. The Cowboys scored five runs off Waldron on eight hits and two walks, while the right hander notched four strikeouts. Waldron entered the game with a streak of 24.1 straight innings without allowing an earned run, but saw that come to an end in the first inning.

Sophomore Garett King tossed 3.1 innings of one-run relief behind Waldron and struck out six, but NU’s offense was unable to get back in the game. Freshman Robbie Palkert also tossed an inning of perfect relief.

NU’s pitchers recorded 11 strikeouts on the day, but did allow 13 hits. Hatch and reliever Trey Cobb combined for 12 strikeouts, while allowing six hits.

Sophomore Jake Meyers was 2-for-3 at the plate and was on base three times, while fellow sophomore Scott Schreiber was 2-for-3 with a pair of singles after missing NU’s last four games.

OSU designated hitter Conor Costello put on a show at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs. J.R. Davis and Jon Littell also produced a three-hit day.

After Hatch stranded a pair of Huskers to start the game, the Cowboys jumped out an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but it could have been worse for the Huskers. A leadoff single, hit-by-pitch and another bloop single loaded the bases with no outs. The Cowboys’ No. 4 and 5 hitters delivered back-to-back RBI singles, getting OSU the early lead. With the bases still loaded and no out, Waldron got out of the jam by striking out consecutive batters looking before getting an inning-ending 6-3 groundout.

Nebraska got the tying runs on base in the second with singles from Jesse Wilkening and Luis Alvarado, but Hatch stranded both by getting a groundball off the bat of Ryan Boldt.

Following a rocky first inning, Waldron bounced back with a 1-2-3 second inning, but then the Cowboys struck again in the third. With a runner on and one down, Costello belted a 2-1 offering into the left-field seats, increasing OSU’s lead to 4-0. The Cowboys had a pair of runners on later in the inning, but Waldron stranded both with his third strikeout of the game.

After Nebraska couldn’t take advantage of a leadoff single from Schreiber in the top of the fourth, OSU tacked on a run in the bottom of the frame. Waldron got the second out of the frame and with two on the Huskers went to King. Costello welcomed him with a RBI single, his fourth RBI of the game, and OSU took a 5-0 lead. King struck out Dustin Williams to end the inning.

The Huskers mounted a scoring threat in the sixth when they had the bases loaded with one down, but Hatch dug in. After a single by Meyers, a walk to Ben Miller and a single by Schreiber loaded the bases, Hatch left them loaded with consecutive strikeouts of Wilkening and Jake Placzek, Hatch’s seventh and eighth of the game.

OSU added an insurance run in the seventh to take a 6-0 lead and the Huskers failed to get another hit after Schreiber’s single in the sixth.

With the loss the Huskers fall to the loser’s bracket and will play the loser of tonight’s game between Clemson and Western Carolina. The Huskers will play in an elimination game Saturday at 11 a.m.

— NU Athletics —

The MIAA to sponsor women’s bowling

Posted on June 3, 2016

Kansas City, Mo. — The MIAA took action today to sponsor women’s bowling as an NCAA championship sport. The league’s first women’s bowling champion will be crowned at its inaugural conference tournament to be held March 25-26, 2017 at the KC Bowl in Kansas City, Kansas.

“The MIAA is excited to sponsor this opportunity for women’s collegiate student-athletes that have a passion for bowling.” Commissioner Dr. Bob Boerigter said. “Our Members and Associate Members who provide this sport are committed to both student academic success and they also seek to provide a quality competitive athletics experience for their student-athletes. All believe the MIAA bowling championship will provide that opportunity.”

Drury University of Springfield, MO, Elmhurst College of Elmhurst, Ill., Maryville University of St. Louis, Mo., McKendree University of McKendree, Ill. and Nebraska Wesleyan University of Lincoln, Neb. were all accepted into the MIAA as Associate Members.

They will join current MIAA members the University of Central Missouri and Lincoln University in the 7-team MIAA Bowling league.

In addition to the conference tournament, the schools have agreed to a schedule of regular season common events that will provide the framework to seed the conference championship. Student-athletes on each team will be eligible for weekly player-of –the-week honors as well as post-season all-conference athletic and academic awards.

— MIAA Press Release —

Cardinals get shutdown by Cueto, Giants

Posted on June 3, 2016

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Johnny Cueto worked around a season-worst five walks to post his ninth win, tying for the major league lead, as the San Francisco Giants beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-1 on Friday night.

Cueto (9-1) allowed a run on four hits in six innings with one strikeout. He hadn’t walked more than two in any of his first 11 starts for his new team.

Cueto is among four nine-game winners, joining Stephen Strasburg, Jake Arrieta and Chris Sale. Six of Cueto’s victories have come on the road.

Five Giants relievers combined to give up just one hit.

Adam Wainwright (5-4) allowed two runs in seven innings. The Cardinals were held to one run for the second straight game.

The Giants bunched three straight two-strike hits in the fourth to take a 2-1 lead, with RBI by Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford.

Denard Span had a two-run single and Matt Duffy squeezed home a run in a three-run ninth, capitalizing on three straight walks to open the inning by Cardinals closer Trevor Rosenthal.

The NL West leaders are a major league-best 18-4 since May 11.

Cueto is 5-0 with a 0.99 ERA his last six starts, working at least six innings and allowing two or fewer runs in each of them. He’d entered 2-4 with a 5.71 ERA in 10 previous starts in St. Louis.

Wainwright had been 5-0 in his previous seven starts.

Stephen Piscotty had an RBI single in the third but the Cardinals left the bases loaded when Randal Grichuk tapped out, with Cueto making a nice play and throw just in time.

UP NEXT

Giants: Jeff Samardzija (7-3, 2.84) lost his last outing, allowing four earned runs in five innings against Atlanta.

Cardinals: Michael Wacha (2-6, 4.99) is 1-0 with a 0.47 ERA in three career starts against San Francisco. Wacha has lost his last six decisions.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Giants: OF Hunter Pence will undergo surgery for a right hamstring and is likely out eight weeks. The last two seasons, they’re 62-36 with Pence and 57-64 without him.

Cardinals: Jhonny Peralta (thumb) is likely to be activated Tuesday in Cincinnati and will primarily play 3B when he returns given the emergence of rookie SS Aledmys Diaz, with Matt Carpenter playing more 2B. C Brayan Pena (knee) begins a rehab assignment with Double-A Springfield on Tuesday.

NO DEAL

The Cardinals didn’t consider sending SS Ruben Tejada, waived earlier this week, to the minors because they’re so well-stocked at the position. GM John Mozeliak said when Peralta returns “the reality is it’s going to get more sloppy.”

— Associated Press —