Dave Riggert – Page 438 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Cain homers, drives in 4 as Royals defeat Tampa Bay 10-5

Posted on May 31, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Lorenzo Cain homered and drove in four runs as the Kansas City Royals beat the Tampa Bay Rays 10-5 on Tuesday night, extending their winning streak to a season-best five games.

The Royals, who have won six straight series, took a two-game lead in the AL Central after being seven games out and in fourth place on May 10.

Cain hit a two-run homer in the first inning and a two-run single in the five-run fifth when the Royals batted around. Cain has 23 RBI in his past 19 games after driving in 10 runs in his first 30 games.

Kendrys Morales homered — a two-run shot in the sixth — and drove in three runs for the Royals while Eric Hosmer had three hits and drove in two runs. Hosmer is 13 for 30 with 13 RBI on this homestand.

Royals right-hander Dillon Gee (2-2) labored through five innings to pick up the victory, throwing 102 pitches. He gave up four runs and nine hits, while walking one and striking out seven.

Rays starter Drew Smyly (2-7) was pulled after four innings, yielding eight runs and 12 hits. In his past three starts, all losses, he has allowed 25 hits and 16 earned runs in 16 1/3 innings.

Every Royal had at least one hit. Paulo Orlando singled in the eighth, extending his hitting streak to a career-high 14 games. Drew Butera had three hits, matching his career high.

Corey Dickerson hit a three-run homer for the Rays in the second and drove in another run in the ninth.

The Rays loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth off rookie left-hander Scott Alexander. Evan Longoria led off the inning with a double and Alexander walked the next two. After Dickerson’s one-out RBI single, Wade Davis was summoned and picked up his 15th save in 16 opportunities.

THE DEFENSE RESTS

The Rays, who made three errors Monday, have committed 11 in their past seven games with four multi-error games. “That’s terrible,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “We’re better than that and we need to get better at it.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rays: RHP Brad Boxberger, who just came off the DL after adductor muscle surgery in March, left after 16 pitches in the sixth with a muscle strain in his left side. . 2B Steve Pearce, who left in the eighth inning Monday with a tender right elbow, was back in the lineup Tuesday, but was pinch hit for in the fifth inning. . RHPs Alex Cobb and Chase Whitley, who both underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2015, each threw a 35-pitch bullpen session Tuesday at Tropicana Field. . INF Logan Forsythe, who is on the DL with a left scapula hairline fracture, hit off the tee and fielded ground balls at Tropicana.

Royals: LF Brett Eibner was carted from the field in the fifth inning with a left ankle sprain. He will be evaluated further Wednesday. . 3B Mike Moustakas, who has a torn right ACL, will see Dr. James Andrews on Wednesday for a second opinion. . LHP Mike Minor, who missed last season after surgery for a torn labrum, was pulled out of his rehab assignment with shoulder fatigue. He came Tuesday to Kansas City to be examined by the Royals medical staff.

UP NEXT

Rays: RHP Chris Archer is 0-2 with a 6.27 ERA in three career starts against the Royals.

Royals: LHP Danny Duffy has a 4.86 ERA this season at Kauffman Stadium and a 1.29 ERA on the road.

— Associated Press —

Carpenter has 4 more hits to lead Cards past Milwaukee

Posted on May 31, 2016May 31, 2016

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Eight hits in two days have made Matt Carpenter a happy man.

Carpenter tied his season high with four hits for the second straight game, scored four times and drove in two runs to lead the St. Louis Cardinals over the Milwaukee Brewers 10-3 on Tuesday night.

“When you feel good, you feel good,” Carpenter said after his 13th multihit game this season. “Hits come in bunches. I’ve had stretches during this year where I felt really good, was hitting balls right at people. Baseball has a funny way of working itself out.”

Carpenter is 8 for 10 with seven runs, three doubles and two triples during this three-game series which ends Wednesday.

“It’s pretty clear he’s locked-in,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “He’s tough to pitch to when he’s like that.”

Jedd Gyorko hit a three-run homer, and Mike Leake (4-4) allowed five hits, walked one and struck out four over six innings for his fourth win in the last five starts. His only mistakes were Jonathan Lucroy’s home run leading off the second and Ryan Braun’s RBI double in the sixth.

Carpenter and Matt Holliday — 2 for 4 with two RBI — continued their torrid hitting against the Brewers, this time against Wily Peralta (3-6).

In the Cardinals’ 6-0 win on Monday, Carpenter had four hits and three runs and Holliday added his second consecutive three-hit game, including his second home run of the nine-game road trip.

Tuesday night, Carpenter doubled, singled and tripled twice. Holliday singled twice, driving in Carpenter both times. Carpenter also scored when Holliday hit into a double play in the seventh. Carpenter scored again when Aledmys Diaz grounded out to third during a five-run eighth.

Carpenter has been rolling since his wife, Mackenzie, gave birth to their first child, a daughter named Kinley Rae, last Wednesday. He says he’s been more relaxed since then.

“When we got the good news, it’s definitely one less thing to think about,” he said. “A kid doesn’t guarantee you’ll go out and get four hits, but it’s certainly one less thing to think about.”

Seung Hwan Oh pitched a scoreless seventh, Kevin Siegrist surrendered Lucroy’s sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth and Jonathan Broxton finished with a perfect ninth.

Peralta needed 29 pitches to get through the first, but then held the Cardinals in check until the fifth. He allowed three runs on nine hits over five innings. He walked two and struck out two while dropping to 0-7 over his past eight starts against the Cardinals. He lost 7-0 in his first start this season against the Cardinals on April 14 at Busch Stadium.

CARDINALS DROP A DIME

St. Louis had 10 or more runs in a game for the 10th time this season and improved to 10-0 when doing so.

BREWERS MOVES

The Brewers claimed RHP Neil Ramirez (0-0, 4.70 ERA) off waivers from the Chicago Cubs and designated INF Colin Walsh for assignment. Manager Craig Counsell said Ramirez would join the club on Wednesday. Walsh, a Rule 5 player, appeared in 38 games, batting .085 in 63 plate appearances.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: OF Stephen Piscotty was back in the starting lineup after missing Monday’s game with a stomach ailment.

Brewers: LF Ryan Braun was back in the starting lineup after missing consecutive games with a sore neck. The team’s leading hitter also has been bothered by soreness in his lower back and right wrist this season. He is hitting .351 with nine home runs and 30 RBI and hadn’t played since Saturday in Cincinnati, when he pinch-hit and hit into a double play. … RHP Matt Garza (Class A Wisconsin), RHP Corey Knebel (Class A Brevard County) and OF Domingo Santana (Double-A Biloxi) began rehab assignments Tuesday night.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Jaime Garcia makes his second start of the season against the Brewers. He pitched a complete-game, one-hit shutout in a 6-1 win at Busch Stadium on April 30. He is 10-4 with a 2.67 ERA in 18 career games, including 17 starts, against Milwaukee.

Brewers: RHP Zach Davies (2-3, 5.40 ERA) makes his ninth start of the season and first career against the Cardinals. Opponents are batting .294 with seven home runs against him since being recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs on April 17.

— Associated Press —

Kansas announces 2016-2017 non-conference men’s basketball schedule

Posted on May 31, 2016May 31, 2016

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas men’s basketball annually plays one of the toughest schedules in the nation and the 2016-17 slate is no exception as 10 of KU’s 12 non-conference opponents advanced to postseason play in 2015-16.

Four of KU’s 2016-17 non-league foes – Indiana, Duke, Kentucky and UNC Asheville – competed in the 2016 NCAA Championship. CBE Hall of Fame Classic opponents UAB, Georgia and George Washington, along with Davidson and Long Beach State, participated in the NIT, and Siena in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI). George Washington won the 2016 NIT. Including the always-rugged Big 12 schedule, Kansas will have 22 games against teams which played in the postseason in 2015-16.

For the last seven seasons Kansas has ranked no lower than fifth nationally in the final Ratings Percentage Index (RPI), which is one of the tools the NCAA Men’s Basketball Committee uses in selecting the NCAA Championship field. Three of those times – 2010, 2011 and 2016 – the Jayhawks were ranked No. 1. KU’s strength of schedule has ranked in the top 10 in eight of head coach Bill Self’s 13 seasons, including fifth in 2015-16. In that span, KU has had the nation’s toughest schedule three times: 2004-05, 2013-14 and 2014-15.

“With this schedule, once again we will rank at the top of the toughest schedules in the nation,” Self said. “We’ll get our share of frequent flyer miles right off the bat playing Indiana in Honolulu and Duke in New York City. We’re playing 10 of our 12 non-league games against teams which went to the postseason last year, including four NCAA teams. This schedule, like in the past, will help us prepare for the always tough Big 12 season.”

Following two home exhibition games against Washburn (Nov. 1) and Emporia State (Nov. 7), Kansas will hit the road, air actually, for a pair of games about as far apart as possible. The Jayhawks will compete for the first time in the Armed Forces Classic against Indiana on Nov. 11 in Honolulu; they’ll then fly to New York City to play Duke in historic Madison Square Garden in the sixth Champions Classic Nov. 15.

Kansas returns to the friendly confines of Allen Fieldhouse to host Siena in one of two CBE Hall of Fame Host Games on Nov. 18. The second follows the Kansas City event when the Jayhawks host UNC Asheville Nov. 25. Sandwiched in between is the CBE Hall of Fame Classic at Sprint Center, where KU will play Nov. 21-22 against either UAB, Georgia or George Washington. This is the third time Kansas will compete in the CBE Hall of Fame Classic; the Jayhawks won the 2012 event and finished runner-up in 2008.

The Nov. 25 UNC Asheville game begins a six-game homestand. KU will play Long Beach State on Nov. 29, then former KU great Jerod Haase will bring Stanford to Allen Fieldhouse on Dec. 3. Haase will be in his first season as head coach at Stanford after a successful run at UAB.

On Dec. 6, UMKC will make its first trip to Allen Fieldhouse since the 2010-11 season, then former conference foe Nebraska will return to Lawrence on Dec. 6. This will be the 242nd game between Kansas and Nebraska, and the first meeting since Feb. 5, 2011.

Kansas will complete its homestand when it hosts Davidson in the Jayhawk Shootout at Sprint Center on Dec. 17. The shootout is part of the KU home ticket package.

KU will close out the calendar year non-conference slate when it travels to UNLV on Dec. 22. Kansas is making its first trip to Las Vegas since 2010 when it won the Las Vegas Invitational. Kansas will close out its non-conference portion of the season at Kentucky Jan. 28 in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge. The two teams have played seven times in the Self era with KU holding a 4-3 series edge in those contests.

Kansas returns three starters and eight letterwinners from a 33-5 team that won the school’s 12th-straight, 16th Big 12 and NCAA-leading 59th overall conference regular-season title with a 15-3 league record. The 2015-16 Jayhawks won the 2015 Maui Invitational and the 2016 Big 12 Championship, and entered the 2016 NCAA Championship as a No. 1 seed, advancing to the Elite Eight. Seniors Frank Mason III and Landen Lucas, along with junior Devonte’ Graham, are KU’s returning starters with Mason and Graham in the backcourt and Lucas in the frontcourt. Junior guard Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk and sophomore forward Carlton Bragg Jr. return after also playing significant minutes in 2015-16. Additionally, KU welcomes one of the top-ranked recruiting classes that consists of guard Josh Jackson, center Udoka Azubuike and forward Mitch Lightfoot. Jackson was the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2016.

The Big 12 league schedule will be released in August. Season ticket sales for KU’s 18 home games, the 17 in Allen Fieldhouse and the Dec. 17 game against Davidson in Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri, are on sale at KUAthletics.com. To order season tickets, fans must be active members of the Williams Education Fund, which can be done by making a minimum gift pledge of $100. For current men’s basketball season ticket holders, applications were mailed in late May. Men’s basketball season tickets are limited and allocated according to Williams Education Fund policy and subject to availability. For more information, one can contact the Williams Education Fund at WilliamsFund.com or 785-864-3946.

SCOUTING THE COMPETITION

Washburn, exhibition (Nov. 1, Lawrence)

Under 37-year head coach Bob Chipman, Washburn is coming off a 13-15 season in 2015-16, which included an 11-11 MIAA (NCAA Division II) record where the Ichabods tied for fifth. This 40-game series dates back to 1906 and Kansas leads 37-3, including 6-0 in exhibition battles. KU has won 11 consecutive against the Ichabods with the last Washburn victory in 1944.

Emporia State, exhibition (Nov. 7, Lawrence)

Emporia State went 13-16 overall and 10-12 in the MIAA (NCAA Division II) and placed 10th in 2015-16. The Hornets are coached by former Colorado standout Shaun Vandiver who will enter his sixth season at ESU in 2016-17. This 23-game series dates back to 1904 and Kansas leads 20-3, including 7-0 in exhibition contests. Kansas has won 10 straight against Emporia State with the last ESU win being in 1947.

Indiana, Armed Forces Classic (Nov. 11, Honolulu)

Under eighth-year head coach Tom Crean, the 2016 Big Ten Coach of the Year, Indiana went 29-8 last season, won the Big Ten regular-season title with a 15-3 league record and finished ranked 14th by Associated Press. The Hoosiers lead the overall series with Kansas 7-6 but the Jayhawks have won six of the last seven meetings. KU and IU last met in 1995 in Kansas City with the Jayhawks claiming a 91-83 victory on Dec. 16. This series dates back to 1940 with the first two meetings, both IU wins, in the NCAA title game in 1940 and 1953.

Duke, Champions Classic (Nov. 15, New York)

Preseason No. 1 by many for 2016-17, Duke went 25-11 last year and placed tied for fifth in the ACC with an 11-7 record. Under Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski, the Blue Devils advanced to the Sweet 16 of the 2016 NCAA Championship and finished ranked No. 19. Duke leads the series with Kansas 7-3 but the Jayhawks have won two of the last three meetings, including a 94-83 win in the 2013 Champions Classic in Chicago. This series dates back to 1985.

Siena, CBE Hall of Fame Classic Host Game (Nov. 18, Lawrence)

Under head coach Jimmy Patsos, who will enter his fourth season at Siena, the Saints went 21-13 in 2015-16 overall and lost in the opening round of the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) to Morehead State (84-80). Siena went 13-7 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) last season, placing third. Kansas won the only meeting with Siena, 91-84, on Jan. 6, 2009, in Allen Fieldhouse.

UAB, potential CBE Hall of Fame Classic opponent (Nov. 21 or 22, Kansas City)

UAB welcomes first-year head coach Rob Ehsan who replaced former KU guard Jerod Haase who went to Stanford. The Blazers were 26-7 last season and won the Conference USA regular-season title with a 16-2 record. UAB fell to BYU, 97-79, in the first round of the 2016 NIT. Kansas leads the series with UAB 2-1. UAB won the first meeting, 50-46, on Nov. 25, 1984, in the title game of the Great Alaska Shootout in Anchorage. Kansas won the next two: 109-83 on Nov. 15, 1989 in the Preseason NIT and 100-74 on March 26, 2004 in the NCAA Championship in St. Louis.

Georgia, potential CBE Hall of Fame Classic opponent (Nov. 21 or 22, Kansas City)

Georgia head coach Mark Fox enters his eighth season at UGA. The Bulldogs went 20-14 last season and tied for sixth in the SEC with a 10-8 record. Georgia went 1-1 in the NIT defeating Belmont, 93-84, before falling at St. Mary’s, 77-65. Kansas has won all three meetings with Georgia in a series which dates back to 1992 with a 76-65 win in Allen Fieldhouse. The next two battles were neutral-site contests with KU winning 89-79 on Dec. 18, 1993, in Atlanta and 88-78 on Nov. 25, 1999, in the opening round of the Great Alaska Shootout in Anchorage.

George Washington, potential CBE Hall of Fame Classic opponent (Nov. 21 or 22, Kansas City)

George Washington won the 2016 NIT defeating Valparaiso, 76-60, in the title game at Madison Square Garden. GW posted a 28-10 record in 2015-16 and finished fifth in the Atlantic 10 Conference with an 11-7 mark. Colonials head coach Mike Lonergan completed his fifth season at GW in 2015-16. Kansas has won all three meetings with George Washington. The Jayhawks defeated the Colonials, 76-70, in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 22, 1984, and 94-71 the following year, Dec. 23, 1985, in Allen Fieldhouse. KU also defeated GW, 85-56, on Dec. 11, 1996, in Allen Fieldhouse.

UNC Asheville, CBE Hall of Fame Classic Host Game (Nov. 25, Lawrence)

UNC Asheville and Kansas have something in common in they both lost to eventual NCAA Champion Villanova in the 2016 NCAA Championship. The Bulldogs were 22-12 overall last season and tied for third in the Big South Conference with a 12-6 league record. UNC Ashville won the Big South Championship and entered its fourth-ever NCAA Championship a No. 15 seed. UNC Asheville fell to the second-seeded Wildcats, 86-56, in the two teams’ first game of the tourney in Brooklyn. Head coach Nick McDevitt enters his fourth season guiding the Bulldogs. Kansas is 3-0 against UNC Ashville in a series which dates back to 1994. All three meetings have been in Allen Fieldhouse with the Jayhawks winning 90-44 on Jan. 5, 1994, 105-73 on Dec. 15, 1996, and 102-50 on Jan. 2, 2003.

Long Beach State (Nov. 29, Lawrence)

Long Beach State went 20-15 last season and placed third in the Big West Conference with a 12-4 league record. Having lost in the Big West title game, LBSU competed in the 2016 NIT losing to Washington, 107-102, in the event’s opening round. The 49ers are coached by Dan Monson who enters his 10th season at LBSU. Kansas leads the four-game series with Long Beach State, 3-1. KU won the first two meetings, 69-52 on Dec. 1, 1970, in Allen Fieldhouse and 66-60 on Dec. 7, 1991, in Long Beach, California. The 49ers defeated KU, 64-49, on Jan. 25, 1993, in Allen Fieldhouse and Kansas won the last meeting, 88-80, on Dec. 6, 2011, also in Allen Fieldhouse.

Stanford (Dec. 3, Lawrence)

Stanford first-year head coach Jerod Haase will face his alma mater in Allen Fieldhouse on Dec. 3. Haase’ 1,264 points rank 32nd on the KU all-time scoring list and he also ranks on the Kansas career lists in 3-point field goals made (11th at 156), 3-pointers attempted (seventh at 461), assists (18th at 343) and steals (11th at 174). Last year the Cardinal went 15-15 overall and finished ninth in the Pac-12 with an 8-10 record. Kansas leads the series with Stanford, 8-3, but the Cardinal have won the last two meetings: 60-57 on March 23, 2014, in the NCAA Championship in St. Louis and 64-58 on Dec. 6, 2003, in the Wooden Classic in Anaheim, California. This series dates back to 1932 and KU is 4-0 versus Stanford in games played in Lawrence.

UMKC (Dec. 6, Lawrence)

UMKC fourth-year head coach Kareem Richardson hopes to improve the Kangaroos from their 12-19 record in 2015-16. The Roos were 4-10 in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) which tied for sixth in the league race. Kansas has won all six games against UMKC in a series which dates back to 1992. The Jayhawks are 4-0 versus the Kangaroos in Allen Fieldhouse with the last meeting being a KU 99-52 victory on Jan. 5, 2011, in Lawrence.

Nebraska (Dec. 10, Lawrence)

These two former conference foes are meeting for the first time since Nebraska left the Big 12 following the 2010-11 season. Husker head coach Tim Miles enters his fifth season and the Huskers are coming off a 16-18 season where they finished 11th in the Big Ten Conference with a 6-12 record. Former Kansas guard Andrew White III will be making a return visit to Allen Fieldhouse. White was a two-year letterwinner for KU in 2012-13 and 2013-14. Kansas leads the overall series with Nebraska, 170-71, and has won the last 17 meetings, from March 5, 1999, to Feb. 5, 2011, and 26 of the last 27 matchups dating back to the 1998-99 season. KU is 88-23 versus NU in games played in Lawrence, including 51-7 in Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks have won the last 12 home meetings with the Huskers.

Davidson, Jayhawk Shootout (Dec. 17, Kansas City)

Under 27-year head coach Bob McKillop, Davidson is coming off a 20-13 season where it placed sixth in the Atlantic 10 Conference with a 10-8 record. The Wildcats advanced to the NIT losing at Florida State, 84-74, in the event’s opening round. This two-game series (1-1) has had drama. Kansas defeated Cinderella Davidson, 59-57, in the NCAA Championship Elite Eight in Detroit, Michigan, on March 30, 2008. The Jayhawks would go on to win the 2008 NCAA National Championship in San Antonio. Davidson returned the favor with an 80-74 win on Dec. 19, 2011, in the Kansas City Shootout at Sprint Center. Later that season, KU would advance to the 2012 NCAA Championship game in New Orleans.

UNLV (Dec. 22, Las Vegas)

Marvin Menzies begins his first season at UNLV heading to Las Vegas after nine seasons at New Mexico State. Menzies inherits a team that finished 18-15 overall and tied for sixth in the Mountain West Conference with an 8-10 league record. Kansas is 5-0 against UNLV and this will be the first meeting between the two schools in Las Vegas. The series dates back to 1989 when KU defeated UNLV, 91-77, in the semifinals of the Preseason NIT in New York City. Kansas went on to win the event defeating St. John’s two days later. The next meeting was also part of a KU Preseason NIT title on Nov. 21, 1997, in Allen Fieldhouse, a KU 92-68 victory. Kansas defeated UNLV, 75-56, on March 22, 2008, in Omaha, Nebraska, en route to the 2008 NCAA National Championship. The last meeting was a Kansas 76-61 win in Allen Fieldhouse on Jan. 4, 2015.

Kentucky, SEC/Big 12 Challenge (Jan. 28, Lexington, Kentucky)

Under Hall of Fame coach John Calipari, Kentucky is coming off a 27-9 season where it tied Texas A&M for the SEC title with a 13-5 record. The Wildcats advanced to the second round of the NCAA Championship falling to Indiana, 73-67. The upcoming SEC/Big 12 Challenge will mark the eighth meeting between the two schools in the Kansas head coach Bill Self era at KU. The Jayhawks hold a 4-3 advantage in that span and Kentucky leads the overall series with Kansas, 22-7. Last season, with ESPN College Gameday originating from Lawrence, No. 4 Kansas defeated No. 20 Kentucky, 90-84 in overtime, at Allen Fieldhouse on Jan. 30 in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.

Kansas Men’s Basketball 2016-17 Non-Conference Schedule

Nov. 1 – Washburn (exhibition)
Nov. 7 – Emporia State (exhibition)
Nov. 11 – vs. Indiana (Armed Forces Classic, Honolulu)
Nov. 15 – vs. Duke (Champions Classic, New York City)
Nov. 18 – Siena (CBE Hall of Fame Classic Home Game)
Nov. 21 – UAB/Georgia/George Washington (CBE Hall of Fame Classic, Kansas City)
Nov. 22 – UAB/Georgia/George Washington (CBE Hall of Fame Classic, Kansas City)
Nov. 25 – UNC Asheville (CBE Hall of Fame Classic Home Game)
Nov. 29 – Long Beach State
Dec. 3 – Stanford
Dec. 6 – UMKC
Dec. 10 – Nebraska
Dec. 17 – Davidson (Jayhawk Shootout, Kansas City)
Dec. 22 – at UNLV
Jan. 28 – at Kentucky

— KU Athletics —

Royals score four in the 8th inning to top Tampa Bay

Posted on May 31, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Late-inning rallies are becoming the trademark for the Kansas City Royals.

Eric Hosmer hit a three-run homer after Lorenzo Cain drove in the go-ahead run in a four-run eighth inning and the Royals defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 6-2 on Monday night.

The Royals have won four straight, matching their season best streak, and have scored 19 runs after the sixth innings in those victories.

“Good teams at the end of the game find ways to do it,” Hosmer said. “We’ve been really doing it a lot of different ways, finding a way each and every night.”

Cain’s single scored Alcides Escobar with the first run of the inning before Hosmer took a pitch from Erasmo Ramirez (6-3) deep to right-center for his 10th home run. Hosmer has 10 RBI in the first four games of this homestand.

“Cain took a good protective swing,” Ramirez said. “He got good contact there through the right side. I made a high pitch to a great hitter like Hosmer, so he just made me pay about it. So, now I can do nothing about it.”

Kelvin Herrera (1-1) blew the save, allowing a run in the eighth, but he picked up the victory. Steve Pearce scored from second on an infield single by Steven Souza Jr. to tie it at 2.

Royals starter Ian Kennedy walked a season-high five, including the bases loaded in the fifth, but limited the Rays to three singles and one unearned run over six innings. He has allowed two or fewer runs in eight of his 10 starts, lowering his ERA to 3.03.

Kennedy retired Logan Morrison on a pop up to shortstop Escobar to end the fifth. Kennedy also escaped a bases loaded jam in a 29-pitch first inning when he walked two. He struck out Souza looking to end the inning.

Rays right-hander Matt Andriese allowed two runs and five hits over seven innings.

Kendrys Morales walked with one out in the Royals’ second. Paulo Orlando, who had two hits and is batting a major league-leading .441 in May, doubled, moving Morales to third, where he scored on Cheslor Cuthbert’s groundout.

The Rays tied it with an unearned run in the fourth. Morrison led off with a single, stole second, took third on catcher Drew Butera’s throwing error and scored on Corey Dickerson’s groundout to second baseman Whit Merrifield.

Jarrod Dyson produced a run with his feet in fifth. Dyson singled to center and when Desmond Jennings had difficulties picking up the ball, Dyson motored to second, just beating the throw. Dyson stole third and when catcher Hank Conger’s throw landed in left field he trotted home.

“They probably felt I wasn’t going,” Dyson said. “A 3-1 count is a fastball count. I picked a good spot to go. Catcher come up, tried to fire it, rushed his throw and the ball ended up in the outfield. I get up and score easily.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rays: Pearce left after seven innings with a right elbow irritation. “I’ve been dealing with it for a while,” Pearce said. “It just flared up a little bit.” … RHP Ryan Webb was placed on the 15-day DL, retroactive to Friday, with a right pectoral strain. … RHP Brad Boxberger, who had surgery March 17 to repair a torn adductor brevis muscle, was reinstated from the DL.

Royals: C Salvador Perez missed his second straight game with a bruised quad.

SHORTSTOP BENCHED

Rays SS Brad Miller, who has committed four errors in his past nine games including a throwing miscue in the sixth inning Sunday to end RHP Jake Odorizzi’s perfect game bid against the Yankees, did not start. He came in in the eighth inning and promptly committed another error, botching a grounder by Orlando.

UP NEXT

Rays: LHP Drew Smyly, who starts Tuesday, was a college teammate of Royals OF Brett Eibner at Arkansas.

Royals: RHP Dillon Gee has never faced the Rays, leaving just the Red Sox, Indians and Mets as teams he has never pitched against.

— Associated Press —

Martinez, Carpenter help St. Louis blank Brewers

Posted on May 31, 2016

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Carlos Martinez’s teammates greeted the pitcher with hugs and handshakes following his eight innings of work at Miller Park.

After a tough couple weeks, the young right-hander ended May on a high note.

Martinez struck out eight in a crisp performance and Matt Carpenter had four hits, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a 6-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday.

After giving up at least four runs in each of his three previous starts, Martinez rebounded nicely with another masterful outing against Milwaukee. Entering Monday, he had a 1.34 ERA in 15 career games, including four starts, against the Brewers.

“It was a mental adjustment, not mechanics or physically. I think I have control of that,” Martinez said through an interpreter. “It is just knowing when to place the ball.”

Martinez allowed five singles and walked one. Trevor Rosenthal finished the five-hitter.

“That was phenomenal,” manager Mike Matheny said about Martinez. “He can be as dominating as anybody in the game when he puts it all together.”

Carpenter sparked the offense from the leadoff spot. He even scored from second in the seventh after catcher Jonathan Lucroy lost track of a wild pitch by Jhan Marinez that trickled to the backstop.

The Cardinals never trailed after building a 3-0 lead in the third off Junior Guerra (3-1), who allowed eight hits and three earned runs in 6 1/3 innings. St. Louis capitalized on some questionable Milwaukee defense in the third.

“They were kind of `woulda-coulda-shoulda’ plays but certainly not routine plays,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “The way Martinez was pitching, we pretty much needed to make every play today.”

BAD BREW

The top of the third included a throwing error and passed ball for the Brewers. Another run scored when Alex Presley, who was wearing sunglasses, couldn’t get to a towering fly by Matt Adams to the warning track in left on a sunny afternoon.

The ball fell to the dirt for an RBI double. Presley said the ball had drifted and fell just behind him and to his right.

Martinez had more than enough support against a team that he has dominated through his four-year career, including a 0.59 ERA in three starts in 2015. The fastball topped at about 98 mph, and Martinez mixed in a curveball, slider and changeup.

“He does a good job of mixing pitches even though he has good velocity,” Presley said. “He can get you off balance, and just called an unpredictable-type game at times. With his stuff, it’s a tough combo.”

FANTASTIC FOUR

The top four hitters in the Cardinals’ lineup accounted for 10 of the team’s 12 hits. Third-place hitter Matt Holliday was 3 for 4 with three RBI, including a 466-foot homer in the seventh off Marinez that landed in the top row of the bleachers in left.

“We put traffic out there. We put pressure on them to make pitches and guys came through with the big hits when we needed them,” Matheny said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: OF Stephen Piscotty missed the game with a stomach bug. “He got some bad food last night, or something zapped him,” Matheny said. … SS Jhonny Peralta (left thumb) needed stitches after cutting a finger on his right hand with a knife during his rehab assignment Saturday night at Double-A Springfield. Peralta might miss another couple days.

Brewers: LF Ryan Braun (sore neck) missed a second straight game. The Brewers’ best hitter also has been bothered by soreness in his lower back and right wrist this season. … LHP Will Smith (right knee) was scheduled to return to Milwaukee on Monday night from his rehab stint in the minors. He could be activated on Thursday when the team opens a four-game series in Philadelphia.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: The team is scoring 5.25 runs a game in the last four starts of RHP Mike Leake (3-4) after averaging 3.7 runs over his first six outings.

Brewers: RHP Wily Peralta (3-5) is 4-9 with a 5.00 ERA in 14 career starts against St. Louis.

— Associated Press —

Nebraska earns at-large bid to NCAA Baseball Tournament

Posted on May 30, 2016May 31, 2016

Lincoln – For the second time in three years the Nebraska baseball team earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Huskers, who are 37-20 on the year, earned an at-large invitation during the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship Selection Show Monday morning on ESPNU and will play in the Clemson Regional.

Nebraska is the #3 seed and will play #2 seed Oklahoma State on Friday at 11 a.m. (CT) on ESPNU.

The Clemson Tigers are the #1 seed and will face #4 seed Western Carolina at 6 p.m. (CT) on ESPN3.

Nebraska will be making its 14th NCAA Regional appearance.

— NU Athletics —

Missouri’s softball season ends in Super Regional as Michigan scores 4 in the 7th

Posted on May 29, 2016

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – No. 15 Mizzou Softball’s (42-16) 2016 campaign concluded on Sunday afternoon, as it dropped a heartbreaking 5-4 game against No. 2 Michigan. The Wolverines tallied four runs in the seventh inning to erase a late three-run Tigers advantage.

The Wolverines struck first for the second consecutive day, as they tallied a second inning solo home run. Mizzou put together its best scoring opportunity in the early going with a rally in the fourth inning.

Redshirt senior Sami Fagan (Dunnellon, Fla.) roped a single to right field, marking her team-leading 23rd multi-hit game of the year. Two batters later, junior Chloe Rathburn (Mission Viejo, Calif.) laced a single to left to give the Tigers two runners on base. The Tigers then roped a hard hit ball down the third base line, but the Wolverines defense answered with yet another nice play to end the inning.

Mizzou continued to pound away on Michigan’s hurler and finally broke through in the fifth inning. Freshman Kolby Romaine (Chino Hills, Calif.) kicked off the rally with a two-out single. The hit marked Romaine’s third multi-hit effort of the season. Up next, redshirt senior Taylor Gadbois (Maryville, Mo.) moved away from her usual slap technique and rifled a game-tying RBI double to left-center.

The Tigers gained their first lead of the Super Regionals following a clutch two-out three-run home run to centerfield by freshman Rylee Pierce (Visalia, Calif.). Mizzou pushed across all four of its runs in the fifth and sixth inning and were three outs away from forcing a decisive Super Regionals game three.

Michigan led off its final at bat in the seventh inning with a sunshine-aided single off a Tigers’ defender. Following a fly out to right field, the Wolverines began their improbable comeback. A sacrifice fly made it a two-run ballgame with two outs. Michigan kept its feet on the peddle with consecutive run-producing hits.

A wild pitch by the Tigers allowed the fourth and final run of the inning to come across, as Michigan suddenly claimed a one-run lead. Mizzou threatened to even the score at five apiece in the bottom half of the seventh, but couldn’t bring home a runner from third with one out.

— Mizzou Athletics —

Kansas City rallies again late to complete sweep of White Sox

Posted on May 29, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Cheslor Cuthbert drove in the go-ahead run with an infield hit in a three-run eighth inning, and the Kansas City Royals rallied for the third straight game in a 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday.

Chicago wasted a 4-2 lead in the eighth after failing to protect a 5-2 seventh-inning advantage on Friday and a 7-1 ninth-inning margin on Saturday. White Sox relievers allowed 17 runs, 15 hits and eight walks over 6 1/3 innings in the three-game series, and Chicago has lost 14 of its last 18 games after a 23-10 start.

Seeking to become the major leagues’ first 10-game winner, Chris Sale left with a 4-2 lead after seven innings. Lorenzo Cain homered with one out off Nate Jones (2-1), Eric Hosmer doubled, and Kansas City loaded the bases with Kendrys Morales’ walk and Paulo Orlando’s single.

Jones walked Brett Eibner on a low, outside pitch, forcing in the tying run. Matt Albers relieved and Cuthbert hit a grounder that second baseman Brett Lawrie snagged with a dive as pinch-runner Jarrod Dyson came home from third. Lawrie’s throw from his back went about 10 feet, and first baseman Jose Abreu picked up the ball and threw out Orlando at the plate.

Chris Young (2-5), activated from the disabled list Saturday, pitched a 1-2-3 eighth, and Wade Davis thew a perfect ninth for his 14th save in 15 chances.

Hosmer three hits and went 8 for 13 with seven RBI in the series

Sale fell behind in the first when Cain hit an RBI double and scored on Hosmer’s single. Sale allowed six hits and struck out six.

Kansas City’s Edinson Volquez gave up three runs and six hits in six innings.

Orlando made a diving catch in right to rob Austin Jackson on an extra-base hit in the seventh, holding Kansas City to a sacrifice fly.

STREAKING

Whit Merrifield has hit in all eight Royals games he has started.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: C Salvador Perez is expected to be out seven to 10 days with a bruised left thigh, the result of a collision with Cuthbert while catching a foul pop up Saturday. A MRI detected no structural damage. . Morales played for the first time since Tuesday after missing three games with a swollen right middle finger knuckle.

UP NEXT

White Sox: LHP Jose Quintana (5-4) is to start Monday’s series opener at the New York Mets, who will start Matt Harvey.

Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy (4-3) will start Monday against Tampa Bay and Matt Andriese.

— Associated Press —

Cardinals drop series finale at Washington

Posted on May 29, 2016

WASHINGTON (AP) — Stephen Strasburg won his 12th consecutive decision dating to last season and Jayson Werth connected for a pinch-hit grand slam to help the Washington Nationals close out the season series against the St. Louis Cardinals with a 10-2 win on Sunday.

Wilson Ramos had three hits, including a two-run homer, and drove in four runs. Bryce Harper hit an RBI single during Washington’s three-run fourth inning off Michael Wacha (2-6).

Strasburg (9-0) pitched six innings of one-run ball as Washington salvaged a split of the four-game series. The Nationals went 5-2 against the Cardinals this season.

Strasburg improved to 12-0 in 15 starts since losing to the Mets on Sept. 9, and the Nationals have won all 15 of those games. The 12 consecutive winning decisions is a franchise record for a starter, breaking a mark shared by Livan Hernandez (2005) and Dennis Martinez (1989).

The right-hander also became the first starter in franchise history to win his first nine decisions in a season, one more than Pedro Martinez in 1997. Washington is 11-0 this season in games started by Strasburg, who lowered his ERA to 2.69 and tied Chicago Cubs ace Jake Arrieta for the NL lead in wins.

Anthony Rendon and Werth homered in the seventh for Washington in its final game before a three-city road trip.

Brandon Moss hit a solo home run off Strasburg for a short-lived lead. Matt Holliday had three hits for the Cardinals.

Werth’s drive off Dean Kiekhefer highlighted the decisive five-run seventh as Washington batted around. Rendon started the inning with a homer after St. Louis made it 3-2 in the top of the inning on Matt Adams’ sacrifice fly.

Wacha dropped his sixth straight decision after starting the season 2-0. He was unable to complete more than four innings in any of his three previous starts while allowing 20 earned runs combined.

Though he worked deeper against the Nationals, the fourth inning was costly.

The Nationals went 1 for 13 and no RBI with runners in scoring position over the first three games. That futility ended in the fourth. Following Michael Taylor’s leadoff double, Harper’s single tied it at 1.

Ryan Zimmerman’s one-out double put runners on second and third. After Rendon struck out, Ramos drove in both runners with a two-out single.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: Adams went 0 for 2 with a walk in his first start since exiting Thursday’s game with mid-back stiffness. He had a two-run, pinch-hit double in Saturday’s 9-4 win.

Nationals: RHP Matt Belisle (right calf strain) allowed two runs over two innings Saturday in his third rehab appearance with Single-A Potomac. Belisle visited Washington’s clubhouse Sunday and said he expects to pitch for Double-A Harrisburg on Tuesday before Washington decides on his next step.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Carlos Martinez (4-5, 4.25 ERA) looks to snap a string of five consecutive losing decisions as St. Louis opens a three-game series at Milwaukee. RHP Junior Guerra (3-0, 3.30 ERA) starts for the Brewers.

Nationals: Washington’s nine-game road trip opens Monday in Philadelphia. The Nationals’ Tanner Roark (3-4, 2.71 ERA) will face fellow RHP Jeremy Hellickson (4-3, 3.97 ERA).

— Associated Press —

Royals score seven in 9th to beat White Sox 8-7; Perez hurt

Posted on May 28, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Brett Eibner wondered whether anything could surpass the Kansas City Royals’ rally Friday night, when they overcome a four-run deficit to beat the Chicago White Sox in his major league debut.

He did not have to wait long to find out.

Eibner singled to cap the biggest ninth-inning comeback in Royals history, a seven-run rally off David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle that lifted the World Series champions over the Chicago White Sox 8-7 Saturday.

“I didn’t think I could beat yesterday and, sure enough, we come around and do this,” said Eibner, who also doubled to helped spark the inning. “It’s super fun. There’s nothing like it. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced that.”

Kansas City’s Salvador Perez was injured in the ninth when third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert slid with a forearm and elbow into the left thigh of the All-Star catcher, who called off Chien-Ming Wang (3-0), settled under Adam Eaton’s foul popup about 30 feet from the plate near the third-base line and snagged the ball just before he was hit.

Perez was taken for a MRI after the game and the extent of his injury was not announced. The preliminary diagnosis was a bruised left thigh.

“Now it’s a waiting game,” Eric Hosmer said. “We won the game today, but that will be the more important win if we find out nothing serious with him happened. Salvy is our guy. He’s the leader of this team. He’s an All-Star. He’s everything. When you see a guy like that goes down, it fires you up. You want to pick up the pace cause you’ve got to pick him up.”

Perez immediately raised his right arm, signaling for assistance. Two minutes later, Perez hobbled off the field with his arms draped over the shoulders of manager Ned Yost and head athletic trainer Nick Kenney.

“The good thing about it, at least as far as we could tell, there was no structural damage to his knee,” Yost said. “So, that was what I was worried about. He sustained a pretty good quad contusion Cheslor suffered a mild quad contusion, when they hit.”

Held to six hits through eight innings, the Royals doubled their total in the 32-minute bottom of the ninth and overcame a six-run deficit for the first time since beating San Francisco on June 22, 2008. The inning included four walks, two of them intentional, and four runs scored with two outs.

“There’s no shot clock, there’s no time clock,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said after Chicago lost for the 13th time in 17 games. “If you can’t close it out, that’s what happens. Today we couldn’t close it out.”

Eibner had the second and third hits of his big league career. The designated hitter drove in the game-ending run with a full-count single on the 10th pitch of his at-bat against Kahnle (0-1). Eibner grounded a 98 mph fastball on the low, outside corner to the right of a diving Jose Abreu at first, and Drew Butera, who had replaced Perez, raised an arm in triumph as he crossed the plate.

Robertson relieved with a 7-1 lead in a non-save situation and threw a called third strike past Paulo Orlando before Cuthbert singled and Eibner doubled on a fly that dropped behind right fielder Adam Eaton, who lost the ball in the sun.

A walk to Omar Infante loaded the bases, and Robertson forced in a run when he walked Alcides Escobar after getting ahead 1-2 in the count.

Whit Merrifield, who made his big league debut May 18, hit a hard grounder up the middle that deflected off Robertson’s glove and into right field for a single as two runs scored, cutting the deficit to 7-4. Lorenzo Cain hit into a run-scoring forceout to shortstop, easily beating second baseman Brett Lawrie’s relay to first to avoid what would have been a game-ending double play. Eric Hosmer followed with an RBI double to deep right-center, pulling Royals within a run.

Kahnle relieved Robertson, who threw 29 pitches, and Butera doubled on his third offering, driving the ball on one hop to the left-field wall.

Butera advanced on a wild pitch. Orlando was intentionally walked and took second on defensive indifference, and an intentional walk to pinch-hitter Jarrod Dyson loaded the bases for Eibner, who fouled off three 2-2 pitches, took a ball and fouled off another before the winning hit.

Tyler Saladino and Avisail Garcia each homered and drove in three runs as Chicago built its lead. The bottom four White Sox hitters — Brett Lawrie, Alex Avila, Garcia and Saladino — went a combined 8 for 16 with six runs.

“I wouldn’t say I’m shocked or surprised we didn’t win that game,” Avila said. “I’ve seen comebacks like that. There’s not a whole lot that surprises me. You have to make sure you’re prepared for things like that. But, at the same time, I’m absolutely upset that we didn’t win.”

Chicago starter Carlos Rodon gave up one run and six hits in five innings in a no-decision. Royals starter Yordano Ventura allowed seven runs, six earned, and nine hits in seven innings. Ventura is 2-4 with a 7.16 ERA in his past six starts.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: RHP Chris Young (right forearm strain) was reinstated from the disabled list and put in the bullpen. LHP Brian Flynn was optioned to Triple-A Omaha, where the Royals want him to transition back to being a starter. … DH Kendrys Morales, who has not played since Tuesday because of swelling on his right middle knuckle, probably will return Monday against Tampa Bay.

UP NEXT

White Sox: LHP Chris Sale (9-1), who leads the AL in wins, complete games (three) and opponents’ batting average (.179), is to start Sunday’s series finale.

Royals: RHP Edinson Volquez (5-4) has a 2.06 ERA at home this season and a 6.55 ERA on the road.

— Associated Press —