Dave Riggert – Page 576 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Cardinals fall short of sweep as they lose to Miami Sunday

Posted on August 16, 2015

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Derek Dietrich is going to need a new nickname.

Dietrich drove in three runs, Dee Gordon had three hits, and the Miami Marlins broke a six-game losing streak against St. Louis with a 6-4 victory over the Cardinals on Sunday.

Adeiny Hechavarria had two hits and scored two runs as Miami won for the fourth time in six games.

Dietrich entered with an odd stat line of seven homers and 11 RBI in 51 games this season. His teammates jokingly called him “Seven-Eleven Man,” due to the quirky totals.

“I got the guys teasing me about that,” he said. “But, I was just trying to have quality at-bats with guys on base. Hopefully, I can just keep that going.”

Jason Heyward homered twice and drove in three runs for St. Louis, which sports the best home record in the majors at 44-18. Stephen Piscotty also went deep for his first major league homer.

The Cardinals had a 3-1 lead before the Marlins scored four times in the fifth. The big blow was a bases-loaded triple for Dietrich, who had just one homer and three RBI for the month coming into the day.

“He came through for us, we definitely needed that,” Gordon said.

Chris Narveson (1-0) pitched 2 2/3 innings for the win. He also drove in Hechavarria with a squeeze bunt in the fifth. Hechavarria was first called out, but the play was overturned after a 2 minute, 50 second replay review.

A.J. Ramos pitched the ninth for his 19th save in 24 opportunities.

An error by St. Louis second baseman Kolten Wong and a single from Gordon set up Dietrich’s big triple down the right-field line.

“When you beat those guys you’ve got to earn it,” manager Dan Jennings said. “I thought we played an outstanding game. A tremendous job by the bullpen.”

Miami starter David Phelps left in the third with right elbow stiffness and will be placed on the disabled list on Monday.

“We’re going to send him back to Miami,” Jennings said. “He’ll have it tested down there.”

Carlos Martinez (12-5) pitched five innings for St. Louis, allowing five runs, one earned, and seven hits.

Heyward connected in his first two at-bats against Phelps for his sixth career multihomer game and his first since Aug. 17, 2013 for Atlanta at Washington. Heyward’s last four homers have come against Miami.

“It was a good start, it got us some runs early,” Heyward said. “I’m just trying to keep it simple and get some good swings on some pitches.”

The Cardinals, who lead Pittsburgh by five games in the NL Central, won their first five games between the teams this season and also won the last final regular-season contest against Miami last year.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Marlins: RHP Jarred Cosart will pitch in a simulated game on Monday. If all goes well, he will head out on a rehabilitation assignment. Cosart has been slowed by vertigo.

Cardinals: OF Randal Grichuk left in the eighth inning with an elbow injury. He will be examined on Monday. “We need a closer look to make sure it is something he can play though,” manager Mike Matheny said.

NEXT UP

Marlins: LHP Justin Nicolino (1-1, 4.86 ERA) will face Brewers RHP Matt Garza (6-12, 4.82 ERA) in the opener of a three-game series in Milwaukee on Monday. Nicolino is making his fourth major league start.

Cardinals: RHP Michael Wacha (14-4, 2.93 ERA) takes on San Francisco RHP Chris Heston (11-7, 3.38 ERA) in the opener of a three-game set on Monday. Wacha is tied for the NL lead in wins.

— Associated Press —

Chase Daniel leads Chiefs to preseason win over Arizona

Posted on August 15, 2015

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona’s Carson Palmer was flawless in a brief appearance, Kansas City backup Chase Daniel threw for three touchdowns and the Chiefs beat the Cardinals 34-19 in the teams’ preseason opener Saturday night.

Palmer, in his first game since tearing an ACL last Nov. 9, was 4 for 4 for 77 yards, directing a seven-play, 80-yard touchdown drive to start the game before sitting down for the night. Palmer threw over the middle to Andre Ellington on a 57-play to highlight the seven-play, 80-yard scoring drive.

Arizona’s Tyrann Mathieu intercepted Alex Smith’s pass on the Chiefs’ first possession to set up a field goal to put Arizona up 10-0. The Kansas City reserves scored the next 31 points.

Daniel was 17 for 29 for 189 yards in less than two quarters of play.

— Associated Press —

Royals use six-run second inning to roll past Angels

Posted on August 15, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals’ Salvador Perez had spent the last three games on the bench, nursing his ailing right wrist. So when the All-Star catcher got the go-ahead to return to the lineup, he decided to prove — twice — that he was just fine.

Perez hit a towering homer to lead off a six-run second inning, then added a run-scoring double later in the frame, backing another strong performance by Johnny Cueto in Kansas City’s 9-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night.

“I guess it’s good,” Perez said of his wrist.

Cueto (9-7) allowed one run and eight hits over eight innings, striking out four without a walk. The former All-Star has only allowed six runs in four starts since his trade to Kansas City, including the shutout he tossed against the Tigers in his home debut earlier this week.

Jarrod Dyson celebrated his 31st birthday with three hits and three RBI, and Ben Zobrist reached base four times, including three walks. Kansas City pounded out seven doubles as a team.

Luke Hochevar coughed up three runs in the ninth before finishing off the win.

“I think the whole offense did its job,” Dyson said. “We kept the line going.”

Matt Shoemaker (5-9) absorbed most of the damage for the Angels, the right-hander failing to make it through the second inning in his second consecutive disastrous start. Kansas City paraded 11 batters to the plate in a half inning that took 24 minutes.

Shoemaker had a stretch of 19 scoreless innings snapped Monday in Chicago, where the White Sox pounded him for seven runs in 5 2/3 innings. The Royals got him for six runs in 1 2/3.

Los Angeles has now dropped 11 of its last 12 road games.

“It seemed like not one thing went right,” Shoemaker said. “I got only a couple of outs after all those runs scored. You’re trying to throw a quality pitch to get a guy out and no matter what you’re throwing up there, they were hitting it.”

Luke Hochevar coughed up three runs in the ninth before finishing for Kansas City, giving Ned Yost his 900th victory as a major league manager.

Albert Pujols ended a season-high 14-game streak without a homer in the second inning for Los Angeles — his 31st of the season, and his first hit in 10 at-bats this series. But the streaking Royals wasted no time matching the run, then blowing right past it.

Perez splashed his solo shot into the fountains in left field, an estimated 429 feet from home plate, to lead off the bottom half. Alex Rios walked, Paulo Orlando doubled and Dyson drove them both in with a single. By the time Eric Hosmer added a run-scoring single and Perez an RBI double in his second at-bat of the inning, the Royals had built a 6-1 lead.

After that, Cueto was simply pumping strikes.

The right-hander with the funky assortment of deliveries scattered singles in the third and fourth innings, and hit a batter in the fifth. But he never allowed a runner to reach second base after David Murphy was easily thrown out at home in the second inning.

“Pujols hit the home run and it kind of woke me up,” Cueto said. “It was time to roll.”

NOTEWORTHY NUGGETS

Royals manager Ned Yost earned his 900th victory. … There was a crowd of 39,251, the 18th sellout of the season for Kansas City. … Shoemaker is 0-2 with a 13.50 ERA in his career against the Royals. … The home run by Pujols was his first since July 29.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Angels: SS Erick Aybar (lower back) remained out of the lineup, though he did take grounders before the game. He could play Sunday. … OF Matt Joyce, who went on the concussion list July 27, will begin a rehab assignment Sunday with Triple-A Salt Lake.

Royals: OF Alex Gordon (groin strain) ran bases before the game. There is still no word on a rehab assignment, though he could be sent out in the coming week.

UP NEXT

Angels: LHP Hector Santiago has dominated Kansas City, going 1-1 with a 1.93 ERA in five career starts. He struggled against the White Sox his last time out.

Royals: RHP Yordano Ventura tossed six shutout innings in his last start against Detroit. He matched a season-high with eight strikes, though he also walked six.

— Associated Press —

Lackey’s big night helps St. Louis defeat Miami 6-2

Posted on August 15, 2015August 15, 2015

ST. LOUIS (AP) — John Lackey’s only disappointment, and it was mild, was getting lifted two outs shy of a complete game.

The 36-year-old right-hander wasn’t surprised to see manager Mike Matheny after allowing a one-out hit in the ninth inning of the St. Louis Cardinals’ 6-2 victory over the Miami Marlins on Saturday night. Although he’s successfully lobbied in the past, he just gave up the ball.

“He kind of told me I was going hitter to hitter. You can’t do that every time; it’s not as effective the next time,” Lackey said with a laugh.

Lackey gave the Cardinals an unexpected bonus with two hits and an RBI. He entered a career .091 hitter and this was his third career two-hit game.

“I think both of them were just first-pitch fastballs down and away,” loser Brad Hand said. “He put good swings on them.”

Mark Reynolds’ three-run home run on a 3-0 pitch in the sixth put the first-place Cardinals ahead by four and Randal Grichuk hit his 15th homer in the first. Rookie Stephen Piscotty had three hits and scored twice, helping the Cardinals win their eighth out of 10.

Lackey (10-7) allowed two runs on nine hits in 8 1/3 innings to reach double figures in victories for the 12th time in 13 seasons — the exception being 2012, which was lost to injury. He has been especially good at home, going 8-3 with a 1.91 ERA.

Hand (2-3) allowed six runs on 11 hits in six innings, keeping it close until the sixth.

“I wasn’t trying to lay one in for him just to get a strike, but to make a quality pitch down” Hand said of the Reynolds at-bat. “It just got a little bit too much of the plate.”

Lackey balked home a run in the second but got it back in the bottom half with a two-out broken-bat single for his second RBI of the season. He then added a single in the fourth.

Justin Bour ended a 30-game homer drought for the Marlins, who are 0-5 against St. Louis this season and will try to avoid a three-game sweep on Sunday.

The Cardinals are now a season-high 34 games above .500 and improved their home record to 44-17.

Hand worked seven innings of two-hit ball at Atlanta in his last start and had allowed one run in 11 innings his first two starts since rejoining the rotation.

MILESTONE HIT

Ichiro Suzuki singled in the first for his 4,192nd career hit in the major leagues and Japan, unofficially passing Ty Cobb’s total that ranks second in history. The 41-year-old Suzuki also singled in the third and has 2,915 major league hits and 1,278 hits in nine seasons for the Orix Blue Wave in Japan.

Suzuki got a standing ovation from a sellout crowd and responded by doffing his helmet and bowing.

“That’s such a great thing to see and be a part of,” Marlins manager Dan Jennings said. “He certainly deserved that moment.”

If Suzuki’s hit total is downgraded by some, there’s nothing he can do about it.

“I think that’s for people to decide and for people to talk about and decide for themselves,” Suzuki said through an interpreter. “There’s really nothing I can do.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Marlins: Christian Yelich (knee bruise) was placed on the 15-day DL. Marcell Ozuna was recalled from Triple-A New Orleans and batted fifth, singling his first trip.

UP NEXT

David Phelps (4-8, 4.35) is 3 1/3 innings shy of his career high of 113 with the Yankees last year and starts on 10 days’ rest. The Cardinals are 18-3 when Carlos Martinez (12-4) gets the nod.

CROWDED HALL

The Cardinals inducted Bob Forsch, Curt Flood, George Kissell and Ted Simmons into the team’s Hall of Fame in a ceremony earlier in the day. All but Simmons, now a scout for the Marlins, were inducted posthumously. “They do it up right and it’s real,” Simmons said. “They want fans and the inductees to know that this is a big deal and when those inductees go in, put that jacket on, you realize what’s happening. This is not small potatoes.”

— Associated Press —

Missouri holds first football scrimmage of fall camp

Posted on August 15, 2015August 15, 2015

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Mizzou Football squad held its first intrasquad scrimmage of fall camp Saturday morning on a sun-splashed Faurot Field, and the defense came out on top in the situational practice by a 19-7 score.

The Tiger defense collectively accumulated 17 tackles for loss, six quarterback sacks, seven pass break ups, and four quarterback hurries, while sophomore S Thomas Wilson gathered the only turnover of the day, when he scooped up a fumbled lateral pass and ran 46 yards the other way before whistles blew. Wilson led the defense with a scrimmage-high 10 tackles and added one tackle behind the line as well.

Senior LB Clarence Green had two tackles for loss (tied for team high along with true freshman DL Marcell Frazier), and he added eight tackles in all, including one sack. Green was joined at eight tackles by junior CB John Gibson (1 PBU) and senior LB Kentrell Brothers (1.5 TFL, 1 sack).

The highlights weren’t limited to the defense, however, as the Tiger offense found the endzone six different times including five passing scores and one rushing score. The Mizzou quarterbacks had several big plays, as they combined to go 52-of-85 passing for 652 yards and the five scores, including two touchdown tosses each by redshirt freshman Marvin Zanders (10-of-15, 191 yards, 2 TDs) and true freshman Drew Lock (14-of-19, 139 yards, 2 TDs).

Junior QB Maty Mauk also had a solid day as he completed 10-of-22 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown, on a beautiful 35-yard strike in the back of the endzone to senior WR Wesley Leftwich (2 catches, 40 yards, 1 TD) which came against the number-one defense. Sophomore QB Eddie Printz also was effective today, as he hit on 11-of-20 passes for 141 yards, including a 65-yard TD pass on a catch-and-run by sophomore WR J’Mon Moore. Moore led all Tiger receivers with 105 receiving yards, on just five receptions, while true freshman WR Emanuel Hall had a scrimmage-high six catches that went for 63 yards. Joining Leftwich in the touchdown catch highlight reel were true freshman WR Justin Smith (60-yard TD), sophomore TE Jason Reese (11-yard TD), redshirt freshman WR Ray Wingo (23-yard TD) and true freshman TB Marquise Doherty (14-yard TD).

The Mizzou offense ran for 192 yards total, with senior TB Tyler Hunt leading the way with 37 yards on five carries. Senior starter Russell Hansbrough was limited to just six carries by coaching design, and he produced 32 yards, good for a 5.3 per-carry average. True freshman TB Ryan Williams scored on a two-yard run in the two-minute drill late in the day, as he ended his day with 21 yards rushing on seven carries.

A handful of Tigers were held out of action today due to injuries, including senior S Ian Simon (hamstring), senior PK Andrew Baggett (back), sophomore OL Andy Bauer (hip), and redshirt freshmen receivers Richaud Floyd (rib) and Thomas Richard (hamstring). Redshirt freshman S Tavon Ross (shoulder) and true freshman WR Johnathan Johnson (ankle) left the scrimmage early and were not able to return.

The Tigers will enjoy Sunday off – marking the first day off since camp started on Aug. 6th. Sunday serves as moving day as the team moves out of campus dorms and into their permanent housing. Practice will resume Monday at 7:15 a.m.

— Mizzou Athletics —

Kansas City bounces back to defeat Angels 4-1

Posted on August 14, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Eric Hosmer hit a go-ahead two-run homer, Danny Duffy settled down after a wild start and the Kansas City Royals rallied for a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.

Duffy (6-5) allowed five hits without a walk while matching a franchise record with three hit batters in just six innings. But the left-hander only allowed one run, wiggling out of a few jams by leaving six Angels on base — three in scoring position.

The Royals mustered just one hit off Jered Weaver (4-9) until the sixth, when Ben Zobrist led off with a double to right. He tied the game moments later when first baseman Albert Pujols let a sharply hit grounder by Lorenzo Cain through his legs for an error.

Hosmer followed with his 406-foot shot over the bullpen in right field.

The Royals’ Ryan Madson and Kelvin Herrera each tossed a scoreless inning in relief, and Greg Holland breezed through the ninth to earn his 26th save.

It was a solid bounce-back performance by the normally staunch Kansas City bullpen, which coughed up a four-run lead in a 7-6 loss the previous night. Wade Davis gave up two runs for the first time in 115 appearances, and Holland surrendered four runs without recording an out.

The Angels, meanwhile, resumed their losing ways on the road. Their victory in the opener of the four-game series had snapped their nine-game skid away from Anaheim.

The last time Angels won consecutive road games was July 3-8.

Things looked promising for them in the first inning, when Shane Victorino hit a leadoff triple and trotted home on Mike Trout’s double. But the Angels’ slumping offense managed three singles off Duffy over the next five innings, failing to take advantage of three hit batters.

Taylor Featherstone and Victorino were plunked back-to-back in the second to load the bases, but Kole Calhoun flied out to end the inning. Calhoun was plunked in the fifth.

The Angels also got a pair of base runners caught in rundowns in the seventh inning, which proved costly when Madson issued back-to-back walks to load the bases. But the veteran reliever eventually got Pujols to ground out to end the inning.

Weaver looked like he might make his meager run support stand up anyway. In his second start since missing a month with a hip problem, the soft-tossing right-hander beguiled the Royals with a fastball that never eclipsed 85 mph and off-speed stuff that frequently dipped into the 60s.

The Royals didn’t get their first hit until Cain’s weak single leading off the fourth, and didn’t hit a ball hard until Zobrist’s double in the sixth inning.

That proved to be the hit that got Kansas City’s offense on track.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Angels: SS Erick Aybar (back) was unavailable for the second straight day, though manager Mike Scioscia was hopeful that he will be back soon.

Royals: C Salvador Perez remained out of the starting lineup. The All-Star has not played since Tuesday because of soreness in his wrist.

UP NEXT

Angels: RHP Matt Shoemaker hopes to bounce back from a disastrous start against the White Sox, when he allowed seven runs on nine hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Royals: RHP Johnny Cueto tries to follow up a dazzling home debut with Kansas City. He tossed his sixth career shutout in a 4-0 win over Detroit on Monday.

— Associated Press —

Mustangs’ 2015 attendance among the nations best

Posted on August 14, 2015August 14, 2015

The 2015 season saw plenty of Family Fun at Phil Welch Stadium – from Minions, Captain America, Sluggerrr, a dog show, numerous fireworks shows, a championship winning team and the awards are still coming in.

St. Joseph Mustang fans have filled Phil Welch Stadium again, at a record mark in 2015, capping off another MINK League Title and top ten finish at the NBC World Series.

The 2015 season featured numerous large attendance nights- 5,175 on June 6th, for the second largest crowd in Mustangs history, and 4,807 on July 3rd, the third largest crowd in Mustangs history.

The Mustangs finished the season with a per game attendance record breaking average of 2,356 fans- up from 2,289 fans in 2014. According to BallParkBiz.com and Ballpark Digest, the Mustangs again placed in the top ten nationally, checking in at number seven.

The Mustangs also placed eighth nationally in 2015 Summer Collegiate Attendance by total, according to Ballpark Digest.

“This is just more evidence of what we already knew,” said Mustangs General Manager Ky Turner. “We have the best fans in the country. If you’re looking for one of the top reasons for our success, look no further than those people in the stands. We’re growing each year, and the fans have provided an electric atmosphere for our players. Thank you St. Joe for choosing us as your destination for summer family fun.”

Having completed their seventh season at Phil Welch, the team has had six top ten national attendance rankings and four MINK League Championships.

— Mustangs Press Release —

Garcia, Carpenter lead Cardinals past Miami in series opener

Posted on August 14, 2015

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jaime Garcia pitched shutout ball into the ninth inning and Matt Carpenter homered, leading the St. Louis Cardinals over the Miami Marlins 3-1 Friday night.

Garcia (5-4) came within two outs of throwing the first complete game of the season for the NL Central leaders. He gave up six singles, walked one and struck out six.

Trevor Rosenthal got his 36th save in 38 chances.

Carpenter’s bunt single broke a scoreless tie in the fifth. He hit a solo home run in the eighth.

Tom Koehler (8-10) took the loss and Miami’s three-game winning streak ended.

Ichiro Suzuki singled in the Miami fifth for his 2,913th hit in the major leagues. Combined with 1,278 hits in Japan, he equaled Ty Cobb’s total of 4,191. Cobb held the big league mark that Pete Rose eventually passed on his way to a record 4,256 hits.

— Associated Press —

Mizzou baseball adds J.C. Field as volunteer assistant

Posted on August 14, 2015August 14, 2015

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Baseball head coach Tim Jamieson has announced the hiring of J.C. Field, a Mizzou standout from 2005-06, as the program’s volunteer assistant coach. Field is an up-and-coming coach with a résumé that includes coaching stints at North Dakota and Southeast Missouri. He joins Mizzou after spending the last seven seasons at North Dakota, including the last two as the program’s associate head coach. At UND, Field oversaw the team’s hitters, catchers and outfielders while leading the team’s west coast recruiting efforts.

“We are thrilled to have J.C. back at Mizzou,” Jamieson said. “He embodies the characteristics that we feel are important to our success here at Mizzou. I know he has a great passion for our program and everything that we stand for. He is a tireless worker and was a tough competitor for us who played on two NCAA Regional teams here. I know he will bring those attributes to our coaching staff. He is a guy who has worked his way up the coaching ranks after a great playing career and is someone who our players can look up to and learn a lot from.”

“I am really looking forward to coming back to Mizzou,” Field said. “It’s a place that has been very special to me. Over the years, I have stayed close to Coach J, Evan Pratte and Hunter Mense, and always hoped that I would have the opportunity to come back and work with those guys. It is an unbelievable opportunity to come back. I’ve seen where the program has been and where it’s going and I am excited to be a part of that and continue the winning tradition that has been built under Coach J. I also want to thank to Coach Jeff Dodson at North Dakota for giving me a start to my coaching career. I am extremely thankful for everything he has done and the opportunity that he gave me – I wouldn’t be here today without it.”

Field began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant at SEMO in 2008, where he also coached with Dodson, who was the program’s pitching coach and recruiting coordinator.

Field, a 2006 graduate of the University of Missouri with an emphasis in sport management, communications and sociology, had a successful stint as UND’s assistant coach from 2009-13 and associate head coach from 2013-15. As the team’s hitting coach in 2013, UND led the Great West Conference in hitting and runs. He guided catcher Taylor Peterson to a pair of all-conference honors and the backstop led the team in nearly every category as a senior in 2014.

Field helped guide UND to a 16-win season in Western Athletic Conference (WAC) play and a fourth-place finish in 2015. He had three players notch a .300 average or better, highlighted by Tyler Follis’ .405 clip, which ranked seventh nationally. Follis also set the school record for hits (74) in 2012 under Field’s guidance.

Also under his tutelage, senior Jeff Campbell hit .365 with 11 homers and 48 RBI, last season. Campbell won the 2015 College Baseball Home Run Derby at TD Ameritrade Park on July 2 and was a first team All-WAC pick. Campbell, who was coached by Field all four years at UND, finished in the program’s top five all-time in homers, doubles, RBIs and total bases. Campbell was a Freshman All-American in 2012.

In his two seasons at Mizzou, Field helped guide the Tigers to an NCAA Regional in 2005 and a Super Regional in 2006, catching the likes of major leaguers Max Scherzer and Doug Mathis. He started 96 games in his two years as a Tiger and earned All-Malibu Regional honors in the 2006 NCAA Tournament, helping Mizzou become the first ever No. 4 seed to win an NCAA Regional.

A native of Tucson, Arizona, Field also played two years at Pima Community College, earning all-conference honors as a catcher while receiving an associate’s degree in liberal arts in 2004. He also caught Major Leaguers Jamie Vermilyea and Tim Wood while playing there. Following his collegiate days, he played with the Evansville Otters in the Frontier League.

— Mizzou Athletics —

Royals blow four-run lead and lose to Angels 7-6

Posted on August 13, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — C.J. Cron and Kole Calhoun each drove in a pair of runs in the ninth inning Thursday night, rallying the Los Angeles Angels past Kansas City and its stout bullpen for a 7-6 victory and an end to their seven-game skid against the Royals.

Kansas City had built a 5-1 advantage heading to the eighth, but All-Star reliever Wade Davis coughed up two runs in his first appearance since Aug. 6, when a stiff back put him on the shelf.

Greg Holland (3-1) entered in the ninth and gave up a leadoff single, a walk and threw a wild pitch. Cron followed with a pinch-hit double to tie the game, and after Johnny Giavotella singled, Calhoun added his go-ahead double into the right-field corner.

Holland then walked Mike Trout before he was finally pulled. The former All-Star closer allowed four runs and four hits and a pair of walks without retiring a batter.

Huston Street gave up Eric Hosmer’s solo shot in the ninth before getting Alex Rios to fly out with runners on first and second to end the game. Street earned his 27th save with Albert Pujols — because of pinch hitters and substitutions — forced to play third base for the second time this season and only the 12th time since 2002.

Jose Alvarez (3-3) tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings to earn the win.

The Royals’ stunning bullpen meltdown squandered a nice bounce-back start by Jeremy Guthrie, who allowed two runs and three walks over six innings. The veteran had been dinged for at least 10 hits in each of his past three outings, putting his spot in the rotation in question.

Garrett Richards allowed three runs and eight hits and two walks for Los Angles.

Rios, Lorenzo Cain and Drew Butera drove in runs off Richards early in the game, and Hosmer and Kendrys Morales appeared to put it out of reach when they touched up the Angels bullpen.

Then, an offense that had been sputtering came to life.

Trout, Conor Gillaspie and David Murphy also drove in runs for Los Angeles, which had managed four runs total in a three-game sweep by the White Sox to start its road trip.

The victory snapped the Angels’ nine-game losing streak away from home.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Angels: LHP C.J. Wilson will have season-ending surgery to remove bone spurs. He hopes it allows him to be ready by spring training. … SS Erick Aybar was a late scratch with tightness in his lower back. Taylor Featherston replaced him.

Royals: LF Alex Gordon (strained groin) hopes to begin a rehab assignment soon. He’s been taking regular batting practice and shagged fly balls in the outfield earlier this week.

UP NEXT

Angels: RHP Jered Weaver makes his second start since returning from the DL. He allowed two earned runs and four hits in five innings against Baltimore on Sunday.

Royals: LHP Danny Duffy allowed three runs and four hits in 3 1/3 innings before getting yanked from his previous start Sunday against the White Sox.

— Associated Press —