Dave Riggert – Page 911 – St. Joseph Post Archive

St. Louis drops 4-2 game Saturday at Cincinnati

Posted on June 9, 2013June 9, 2013

Three Mat Latos starts against St. Louis. Three Cincinnati Reds wins – their only wins against the Cardinals this season.

That’s the record after Latos turned in seven solid innings and the Reds broke out of their slump with a 4-2 win over St. Louis on Saturday night.

”It felt real good,” said Latos, who didn’t get the decision in the Reds’ first win over St. Louis this season. ”Against that lineup, any time you can hold them to two runs or less and not walk anybody is a good day. That’s a great lineup – not tough. Great.”

Devin Mesoraco homered and drove in two runs, and Jay Bruce also homered and turned in one of several eye-catching defensive plays as the Reds snapped a three-game losing streak and scored more than two runs against St. Louis for the first time in the last seven games between the teams.

Latos (6-0), who got the decision in Cincinnati’s last win over St. Louis on April 29, allowed eight hits and two runs with no walks and five strikeouts against a Cardinals team that went into the game leading the National League in hitting. He gave the Reds exactly what they needed.

”That was a very, very, very good ballgame,” manager Dusty Baker said.

St. Louis right fielder Carlos Beltran credited Latos with making adjustments.

”Every time we face Latos, he seems different,” Beltran said, who struck out to end the seventh as the last Cardinals batter to face Latos. ”He mixes it up pretty good. He kept me off balance. When a pitcher can do that most of the time, he is going to be successful.”

Latos got help from several stellar defensive plays, including back-to-back grabs by center fielder Shin-Soo Choo and Bruce of deep drives against the wall in the sixth, and first baseman Joey Votto’s behind-the-back flip to Latos, who caught it barehanded and tagged first base to eliminate Matt Carpenter in the seventh. Latos rated that play and Bruce’s leaping catch of David Freese’s drive to the right field wall in the sixth as even.

”They were both outstanding,” he said. ”I saw Joey out of the corner of my eye. That’s why I barehanded it. I wasn’t sure if Jay was going to catch that ball.”

The Reds, who’d lost five of their last six games against St. Louis, scored four against St. Louis rookie left-hander Tyler Lyons (2-2). He gave up six hits and a walk with two strikeouts in 5 1-3 innings before a sellout crowd of 40,740 at Great American Ball Park.

Jonathan Broxton pitched a scoreless eighth and Aroldis Chapman allowed one hit and hit a batter in the ninth while earning his 16th save.

The score was 2-2 when Derrick Robinson, a rookie outfielder making his first career start in the No. 2 slot in the batting order, led off the sixth with a double down the right-field line. Votto followed with a ringing double to straightaway center field. Robinson scored the go-ahead run, and Votto went to third on shortstop Pete Kozma’s errant throw to the plate.

Votto couldn’t score on Brandon Phillips’ groundout to a drawn-in Kozma or on Bruce’s swinging bunt infield single. Todd Frazier walked to load the bases, and Mesoraco grounded a single through the hole into left field for a 4-2 lead.

The Cardinals used fundamentals to take a 1-0 lead in the second. Yadier Molina lined Latos’ first pitch to right for a double, went to third base on David Freese’s fly out to deep right and scored on Jon Jay’s broken-bat groundout to second.

Bruce tied it in the bottom of the inning with his 10th homer of the season, a 382-foot solo shot into the right-field bullpen on a 1-0 pitch with one out.

Beltran and Allen Craig both extended hitting streaks while giving St. Louis a 2-1 lead in the third.
Beltran extended his to nine games with a one-out double to left-center field and moved to third on Matt Holliday’s groundout to second. Craig hit a slow bouncer up the middle that shortstop Zack Cozart fielded behind second base, but his hurried throw took Votto off the bag, allowing Beltran to score. Craig was credited with an infield hit that gave him a 12-game hitting streak.

Mesoraco tied it 2-2 in the fifth with his third homer of the season and first since May 21, a 382-foot drive into the right-center field seats on a 1-0 pitch from Lyons.

— Associated Press —

Mustangs sweep doubleheader from Joplin with two shutouts

Posted on June 7, 2013

The St. Joseph Mustangs swept Joplin Friday night in a doubleheader at Phil Welch Stadium as St. Joe’s summer college baseball team shutout the Outlaws both games, 16-0 and 4-0.

In game one, the Mustangs scored all 16 runs in the first four innings, including eight in the fourth.

Michael Schulze finished 2-for-4 with four RBI, while Kris Koerper homered and drove in three, and Lucas Powers also had three RBI. Grank Fink went 3-for-3 and he scored three runs.

St. Joseph starter Aaron Baker threw a complete game Friday as he allowed just four hits. Baker struck out six and walked just one as he improves to 2-0 this summer.

In game two, Koerper broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning with a two RBI double and he added a run scoring single in the fifth inning. Grant Fink had the other RBI with a bases loaded walk in the fifth.

Jerad Hawkins also threw a complete game in his first start of the season. He struck out four, didn’t walk a batter and Hakwins allowed only five hits.

The Mustangs have won three straight and are now 6-3 this season and they’re 4-3 in the MINK League.

St. Joe will play Joplin again Saturday as they host the Outlaws at 7:00 p.m. inside Phil Welch Stadium.

Butler’s eighth inning RBI double helps KC win third straight

Posted on June 7, 2013June 7, 2013

Billy Butler drove in Eric Hosmer with the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Houston Astros 4-2 on Friday night for their third straight win.

Kelvin Herrera (3-4) worked a perfect eighth inning in relief of James Shields, and Greg Holland pitched the ninth for his 11th save and second during the Royals’ modest winning streak.

Shields engaged in quite the pitchers’ duel with the Astros’ Jordan Lyles, but the game came down to the bullpens. Houston brought in Wesley Wright (0-2) in the eighth and Hosmer greeted him with a single, and then Butler doubled off Josh Fields for the go-ahead run.

David Lough’s RBI double moments later created a cushion for the Royals, who also got a two-run homer from Salvador Perez earlier in the game to help them win three straight for the first time since May 1-5 – a stretch interrupted twice by weather postponements.

Trevor Crowe and Jason Castro drove in the only runs for Houston, which had won six straight on the road, its best run since July 18-22, 2005.

Shields allowed the leadoff hitter to reach base in each of the first four innings, and again in the seventh, but for the most part the Royals’ ace kept limiting the damage.

He left Brandon Barnes standing on third base in the first inning, and induced double-play grounders off the bat of Marwin Gonzalez to end the second and fourth. Shields finally allowed a run when Crowe followed up another leadoff single by Barnes with a triple in the third.

Even then, Shields escaped more trouble by striking out the next three batters.

Lyles matched the former All-Star pitch for pitch, the young right-hander cruising through the first inning before setting the Royals down in order in the second and third.

Kansas City finally got to him in the fourth when Hosmer ricocheted a single off Lyles and Perez sent a pitch sailing over the bullpen in left field for a two-run homer.

Lyles buckled down, though, and the Astros eventually pulled even.

It happened in the seventh after Gonzalez led off with a single. Shields retired the next two batters before Castro’s double to right field knotted the game 2-all.

That left both starting pitchers to watch things play out from the dugout.

Shields allowed nine hits and three walks in seven innings but failed to win for the seventh straight start. He hasn’t picked up a win since April 30 against Tampa Bay, even though he’s only allowed more than two earned runs once over that span.

Lyles, coming off consecutive wins for the first time in his career, gave up six hits and a walk in his seven innings. He’s allowed two earned runs or fewer in five straight outings.

— Associated Press —

Wainwright wins ninth game as Cardinals pound Cincinnati

Posted on June 7, 2013June 7, 2013

Adam Wainwright pitched seven innings for his ninth win, and every Cardinals starter had a hit in a 9-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night that gave St. Louis a four-game lead in the NL Central, its biggest of the season.

Wainwright (9-3) gave up two runs and seven hits as the Cardinals improved the major leagues’ best record to 40-21.

Slumping Pete Kozma drove in three runs, David Freese and Jon Jay knocked in two apiece, and four Cardinals extended long hitting streaks against a pitching staff in a downturn. Mike Leake (5-3) lasted only five innings for the Reds, who have given up 26 runs while losing their last three games.

St. Louis has won the last four series between the teams.

— Associated Press —

Former MWSU basketball coach Tom Smith inducted into MIAA Hall of Fame

Posted on June 7, 2013June 7, 2013

Former Missouri Western men’s basketball coach Tom Smith was inducted into the MIAA Hall of Fame Thursday (June 6) evening in Kansas City, Mo. at the Truman Forum Auditorium. He was one of ten Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association legends and three national championship teams from the 2000’s that were inducted to the MIAA Hall of Fame Class of 2013. He is the first Griffon to be inducted to the MIAA Hall of Fame.

Below are the bios for the 2013 Hall of Fame class.

Tom Smith, Men’s Basketball Coach
Central Missouri 1975-80, Missouri Western 1988-2013
Smith is the winningest coach in MIAA history with 535 victories and has 618 career wins. In his career he coached 51 All-MIAA selections, six All-Region/District picks and three NCAA All-Americans. He has coached Missouri Western to 12-20 win seasons and has 13 total in his career. He won five regular season MIAA Championships and four MIAA postseason tournament titles. He has been named the MIAA Coach of the Year three times in his career. He coached his team to regular season and tournament titles in their first year in the league and they advanced to the second round of the NCAA South Central Regional. He also coached at Central Missouri from 1975-80 posting an 86-46 overall record.

Gene Bartow, Men’s Basketball Coach
Central Missouri, 1961-64
Bartow coached the Mules from 1961 to 1964 compiling a 47-21 overall record, including 20-10 in MIAA play. He went on to coach at the Division I level at Valparaiso (1964-70), Memphis (1970-74), Illinois (1974-75), UCLA (1975-77) and Alabama-Birmingham (1978-96). He led his 1972-73 Memphis State to the NCAA Championship game. He replaced legendary UCLA coach John Wooden and led the Bruins to a combined 52-9 mark in two seasons, including two trips to the NCAA Tournament and a third place finish in his first season in 1975-76. He served as the first head coach and athletic director at UAB for 18 years. He led the school to the NIT in the second year of existence and followed it up with seven straight NCAA Tournament appearances. In 34 years as a head coach he compiled a 647-353 record. He led his teams to 20 postseason appearances and 14 NCAA Tournaments. He was elected to the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1989, the UCM Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000, the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in November of 2009 and was named one of Valparaiso University’s 150 most influential people in October 2009.

Janet Clark, Women’s Basketball Athlete
Northwest Missouri, 1986-89
Janet Clark is the only Northwest Missouri State women’s basketball player to be in the 2,000 point club. As one of the best shooters in MIAA women’s basketball history, Clark also ranks fourth on the all-time MIAA scoring list. Clark averaged over 20 points per game in her final three seasons at Northwest en route to being named First-Team All-MIAA in 1987, 1988 and 1989. She is also in the 500-rebound club and ranks sixth all-time at Northwest in assists (320) and sixth in steals (204). Clark also finished her career as the all-time leader in three-point percentage at 40.1 percent, a mark she still holds.

Mark Curp, Men’s Cross Country and Track and Field Athlete
Central Missouri, 1977-81
Curp was an eight-time All-American for the Mules cross country and track programs, from 1977-81. He earned three All-American honors from 1978-80 in cross country, and five in outdoor track, including the 5,000 meters from 1979-81, and the 10,000 meters in 1980 and 1981. A member of the 1978 MIAA cross country championship squad, Curp is one of only three athletes to win the MIAA individual cross country title three times (1978-80). His Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field record in the 5,000 meters of 14:13.4 was set in 1981 and still stands to this day, making his record the oldest building record at Central Missouri. Curp also set the UCM school record in the 10,000 meter run in 1980, and the 5,000 meter run in 1981. Both marks stood until just last season, when Laban Sialo broke the 22- and 21-year old marks. After his UCM career, Curp continued to compete, and in 1985, he set the world record in the half-marathon at 1:00:55. His record stood for five years, and his mark stood as an American record until 2007. Curp is a member of the inaugural class inducted into the UCM Athletics Hall of Fame.

Dr. Peggy Martin, Softball and Volleyball Coach
Central Missouri, Softball 1976-79, 81-87; Volleyball 1975-78, 80-2008
Martin is the winningest volleyball coach in NCAA Divsion II history with a career record of 1,064-281-8. Martin’s 1,064-281-8 record made her the first coach in the Divsion II volleyball ranks to reach the 1,000 victory plateau. Martin is one of only three coaches in collegiate volleyball at all levels to reach 1,100 wins. Martin was named the AVCA National Coach of the Year in 1987 after directing the Jennies to their second place NCAA Tournament finish and a 42-4 overall record. She was named the Central Regional Coach of the year six times and the MIAA Coach of the Year 15 times. In 1980 she was named the AIAW Missouri State Coach of the Year. Martin led the Jennies volleyball team to 19 MIAA championships since the league began sponsoring the sport in 1982. She also guide them to 31 straight season’s in which they won 25 matches or more. Her teams made 26 NCAA Tournament appearances in a row, the most in Divsion II History, and reached the Elite Eight six times, highlighted by the runner-up appearance in 1987. As a softball coach she compiled a career record of 174-156 while guiding her team to two MIAA championships. She retired from UCM in 2008 and is currently the head coach for the Spring Hill College Badgers in Mobile, Ala. At Spring Hill she has posted a record of 75-24 entering her fourth season. Martin served as the chair of the NCAA Division II Volleyball Committee for six years. She wrote the books 101 Volleyball Drills and produced four instructional videos. She was inducted into the Mobile Sports Hall of Fame in Mobile, Ala. in 2006. She earned the distinguished alumni award from Indiana University in the spring of 2007.

Sherri Reeves, Women’s Basketball Coach/Assistant AD
Northwest Missouri, 1971-2001
1971: Was the first women’s basketball coach at Northwest. Compiled a record of 61-15 in her four seasons. Won the 1971-72 MAIAW title. First all-time in program history with an .802 winning percentage. Third in Northwest history in victories (61) and fourth in games coached (76). Was an “M” Club Hall of Fame (Northwest hall of fame) inductee in 2005. 1973: Helped jump start the women’s cross country program at Northwest while she was the athletic director. 1976: By the time Title IX mandates sports sponsorship for female students, Northwest was already sponsoring women’s programs of basketball, tennis, volleyball, track and field, cross country, softball and gymnastics. Named Senior Women’s Athletics Administrator Emeritus upon her retirement in 2001.

Harold Robertson, Basketball Athlete
Lincoln, 1974-78
Robertson is second all-time in the MIAA in scoring with 2,551 points in his four year career at Lincoln. He holds the MIAA career records for career (1,116) and single season (408) field goals made. He led all of Division II and the MIAA in scoring with 34.5 points per game in 1977-78 which stands to this day as the MIAA single season scoring average record. He helped Lincoln to advance to NCAA Division II Regionals in all four seasons he played for the Blue Tigers, also leading them to an MIAA Tournament Title and two MIAA regular season championships. In 1978 he led the Blue Tigers to the Elite Eight and was named to the All-Regional Team as Lincoln finished 22-6 on the season. That same season against Arkansas Little-Rock he set what is still the MIAA single game scoring record pouring in 59 points in the game. His 965 points that season still stands as the MIAA single season scoring record. He was twice named the MIAA’s Most Valuable Player and earned first team All-MIAA honors three times. He was also named an All-American during his senior season. He was a fourth round draft pick of the Los Angeles Lakes in 1978 and was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 1992 for his play at Lincoln University.

Warren Turner, Baseball Coach
Missouri Southern 1977-2007
Turner is the all-time wins leader in the history of MSSU baseball. With 852 career victories he also ranks 15th all-time in NCAA history. During his tenure, Turner took five teams to national tournaments. His 1978 squad finished second to Emporia State in the NAIA World Series at St. Joseph, Mo., and Turner was named NAIA national coach of the year that season. Turner’s 1986 and 1987 squads competed in the NAIA World Series at Lewiston, Idaho, finishing seventh and fifth, respectively. He coached MSSU to a pair of NCAA Division II World Series at Montgomery, Ala., with the Lions finishing as the national runner-up in 1991 and finishing fifth the following year. He led MSSU to the CSIC title in 1986, MIAA south division championships in 1990, 1991 and 1992 and MIAA titles in 1991 and 1992. His teams advanced to the NCAA-II regional tournament four times, finishing first in 1990 and 1991, Turner has been named conference Coach of the Year three times (CSIC in 1986 and MIAA in 1991 and 1992). He was the NCAA Regional Coach of the Year in 1991 and 1992; NAIA District 16 Coach of the Year in 1978, 1985, 1986 and 1987; and NAIA National Coach of the Year in 1978. Turner was elected to the NAIA Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2004 and into the ABCA Hall of Fame in 2008. He also is a member of the MSSU Athletics Hall of Fame.

Ronnie West, Football Athlete
Pittsburg State, 1990-91
West captured the Harlon Hill Award as the NCAA Division II National Player of the Year in 1991, leading Pitt State to a 13-1-1 record and the NCAA-II National Championship. He was named the MIAA Player of the Year that season, catching 74 passes for 1,495 yards and 14 touchdowns, setting the MIAA single-season receiving record that season. He was a two-time first-team All-MIAA selection and finished his career with 123 receptions for 2,521 yards and 27 touchdowns (all Pitt State records). West was a two-time first-team All-America selection (1990-91). He led Division II in punt returns and ranked second nationally in kickoff returns as a junior in 1990. West was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the ninth round of the 1992 NFL Draft, but his professional career was cut short by a knee injury.

Bill Westbrook, Basketball Official
Was one of the best MIAA basketball officials working over 20 years in the conference. During his career he worked games in not only the MIAA, but the Big 8 and Big 12 conferences. He did several NCAA Tournament games during the 1980’s, 1990’s and in the 2000’s.

Central Missouri, 2003 Baseball Team
The 2003 Mules Baseball team finished the season 51-7 overall and 27-2 in MIAA play winning the conference crown. They swept through the Regional in Warrensburg and went a perfect 4-0 at the World Series to claim the 2003 National Championship. The 2003 Mules had five first team All-MIAA players, including Player of the Year Zach Norman and Freshman of the Year Steve Murphy. The Mules also had two first team All-Americans in Norman and Joe Strada.

Northwest Missouri, 2009 Football Team
The 2009 Northwest Missouri State football team was one of the most prolific offensive teams in NCAA Division II history en route to claiming the 2009 National Championship. The Bearcats finished the season 14-1 and a perfect 9-0 in the MIAA claiming the program’s 22nd league championship. After falling in the season opener the Bearcats won 14 straight games to claim the title including knocking off Abilene Christian in a re-match of the season opener to avenge their only loss of the season . The offensive numbers continued to pile up for Northwest scoring 632 points on the season, a then-school record. The Bearcats also finished in the top 10 in the nation of seven categories including scoring, pass efficiency , total offense, turnover margin, sacks, passing offense and run defense. The 2009 bearcat senior class never lost an MIAA contest going 36-0 during their careers. Four All-America and five All-MIAA players along with 10 All-Region players emerged from the Northwest team. Included in the list of accolades was the NCAA Division II Receiver of the Year, Jake Soy, the AFCA Coach of the Year, Mel Tjeerdsma, and the Ken B. Jones Award winner for the MIAA Student-Athlete of the Year, Myles Burnsides. For Northwest it gave the program five consecutive championship game appearances, one of two schools at any level to accomplish the feat

Washburn, 2004-05 Women’s Basketball Team
The 2004-05 Washburn Lady Blues won the school’s first NCAA championship in any sport finished the season with a 35-2 record and winning 19 straight to close out the season. Washburn was led at the Elite Eight by Carla Sintra who was named the Most Outstanding Player after the championship game. Washburn won the MIAA regular season with a 16-2 record and won the MIAA postseason tournament in Kansas City as well that season. The Lady Blues swept through the regional playing in Springfield, Mo. and outscored their opponents by a combined 214-180 winning two games by double-digit finals. WU would then win two of the three games in the Elite Eight by ten points or more defeating Seattle Pacific 70-53 in the national championship game.

— MWSU Sports Information —

St. Joseph rolls to 11-1 victory over North Kansas City

Posted on June 6, 2013

The St. Joseph Mustangs snapped their two-game losing streak Thursday night with an 11-1 non-league victory over North Kansas City inside Phil Welch Stadium.

St. Joe’s summer college baseball team improves to 4-3 this season.

The Mustangs scored all 11 runs in the first four innings and broke the game open with a six-run third inning.

Kyle Simpson, Kris Koerper, Zac Johnson and Kyle Richards had two hits each, while Johnson and Emilio Villanueava drove in two runs a piece.

Koeper hit his first home run of the season in the fourth inning.

Dixon Marble made his first start of the season for St. Joseph and he earned his first win by going eight innings and allowing just one run on seven hits. Marble struck out three and didn’t walk a batter.

The Mustangs are back at home Friday night for a doubleheader with Joplin. The first pitch of game one is at 6:00 p.m. inside Phil Welch Stadium.

Royals rally past Minnesota to take series finale

Posted on June 6, 2013June 6, 2013

It started with a double by Alex Gordon, gained momentum on a single by Eric Hosmer and another double by Billy Butler, and then was capped off by a two-run shot from Lorenzo Cain.

It was a four-run eighth inning by the Kansas City Royals.

It was the kind of outburst that hasn’t happened often.

In this case, it carried the Royals to a 7-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday night and to back-to-back wins for the first time since May 4-5. But the big inning also represented as many runs as the scuffling Kansas City offense had produced in any of its last 14 games.

”We’re getting better. We’re starting to come out of it,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. ”The offense looks like it’s starting to turn the corner a little bit.”

The Royals began the season 17-10 before winning six of their next 28 games, their collapse lowlighted by a franchise-record 11-game home skid that ended Wednesday night.

Now they’re on a winning streak, modest though it may be.

”We’ve always felt confidence. We had a bad May. That’s all I can say,” Butler said. ”We had a bad May, but our confidence has never been wavering. You saw it tonight. We got down 3-0 and battled back and kind of exploded there in the eighth.”

The Royals hadn’t scored seven runs in a game since beating the Astros on May 21.

Wade Davis allowed three unearned runs before the Royals bullpen took control. Luke Hochevar, Tim Collins (2-1) and Greg Holland combined for four scoreless innings to wrap up the win.

”You can see a little more chemistry and contagious hitting-type things like tonight, and a little bit yesterday, chipping away and chipping away,” Davis said. ”We’re not going to wake up and be the best in baseball, but we just have to keep chipping away.”

All of the Royals’ runs in the eighth came off Jared Burton (0-3), who allowed Hosmer’s go-ahead single and an RBI double by Butler before serving up Cain’s homer to left field.

”It’s not magic, guys. You either execute or you get executed. This one hurts,” Burton said. ”We got off to an early lead. It’s a tough one to lose. We needed this series.”

Instead, the Royals won their first since taking two of three from the Angels in mid-May.

”At the end we kind of let it get away,” Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said.

Things began well enough for Minnesota when Jamey Carroll led off the game with a grounder that third baseman Mike Moustakas fielded cleanly and then threw over Hosmer’s head at first base for an error. Carroll ended up on second, and eventually reached third on a groundout.

The errors were only beginning for Kansas City.

Josh Willingham proceeded to strike out on a wild pitch that not only allowed him to reach base but also allowed Carroll to score. Two batters later, Ryan Doumit went deep for the second time in the series to give the Twins a 3-0 lead – all on one hit.

”That first inning had some weird stuff happen,” Davis said. ”I just kept telling myself, ‘Keep it right there,’ especially when we scored the two runs. It gave me extra motivation to bear down.”

The two runs came in the second on a single by Chris Getz, and the Royals finally tied the game in the sixth when Hosmer doubled and Salvador Perez drove him home with a single.

That kept both starting pitchers from factoring in the decision.

The Twins’ Mike Pelfrey, whom the Royals tagged for six runs in two innings in April, went a season-best 6 1-3 on Thursday night. He allowed three runs on seven hits and a walk.

Davis needed 107 pitches to get through five innings for Kansas City, thanks in part to his shaky defense. He allowed four hits and three walks, but all three runs off him were unearned.

It was the first time he hadn’t allowed an earned run in a start since April 17.

”That’s kind of the way it’s been for Wade. He finds ways to bend a little bit but never breaks, or seldom breaks, but always gets his pitch count up high,” Yost said. ”He gets himself into trouble and pitches himself out of it, and he did that again tonight.”

— Associated Press —

Miller leads St. Louis past Arizona to split four-game series

Posted on June 6, 2013June 6, 2013

Shelby Miller gave himself a boost with his bat.

The rookie pitcher hit his first career home run and pitched six sharp innings, leading the St. Louis Cardinals over the Arizona Diamondbacks 12-8 Thursday night.

”I haven’t hit a home run since high school, at least in a game,” said Miller, whose 1.91 earned run average continues to lead the National League. ”It was neat. It will be something I remember for sure. Sometimes you get lucky.”

Miller (7-3) allowed two runs and six hits. He struck out nine and walked none.

Arizona scored three times in the ninth, and Edward Mujica got the last two outs for his 18th save in 18 chances.

Matt Adams and Daniel Descalso homered in an eight-run fourth inning off Ian Kennedy. Matt Holliday and Matt Carpenter also connected for the Cardinals.

Kennedy (3-4) was tagged for 10 runs and 13 hits in four innings.

Kennedy nearly escaped the fourth with giving up just one run, but his throw off on Yadier Molina’s comebacker pulled shortstop Didi Gregorius wide of second base. What could have been an inning-ending double play instead led to Adams’ three-run homer and Descalso’s two-run shot.

”I think we’ve made that play and we expect to make that play,” Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said. ”It didn’t happen today and it cost us.”

Kennedy endured the entire inning and threw 50 pitches. He had 99 total, only 60 for strikes.

He said typically he’ll ask his middle infielders which one will cover the bag in a situation like that before he makes a pitch. He failed to do so and when he saw second baseman Cliff Pennington break toward the bag his instinct was to throw it to him until Gregorius took charge.

By then, Kennedy double clutched and threw wide.

”That whole sequence. It was perfect,” he said. ”I was trying to get a double play in that situation. It would have been a lot different if I was able to turn. That’s just my fault. I should have known who covered the bag just before that pitch.”

The Cardinals hit five homers in a game for the first time since last July 27. The previous time they did it at home was June 24, 2005, at the former Busch Stadium.

David Freese extended his career-best hitting streak to 16 games for St. Louis. Descalso scored twice in the big fourth and finished with three hits, including a double.

The first five batters in the St. Louis starting lineup all got two hits, as did Miller.

Manager Mike Matheny liked what he saw from Miller at the plate. He hopes that the pitcher doesn’t let it change his approach.

””You’ll take any runs you can get, but we hope he doesn’t go up there trying to do that every time,” Matheny said.

The Cardinals greeted reliever Matt Reynolds with back-to-back home runs from Miller and Carpenter to open the fifth and stretch their lead to 12-2.

Arizona scored twice in the first on an RBI groundout by Paul Goldschmidt and a single by Miguel Montero.

”I have a tendency of letting up in the first inning,” Miller said. ”I have got to figure out a way to be as aggressive like I am in the middle of the game and toward the end, in the first couple of innings. I just wasn’t doing it early on.”

Gerardo Parra had three hits, including an RBI single in a three-run seventh for Arizona. The Diamondbacks scored three more in the ninth when rookie Keith Butler gave up a hit to Pennington and a double to Wil Nieves before walking three consecutive batters.

— Associated Press —

Royals make three selections on first day of MLB Draft

Posted on June 6, 2013June 6, 2013

The Kansas City Royals completed the first day of the 2013 First-Year Rule 4 Player Draft today, selecting three players today, highlighted by the eighth overall selection, shortstop Hunter Dozier. The Royals also selected left-handed pitcher Sean Manaea from Indiana State with the #34 overall pick and left-handed pitcher Cody Reed from Northwest Mississippi Community College at #46.

The Royals selected the 21-year-old Dozier, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound shortstop from the Stephen F. Austin University with the eighth overall pick on Thursday. Dozier batted .396 with 17 home runs and 52 RBI this season. He led the Southland Conference in batting average, slugging percentage (.755), doubles (25) and home runs, earning Louisville Slugger First Team All-America honors. He was a two-time All-Southland Conference selection, becoming the first shortstop in school history to earn that distinction, and was an All-South Central Region selection in 2012, when he hit .357 with 22 doubles, 10 homers and 37 RBI. A native of Denton, Texas, Dozier was a multi-sport star at Denton High School. He was the shortstop and ace right-handed pitcher on the baseball team and also quarterbacked the football squad. He was a 2008 all-area selection and the district Newcomer of the Year. After suffering a football injury as a junior, he came back to hit .400 during his senior season and earn all-district honors.

Kansas City picked the 21-year-old Manaea, a 6-foot-5, 215-pound left-handed pitcher from Indiana State with the #34 overall selection. Manaea was the second-ranked left-handed pitcher in the draft according to Baseball America. He was 5-4 with a 1.47 ERA in 13 starts for the Sycamores this season. The 6-foot-5 lefty fanned 93 in 73.1 innings pitched, ranking third in the NCAA in strikeouts per 9 innings at 11.4. He was named Second Team All-Missouri Valley this season and to the preseason Golden Spikes Award watch list. He burst onto the national scene last summer in the Cape Cod League. He earned both the B.F.C. Whitehouse Top Pitcher and the Robert A. McNeese Outstanding Pro Prospect awards from the CCBL, totaling a 5-1 record and a 1.22 ERA with a league-leading 85 strikeouts in 57.1 innings pitched.

The Royals drafted 20-year-old Reed, a 6-foot-5, 220-pound left-handed pitcher from Northwest Mississippi Community College with the #46 overall pick. He completed his eligibility at Northwest Mississippi CC this year, going 8-3 with a 2.39 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 73.1 innings pitched. Reed was ninth in the NJCAA in strikeouts, while his 5 complete games were tied for 14th. He was a NJCAA Division II third team All-America selection and was named Mississippi Association of Community & Junior Colleges (MACJC) Pitcher of the Week twice this year.

— Royals Media Relations —

Kansas City signs draft picks Kelce & Johnson

Posted on June 6, 2013June 6, 2013

The Kansas City Chiefs announced on Thursday that the club has signed tight end Travis Kelce and linebacker Nico Johnson. Kansas City has now signed seven of eight draft selections from the 2013 NFL Draft.

Kelce (6-5, 260) joined the Chiefs as the team’s first of two third-round picks (63rd overall) in the 2013 NFL Draft. He appeared in 35 games (12 starts) at Cincinnati, recording 54 receptions for 752 yards (13.9 avg.) with nine touchdowns. He also added eight carries for 47 yards (5.9 avg.) with two touchdowns. Kelce was a three-sport standout at Cleveland Heights High School in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.

Johnson (6-2, 249) joined the Chiefs as the club’s fourth-round draft pick (99th overall) in the 2013 NFL Draft. Johnson played in 52 games (21 starts) for the Crimson Tide, posting 163 tackles (87 solo), two QB pressures, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, two interceptions and seven passes defensed. He was one of two Alabama players to play on the 2009, 2011 and 2012 national championship teams. Johnson prepped at Andalusia High School in Andalusia, Ala.

— Chiefs Media Relations —