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Royals complete sweep of Orioles with 9-1 win Sunday

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Meibrys Viloria trotted into the dugout after the sixth inning Sunday, and Royals manager Ned Yost told his recently recalled rookie catcher to help get pitcher Jorge Lopez through one more inning.

So when Viloria headed to the bench after the seventh, that task successfully complete, he plopped down and began to relax. Puzzled, Yost looked at him and asked, “What are you doing?”

“You said,” Viloria replied, “get him through one more inning.”

Yost didn’t mean Viloria’s day was done, though. And when he went to bat in the eighth, Viloria came through with his first big league hit, a two-run double that put a nice cap on a game Lopez and the Royals dominated. The 9-1 rout of the Baltimore Orioles wrapped up a three-game sweep of the only team in the majors with a worse record than Kansas City’s own.

“It feels great,” said Lopez, who allowed Jonathan Villar’s home run in the first inning but little else while striking out a career-high eight. “The defense was good and the offense has been hot.”

As for Viloria, the kid behind the plate who had just arrived from Class-A Wilmington?

“That kid’s something special,” Lopez said. “Communication, the game plan, we were right on it.”

It was the first win for Lopez, who was part of the late-July deal with Milwaukee for third baseman Mike Moustakas, since Sept. 29, 2015, when he was still with the Brewers.

“That’s why he was so well-thought-of and sought-after in trade,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. “The things David (Hess) has done when he’s successful, that young man did today.”

Alcides Escobar also had three hits and an RBI as Kansas City piled up 14 hits, its sixth straight game with at least 10 and the longest such streak since June 24-29, 2016.

Most of the damage came against Hess (3-9), who allowed five runs on nine hits and a trio of errors — all of which came after the Baltimore pitcher’s own mistakes during a dreadful third inning.

The first error came with nobody out, when Hess threw the ball away trying to pick Merrifield off first base. Then, with two down, Hess tried to chase Jorge Bonifacio back to second and the ball squirreled away again. Bonifacio headed for third and second baseman Breyvic Valera tried to throw him out there, but the ball bounced away for yet another error that allowed Bonifacio to score.

“The toughest thing is giving them extra bases and extra outs to work with,” Hess said. “That’s something that I’ve prided myself on throughout the minor leagues and up here as well. I’ve been able to field my position well and do what we need to do to keep guys honest out there.

“I mean, they beat me at that today,” he said. “It’s something that we’re going to learn from.”

STATS AND STREAKS

The Royals have won five straight, all in come-from-behind fashion, their best stretch since July 19-28, 2017. … Merrifield reached base for a career-best 22nd straight game. He also stole his 30th base, matching Seattle’s Dee Gordon for the AL lead. … The Orioles were swept for the third time in four series. … Baltimore has lost seven straight road games.

FIRST PITCH

Royals vice president Mike Swanson threw out the ceremonial first pitch to honor his 40 years in baseball. Swanson’s mother, Betty, spent nearly four decades working for the Royals and Chiefs, while her son has worked for the Rockies, Padres and Diamondbacks along with his time in Kansas City.

CLOSER CONCERNS

Showalter said he will try several options in the closer role after Mychael Givens blew another save Saturday night. “You’ve got to get people out, and pitch when you’re asked and take advantage of the opportunity,” Showalter said, “including Mike and some other guys.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Orioles: RHP Pedro Araujo (right elbow strain) will not pitch again this season. He’s been on the DL since June 11. “He’s going to be fine, I think, for next year,” Showalter said, “but I don’t think he’ll pitch in September. I don’t see any of the feedback that fits that scenario.”

Royals: OF Jorge Soler (fractured left toe) experienced a setback in his rehab and will likely shut down for the remainder of the season, Yost said. Soler went on the DL on June 16, when he was hitting .265 with nine homers and 28 RBI.

UP NEXT

The Orioles head to Seattle for three games beginning Monday night, when LHP Josh Rogers (1-0, 5.40 ERA) is on the mound. The Royals begin a trip to Cleveland and Minnesota with RHP Jakob Junis (7-12, 4.53) taking the hill against the Indians on Monday night.

— Associated Press —

St. Louis drops series finale to Reds in 10 innings

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ST. LOUIS (AP) — Eugenio Suarez reached the 100-RBI milestone for the first time in style.

Suarez’s two-run homer off of Bud Norris in the 10th inning lifted the Cincinnati Reds to a 6-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday. The blast gave Suarez RBI 99 and 100 this season. His previous RBI high was 82 in 2017.

“For me to hit that homer and my 100th RBI, that’s special,” Suarez said. “That’s what I always dreamed of and today I can tell my dreams come true.”

Suarez got locked in after spinning away from a Norris fastball two pitches earlier.

“He threw that 95 mile per hour fastball right at my face and then I said, `Now where you want to throw it to me,” Suarez said. “I just wanted to be ready that at-bat. I know how they try to get me out. I put my bat barrel on it and hit it well and the ball went out.”

After Suarez’s career-high 31st of the season, Brandon Dixon hit a solo homer four pitches later as the Reds hit back-to-back homers for the fifth time this season, the sixth and seventh home runs given up by Norris (3-4).

They came right after Michael Lorenzen (2-1) pitched out a bases loaded, nobody out jam in the ninth without giving up a run to send the game to extra innings. Raisel Iglesias earned his 25th save in 29 chances despite allowing a run for the fourth time in his last five outings.

“Your nervous system hits a different gear,” Lorenzen said. “It was definitely a different gear and it feels good to come out on top and with Suarez hitting that home run. It just felt like we’re leaving feeling really good about ourselves right now so it’s a positive.”

Lorenzen’s escape act was even more impressive considering it came against the Cardinals three, four and five hitters.

“Give credit to them and they got out of it and we weren’t able to execute,” Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said. “Our situational hitting wasn’t where we want it tonight, but it has been a strength of our club and we expect it to continue to be a strength of our club. You can’t overreact to one, two, three at bats.”

The Reds won for just the third time in their last 11 games, including the last two against the Cardinals, snapping their series winning streak at 10. St. Louis (76-61) fell a half game behind the Milwaukee Brewers into the second wild card spot in the National League.

Billy Hamilton sparked a two-run first inning with a leadoff double. Scooter Gennett’s single scored Hamilton and Joey Votto took home on a Luke Weaver wild pitch.

Weaver, making his first start since Aug. 16, needed 40 pitches to get through the first. He also pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the second before settling in and being lifted for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the fourth.

“I think early it was just trying to find that rhythm, trying to sync everything up, just a little hot out there, just trying to gather myself,” Weaver said. “I threw some pitches they were close, I just kept hitting in the wrong spots that he wasn’t calling. It was just trying to make those adjustments.”

Reds starter Anthony DeSclafani ran into trouble in the fourth, giving up an RBI double to Harrison Bader and an RBI bunt single to Greg Garcia to tie it at 2-2. His 3 2/3 inning performance was his shortest outing since July 15, when he last just 3 1/3 innings in a 6-4 loss to the Cardinals also at Busch Stadium.

Hamilton used his speed to stretch a leadoff single to right into a double in the seventh. He moved to third on a Jose Peraza sacrifice and trotted home to break a 2-2 tie on a Votto fly to center.

Bader used his legs to tie it for the Cardinals in the eighth, beating out a slow grounder to short for a bases loaded infield single to tie it 3-3.

“They get bases loaded nobody out, they got to figure `Hey we’ve got to win this game right here,’ and you know we’ve been on the other end of that a few times and today that’s one where they legitimately go home and say we’ve got to win that game,” Reds interim manager Jim Riggleman said.

TRAINING ROOM

Reds: OF Preston Tucker was traded to the Atlanta Braves for cash considerations.

Cardinals: RHP Michael Wacha (left oblique strain) threw a bullpen on Sunday and is expected to go out on a rehab assignment this week.

UP NEXT

Reds: RHP Matt Harvey (6-7, 4.97 ERA) gets the start in the first game of three-game series Monday afternoon at Pittsburgh and RHP Trevor Williams (11-9, 3.30 ERA). Harvey is 1-2 with a 7.36 ERA against the Pirates this season.

Cardinals: RHP Jack Flaherty (8-6, 2.87 ERA) kicks off a three-game series at Washington and St. Louisan RHP Max Scherzer (16-6, 2.22 ERA) on Monday afternoon. Flaherty has won four straight decisions and will make his first career start against the Nationals.

— Associated Press —

No. 21 Griffons fall to No. 8 SW Minnesota State & No. 14 Central Missouri

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DENVER, Colo. – The 21st ranked Missouri Western volleyball team (5-3) looked to be headed for a 3rd place finish in the Gold Bracket at the Colorado Premier Challenge, but No. 14 Central Missouri (6-2) spoiled the party.

After being swept in the Gold semifinals by No. 8 Southwest Minnesota (5-2), Missouri Western jumped out to a 2-0 lead on Central Missouri before surrendering three straight sets to its MIAA rivals. On the day, Missouri Western hit .149 with its opponents hitting .294. Ali Tauchen and Stephanie Doak each had 27 kills to pace the team. Tauchen added three total blocks to score 28.5 points for MWSU. Doak scored 28. Rachel Losch had a team-high six total blocks. Lauren Murphy had 80 assists and Audrey Keim had 43 digs.

GOLD BRACKET SEMIFINALS
#8 Southwest Minnesota 3, #21 Missouri Western 0 (17-25, 9-25, 22-25)
The Griffons fell victim to maybe the hottest team in the Colorado Premier Challenge field in their first match of the day. Southwest Minnesota held Missouri Western to a .071 hitting percentage in the match and hit .317 itself. Missouri Western looked like it would push the match to a fourth set after taking a 19-15 lead in the third, but the Mustangs answered with a 6-0 run to jump on top 21-19. Missouri Western tied it at 21, but managed just one more point as Southwest Minnesota clinched the sweep with a 25-22 set win.

GOLD BRACKET 3RD PLACE MATCH
#14 Central Missouri 3, #21 Missouri Western 0 (25-21, 26-24, 17-25, 25-27, 6-15)
Missouri Western used some runs to come from behind and claim each of the first two sets. Down 14-8 in the first, MWSU went on a tear to take a 19-17 lead it never surrendered. Tied at 21, Missouri Western scored the final four points to take the set. Missouri Western fell behind again in the second set, 5-0 from the get-go, but slowly chipped away to eventually pull close. A 5-0 spurt late put the Griffons up 22-19, before having to hang on for a 26-24 win. The Griffons hit. 255 in the first and .265 in the second, but dropped to .028 in the third and hit .000 in the fifth. Three Griffons hit double-digit kills in the match. Doak led the team with 19. Tauchen had 18 and Shellby Taylor added 10. Audrey Keim had a career-high 34 digs in the match.

UP NEXT
Missouri Western stays on the road next weekend with a trip to the 2018 Jet Classic hosted by Newman University. The Griffons will play Arkansas-Fort Smith on Friday, Sept. 7 and Newman and St. Edward’s on Saturday, Sept. 8.

— MWSU Athletics —

Lock leads Missouri to rout of UT Martin

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COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — When Drew Lock found out in December that Missouri offensive coordinator Josh Heupel was leaving to become the head coach at Central Florida, Lock considered following him out the door and declaring for the NFL draft. The quarterback ultimately decided to return for his senior season.

Judging by the smile Lock wore after Missouri’s 51-14 season-opening victory over Tennessee-Martin, he is happy with his decision. Lock completed 19 of 25 passes for 289 yards and four touchdowns in his first game under new offensive coordinator Derek Dooley.

“For him being a first-time play caller, he did great,” Lock said of Dooley. “He knew when to press the tempo. He knew when to slow it down.”

Last year, Missouri ranked eighth nationally in total offense and Lock threw 44 touchdown passes — a Southeastern Conference record. Heupel’s offense used a frantic pace to limit opponents’ ability to adjust or substitute, but it also limited Missouri’s ability to use different formations and personnel.

Dooley has slowed the pace a bit. Against UT Martin, Missouri frequently used a double-tight end formation that allowed Albert Okwuegbunam and Kendall Blanton to play together. At 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds, Okwuegbunam sometimes split out wide.

“People are going to have to prep for a lot of different formations against us,” Lock said. “It’s going to be different. We’re not just playing fast with similar formations where people can time up our stuff.”

One thing that hasn’t changed for Missouri is wide receiver Emanuel Hall’s ability to get behind defensive backs. He caught four passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns.

A bright spot for the Skyhawks, an FCS program, was the play of their run defense. They held Missouri to 3.7 yards per carry. Linebacker James Gilleylen had three tackles for loss. But that commitment to stopping the run came at a price.

“We’re not a man coverage team, but you saw us have to play it to get enough in the box in order to stop the run, and then the ball’s 60 yards down the field and they run past us,” UT Martin coach Jason Simpson said. “We’re not the only ones they do that to. They’ve done it for the last couple of years.”

The Skyhawks managed 277 total yards. Jamiee Bowe scored on a 1-yard run with 9:34 left in the second quarter. In the third quarter, LaDarius Galloway slipped out the backfield unnoticed and caught a 51-yard touchdown pass from Dresser Winn. Winn completed 15 of 24 passes for 168 yards.

Missouri led 38-7 at halftime. Lock exited the game after the first series of the third quarter but not before he passed Brad Smith into second place on Missouri’s career passing list. With 8,984 yards, Lock now trails only Chase Daniel, who had 12,515 yards from 2005-08.

THE TAKEAWAY

Missouri: Two true freshman wide receivers made big plays that suggested they might be significant contributors this season. On Lock’s final pass, Kam Scott made a leaping catch and stepped out of a tackle on his way to a 70-yard touchdown.

“He did a fantastic job adjusting to the ball, went up and high-pointed it,” Lock said. “He looked like a creature out there.”

Jalen Knox outjumped a defender and hauled in a 38-yard pass from backup QB Taylor Powell in the third quarter.

UT Martin: The Skyhawks dropped to 1-25 all-time against FBS opponents, but their coach said the players remain eager to play against the best competition.

“Every one of them would still line up and do it again,” Simpson said. “That’s the largest group, biggest crowd they’re going to play against this year.”

A TREE GROWS

Last year, Hall caught 33 passes for 817 yards — an average of 24.8 per reception. In the preseason, he spoke of becoming a more complete player who is a threat running every branch of a wide receiver’s route tree.

“If he can walk away from a game with four catches for 171 yards, I’ll take that route tree every time,” Missouri coach Barry Odom said. “I don’t think anyone in our program has taken more positive steps as a total player. I don’t think anyone’s done as good a job as Emanuel Hall has. He’s become more of a complete receiver.”

INJURY REPORT

Missouri escaped the season opener mostly unscathed. Kevin Pendleton, the regular starter at left guard, suffered a sprained knee in practice last week and didn’t suit up. Odom said he should return to practice this week. Starting safety Khalil Oliver left the game with a sprained ankle, but Odom said he might have been able to return if the score was closer.

UP NEXT

Missouri: The Tigers will play host to Wyoming.

UT Martin: The Skyhawks will visit Middle Tennessee State.

— Associated Press —

Kansas State scores two late TDs, edges South Dakota 27-24

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MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Saturday night’s game was not going the way most Kansas State fans, players and coaches had anticipated. Fans were booing the offense and making a quick exit, not just in fear of seeing a season-opening upset, but mostly in sheer disgust at the way things were going.

Then Isiah Zuber’s late punt return changed everything, sparking a two-touchdown fourth quarter and a 27-24 Kansas State victory over South Dakota.

After struggling to gain any footing for a majority of the game, the Kansas State offense seemed to have hit rock bottom as South Dakota punted the ball away early in the fourth quarter to Zuber, who returned it 85 yards for a touchdown to pull the Wildcats to 24-19. The score woke up a sleepy and agitated Bill Snyder Family Stadium, which saw fans head toward the exits just minutes before Zuber’s punt return.

However, Zuber was not done making plays.

After Kansas State forced the Coyotes to another punt, Skylar Thompson connected with Zuber for a 10-yard touchdown pass and the game-winning score with 7:21 remaining.

Zuber led the Wildcats in receiving with five catches for 68 yards and one touchdown.

Although the Wildcats picked up their first victory of the season, Kansas State coach Bill Snyder was not happy afterward describing his emotions.

“Well I am, you know all of them,” Snyder said. Angered, disappointed, etc. But it goes back again, well, we can say all we want about anything but I just don’t have them prepared to play. If they were ready to play the way we wanted them to, which is my responsibility, we would have probably fared a little bit better than what we did.”

South Dakota, which had led for a majority of the game, was given new life with just 50 seconds left after forcing an Alex Barnes’ fumble deep in Coyote territory.

The Coyotes drove down the field and set up for what would have been a game-tying field goal, but Mason Lorber missed a 51-yard attempt as time expired.

“Unfortunately, we had the ball and with a little bit of a breeze we wanted to get it down around the 25-yard line and try to get a field goal attempts in the low forties,” Coyotes coach Bob Nielson said.

“We had a play call to run one of those hitch routes and take a timeout. Then we had the false start penalty and we were really on the far outside of the goal. He (Mason) has made them in practice, he obviously did not hit that one very good.”

South Dakota’s Austin Simmons was 24-of-56 passing for 257 yards and a touchdown.

THE TAKEAWAY

Kansas State: With new coordinators on both sides of the ball, it would be expected the Wildcats would have some struggles, but the only positives on the night were out of kicker Blake Lynch and Zuber. Both Thompson and Alex Delton had ample opportunities to make their claim for the starting quarterback job, but neither could gain any ground by the end of the game.

South Dakota: The Coyotes were not able to come up with a win over an FBS opponent for the second straight season, but one solid takeaway is how well the Coyotes were in control for much of the game. They did a great job limiting the Kansas State offense for three quarters and had many Kansas State fans, players and coaches frustrated throughout the night.

TURNOVER WOES

One of the more surprising events of the evening was Kansas State running back Alex Barnes struggling to hold on to the football. He coughed it up three times, the last time while the Wildcats were attempting to ice the ballgame. Snyder said he had never seen Barnes fumble this many times.

BAD CATS

For the first time since 2016 against Florida Atlantic, the Wildcats went over 100 yards in penalties. Whether they be of the drive-killing variety on offense or saving a South Dakota drive, Kansas State was not their usually disciplined selves and that could loom troublesome with No. 18 Mississippi State coming into town next week.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Kansas State’s calling card for years has been in the special teams and tonight was no exception. Four made field goals by Blake Lynch and a punt return for a touchdown by Isaiah Zuber were the difference against South Dakota.

Meanwhile, South Dakota missed two field goals, including the game winner, and also gave up a punt return for a touchdown.

STAT OF THE NIGHT

In his first career start, Kansas State kicker Blake Lynch netted four field goals from 22, 24, 38 and 44 yards as well as an extra point.

UP NEXT

Kansas State hosts Mississippi State on Saturday.

South Dakota hosts Northern Colorado on Saturday.

— Associated Press —

Kansas loses at home to FCS Nichols State in OT

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LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — When Nicholls’ Damion Jeanpiere’s muffed punt attempt led to Kansas taking the lead late in the fourth quarter Saturday night, it seemed as though the Colonels’ resilient upset attempt could go to waste.

But then, using just nine plays, they marched down the field and forced overtime with a game-tying 43-yard field goal. In overtime, Chase Fourcade ran in a 4-yard touchdown, and the Colonels prevailed over the Jayhawks, 26-23, in both teams’ season opener.

“Big win for the football program, for the school, for the whole community,” Nicholls coach Tim Rebowe said. “I told the guys, I’m always proud of them, but I’ve never been more proud of them than tonight, how they came in and fought. It’s a group of guys who believe.”

Viewed as Kansas’ easiest opponent of the season, Nicholls came into an optimism-filled David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium and spoiled the Jayhawks’ home opener in a game few expected them to win.

The Colonels, of course, belong to that few.

“None of our players thought, `Well, since we’re playing an FBS team, we don’t have a chance to win,” Fourcade said. “I feel like everybody on this team, we’ve always got that confidence and that mentality that we can win every game.”

After the Nicholls defense held Kansas to just a field goal on the first possession, Fourcade capitalized, leading a five-play touchdown drive aided by a pass interference call. He finished with just 142 yards passing and no scores in the air, but rushed for 51 yards and the late touchdown.

“I’m just really happy for this school, this team,” Fourcade said. “We’ve been through a lot . it’s been a real big turnaround for this program. We’re just really excited about our first win.”

Texas A&M transfer Kendall Bussey added 123 yards rushing and a score out of the backfield, and Dontrel Taylor punched in a touchdown as well.

The Colonels got the ball rolling early, marching down the field for an impressive nine-play, 78-yard touchdown drive on their first possession. It wasn’t anything unheard of, but to come out of the gates with a commanding scoring drive certainly set the tone for the rest of the game that Nicholls was here to play.

Kansas’ offense had some success early as Peyton Bender found Steven Sims for a touchdown on the second drive to cap an efficient effort that included two nice runs for first downs. But then Sims dropped an easy score in the end zone next time out, and Kansas had to settle for a field goal.

Bender finished 19-of-35 passing for 187 yards and two touchdowns. Kerr Johnson, Jr. led the Jayhawks in receiving, hauling in three catches for 54 yards and the go-ahead score late off the arm of Bender.

“At times I thought he did really, really well,” Kansas coach David Beaty said of his quarterback. “There were some times tonight where I think he kind of got locked on a little bit and he held the ball a little bit longer . but he showed some flashes tonight.”

BUSSEY’S BURST

It was a struggle for Nicholls to string together much early in the second half, stalling on their first two drives. They finally broke through, though, when Bussey blew through the line to find nothing but green in front of him en route to a 40-yard touchdown run.

“Nobody was there, so that’s what I saw,” Bussey said. “I saw daylight, I saw the end zone, and I’m thinking just get to the end zone as fast as I can.”

DUAL QUARTERBACK DEBUT

Bender played almost every snap, but as Beaty announced earlier in the week, Miles Kendrick also saw some time under center. He led one series that resulted in a punt early in the second quarter, and had one rushing attempt in overtime for negative yards.

“We’re certainly going to continue to use Miles,” Beaty said. “Certainly going to continue to use him, find more ways to get him in the game.”

QUOTE OF THE NIGHT

When Bussey was asked what the trip back down to Louisiana was going to be like, the three Colonels present at the press conference all burst into excited laughter.

“A lot of noise,” Bussey grinned. “A lot of noise. I’m tired, so I hope they calm down because I’m gonna want to go to sleep.”

THE TAKEAWAY

Kansas falls to an FCS school in what was expected to be its least-challenging game of the season — not a good start to a make-or-break season for coach David Beaty.

“I’ll tell you this: The sun is going to come up tomorrow, and this team is going to continue to work toward the goals that they have set,” Beaty said, when asked to evaluate where the program stands big picture-wise.

Nicholls grabs a statement victory over the Big 12-trained Kansas, a promising sign for what looks to be a promising season.

UP NEXT

Kansas travels to Central Michigan on Saturday for its only non-conference road game. The Jayhawks haven’t won a game on the road since Sept. 9, 2009.

Nicholls heads to nearby Tulane for another road test on Saturday.

— Associated Press —

Merrifield’s two-run HR gives Royals walk off win over Baltimore

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Whit Merrifield had never hit a game-ending home run — not in middle school, high school, college or as a pro — so he tried to admire his shot into the seats Saturday night.

The only problem? First base coach Mitch Maier wasn’t sure it was gone.

“I heard him yell, `Run! Run! Run!” Merrifield said, so he took off running.

His two-run shot with one out in the ninth inning was plenty deep, though, landing in the outfield seats and giving the Kansas City Royals a back-and-forth 5-4 victory over the Baltimore Orioles.

“I’m going to have to get Mitch back for that,” Merrifield said with a smile.

The Orioles took the lead in the top of the ninth, when Trey Mancini homered to lead off and Tim Beckham added a two-run double for his fourth hit of the night. But when Mychael Givens (0-7) came on to close things out, he promptly walked Brett Phillips on four pitches to start the inning.

Cam Gallagher sacrificed Phillips to second, and Merrifield cracked a 0-2 pitch an estimated 415 feet to left field, giving the young Royals their sixth win in seven games this homestand.

It’s their best seven-game stretch since July 2017, and includes the first two games in this three-game series between the worst two teams in the major leagues.

“I think it gives us confidence,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “When your players have confidence, it gives us confidence too. You can see it in their faces that they continue to gain confidence.”

The Royals’ Jason Hammel squandered another solid start by Heath Fillmyer, though that’s hardly new. The 24-year-old Fillmyer allowed two runs on nine hits and a walk over seven innings, striking out six, yet was stuck with his sixth no-decision in his last eight starts.

Jake Newberry (1-0) wound up earning his first big league win in relief.

“Pretty cool,” he said, “to get it on a walk-off homer.”

The Orioles took an early lead on John Andreoli’s sacrifice fly and Beckham’s homer on a 3-1 pitch from Fillmyer. But the Royals answered in the bottom of the fourth when Phillips hit his second homer of the season — the 35th allowed by Dylan Bundy, tying an Orioles single-season record.

Kansas City pulled even in the sixth on Brian Goodwin’s base hit, then took the lead when Rosell Herrera shrugged off a 3-for-31 slump with an RBI single.

The game went back-and-forth one more time after that.

“It’s just closing. There’s pressure in different situations. There’s finality in that inning,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said of their fateful ninth. “It’s a great job if you’re good at it.”

BUNDY IS BETTER

Bundy wound up allowing three runs on eight hits and a walk in 5 1/3 innings. He also struck out eight in his best performance in about three weeks. “Yeah, I thought so too,” he said. “Still got room to improve, obviously, but the breaking pitches were a little bit sharper.”

MINOR LEAGUE DEAL

The Royals announced a two-year extension with Idaho Falls to remain their rookie-level farm club in the Pioneer League. Eleven current members of the big league club played for the Chukars.

ROYALS MOVES

The Royals, who traded C Drew Butera to Colorado on Friday, recalled C Meibrys Viloria from Class-A Wilmington. C Salvador Perez has been dealing with a sprained thumb, and Cam Gallagher is the only other catcher on the 40-man roster. Viloria was hitting .260 with six homers at Wilmington.

ORIOLES MOVES

Baltimore recalled INF Breyvic Valera from Triple-A Norfolk, and he’ll join the club in time for Sunday’s game. Valera appeared in one game with the Orioles last month, going 1 for 4, after arriving as part of the July 18 trade of Manny Machado to the Dodgers.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Orioles: OF/DH Mark Trumbo (right knee inflammation) will have arthroscopic surgery in Baltimore, manager Buck Showalter said. It is expected to take place Thursday or Friday.

Royals: LHP Eric Skoglund (sprained UCL) was due to make a rehab start with Triple-A Omaha on Saturday night. Skoglund (1-5, 6.70 ERA) has been out since late May.

UP NEXT

RHP Jorge Lopez (0-3, 7.90 ERA), part of a late-July trade with Milwaukee, tries again for his first win for the Royals when he faces Orioles RHP David Hess (3-8, 5.08) in the series finale Sunday.

— Associated Press —

Western cross country teams each win first-ever home meets

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ST. JOSEPH – Both the men’s and women’s Missouri Western cross country teams finished on top at the program’s first-ever home meet Saturday. The women’s team ended with nine of the top ten finishers, while the men’s team had seven of the top ten runners.

The women finished with an average time of 21:45.57 in the 5K event with an overall score of 20. The Missouri Valley women finished second with an average time of 25:45.57 and an overall score of 43.

The Griffons were led on the women’s side by sophomore Megan Gillen. Gillen finished with an overall time of 21:03.79, earning her a second place finish. Freshman Paige Kvale ran a time of 21:46.88, good enough for third place. It was all Griffons in the remaining top eleven finishers.

The Griffons also won the men’s championship. Missouri Western finished with an average time of 25:05.84 in the 7K event, earning the squad an overall score of 20. Finishing second was Bellevue with an average time of 28:16.30

The top Griffon earned second in the men’s race as well, as freshman Andrew Wright ran a time of 24:24.61. Brandon Colner rounded out the top three with a time of 24:55.06. Fellow Griffon Jacob Oyler was not far behind and crossed the finish line less than five seconds after Colner, earning him fourth place.

Griffon Cross Country will compete again in two weeks, as they will travel to Joplin for the Missouri Southern Stampede.

— MWSU Athletics —

Area High School Football Scores – Friday, August 31

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CITY
Lee’s Summit North 7 (2-0, 1-0 Suburban Red)
@ Central 41 (0-2, 0-1 Suburban Red)

Center 13 (1-1)
@ Lafayette 20 (2-0, 0-0 MEC)

Benton 7 (0-2, 0-0 MEC)
@ Excelsior Springs 35 (2-0)

East Buchanan 46 (2-0, 0-0 KCI)
@ Bishop LeBlond 12 (0-2, 0-0 MEC)

North Andrew 36 (1-1, 1-1 GRC)
@ St. Joseph Christian 6 (0-2, 0-2 GRC)

AREA
Savannah 25 (0-2, 0-0 MEC)
@ Pleasant Hill 39 (2-0)

Harrisonville 0 (0-2)
@ Maryville 36 (1-1, 0-0 MEC)

Chillicothe 0 (0-2, 0-0 MEC)
@ Kirksville 34 (1-1)

Cameron 24 (2-0, 0-0 MEC)
@ Kansas City East 8 (0-2)

St. Piux X (0-1, 0-0 MEC)
@ St. Michael the Archangel (0-1)

Maysville 6 (0-2, 0-0 GRC)
@ Mid-Buchanan 49 (2-0, 0-0 KCI)

Hamilton 21 (2-0, 0-0 KCI)
@ Gallatin 13 (1-1, 0-0 GRC)

Princeton 58 (1-1, 0-0 GRC)
@ North Platte 22 (0-2, 0-0 KCI)

West Platte 26 (1-1, 0-0 KCI)
@ South Harrison 30 (1-1, 0-0 GRC)

Lawson 35 (2-0, 0-0 KCI)
@ Lafayette County 0 (1-1)

Sumner Academy 18 (0-1)
@ Plattsburg 44 (1-1, 0-0 KCI)

Lexington 44 (2-0)
@ Trenton 21 (0-2, 0-0 GRC)

Mark Twain 0 (1-1)
@ Milan 21 (2-0, 0-0 GRC)

Polo 8 OT (0-2, 0-0 GRC)
@ Slater 14 (2-0)

Putnam County 20 (0-2, 0-0 GRC)
@ South Shelby 44 (2-0)

8-MAN
Stanberry 58 (2-0, 2-0 GRC)
@ Albany 20 (1-1, 0-1 GRC)

Northwest Hughesville 22 (0-2)
@ King City 86 (2-0, 1-0 GRC)

Worth County 70 (2-0, 0-0 GRC)
@ Bedford (IA) 12

Pattonsburg 58 (2-0, 2-0 GRC)
@ Braymer 12 (0-2, 0-2 GRC)

South Holt / Nodaway Holt 22 (0-2, 0-1 275)
@ Southwest Livingston 68 (2-0, 2-0 275)

Stewartsville 0 (1-1, 1-1 275)
@ Mound City 66 (2-0, 2-0 275)

Chillhowee 6 (0-2)
@ DeKalb 34 (1-1, 0-1 275)

Rock Port 68 (2-0, 2-0 275)
@ Platte Valley 22 (0-2, 0-2 275)

East Atchison 58 (1-1, 1-1 275)
@ North-West Nodaway 0 (0-2, 0-2 275)

No. 21 Griffons go 1-1 on day one of Colorado Premier Challenge

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DENVER, Colo. – The 21st ranked Missouri Western volleyball team went 1-1 on day one of the Colorado Premier Challenge Friday as they’re now 5-1 this season.

After taking the first set at No. 10 Regis (3-2) – Missouri Western’s 13th-straight to open the season – the Griffons eventually fell in four sets to the co-host of the stacked field. The Griffons bounced back with an impressive sweep of Angelo State (5-2) on Friday afternoon.

On the day, the Griffons hit .247 as a team with nine aces and averaged 2.29 blocks per set. Stephanie Doak turned in 32 kills, averaging 4.57 per set with a .323 hitting percentage. Doak also scored 36.5 points on the day, adding 14 digs, five total blocks and two aces. Ali Tauchen had 21 kills on .342 hitting with 18 digs and eight total blocks. Lauren Murphy led the team with 84 assists and Audrey Keim had a team-high 23 digs.

MATCH 1: #10 Regis 3, #21 Missouri Western 1
Missouri Western fought off a late charge by the home team in the first set to win its 13th straight set of the season, 25-23. Regis used runs in each of the next three sets to hand the Griffons their first loss of the season. After hitting .114 in the first set, Missouri Western improved to .270 in the second and .312 in the third, but gave up .394 and .316 to Regis in each of those sets. For the match, MWSU hit .215 while Regis hit .326. The Griffons did total 10 blocks in the match to Regis’ four. Tauchen had six blocks to go with her 10 kills. Doak led MWSU with 16 kills.

MATCH 2: #21 Missouri Western 3, (RV) Angelo State 0
The Griffons bounced back in match two with some big runs. Down 13-9 in the first set, Missouri Western climbed back to eventually stake a 21-19 lead. Angelo State climbed back to go up 24-23, but the Griffons took the set 26-24. Angelo State jumped out to a 10-6 lead in the second, but the Griffons chipped away then pulled away to win the set 25-19. In the third, Missouri Western found themselves down 8-1 then 9-3 before a 7-0 run gave MWSU a lead it never surrendered. Doak turned in 16 kills again, hitting .324 in the match and scoring 18.5 points for the Griffons. Tauchen added 11 kills on .563 hitting; a team-high 12 digs, two aces and two blocks.

Saturday’s match times and opponents will be announced after the conclusion of all of Friday’s matches. The Griffons will open Saturday against either No. 8 Southwest Minnesota State, (RV) Saint Leo or Colorado Christian.

— MWSU Athletics —

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