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Category: Sports

Soler’s eighth inning HR leads Royals past Oakland

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Tim Hill was happy to gain his first major league victory. The 28-year-old rookie left-hander could have done without his first blown save chance.

Jorge Soler hit a tiebreaking home run in the eighth inning, and the Kansas Royals bounced back after wasting a four-run lead to defeat the Oakland Athletics 5-4 on Saturday for their third win in four games.

“I was kind of upset I gave up a run, and I kind of felt like I didn’t do my job,” Hill said.

Hill (1-1) entered with a 4-3 lead and allowed Chad Pinder’s tying single in the eighth. Soler hit his ninth home run on a curveball from Yusmeiro Petit (2-2) with an 0-2 count in the bottom half.

“I was just trying to make contact and make sure I didn’t strike out,” Soler said through a translator. “Every time I hit the ball like with one hand, I’m always running hard. I was making the turn at first base and looked up and saw everybody had just stopped. I figured out it was a home run.”

Kelvin Herrera pitched a perfect ninth for his 13th save in 14 chances.

Kansas City built a 4-0 lead on Salvador Perez’s two-run double in the first and a two-run second helped by a replay reversal. Ryan Goins was called out at first by Cory Blaser when he tried to bunt for a single, then was ruled safe on a video review. Alcides Escobar tripled on the next pitch and scored on Jon Jay’s double.

Oakland was coming off a 16-0 rout Friday.

“After yesterday’s pummeling we gave them, I think they were coming out ready to swing the bats,” A’s catcher Bruce Maxwell said.

Oakland closed on RBI singles by Jed Lowrie in the third and Bruce Maxwell in the fourth, and Maxwell led off the seventh with his first home run since Sept. 2.

Maxwell’s drive chased Jason Hammel, who allowed three runs and seven hits.

“Hammel should have got the win,” Hill said.

Hammel had won his previous two outings after going 0-5 in his first nine starts.

“Today a good effort overall, not my best, but they can’t all be pretty,” Hammel said.

Cahill, who pitched for the Royals last season, gave up four runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. He has not won since beating the Chicago White Sox on April 17 in his first appearance this season.

“It was just one of those days when I wasn’t sharp,” Cahill said. “I just went out there and tried to get through it.”

ROSTER MOVE

Kansas City claimed OF Rosell Herrera off waivers from Cincinnati and optioned him to Triple-A Omaha. The 25-year-old hit .154 in 11 games this season for the Reds and .267 in 23 games with Triple-A Louisville.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Athletics: LF Matt Joyce (lower back tightness) left in the fifth inning. … RHP Paul Blackburn (right forearm strain) is to make a minor league rehab start Tuesday for Triple-A Nashville. He has a limit of 75 pitches.

Royals: RHP Nate Karns (right elbow inflammation) was transferred to the 60-day DL.

UP NEXT

Oakland RHP Daniel Gossett (0-3, 6.05) and Kansas City RHP Jakob Junis (5-4, 3.61) are to start Sunday’s series finale. Gossett is 0-2 with a 3.00 ERA in two starts since returning May 23 from the minors. Junis leads the Royals with 62 strikeouts in 67 1/3 innings.

— Associated Press —

Wong’s 9th-inning homer lifts Cardinals over Pirates 3-2

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ST. LOUIS (AP) — Kolten Wong has a flair for the dramatic.

Wong led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a home run off Richard Rodriguez, giving the Cardinals a 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday.

“You see guys that in those big situations tend to have the ability to get it done,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. “You really don’t want guys going up there thinking home run because that normally ends up a pop up on the infield, but whatever Kolten’s doing I’m not going to get in the way. If he’s thinking home run, keep thinking it in those situations.”

Austin Meadows had tied the score in the top half with a home run off Bud Norris (2-1), who blew a save for the first time in 12 chances.

Wong homered on a slider from Rodriguez (1-2), his second game-ending homer this season and the fourth of his big league career. Pittsburgh lost for the sixth time in eight games and has lost four of its last five games against the Cardinals.

It was Wong’s first homer since May 18 and fourth this season.

“He’s got such quick hands, he necessarily doesn’t have to cheat,” Matheny said. “It’s when he’s timed up and he timed everything up there and the ball jumped for him.”

Marcell Ozuna homered in the second, the 100th of his career and first in 105 plate appearances at Busch Stadium with the Cardinals. Colin Moran tied the score in the fifth with his first home run since May 22, connecting on a changeup from Luke Weaver.

Tommy Pham, in a 3-for-41 slide, put the Cardinals back ahead with an RBI single in the bottom half.

Weaver needed 90 pitches to get through five innings, allowing four hits.

Pirates starter Chad Kuhl gave up four hits in six innings.

“We’ve had some good swings,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “We’ve had some battles in the box, done some good base running, made some good defensive plays. I think the big picture is this team likes to fight and they like to play. They bounce back well.”

DEBUT

Austin Gomber, a 24-year-old left-hander, pitched three scoreless innings for St. Louis in his major league debut. A fourth-round draft pick in 2014, he replaced Weaver and walked Meadows, struck out Starling Marte and got Josh Bell to ground into a double play. Gomber retired his next six batters in order.

“I was just taking it batter by batter, just enjoying the moment, taking it in and trying to do my best,” Gomber said.

Gomber gave a boost to an overworked bullpen.

“We had a few guys down that we couldn’t go to today,” Matheny said. “It was a tough call bringing Luke out early. Fortunately, Austin came in and really was impressive.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: INF Jung Ho Kang (restricted list) began a minor league assignment with Class A Bradenton on Friday and went 0 for 3 with a pair of walks and a run scored.

Cardinals: C Yadier Molina (pelvic surgery) was to start a rehab assignment at Double-A Springfield on Saturday night.

UP NEXT

Cardinals RHP Michael Wacha (6-1, 2.71 ERA) and Pirates RHP Nick Kingham (2-1, 3.75 ERA) are to start Sunday’s series finale. Wacha gave up a season-low two hits against Milwaukee on Tuesday and has held opponents to two runs or fewer in eight straight starts. Kingham made his major league debut against St. Louis on April 20, retiring his first 20 batters before Paul DeJong’s single.

— Associated Press —

Mustangs rally for walk-off win in MINK opener against Nevada

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The St. Joseph Mustangs opened MINK League play Friday with a come-from-behind 5-4 victory over the Nevada Griffons inside Phil Welch Stadium.

St. Joe’s collegiate summer baseball team is now 2-1 this season and 1-0 in league play.

The Mustangs trailed the Griffons 4-2 entertaing the eighth inning, before rallying with one run in the eighth and two more in the ninth inning.

After Nevada walked three batters in the bottom of the ninth, Brody Santilli came threw with a one-out RBI single and St. Joseph scored twice to complete the complete the comeback.

The Mustangs had just four hits on the night as Santilli had two of them. Colton Pogue and Terrance Spurlin added one hit each.

St. Joseph and Nevada will play again tonight at Phil Welch Stadium. The first pitch is at 7:30 and we’ll have the game on ESPN 1550 AM.

Royals get dominated by A’s in series opener 16-0

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Matt Olson and Dustin Fowler made lots of noise in Oakland’s lineup, combining for four home runs and nine RBI, while Frankie Montas silenced Kansas City’s bats.

Olson slugged two homers and drove in a career-high five runs, Montas pitched a career-best eight innings and the Athletics pounded out a 16-0 victory over the Royals on Friday night. Fowler also homered twice and had four RBI for Oakland, which leads the majors with 51 road home runs in 28 games.

Montas (2-0) made his second start since being called up from the minors last Sunday and limited the Royals to six hits and used groundball double plays to end the fourth and fifth innings. He lowered his ERA to 0.64.

“The sinker was really working for me and, really, I was just trying to execute pitch by pitch,” Montas said through an interpreter. “I know that both starts, I’ve done well, but I can’t get my guard down. I have to keep working and keep doing what I’m doing.”

Olson hit a 428-foot solo shot in the third and a 456-foot three-run blast in a seven-run third — both off Ian Kennedy — for his third career multihomer game and first this season.

“They still count the same, but yeah, I just got a pretty good hold of all of those,” Olson said. “But honestly, just happy to be putting consistent at-bats together and barreling some stuff up.”

He also drew a bases-loaded walk from Brian Flynn in the ninth to score Matt Chapman.

The A’s sent 10 men to the plate in the third against Kennedy (1-6) and the first six reached, including Fowler’s solo home run. Fowler also added a three-run homer off Jason Adam in Oakland’s seven-run ninth for his first multihomer game.

Khris Davis, who came off the disabled list Thursday, singled in two runs in the third, and Jed Lowrie walked with the bases loaded.

Kennedy threw 46 of his 71 pitches in the third, his last inning. He gave up eight runs and seven hits with two walks. Since August 20, 2016, Kennedy is 1-12 with a 5.77 ERA in 26 starts at Kauffman Stadium.

“The big one was just the fastball I threw right down the middle to Olson,” Kennedy said. “Before that, I was putting guys in hitter’s counts. For the most part, it’s been a grind for the last four, five whatever starts it is now.

“I felt like this was the best week of work I’ve had. I felt good going into it, like I was really positive. I was working on things out of my delivery. I had zero to show for it and that’s what the really frustrating thing is.”

Whit Merrifield had three of the Kansas City’s eight hits. Jon Jay went 0 for 4, ending his 12-game hitting streak.

“Ian was really good in the first inning and not bad in the second,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “He gave up a home run on a high fastball and really started struggling. It was almost a 50-pitch third inning. It’s just one of those nights where we really didn’t pitch very well.”

The Royals have lost 20 of 29 home games.

MILESTONE HIT

A’s catcher Jonathan Lucroy singled in the sixth for his 1,000 hit. He had three hits and scored three runs.

“It’s been eight years,” Lucroy said. “It’s been a long time. I’m grateful I can be in this game that long and be able to even have the opportunity to get a thousand hits, so it’s, very blessed to be on that side of it. A lot of fun and even more better when you get a win out of it.”

ROSTER MOVE

Oakland reinstated Marcus Semien from the paternity list. He entered in the ninth at shortstop. INF Franklin Barreto was optioned to Triple-A Nashville.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Athletics: LHP Brett Anderson (left shoulder strain) will play catch Saturday, the first day he’ll throw since placed on the disabled list on May 19. RHP Liam Hendriks (right groin strain) will throw again Saturday for the Sounds. He pitched a scoreless inning Thursday at Round Rock.

Royals: 1B Lucas Duda (right foot plantar fasciitis) and 3B Cheslor Cuthbert (lower back strain) remain on the disabled list. Royals manager Ned Yost said they are not close to going on a rehab assignment.

UP NEXT

Athletics: RHP Trevor Cahill, who had an 8.22 ERA in 10 appearances last season with Kansas City, will start against his former club.

Royals: RHP Jason Hammel is 2-0 with a 0.73 ERA in his past two starts.

— Associated Press —

St. Louis gets shutout by Pittsburgh Friday

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ST. LOUIS (AP) — Just like his teammates, Jameson Taillon had been struggling after a strong start to the season.

The promising young Pirates right-hander put it all back together Friday night.

Taillon pitched three-hit ball over eight innings and Pittsburgh beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-0 on Friday night for its second win in its past seven games.

“I just kind of blacked out and executed my pitches,” Taillon said.

Pittsburgh had lost three straight to St. Louis during a 3-10 stretch, mostly against NL Central opponents.

Taillon (3-4) hadn’t won since April 8, when he one-hit the Cincinnati Reds in a 5-0 win. He was nearly as good this time against St. Louis, striking out six and walking one to slim his ERA to 3.97.

“This was a good one, man,” he said. “I’ve had a couple of good ones (in the majors). I know I have the ability of pitching deep in the games. I know I have the ability of turning the lineup over three or four times.

“Now, it’s about consistency and showing I can do it more often.”

St. Louis has dropped three of five. Miles Mikolas (6-1) gave up two runs — one earned — in six innings. He allowed six hits, struck out two and walked one. This was his first loss since returning to the U.S. following a stint in the Japanese professional league.

“We talk about giving us a chance for the offense to do something,” Cardinal manager Mike Matheny said. “He’s been really good all season, and that was one of those games you’d think that he had held them down enough for us to make something happen but their guy was really good.”

Adam Frazier, who was penciled in at second base late after Josh Harrison was scratched from the original lineup with flu-like symptoms, doubled in the third and tripled in the fifth before scoring Pittsburgh’s first two runs. His double ricocheted off Mikolas’ left foot and bounced into shallow left field. He scored on Josh Bell’s sacrifice fly.

It was more than enough for Taillon, who got 15 groundball outs.

“He was pumping the zone,” Frazier said. “Pitches were down, right on the corners. Not many misses tonight.”

Francisco Cervelli followed Frazier’s triple with his own to give the Pirates a 2-0 lead.

Pittsburgh tacked on two more runs in the eighth on an RBI double by Corey Dickerson and a sacrifice fly from Colin Moran.

Marcell Ozuna had two of the three hits off Taillon, both infield singles. Dexter Fowler also had a single.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: IF Jung Ho Kang played his first U.S. game in more than a year with Class A Bradenton. Kang, 31, is currently on the Major League Baseball’s restricted list after missing the 2017 season following his third DUI arrest in his native South Korea in December 2016. Kang was not permitted to enter the U.S. until he was issued a work visa in late April. He went 0 for 3 with two walks and two strikeouts.

Cardinals: C Yadier Molina is scheduled to make rehab starts for Double-A Springfield on Saturday and Sunday. He expects to return to the Cardinals for their Tuesday game with Milwaukee. Molina suffered a pelvic injury with a traumatic hematoma on May 5 that required emergency surgery.

UP NEXT:

Pirates RHP Chad Kuhl (4-3, 3.94) will face Cardinals RHP Luke Weaver (3-5, 4.63) Saturday in the third game of a four-game set. Kuhl is looking for his first win since May 6. He lost his last outing, which followed three consecutive no decisions. Weaver has dropped three straight decisions and four of his past five.

— Associated Press —

Missouri’s Cierra Porter announces medical retirement

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COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou junior forward Cierra Porter has decided to forgo her final year of collegiate eligibility and medically retire. Porter completed her graduation requirements in May and will pursue professional opportunities outside of basketball.

“There are not enough words to express my gratitude toward my Aunt (Coach Pingeton), the rest of the amazing staff, my teammates who became my sisters, my supportive and loving family, the world’s best fans, and the countless other people that made my time at Mizzou so incredible,” said Porter. “I have memories that I will carry with me forever. Now that I have my degree, I have decided to shift my focus toward my future quality of life and that means saying goodbye to the sport I love. While it was the hardest decision I’ve ever made, I’m excited for what God has planned for my life moving forward. I appreciate Mizzou nation so much, and I am forever a Tiger!”

“Cierra has been a vital member of our program for the past three years and we can’t thank her enough for her contributions,” said head coach Robin Pingeton. “This was obviously a very difficult decision for Cierra, but one that we fully support. Cierra has played through much pain with ongoing knee issues over the last several years and there comes a point where you have to put long term quality of life ahead of everything else. It is remarkable what she has been able to contribute to our program despite never being fully healthy. Cierra graduated in three years with a 3.8 GPA, and there is no doubt she has a very bright future ahead of her. Although we will miss Cierra, we wish her nothing but the very best and are excited for the next chapter in her life.”

In three years for Mizzou, Porter averaged 10.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per game while recording 98 blocks and 68 steals. Porter earned All-SEC Freshman Team honors in 2015-16 after scoring 8.6 points and grabbing 5.4 rebounds per game. Her 266 total points in her debut season rank as the tenth-most in school history. Among program records, Porter ranks fifth in seventh all-time in free-throw percentage (.793) and career rebounding average (7.0), and ninth in free throws made in a season (141, 2016-17).

— Mizzou Athletics —

Lafayette announces McDowell as head football coach

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Eric McDowell. Photo courtesy SJSD.

The St. Joseph School District announces Eric McDowell as the new head football coach at Lafayette High School, pending Board of Education approval.

McDowell has been with the district since 2005. He started his career in education at Mid‐Buchanan High School where he was a science teacher, assistant football coach and head wrestling coach. He joined the SJSD in 2005 as a biology teacher at Benton High School and assistant football coach. Most recently, McDowell was the assistant football coach and defensive coordinator for Lafayette’s football program. He also teaches physical education at Lafayette.

McDowell has a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Missouri Western State University and a master’s in education administration from William Woods University.

McDowell is replacing Bart Hardy who was recently selected to fill an open assistant principal position at Lafayette.

The Board of Education is expected to approve the position at the next meeting on June 11, 2018.

– SJSD Press release –

Mustangs get blanked by Kansas City Monarchs 7-0

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The St. Joseph Mustangs suffered their first loss of the season Thursday as they fell at home to the Kansas City Monarchs 7-0.

St. Joe’s collegiate summer baseball team drops to 1-1 this season.

The Monarchs jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Mustangs’ starter Mack Stepheneson struggled. He allowed four runs and four hits in 3.2 innings. Stephenson walked five and struck out two.

Kansas City knocked Stephenson out in the fourth inning with a run and they added three more in the eighth off of St. Joseph reliever Grant Hoppock.

The Mustangs had just five hits on the night. Zach Smith had a single and a double as he finished 2-for-4, while Brody Santilli, Jordan Maxon and Mason Janvrin added one hit each.

St. Joseph opens MINK League play Friday as they host the Nevada Griffons inside Phil Welch Stadium at 7:00 p.m.

Munoz’s 3-run HR caps 5-run 9th, Cardinals beat Pirates 10-8

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ST. LOUIS (AP) — Yairo Munoz hit a three-run, game-ending homer to cap St. Louis’ five-run ninth inning and rally the Cardinals to a 10-8 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday night.

Munoz ripped the first pitch from closer Felipe Vazquez (2-2) over the wall in center field to give St. Louis its sixth walk-off win of the season.

Francisco Cervelli hit a tie-breaking three-run homer in the eighth to give the Pirates an 8-5 lead. However, Pittsburgh couldn’t hold on and lost in St. Louis for the fifth straight time and 12th in the last 14.

Josh Bell also homered for the Pirates

Munoz, who drove in five runs, had a two-run single in the first inning.

Luke Voit, called up from Triple-A Memphis earlier in the day, started the ninth-inning rally with a two-run single with the bases loaded to pull St. Louis to 8-7. Munoz followed with his homer.

Mike Mayers (2-0), also recalled earlier in the day, picked up the win with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief.

Greg Garcia broke a 4-4 tie with a run-scoring hit in the fifth off Trevor Williams, who allowed five runs and nine hits over five innings.

Dexter Fowler also drove in two runs in the four-run first.

St. Louis starter Jack Flaherty gave up four runs and seven hits over five innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: RHP Ivan Nova, placed on the 10-day disabled list with a sprained right ring finger on Monday, will likely pitch in a simulated game before returning to the rotation. RHP Nick Kingham (2-1, 3.75) will start in Nova’s spot on Sunday.

Cardinals: RHP Alex Reyes was placed on the 10-day disabled list Thursday with a right latissimus dorsi strain after tossing four scoreless innings on Wednesday in Milwaukee. Cardinals vice president and general manager Michael Girsch indicated Reyes will miss at least two starts and likely more. “It is significant,” Girsch said. … The Cardinals recalled LHP Austin Gomber, RHP Mayers and INF Voit from Triple-A Memphis on Thursday. RHP John Gant and OF Tyler O’Neill were optioned to Memphis.

REHAB CENTRAL

St. Louis C Yadier Molina will make a rehab start for Double-A Springfield on Saturday. Molina suffered a pelvic injury with a traumatic hematoma on May 5. … Cardinals RHP Carlos Martinez gave up two runs and five hits in four innings for Springfield in a rehab start against Corpus Christi on Thursday. He stuck out four and threw 63 pitches.

UP NEXT

Pirates RHP Jameson Taillon (2-4, 4.53) will face the Cardinals’ Miles Mikolas (6-0, 2.58) in the second game of the four-game series on Friday. Taillon is 1-1 with a 4.45 ERA in six career starts against St. Louis. Mikolas is 4-0 with a 3.13 ERA in four starts against Central Division foes this season.

— Associated Press —

Lorek to retire as Northwest head track and cross country coach

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MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State’s cross country and track & field head coach Scott Lorek announced Thursday he is retiring this summer.

Lorek has served as the women’s head cross country and track & field coach for 14 years and been in charge of the men’s programs since the 2008-2009 season.

“We wish Coach Scott Lorek and his family the best of luck in this next chapter of their lives,” said Interim Director of Athletics Andy Peterson. “The entirety of his service here was tremendous…he has positively impacted so many people’s and student-athlete’s lives here and made student-athlete experience special. He invested so much into these programs and his passion for track and field and cross country is second-to-none. We will miss him and his love for athletics, but we know he will be great in whatever he chooses to do next.”

Highlights of Lorek’s tenure include an NCAA Championship appearance for the men’s cross country team in 2016. That group earned a third place finish at the NCAA Regionals to secure their championship appearance in Florida, as well as a second place finish in the MIAA championships that fall. Also, a third place finish this spring with the women’s indoor track and field team highlight his track legacy.

Lorek has coached the top nine individual times for the women’s cross country 6,000 Meter event and 13 of 15 overall as well as eight of the top 15 times at the 5,000 Meter distance. In 2012, Ryan Darling broke his father’s 1978 10,000 Meter Cross Country school record by running 30:54.6 under Lorek’s tutelage. Lorek also guided Wick Cunningham to an individual appearance in the 2014 NCAA Championships and Angela Adams to become the first woman for the Bearcats to capture an MIAA Individual Championship in 2011.

Coach Lorek developed 13 track & field All-Americans in his time at Northwest who combined for 25 All-America honors. His athletes broke 21 different Northwest indoor track & field records and 18 Bearcat outdoor track & field records, including having all Top 10 marks in the women’s indoor pentathlon and 9 of the top 10 scores in the outdoor heptathlon.

A search for the new head cross country and track & field coach will begin immediately.

— Northwest Athletics —

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