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Cardinals fall at Pittsburgh Saturday 6-4

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PITTSBURGH (AP) — Adam Frazier and the Pittsburgh Pirates finished off a win at PNC Park, then packed their bags for a trip — to another home game about 200 miles away.

Frazier homered, doubled and singled to help the Pirates beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-4 Saturday, ending a six-game losing streak in a matchup delayed nearly two hours by rain.

On Sunday morning, both teams will fly to central Pennsylvania to play in the Little League Classic later that night in Williamsport.

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said they sent Sunday starter Ivan Nova ahead earlier Saturday. With him already in place, the rain didn’t disrupt the Pirates much, but it could have if the game went on any longer.

“(Nova is) already there,” Hurdle said. “Probably just finishing up dinner. The key is to keep the guys fresh. I didn’t think there were any challenges. If we played longer tonight, there could’ve been some different challenges.”

The game will be held at the home of the Williamsport Crosscutters, the Pirates’ affiliate in the Class A New York-Penn League.

Following the rain delay in the second, Frazier and Starling Marte hit two-run homers in a five-run inning. Pinch-hitter Jose Osuna homered in the sixth.

The Cardinals scored 11 runs in each of their two wins to start this series. Paul DeJong hit a two-run homer in the eighth and Jose Martinez homered in the ninth.

“I put us within striking distance, and Jose puts us a little closer,” DeJong said. “You can’t give away at-bats, late in a game, down by five runs, rain delay all those factors. You’ve just got to try to help the team win every time.”

Chad Kuhl (6-8) responded well following the rain delay, giving up one run and three hits in five innings. Felipe Rivero got his 13th save.

Hurdle said Kuhl “was willing to pitch if he had to wait until tomorrow” for the rain to stop.

Kuhl said he felt sharper once he returned to the mound.

“I had all the confidence in the world that I was going to be back out there,” he said. “(It was) never really was a question in my mind with the state of our bullpen not being so rested. I was 100 percent. No matter how long it took, I was ready.”

Michael Wacha (9-6) was tagged for five runs and seven hits in four innings.

Wacha retired the side in order in the first, but the Pirates scored five times in the second. A leadoff walk set up Frazier’s home run, and Kuhl later doubled before Marte connected.

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny couldn’t say if the delay impacted Wacha.

“You can’t take anything out of the equation,” Matheny said. “He was good in the first. It’s a long wait, but it’s a long wait for their guy, too, and he got out there and he looked better when he got back out.”

MAJOR LEAGUE DEBUT

Cardinals: RHP Josh Lucas, 26, came in to start the fifth inning in relief of Wacha. He worked around a pair of singles in his first inning and gave up Osuna’s homer the next inning. St. Louis recalled Lucas, who allowed one run on four hits with two strikeouts in two innings, from Triple-A Memphis and optioned RHP Mike Mayers on Friday.

ROSTER MOVE

Pirates: RHP Dovydas Neverauskas was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis while LHP Steven Brault was optioned to Indianapolis. He pitched a perfect fifth inning with one strikeout Saturday. Brault was recalled on Friday, after LHP Wade LeBlanc was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a left quad strain.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Mike Leake (7-11, 3.88) will try to bounce back from a poor start when he takes the mound against the Pirates in Williamsport. He surrendered eight runs on nine hits in 4 1/3 innings against the Boston Red Sox last time out.

Pirates: Nova (10-10, 3.77) will look to build off his last start when he faces the Cardinals. He took the loss his last time out, but allowed just one earned run in six innings against Milwaukee.

— Associated Press —

Area High School Football Scores – Friday, August 18

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CITY
Liberty 48 (1-0, 1-0 Suburban Red)
Central 3 (0-1, 0-1 Suburban Red)

Lafayette 48 (1-0, 0-0 MEC)
North Kansas City 14 (0-1)

Harrisonville 41 (1-0)
Benton 6 (0-1, 0-0 MEC)

Pembroke Hill 30 (1-0)
Bishop LeBlond 27 (0-1, 0-0 MEC)

Pattonsburg 46 (1-0, 1-0 GRC)
St. Joseph Christian 30 (0-1, 0-1 GRC)
AREA
Grain Valley 35 (1-0)
Savannah 16 (0-1, 0-1 MEC)

Maryville 43 (1-0, 0-0 MEC)
Lawson 0 (0-1, 0-0 KCI)

Chillicothe 30 (1-0, 0-0 MEC)
Marshall 0 (0-1)

Lafayette County 42 (1-0)
Cameron 0 (0-1, 0-0 MEC)

Smithville 33 (1-0, 0-0 MEC)
Pleasant Hill 15 (0-1)

East Buchanan 56 (1-0, 0-0 KCI)
South Harrison 30 (0-1, 0-0 GRC)

Princeton 50 (1-0, 0-0 GRC)
Mid-Buchanan 7 (0-1, 0-0 KCI)

Gallatin 42 (1-0, 0-0 GRC)
North Platte 13 (0-1, 0-0 KCI)

West Platte 36 (1-0, 0-0 KCI)
Lincoln Prep 26 (0-1)

Plattsburg 39 (1-0, 0-0 KCI)
Holden 18 (0-1)

Hamilton 41 (1-0, 0-0 KCI)
Maysville 22 (0-1, 0-0 GRC)

Lathrop 23 (1-0, 0-0 KCI)
Trenton 0 (0-1)

Polo 34 (1-0, 0-0 GRC)
Orrick 6 (0-1)
8-MAN
Stanberry 50 (1-0, 1-0 GRC)
Braymer 20 (0-1, 0-1 GRC)

Rock Port 72 (1-0, 1-0 275)
DeKalb 8 (0-1, 0-1 275)

Mound City 56 (1-0, 1-0 275)
Platte Valley 6 (0-1, 0-1 275)

Stewartsville 42 2OT (1-0, 1-0 275)
North-West Nodaway 36 (0-1, 0-1 275)

Worth County 56 (1-0, 0-0 GRC)
South Holt / Nodaway Holt 6 (0-1, 0-0 275)

East Atchison 28 (1-0, 1-0 275)
Southwest Livingston 14 (0-1, 0-1 275)

Royals get clobbered by Cleveland in series opener 10-1

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The party that started when the Indians arrived at Kauffman Stadium ground to a halt when Corey Kluber winced while covering first base in the sixth inning against Kansas City on Friday night.

It turned out to be merely a blip in the soundtrack.

Kluber escaped with a minor sprain of his right ankle, an injury that manager Terry Francona hoped will not cause him to miss a start. And considering the offense that the Indians piled up in a 10-1 rout of the Royals, just about anybody could have been on the mound and been successful.

Jay Bruce hit a pair of homers and had five RBIs, while Jason Kipnis and Edwin Encarnacion also went deep, as the Indians piled up 13 hits in pushing their AL Central lead to 6 1/2 games.

“I just feel like I added to an already good lineup,” said Bruce, who has gone deep three times since his trade from the Mets. “But these guys were already good before I got here.”

Especially the guy on the hill Friday night.

“I’ve been on the other side of that too many times. He anchors this thing for us,” Bruce said of Kluber. “We feel pretty damn good when he’s on the mound.”

Kluber (12-3) was cruising along until there was one out in the sixth inning and Eric Hosmer sent a grounder to the right side of the infield. Kluber winced coming off the mound to cover the bag, and manager Terry Francona and the team’s training staff quickly jogged out to the mound.

The two-time All-Star faced one more batter before Andrew Miller relieved him. Kluber allowed a homer to Brandon Moss along with five more hits, striking out four and walking one.

“It’s a low ankle sprain and on the mild side. It’s not the dreaded high ankle sprain that you hear with NFL guys,” said Indians manager Terry Francona, who had a DJ and arcade game waiting for his team in a festive visiting clubhouse to boost their morale during a long road trip.

Kipnis and Bruce homered in the first inning off Ian Kennedy (4-9), and Bruce added a three-run shot in the seventh. Encarnacion added his homer leading off the ninth.

“They were better than us tonight. You can live with that,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “We’ll come back tomorrow and play again. This game wasn’t a good one for us. It just happens.”

Kennedy was pounded for five runs on six hits and two walks in 2 2/3 innings in another forgettable night at Kauffman Stadium. It was his 15th straight winless home start dating to August 2016, breaking the Royals’ franchise record held by Mac Suzuki and Glendon Rusch.

The AL Central-leading Indians were coming off a doubleheader in Minnesota on Thursday night, while the chasing Royals had the day off. But it was Cleveland that looked energized in the first of 10 remaining matchups between teams that have dominated the division.

The Indians scored three times in the first inning, gave back a run on Moss’s deep shot to center in the second, then scratched out two more runs in the third to chase Kennedy.

It was Kennedy’s shortest start since going two innings at Minnesota in May.

“It was like one of those games where you’re warming up and hopefully you can get the adrenaline going and body going a little quicker when the game starts, but it didn’t,” he said. “I didn’t have the fastball. I didn’t have the bite on my breaking balls. It was just a bad game.”

STATS AND STREAKS

Kluber’s streak of 14 straight starts with at least eight strikeouts ended one shy of Randy Johnson’s big-league record. … Kluber is 5-0 with a 2.38 ERA in his last eight starts. … Kipnis has homered three times in his past four games. … Bruce has 32 homers, two shy of his career high. … The Royals have lost 13 of 20 since a nine-game winning streak. … Moss’s homer snapped a skid of 0-for-14.

ROSTER MOVES

Indians OF Abraham Almonte went on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring, creating room for Miller to return from the DL. He had been out with right knee tendinitis.

Royals RHP Joakim Soria was placed on the DL with a left oblique strain and RHP Kevin McCarthy was recalled from Triple-A Omaha to take his place. Soria has a 3.96 ERA in 53 appearances.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Indians 3B Jose Ramirez got the night off after getting hit on the forearm Thursday in Minnesota. X-rays were negative and Francona expects him to play Saturday night.

Royals C Salvador Perez (right intercostal strain) took batting practice and did fielding drills before the game, and Yost said he could return next week. He has been on the DL since Aug. 5.

UP NEXT

LHP Jason Vargas (14-6) goes for his career-best 15th win as the Royals continue their series with the Indians. Cleveland counters with RHP Trevor Bauer, who pitched in relief Thursday night.

— Associated Press —

Carpenter homers, Cardinals outlast Pirates 11-10

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PITTSBURGH — Matt Carpenter seemed to send the St. Louis Cardinals on their way to an easy win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night. His three-run homer gave St. Louis a 5-1 lead in the second inning.

When Luke Voit replaced Carpenter at first base in the seventh inning, the Cardinals led 10-3. It reached 11-3 in the eighth before they nearly let it slip away.

St. Louis eventually won 11-10 but despite the near collapse, Carpenter said he was never nervous in the dugout.

“Never a doubt. Never a doubt,” said Carpenter, who hit the second of three St. Louis home runs in the first three innings. “It was interesting, for sure, but I knew we’d find a way to finish it off.”

The Cardinals have taken the first two games of a four-game series against the Pirates to remain 1 1/2 games behind the National League Central-leading Chicago Cubs.

St. Louis has won 10 of their past 13 games despite losing three straight from Aug. 13-16. It has scored at least eight runs in eight of those 10 wins.

“We needed all of them, 11 (runs),” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. “I just can’t say enough when an offense puts days like that together.”

Right-hander Carlos Martinez (10-9) allowed three runs and six hits with four strikeouts for the win. Right-hander Seung Hwan Oh picked up his 19th save.

The Cardinals survived a late Pirates push.

Max Moroff hit a two-run home run, Pittsburgh’s third of the game, 420 feet into the Allegheny River on a bounce beyond the right field wall to make it 11-5 in the eighth. Josh Bell hit an RBI double and Elias Diaz drove in two runs with a double to cut the deficit to 11-8 later in the inning.

Pittsburgh scored two more in the ninth, but left the bases loaded.

“They played. They continued to play,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “They continued to fight. They worked well in the dugout together. They continued to talk baseball.”

The Pirates’ losing streak reached six games. They are 6 1/2 games behind the Cubs.

Tommy Pham homered in the first inning to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead and Paul DeJong made it 6-2 with a solo shot in the third. St. Louis scored two runs in the fourth inning to take an 8-2 lead and chase Pirates starter Trevor Williams.

Williams (5-6) lasted three innings while allowing eight runs, three home runs and seven hits with three strikeouts.

“I thought the command was there,” Williams said. “I had all four pitches working in the zone. It’s just unfortunate the low ball was taken away from me early. But then again, I still have to make pitches.”

Starling Marte hit an RBI triple to cut the Cardinals’ lead to 8-3 in the fifth inning.

DeJong, who was 3 for 5 with two RBI, drove in Martinez with a single and Dexter Fowler followed with an RBI double to push the lead out to 10-3 in the top of the sixth and Jose Martinez extended it to 11-3 with a single in the eighth.

Josh Harrison tied it 1-1 in the first inning with his second home run in the past two days. His 14 home runs are a career high, topping his 13 from 2014. David Freese led off the bottom of the second with a home run to cut Pittsburgh’s deficit to 5-2.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright was placed on the 10-day disabled list on Friday with right elbow impingement. He went just three innings while allowing five runs and seven hits in his start against the Pirates on Thursday night. RHP Mike Mayers was recalled from Triple-A Memphis to fill the roster spot.

Pirates: LHP Wade LeBlanc went on the 10-day disabled list with a left quad strain. He allowed four runs in the ninth inning to the Cardinals on Thursday. LHP Steven Brault, who allowed two runs and four hits in four innings in relief of Williams, was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis.

UP NEXT

Neither team announced a starting pitcher for Saturday.

— Associated Press —

Gordon’s go-ahead single in 9th lifts Royals past A’s

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OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals could have headed home with another squandered late-inning lead and far less momentum as they prepare for an important weekend series against first-place Cleveland.

This time, the Royals gave it up again before rallying once more.

Alex Gordon hit a go-ahead RBI single in the top of the ninth after Oakland tied it in the bottom of the eighth, and Kansas City beat the Oakland Athletics 7-6 on Wednesday.

Alcides Escobar doubled to start the ninth against Blake Treinen (1-1), matching his season high with three hits. Then Gordon delivered his second run-scoring single of the series finale as Kansas City won its fourth in five following a five-game skid.

“Today was a step in the right direction for us,” Royals starter Danny Duffy said. “It’s huge. We had a pretty decent roadie.”

Oakland’s Matt Chapman hit a tying two-run homer in the eighth against Brandon Maurer (1-1), who wound up the winner.

Lorenzo Cain hit a two-run homer in the fourth and Duffy struck out eight over five innings, but the Royals needed clutch hitting in the ninth a day after giving up a four-run lead in a 10-8 defeat.

“This was a big win for us today, especially after last night,” manager Ned Yost said. “Games like last night can cease your momentum, so to come back and show the heart and the ability to grind a tough game out like our guys did today was very satisfying.”

Cain added a key RBI single in the eighth for the Royals, who began the day tied with Minnesota six games behind the AL Central-leading Indians.

Kelvin Herrera finished for his 26th save in 29 chances after allowing Ryon Healy’s two-out infield single.

Duffy’s winless stretch reached four outings since a victory at Detroit on July 25. The left-hander earned his first major league win at Oakland on June 14, 2011, and has never lost to the A’s — 3-0 in seven career appearances and six starts — but hasn’t beaten them since April 10, 2012.

Marcus Semien hit a two-run homer in the third and Oakland got back in it on Jed Lowrie’s two-run single in the fifth.

“It just was an ugly game all the way around,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “There was no pace to the game, and it just seemed like one of those games that was just blah.”

Kansas City’s Melky Cabrera fouled a ball off his leg in the third and went down writhing in pain before recovering to hit a single on the very next pitch to load the bases with no outs. But Blackburn struck out Mike Moustakas and induced an inning-ending double play from Brandon Moss to escape unscathed.

A’s starter Paul Blackburn was tagged for eight hits and four runs in four innings of his first career start against Kansas City, striking out two and walking three.

MINOR LEAGUE TRADE

The A’s acquired lefty Sam Moll from Colorado for a player to be named later or cash then optioned him to Triple-A Nashville. Oakland added right-hander Chris Hatcher to the 25-man roster and he made his A’s debut in the sixth inning, a day after coming to Oakland in a trade from the Dodgers. The A’s optioned righty Josh Smith to Nashville and designated righty Zach Neal for assignment to clear 40-man roster space to add Moll.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: RHP Joakim Soria — who allowed four straight hits in the eighth inning Tuesday night — is scheduled for an MRI on Thursday after stiffness in his lat and ribcage area to determine when he can pitch again. The reliever showed up to the Coliseum with discomfort. “He’s been battling with it for two weeks, he’s been pitching through it, he’s been pitching very effectively through it,” Yost said. “But after last night he showed up more so than usual.”

Athletics: Josh Phegley (strained left oblique) was slated to catch five or six innings in a rehab game for Triple-A Nashville at Tacoma. … OF Jake Smolinski, on the disabled list since March 30 recovering from right shoulder surgery, isn’t expected to be able to play in the outfield until “well into September,” Melvin said.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy (4-8, 4.80 ERA) starts Friday at home against the first-place Indians trying to snap a 14-start winless stretch at Kaufmann Stadium since a victory vs. Minnesota on Aug. 20 last year.

Athletics: Following Thursday’s day off, LHP Sean Manaea (8-7, 4.59) starts at Houston on Friday looking to end a five-start winless stretch in which he’s 0-2 since beating Cleveland on July 16.

— Associated Press —

Cardinals blow 4-0 lead at Boston, lose on Betts’ walk-off double

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BOSTON (AP) — Mookie Betts lined a two-run double off the left-field wall with two outs in the ninth inning, capping a three-run rally that lifted the Boston Red Sox to a 5-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday night.

Xander Bogaerts hit a solo homer for the AL East-leading Red Sox, who won for the 12th time in 14 games and maintained their 4 1/2-game lead over the second-place New York Yankees.

Kolten Wong had three hits, including an RBI single in St. Louis’ four-run second inning. It was just the third loss in 11 games for the Cardinals, who were swept in the two-game series, their first visit to Fenway Park since the 2013 World Series.

Trevor Rosenthal gave up Bogaerts’ homer into the Green Monster seats in the ninth. Zach Duke (0-1) struck out a batter and walked one before John Brebbia gave up Betts’ hit.

Craig Kimbrel (5-0) pitched one hitless inning for the win.

— Associated Press —

Mizzou baseball hires Fred Corral as pitching coach

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COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Baseball has added veteran coach Fred Corral to its coaching staff, announced Tuesday by head coach Steve Bieser. One of the nation’s most experienced and sought-after pitching coaches in the country, Corral brings with him nearly a quarter century of coaching experience after a successful career in both college and professional baseball. Corral brings a ‘no-limits’ approach to coaching with a tireless work ethic, and stood out to Coach Bieser due to his incredible ability to develop young men, both on and off the baseball diamond.

“Fred is not only a great pitching coach who has a wealth of knowledge and passion, Fred is a developer of men,” Bieser said. “Going through the process and talking to former players and coaches, the one thing that kept standing out to me was his commitment to developing the entire person. Fred personifies the Mizzou baseball motto “commit to excellence. His commitment to academic excellence, athletic excellence, and social development was very evident through the interviewing process. I am excited to welcome the Corral’s to the Mizzou baseball family.”

With 24 years of coaching experience across all levels of baseball, 11 of those years have come in the Southeastern Conference with three coming in professional baseball. He spent the last five seasons at fellow SEC East foe Georgia, coaching 12 pitchers to MLB Draft selections, including 2016 first-round pick Robert Tyler (38th overall to Colorado). He coached Tyler to a 2.68 ERA as a freshman in 2014, the lowest ERA by a UGA pitcher in 10 years. The highlight of his coaching tenure at Georgia came last season when the Bulldog staff limited batters to a .241 average, resetting the program record.

“First, I want to take the time and say how excited I am to be working with Coach Bieser and a guy like Evan Pratte, who I have known for a long time,” Corral said. “I am excited to get to know Lance Rhodes and Dillon Lawson as they are two incredible young coaches and I can’t wait to get after it with those guys. I am so fortunate to be surrounded by such a talented group of guys.”

Before his time at Georgia, Corral helped Memphis to arguably its best four-year stretch on the mound in program history. His 2013 team posted a 3.05 staff ERA, the lowest by a Memphis team since 1976, while striking out more than 400 batters in three of four seasons, including a school-record 462 in 2010. He also mentored a pair of first-time draftees while at Memphis, including 2013 Conference USA Pitcher of the Year Dan Schoenrock.

Corral’s SEC roots run much deeper than his most recent time at Georgia. He coached at Tennessee in two different stints from 2002-04 and 2007-09. During Corral’s first run at Tennessee, the Volunteers’ pitching staff ranked among the best in the SEC. His staffs posted consecutive sub-3.90 ERAs, and UT’s 3.51 ERA in 2004 was the nation’s 13th-best. The 2004 Volunteer staff recorded the fifth-most strikeouts in school history and held opponents to a .243 batting average, which was UT’s lowest mark in nine seasons. Tennessee also had three pitchers in 2004 with ERAs that ranked among the top-12 in the SEC. Four of Corral’s pitchers at Tennessee were selected in the MLB Draft. He signed James Adkins and coached Luke Hochevar, hurlers who rank first and third on UT’s all-time strikeouts list. Hochevar was the No. 1 overall pick by the Kansas City Royals in 2006. Corral’s former pupils who have reached the Major Leagues include Matt Riley, Adam Bernero, Mike Neu, Joe Horgan, Daniel McCutchen, Garrett Richards, Charlie Zink and Hochevar.

Corral is no stranger to professional baseball either, having served as a pitching instructor in both the Los Angeles Dodgers (2000-01) and Montreal Expos (1999) organizations.

As a player, Corral was a first-team All-Pac-10 selection as a LHP at Cal in 1987. The Golden Bears’ eighth 10-game winner, Corral set a school record for single-season win-loss percentage with a perfect 10-0 record as a junior in 1987. The southpaw added five saves and a 3.75 ERA in en route to earning the team’s Most Valuable Pitcher honor. Corral helped lead the Golden Bears to their fourth College World Series appearance in 1988. He finished his two-year Bear career with a 13-5 mark, a 4.50 ERA and six saves. Corral starred at San Joaquin Delta Junior Colleg,e where he garnered All-Camino Notre Conference honors in 1985 and 1986, before transferring to Cal.

— Mizzou Athletics —

Gallagher hits grand slam for 1st MLB homer, Royals beat A’s 6-2

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OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Cam Gallagher hit a grand slam for his first career home run and second big league hit, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Oakland Athletics 6-2 on Monday night.

Gallagher’s shot into the left-field seats in the sixth inning marked the first grand slam by a Royals rookie since Paulo Orlando connected in the first game of a doubleheader against Tampa Bay on July 7, 2015.

Jake Junis (5-2), recalled for his seventh stint with Kansas City this season, allowed two runs and four hits in six innings with two strikeouts and no walks.

The Royals moved into a second-place tie with the idle Twins, five games back of AL Central-leading Cleveland.

— Associated Press —

Bearcats ranked No. 1 in preseason AFCA Top 25 poll

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WACO, Texas – The Northwest Missouri State University football team has been ranked first in the 2017 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) preseason poll. The Bearcats received all 34 first place votes ad 850 points, 85 points clear of second place Grand Valley State with 765. Emporia State was ranked fourth with 652 points. Northwest will host the Hornets on Thursday, Aug. 31, at 7 p.m. in both teams’ season openers.

Central Missouri, who went 9-3 last year, was ranked 21st with 189 points. Pittsburg State received 10 points.

AFCA Preseason Poll
1. Northwest Missouri St.
2. Grand Valley St. (Mich.)
3. Ferris St. (Mich.)
4. Emporia St. (Kan.)
5. Texas A&M-Commerce
6. North Alabama
7. Shepherd (W.Va.)
8. California (Pa.)
9. Indiana (Pa.)
10. Minnesota-Duluth
11. Valdosta St. (Ga.)
12. Colorado St.-Pueblo
13. Azusa Pacific (Calif.)
14. LIU-Post (N.Y.)
15. Harding (Ark.)
16. Colorado School of Mines
17. Sioux Falls (S.D.)
18. Southwest Baptist (Mo.)
19. North Carolina-Pembroke
20. Minnesota St.
21. Central Missouri
22. Southern Arkansas
23. Colorado Mesa
24. Midwestern St. (Texas)
25. Bemidji St. (Minn.)

— Northwest Athletics —

Royals win series at Chicago with 14-6 victory Sunday

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CHICAGO (AP) — Whit Merrifield had a chance to hit for the cycle. He settled for a really fun day.

Merrifield hit a three-run homer and drove in a career-high five runs, and the Kansas City Royals pounded the Chicago White Sox 14-6 on Sunday.

Drew Butera had four of Kansas City’s 16 hits, helping the Royals climb back over .500 at 59-58. Jorge Bonifacio hit his 15th homer, and Lorenzo Cain had two hits and two RBI.

Merrifield needed a double for the cycle when he came to the plate with the bases loaded in the eighth inning. But he popped out on a shallow foul ball to right fielder Avisail Garcia.

“With the game like it was, it (the cycle) was on my mind,” Merrifield said. “Hit a ball in the gap. I made a pretty poor swing, on a slider.”

Merrifield still finished with three hits. The 28-year-old second baseman is batting .296 with 14 homers and 56 RBI.

“He’s worked himself into a very nice major league player,” manager Ned Yost said. “He has a little power and plays solid defense.”

Jason Vargas (14-6) worked six innings to match his career high for wins set in 2012 with Seattle. The left-hander allowed three runs and six hits, struck out seven and walked two.

The Royals won the last two games of the weekend set after dropping five in a row and 10 of 12. They remain in the mix for the second AL wild card.

“We were kind of spinning our wheels for while trying to gain some momentum,” Yost said. “It’s hard to get, but easy to stop.”

Tim Anderson hit a two-run homer for AL-worst Chicago, and Garcia added a two-run double.

White Sox left-hander Derek Holland (6-12) lasted just two-plus innings in his shortest start of the year. He was charged with seven runs and seven hits.

“I don’t even know where to begin,” Holland said. “Today was just, in my eyes, embarrassing.”

Kansas City grabbed control with four runs in the second and four more in the third. Bonifacio led off the third with a drive to left and Merrifield made it 8-0 when he went deep against Mike Pelfrey.

“It does seem to come in bunches at times,” White Sox manager Rick Renteria said.

Merrifield added a two-run triple in the sixth, making it 12-3.

BY THE DOZEN

White Sox rookie Nicky Delmonico reached in his 12th straight game to begin his career, extending his team record. He also has a 10-game hitting streak.

He was hit by a pitch in the second and walked in the fourth. He also doubled home a run in the seventh and was robbed of a potential home run by a leaping grab by Alex Gordon in center for the final out of the game.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: INF Mike Moustakas (left knee soreness) was the designated hitter for the second time in the three-game series at Chicago, but Yost said he hoped to have the slugger back at third base Monday in Oakland.

White Sox: INF/DH Matt Davidson said he is recovering from a bruised right wrist more slowly than expected and is still not able to swing a bat. Davidson had hoped to return this week against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. “We’re going to re-evaluate in the next couple of days and go from there,” he said. Davidson has been on the DL since being hit by a pitch by Toronto’s Marcus Stroman on Aug. 1.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Jake Junis (4-2, 4.70 ERA) will be recalled from Triple-A Omaha for his eighth start Monday against Oakland. Jharel Cotton (5-9, 5.72 ERA) pitches for the Athletics in the opener of a three-game series.

White Sox: RHP Miguel Gonzalez (6-10, 4.85 ERA) faces Dodgers LHP Alex Wood (14-1, 2.37 ERA) on Tuesday in Los Angeles. Wood has won three straight since his only loss this season.

— Associated Press —

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