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Royals’ Moustakas wins online vote for final AL All-Star roster spot

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NEW YORK (AP) — Kansas City third baseman Mike Moustakas and Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner have been elected to the All-Star Game in online voting for the final initial roster spots.

Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant was second in the NL vote, leaving Cubs reliever Wade Davis as the sole representative of the World Series champions at Tuesday’s game in Miami. Davis did not join the Cubs until the offseason, after Chicago’s first World Series title since 1908.

The last World Series champion with one All-Star was in 2007, when Albert Pujols was the only player from the St. Louis Cardinals.

Turner received a record 20.8 million votes, topping Freddie Freeman’s 19.7 million in 2013, the commissioner’s office said Thursday. Moustakas, who also won the final spot vote in 2015, received 15.6 million ballots.

Washington third baseman Anthony Rendon was third, followed by Colorado first baseman Mark Reynolds and Miami first baseman Justin Bour, who will compete in Monday’s Home Run Derby.

Boston shortstop Xander Bogaerts was second in the AL vote, followed by the Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius, Texas shortstop Elvis Andrus and Tampa Bay first baseman Logan Morrison.

Additional All-Stars will be picked for injured players.

— Associated Press —

Voit helps Cardinals slip past Marlins in series finale 4-3

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ST. LOUIS (AP) — Luke Voit is living his childhood dream with his hometown St. Louis Cardinals.

And the Cardinals are reaping the benefits.

The rookie first baseman hit his second home run and drove in three runs to help the Cardinals beat the Miami Marlins 4-3 on Thursday.

“What a great day for Luke,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. ” … This kid continues to take great at-bats in big situations and it’s hard not to have him in the lineup when he’s swinging like he is.”

Voit, who also doubled, started for the fourth consecutive day at first base. He has seven RBI during the month of July, tied for the team lead with outfielder Tommy Pham, and is hitting .333 through his first 11 games in the majors.

“I’m just trying to do my job and try to drive in runs, especially hitting in those key situations,” Voit said. “I’m glad I’m helping the team win.”

“He’s been a game-changer so far,” said Jedd Gyorko, who also had two hits.

The Cardinals, who had lost two straight, earned a four-game series split after winning the previous two series against the Diamondbacks and Nationals.

The Cardinals’ eight hits backed another good outing from Michael Wacha (6-3), who allowed two runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out nine and walked two.

Marcell Ozuna had three hits and three RBI for the Marlins. Dee Gordon had two hits, scored three runs and stole two bases.

Miami starter Tom Koehler (1-4) allowed three runs and four hits over five innings. He struck out seven and walked three. The two hits by Voit were costly.

“An 0-2 curveball that was supposed to get buried and didn’t get there and an 1-0 slider that he did a good job driving the other way,” Koehler said. “That’s a strong boy. He’s got a good swing.”

The Marlins took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on Ozuna’s two-out RBI single.

Voit tied it with a solo homer in the second inning. It traveled an estimated 446 feet and landed in the Big Mac Land section of the second deck, the first Cardinal to hit a home run there this season.

“That’s something I grew up wanting to do my whole life,” said Voit, who grew up idolizing former Cardinals slugger Mark McGwire. “To do it here is pretty sweet. I’m definitely going to remember that forever.”

Ozuna made it 2-1 with a broken-bat RBI single to right in the third.

Voit had a two-out, two-run double off the right field wall in the third to put the Cardinals ahead 3-2.

Randal Grichuk hit a solo home run, his eighth, in the sixth to make it 4-2.

Ozuna added another RBI single in the seventh.

Cardinals closer Seung Hwan Oh capped off a strong performance by the St. Louis bullpen. He allowed a leadoff single in the ninth, but locked down his 17th save in 20 chances.

ICHIRO HITS ANOTHER MILESTONE

Ichiro Suzuki’s second-inning single to left field was his 3,053rd hit in the majors, which tied Rod Carew for 24th on the career hits list. His eighth-inning single, hit No. 3,054, passed Carew and made him the major’s all-time hits leader for foreign-born players. Carew is from Panama.

Next up on the career hits list at No. 23 is Rickey Henderson with 3,055.

MAN OF STEAL

Gordon became the third in the majors to record 30 steals this season, following Trea Turner and Billy Hamilton, when he stole second base in the first inning. Gordon added his 31st steal in the seventh. He’s now had 30 or more stolen bases in five of the past six seasons.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: Gyorko (left groin tightness) was back in the starting lineup after not starting the previous two games.

UP NEXT

Marlins: RHP Dan Straily (6-4, 3.51 ERA) opens a three-game series against the Giants in San Francisco on Friday night. He is 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA in three career starts against the Giants.

Cardinals: RHP Carlos Martinez (6-7, 3.15 ERA) opens a three-game series against the visiting Mets on Friday night. He is 3-1 with a 1.26 ERA in seven career appearances, including four starts, against the Mets.

— Associated Press —

Perez homers in 10th to give Royals sweep at Seattle

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SEATTLE (AP) — Salvador Perez hit a two-run homer in the 10th, Alex Gordon added a two-out RBI single later in the inning and the Kansas City Royals completed a three-game sweep with a 9-6 win over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday night.

Perez drove the second pitch from reliever James Pazos (2-2) out to right field for his 17th homer of the season. It was the third home run of the game for Kansas City, adding to earlier two-run shots by Mike Moustakas and Lorenzo Cain.

Mike Minor (5-1) pitched the ninth to get the victory and Kelvin Herrera threw the 10th for his 19th save. Minor had a scare when Mike Zunino led off the ninth with a flyball to deep left field that Gordon caught one step in front of the wall.

Kansas City won for the sixth time in seven games and handed Seattle its seventh straight loss at home.

Nelson Cruz, Jean Segura and Zunino all homered off American League wins leader Jason Vargas for Seattle, but the Mariners were held scoreless for the final seven innings after Cruz’s homer leading off the third.

Headed to the All-Star Game for the first time, Vargas had his worst performance of the season against one of his former teams. He matched a season high by allowing six earned runs, and the three home runs equaled the number Vargas had allowed in his previous six starts combined.

Vargas was headed toward his first loss since May 22 until Cain’s two-out, two-run homer in the fifth inning tied it at 6-all. Cain hit a 3-2 fastball from starter Ariel Miranda off the out-of-town scoreboard for his 11th homer of the season.

Miranda didn’t look like he would make it out of the first inning after allowing a two-run double to Eric Hosmer and the two-run shot to Moustakas. It was the third straight game and sixth time in eight games Moustakas has homered. Miranda quickly settled down, retiring 10 of 11 before a leadoff walk to Gordon opening the fifth. Three batters later, Miranda missed with his 3-2 pitch to Cain and lost out on his chance at an eighth win before the All-Star break.

Cruz hit the 299th home run of his career despite a sore knee that turned his home run trot into glorified speed walking. It was his first long ball since June 4, snapping a string of 87 at-bats without going deep. Cruz also had an RBI groundout in the first inning.

ROTATION ADJUSTMENT

The Royals will skip Travis Wood’s turn in the rotation and have Danny Duffy start on Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the final game before the All-Star break. Duffy will be opposed by Clayton Kershaw.

SLUMPING SEAGER

Seattle 3B Kyle Seager got a rare day off on Wednesday. Seager had started every game since April 27, but in the past 17 games was batting .200 and was hitless in his last 14 at-bats.

UP NEXT

Royals: After an off day, the Royals will open a three-game series against the Dodgers on Friday. Jason Hammel (4-7) will start the opener.

Mariners: Seattle opens a four-game series against division foe Oakland on Thursday. Sam Gaviglio (3-3) starts the opener.

— Associated Press —

Patsy Smith named Missouri Western’s interim AD

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ST. JOSEPH – Patsy Smith will serve as the interim director of athletics at Missouri Western State University.

“Patsy Smith is a Griffon through and through, having been a part of Missouri Western athletics as a student-athlete, coach and administrator,” said Dr. Robert Vartabedian, Missouri Western’s president. “I have the utmost confidence she will provide excellent leadership to the department while we complete the search for our next athletic director.”

“I feel honored that Dr. Vartabedian has asked me to serve as the interim director of athletics at Missouri Western State University,” Smith said. “Having served in this role previously, I am confident our coaches and staff will continue to do a great job, and this will provide for an easy transition.”

Smith officially retired from Missouri Western in July of 2014 after serving various roles in the department since 1994. At the time of her retirement, she served as senior associate director of athletics and senior woman administrator. She continued to serve part-time as athletic business manager until March of 2017.

Smith began her career at Missouri Western in the fall of 1990 as a tennis student-athlete and graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in accounting in 1995.

In 1994, Smith became the head women’s tennis coach and led the team to its first ever NCAA Tournament in 1998. That same year, she became the first athletics business manager at Missouri Western. She has served in the roles of compliance and academics, director of finance, assistant athletics director and finally senior associate director of athletics and senior woman administrator before retiring from full-time employment in 2014.

Smith served on the NCAA Regional Advisory Committee for tennis and the NCAA Regional Advisory Committee for women’s basketball. She also served on the NCAA Championships Committee for six years and was chairperson of the Institutional Representative Council for the MIAA at the time of her retirement.

In the St. Joseph community, Smith co-chaired the YWCA Women of Excellence Luncheon and is a member of their finance committee. She was also a member of the St. Joseph Junior League for 10 years.

Smith takes over for Kurt McGuffin, who left after five years at Missouri Western to become director of athletics at the University of Tennessee-Martin. Dr. Vartabedian hopes to name McGuffin’s permanent successor by the end of July.

— MWSU Athletics —

Cardinals lose second straight to Miami

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ST. LOUIS (AP) — It’s official: Giancarlo Stanton’s slump was short-lived.

Stanton homered twice, recording his 22nd career multihomer game, and Marcell Ozuna and Justin Bour also hit home runs as the Miami Marlins beat the St. Louis Cardinals 9-6 on Wednesday night.

Stanton went 3 for 4 and also walked while driving in four runs as the Marlins won their second straight. He has five hits in his last two games after starting Miami’s road trip in a 1-for-17 funk.

“Most of the time when he gets the barrel on it, it’s gone,” Ozuna said. “Like me, I try to do the same thing but double.”

Dustin McGowan (5-0) gave up a run in 1 1/3 innings of relief, while David Phelps and Kyle Barraclough each pitched a scoreless inning. AJ Ramos earned his 15th save in 16 attempts.

Miami starter Edinson Volquez allowed four runs in four innings, the third time in his last five starts that he failed to complete five innings. Volquez has not lost against St. Louis since April 27, 2014.

Volquez left the game with a sore left knee. He was expected to be re-evaluated Thursday, but is not scheduled to start again before the All-Star break.

“He was having something there that I guess he’s had in the past,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “It flared up on him there and he just couldn’t pitch the way he needed to.”

Stanton lined a 1-1 pitch over the left field wall to give the Marlins a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.

Stanton’s second homer, a three-run shot, capped a five-run second. The Marlins, aided by a pair of Cardinals fielding errors by second baseman Matt Carpenter and first baseman Luke Voit, had just two hits during the frame. Four of the five runs given up by St. Louis starter Mike Leake (6-7) in the inning were unearned.

Ozuna drove in runs with a homer in the third and a double in the fourth. It was his third homer in his last four games.

Bour reached four times, with a pair of hits. Derek Dietrich had two hits for the Marlins and Dee Gordon scored twice.

Tommy Pham had an RBI double and scored on Stephen Piscotty’s single as the Cardinals scored three in the third. Pham’s two-run double in the sixth cut Miami’s lead to 8-6.

Leake went 3 2/3 innings in his shortest outing of the season. Just three of the eight runs he allowed were earned.

“Leake didn’t have his best stuff, but he pitched well enough to let us win,” Pham said. “That’s all you can ask from your pitcher. We have to do a better job of going out there and just playing great, mistake-free baseball.”

Four Cardinals pitchers combined for 4 1/3 innings of scoreless relief before Seung Hwan Oh gave up Bour’s solo homer in the ninth.

“Any time you’ve got multiple guys hitting home runs, you know that you’ve got people going up there with a good approach and doing the right thing,” Bour said. “It’s a good win.”

UPON FURTHER REVIEW

Miami appeared to score again in the third after Ozuna’s home run when JT Riddle was called safe at first base, negating an inning-ending double play and scoring J.T. Realmuto. Cardinals manager Mike Matheny successfully challenged the call at first base, keeping the score 7-0 Marlins.

“It was favored toward our direction, so we took a chance there,” Matheny said. “We’re talking a run, so if its 50-50 even and they (the replay staff) felt pretty good about it from the beginning.”

TRAINING ROOM

Marlins: P Brad Ziegler (right back strain) has started throwing from flat ground.

Cardinals: OF Dexter Fowler (right heel spur) took drills in cleats for the first time since being injured. … 2B Kolten Wong (right triceps strain) began a rehab assignment at Double-A Springfield on Wednesday.

UP NEXT

Marlins: RHP Tom Koehler (1-3, 8.33 ERA) has given up 15 runs in his last two starts, which lasted a combined 4 2/3 innings. He is 1/3 with a 7.62 ERA in five career starts against St. Louis.

Cardinals: RHP Michael Wacha (5-3, 4.16 ERA) has allowed one run in his last 12 innings, including six shutout innings against Washington on Saturday. He is 1-0 with a 5.40 ERA in three career starts against Miami.

— Associated Press —

Mustangs score nine unanswered runs, defeat Sedalia 9-4

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The St. Joseph Mustangs won their second straight game as they defeated Sedalia 9-4 Tuesday inside Phil Welch Stadium.

St. Joe’s collegiate summer baseball team now has a four-game lead on Sedalia in the MINK League North Division as they improve to 24-8 overall and 18-7 in league play.

The Mustangs fell behind 1-0 in the top of the third inning, but St. Joseph came right back with nine unanswered runs over the next five innings. They scored one in the third, five in the fourth inning, one more in the sixth and two runs in the seventh inning.

The Bombers scored two runs in the eighth and one in the ninth inning, but that was as close as they’d get.

Josh Monson earned the win on the mound as he allowed just one run and five hits in seventh inning of work. Monson struck out four and walked two.

Josh Lincoln, Matt Wollnik, Brady Anderson and Easton Fortuna had two hits each, while Anderson drove in three runs and Wollnik had two runs batted in.

The Mustangs are on the road Wednesday as they play at Joplin. The first pitch is at 7:00 p.m. from Joe Becker Stadium.

Royals keep rolling as KC knocks off Seattle again

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SEATTLE (AP) — Every so often Kansas City’s Whit Merrifield will swing at the first pitch of the first inning no matter what just to make sure his scouting report doesn’t become predictable.

“That way pitchers don’t just groove one every time and you’re sitting 0-1 every at-bat,” Merrifield said. “It’s important as the leadoff guy to get on the first pitch every once in a while.”

Merrifield picked the right time, hitting Felix Hernandez’s first pitch of the game for his seventh home run as the Kansas City Royals beat the Seattle Mariners 7-3 on Tuesday for their fifth win in six games.

Merrifield set the tone jumping on an 89 mph pitch in the middle of the plate and clearing the wall in left-center. Mike Moustakas continued his home run roll at the plate hitting a two-run shot for his 24th of the season and the Royals knocked around Hernandez (3-3) for five earned runs in six innings. Moustakas has homered five times in the past seven games.

The Royals scored three times in the fourth inning thanks to Moustakas’ long ball and a two-out error by second baseman Robinson Cano that allowed Brandon Moss to score. Salvador Perez had a two-run double and the five earned runs were the most allowed by Hernandez in his eight starts this season.

“I was just looking for something out over the plate,” Moustakas said. “That guy has been one of the best pitchers in baseball for a long time so I was trying to put a good swing on something early in the count and not get to two strikes.”

Kansas City starter Danny Duffy (5-4) returned after spending a month on the disabled list and allowed just two first-inning runs.

Nelson Cruz had a two-run single off the wall in right-center field in the first inning — missing his first home run in a month by a matter of inches — but Duffy allowed just one other runner to reach third base pitching into the sixth. The lefty had been on the DL since late May with an oblique strain, but scattered five hits and struck out four.

“He looked great. The first inning he was getting his tempo and timing … but after that he really settled down, found his arm slot and did exactly what we needed him to do,” Kansas City manager Ned Yost said.

Jean Segura had an RBI single in the seventh to pull within 6-3, helped along by first baseman Eric Hosmer’s throwing error that put runners on second and third with just one out. Reliever Peter Moylan got Danny Valencia to ground into a double play to end the threat, started by Merrifield’s lunging stop that kept the grounder from sneaking into the outfield.

Seattle has lost six straight at home and averaged just 2.3 runs per game in those losses.

“The Royals have some momentum going and are playing some good ball and we’re not. We need to get some momentum going,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said.

RECORD BOOK

Hernandez struck out five, becoming the 50th pitcher in Major League history to reach 2,300 strikeouts. It was the worst of his three starts since coming off the disabled list. Hernandez allowed six hits and walked four.

“The first three innings I got into a rhythm, but in the fourth and fifth I had a four-pitch walk and they made me pay,” Hernandez said.

SINGLE?

The Mariners went consecutive games without an extra base hit for the first time since Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, 2013. Seattle had eight singles on Tuesday and four in the series opener on Monday.

ROSTER MOVE

The Royals optioned RHP Miguel Almonte to clear a roster spot for Duffy’s return. Almonte threw one inning of relief on Saturday against the Twins in his second appearance of the season.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: LHP Matt Strahm will receive a second opinion on his left knee injury on Thursday. Strahm was initially diagnosed as having a torn patellar tendon.

Mariners: Seattle has shut down RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (shoulder) for at least a week after experiencing additional discomfort in his shoulder following a bullpen session. Iwakuma received a cortisone shot and a PRP injection in the hope of alleviating some of the discomfort. Iwakuma has been on the DL since May 10.

UP NEXT

Royals: Jason Vargas (12-2) goes for his AL-leading 13th win before heading off to the All-Star Game. Vargas leads the AL in wins and ERA (2.22) and has won his past seven starts.

Mariners: Ariel Miranda (7-4) makes his final start before the All-Star break. Miranda threw seven innings of two-hit ball in his last start and picked up his seventh victory.

— Associated Press —

St. Louis falls to Miami Tuesday 5-2

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ST. LOUIS (AP) — Christian Yelich’s long drought is over.

Yelich hit a three-run drive for his first homer in 32 days, helping Jose Urena and the Miami Marlins beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-2 on Tuesday.

“It’s been a long time,” Yelich said. “I’ve kind of been grinding through some stuff.”

JT Riddle added a two-run single for Miami, which had dropped five of six. Dee Gordon had three hits, and Giancarlo Stanton reached three times.

Yelich erased a 2-0 deficit with the big blow in Miami’s five-run sixth. Gordon doubled with one out and Stanton reached on a throwing error on second baseman Matt Carpenter before Yelich hit a drive to center off Lance Lynn (6-6).

“I would like to have that pitch back,” Lynn said.

Marcell Ozuna followed with a single and Martin Prado doubled with two out to set up Riddle’s big single.

“Hitting is contagious,” Riddle said. “(Yelich) started it and we all just followed.”

It was Yelich’s first homer since he connected for a two-run shot against Arizona on June 2. He has eight homers this season after hitting a career-high 21 last year.

Greg Garcia hit a two-run homer for St. Louis, which lost for just the second time in seven games. Carpenter had two hits.

Urena (7-3) struck out seven in five innings. He was charged with two runs and three hits.

“He’s the type of guy that just grips it and rips it,” Miami catcher A.J. Ellis said. “He’s trusting his stuff more and it shows.”

Drew Steckenrider, Kyle Barraclough and David Phelps each pitched a scoreless inning before AJ Ramos finished for his 14th save in 15 opportunities.

“Nine great innings from all the (pitchers),” Ellis said.

The Cardinals jumped in front on Garcia’s second homer of the season in the fifth. But the Marlins broke loose in the sixth.

Miami broke a four-game losing streak in St. Louis.

GOING IN REVERSE

St. Louis outfielder Tommy Pham went 0 for 4 and struck out four times after reaching base in all five trips to the plate in Monday’s 14-6 win. He went 3 for 3 and walked twice.

IN A PINCH

St. Louis pinch hitters lead the majors with a .348 average (40 for 115). Jose Martinez has a team-high six pinch hits in 14 at-bats. Rookie Luke Voit is 3 for 3.

GONE

Marlins left-hander Jeff Locke was designated for assignment after giving up 11 earned runs in 2 2/3 innings of Monday’s loss at St. Louis. Locke was 0-5 with an 8.16 ERA in seven starts. Steckenrider was recalled from Triple-A New Orleans.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: INF Jedd Gyorko was held out of the game after leaving Monday’s contest in the fifth inning with a cramping issue. … INF Kolten Wong will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Springfield on Wednesday. Wong was placed on the 10-day disabled list on June 15 with a triceps injury.

UP NEXT

Cardinals right-hander Mike Leake (6-6, 2.97 ERA) will take on Miami right-hander Edinson Volquez (4-8, 3.97 ERA) in the third game of the four-game series on Wednesday. Leake is 6-1 with a 2.36 ERA in seven career starts against the Marlins. Volquez tossed a no-hitter against Arizona on June 3.

— Associated Press —

Mustangs rally past Chillicothe Monday 4-2

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The St. Joseph Mustangs stayed perfect against Chillicothe this season as they rallied to defeat the Mudcats 4-2 Monday night at Phil Welch Stadium.

St. Joe’s collegiate summer baseball, who is 3-0 against Chillicothe this season, improves to 23-8 overall this season and 17-7 in the MINK League.

The Mudcats scored single runs in the second and fifth innings to take a 2-0 lead, but the Mustangs rallied to tie the game with two runs in the sixth inning and then took the lead for good in the seventh with two more runs.

Brody Santilli drove in the two runs in the sixth inning with a single, and then Jacob Richardson and Easton Fortuna each drove in a run in the seventh.

Santilli and Brady Anderson led St. Joseph with two hits each.

Steve D’Amico went eight innings to get the win as he allowed two runs on five hits. Jake Purl struck out the side in the ninth for his second save of the season.

Earlier Monday, seven Mustangs were named the North roster for the MINK League All-Star game Thursday at Chillicothe. DH Josh Williams, C Brady Anderson, 1B Drew Standifer, OF Jacob Richardson, P Michael Lydon-Lorson, P Nikko Pablo and P Steve D’Amico will represent St. Joe on Thursday.

The Mustangs play their annual 4th of July game Tuesday at home against Sedalia. The first pitch is at 7:00 p.m. inside Phil Welch Stadium.

Kennedy gets third straight win as Royals beat Mariners

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SEATTLE (AP) — Ian Kennedy allowed one run pitching into the seventh inning, Mike Moustakas and Alex Gordon both hit solo home runs, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Seattle Mariners 3-1 on Monday night.

Kennedy (3-6) won his third straight decision with one of his best performances of the season. The lone run scored on a wild pitch as Kansas City handed Seattle its fifth straight loss at home.

Moustakas led off the second inning with his 23rd home run of the season and gave the Royals a 2-0 lead against Seattle starter Andrew Moore. Gordon’s home run came with two outs in the fifth, a pitch he broke his bat on but was still able to get it over the wall in right just beyond the leap of Mitch Haniger. It was Gordon’s fifth homer and second in the past three games.

Lorenzo Cain added a sacrifice fly in the first inning as the Royals won for the fourth time in five games.

Kennedy threw 6 2/3 innings, allowing just four hits and striking out seven. Seattle got its only run in the second inning, the only inning Kennedy permitted more than one runner to reach base. Kyle Seager scored on a bases-loaded wild pitch, but Kennedy recovered to strike out Mike Zunino and Boog Powell to end the threat.

Peter Moylan, Neftali Feliz and Joakim Soria retired the final seven batters in order. Soria picked up his first save since April 13, 2016.

Moore (1-1) missed high in the strike zone early in the game, but avoided giving up any major damage and made it through eight innings in his second start. Moore allowed five hits and struck out three and became the third pitcher in Seattle history to throw at least seven innings in the first two starts of his career.

CRUZ CONTROL

Seattle slugger Nelson Cruz was expected to miss his second straight game with a sore knee, but came on as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning and struck out. Manager Scott Servais said before the game he was hopeful Cruz would return in the next few days.

ROSTER SHUFFLE

Royals: Kansas City bolstered its bullpen by selecting Al Alburquerque from Triple-A Omaha on Monday. The Royals optioned left-hander Eric Skoglund to Omaha and transferred Matt Strahm to the 60-day disabled list. Strahm suffered a torn patellar tendon on Saturday.

Mariners: Right-handed reliever Dan Altavilla was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma to clear a roster spot for Moore. Seattle needed to carry an extra position player with Cruz still slowed by a sore knee. … Seattle traded Double-A pitcher Tyler Herb to San Francisco for cash considerations.

UP NEXT

Royals: Danny Duffy (4-4) will return from the disabled list. Duffy has not started since May 28 due to an oblique strain. Duffy made two starts with Omaha.

Mariners: Felix Hernandez (3-2) makes his third start since coming off the disabled list. He got a no decision in his last outing against Philadelphia after allowing three runs over six innings.

— Associated Press —

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