Sports – Page 566 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Kansas’ struggles continue with 38-13 loss at Iowa State

Posted on October 3, 2015October 3, 2015

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s State 13-year drought in Big 12 openers is finished, thanks partly to a Kansas team that’s likely in for a long league season.

Mike Warren set an Iowa State freshman record with 175 yards rushing and two touchdowns, and the Cyclones throttled Kansas 38-13 Saturday to begin conference play.

Sam Richardson threw for 269 yards and a pair of touchdowns for the Cyclones (2-2, 1-0 Big 12). They notched their most lopsided win since blowing out the Jayhawks 34-0 in 2013.

“You’ve got to find ways to win. The little things are the ways to win,” said Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads, whose team had five sacks and was also penalized just twice for 10 yards. “We were aggressive in our tackling. Thirty-eight points … in this league you’ve got to score and we went out and scored.”

Iowa State stretched its lead to 24-0 early in the second half on Warren’s 62-yard TD run, the longest of his career. Warren’s 7-yard score with 11:34 left was the capper on the best day of his young career.

Montell Cozart was 15-of-21 passing for 150 yards before leaving with a sprained left shoulder. Kansas coach David Beaty said the Jayhawks won’t know more about Cozart’s status until they return to Lawrence.

Marcquis Roberts had an 83-yard interception return for a score for Kansas (0-4, 0-1).

“Those kids are not happy about what took place. But at the same time, our job is to make them look themselves in the mirror each day and try to understand that there’s a reason it happened and you’ve got to get better at it,” Beaty said.

There was plenty of talk this week that this game might be the worst Power Five matchup of the year.

For much of the first half, it didn’t disappoint.

Iowa State’s offense couldn’t get out of its own way in the early going, scoring just three points in the opening 24 minutes. But Richardson broke the drought on a 4-yard TD run through a hole that, thanks to a little misdirection and an over-aggressive Kansas defense, was at least 15 yards wide.

The Jayhawks then jumped offside on a crucial third-and-3 on their own 14, giving the Cyclones a fresh set of downs. They only needed one, as Richardson found Allen Lazard for a 9-yard touchdown and a 17-0 lead.

Warren followed with his long touchdown run — a play on which he was never touched until his teammates met him the end zone — to make it 24-0.

Warren needed just 18 carries to match the best day by an Iowa State back since Ryan Koch had 175 yards against Missouri in 2006.

“Just patience,” Warren said. “Everything will play out and if you see it, hit it at 100 miles an hour.”

Kansas finally got on the board when Cozart found Tre Parmalee for a 47-yard TD pass.

But the point-after try bounced off the upright.

The subsequent kickoff bounced out of bounds — and Parmalee muffed a punt that Iowa State recovered midway through the fourth quarter.

“That was not something you felt good about,” Beaty said about losing momentum by missing the extra point. “Man that was tough to see.”

Kansas also ran for just 38 yards.

The Jayhawks next host Baylor as potentially one of the largest home underdogs in recent memory.

— Associated Press —

Nebraska loses at Illinois on last second touchdown pass

Posted on October 3, 2015October 3, 2015

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — With a strong, gusty wind swirling around, drizzle flying and Illinois running out of time, Illinois quarterback Wes Lunt tried four times to hit receiver Geronimo Allison on the right side of the Nebraska end zone.

Three times, it didn’t work.

But with 10 seconds left in the game, Lunt connected with the senior receiver, low and just inside the right corner of the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown that, after Taylor Zalewski’s extra point, gave Illinois (4-1, 1-0 Big Ten) an unlikely 14-13 win.

Allison, who had eight catches for 91 yards, said he had no doubt Lunt would try to hit him yet again on that last play.

“It’s who the quarterback has the most confidence with. I got a feeling he’s coming my way,” said Allison, who rose to his knees after he caught the ball, pointing skyward. He acknowledged later that he’d cried after the win.

The loss was painful for Nebraska (2-3, 0-1), following the Cornhuskers overtime defeat at Miami and a loss to BYU on the final play of that game. Nebraska has lost three games by a total of nine points.

First-year coach Mike Riley said this one might have been the toughest.

“I don’t ever remember losing a game like this,” he said, adding later, “This one will be interesting (to come back from) for sure.”

“It hurts,” linebacker Chris Weber added. “Every loss hurts. Every loss is a gut-punch.”

The Illini overcame a pair of missed field goals by Zalewski, four early trips into the red zone that produced no points, a 13-0 fourth-quarter deficit and a crowd peppered with as much red and black as orange and blue.

Illinois also had to deal with almost a century of history to get the win — the Illini haven’t beaten Nebraska since a 9-6 win in 1924 — and more recent history. Cubit took over when head coach Tim Beckman was fired a week before the season opener over allegations of abusive treatment by several former players.

The win, Cubit said, might be the best in his long career, including two straight losing seasons as offensive coordinator at Illinois.

“The last couple of years, to be honest with you, it’s probably been pretty hard at times,” he said.

With receivers dropping balls from Lunt and struggling to make adjustments in the wind — not to mention starting running back Josh Ferguson being knocked out of the game late in the first quarter with a should injury — defense kept the Illini in the game.

Nebraska managed just 292 total yards. Quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. finished the day 10-31 for 105 yards and an interception.

But Nebraska had been able to bang through the Illinois defense on the ground, finishing with 187 yards.

And the Cornhuskers had a chance to kill off most of the game’s final minute using the run.

But on a fourth-and-7 at the Illini 27 with 55 seconds left and Illinois out of timeouts, the Cornhuskers went for it. But rather than run, Armstrong rolled right and tried pass to fullback Andy Janovich. The pass was incomplete, and Illinois had the chance it needed and 51 seconds to work with.

Riley said after the game that the decision to throw was Armstrong’s.

“The whole intention of it was a quarterback run,” Riley said. “My first reaction was surprised.”

On the Illinois sideline, Lunt was surprised, too. He and his teammates had been calculating how much time the Illini might have left, best case, if Nebraska ran the ball.

“We came up with like 29 seconds. The extra (22) seconds, that was huge,” he said. “If I was in that situation, I’d try to milk the clock.”

Lunt was 23-45 for 251 yards and two touchdowns.

For much of the first half, the upper hand was there for Illinois to take.

The Cornhuskers stumbled to three three-and-outs to and a fumbled punt on their first four possessions.

The Illini could move the ball, but only until they neared the end zone.

Three trips into the Nebraska red zone produced the two missed field goals, from 51 and 41 yards, and a failed fourth-down attempt at the Cornhusker 13. And the half’s final play ended with Ke’Shawn Vaughn’s 48-yard run to the Nebraska 12, putting a fourth empty trip inside the Husker 20 yard-line on the stat sheet.

In the meantime, Nebraska found a way to scratch out 10 first-half points.

Freshman running back Devine Ozigbo rumbled 19 yards around the right side of Illinois’ defense with 12:35 left in the second quarter for a 7-0 lead.

Then, late in the quarter, Armstrong hit Cethan Carter for a 55-yard pass down the right sideline that set up a 39-yard Drew Brown field goal. With 11 seconds to play, Nebraska was up 10-0.

— Associated Press —

Area High School Football Scores – Friday, October 2

Posted on October 3, 2015

CITY
Bishop LeBlond 0 (3-4, 1-4 MEC)
@ Benton 34 (3-4, 2-3 MEC)

Cameron 0 (1-6, 0-5 MEC)
@ Lafayette 37 (2-5, 2-3 MEC)

Ruskin 21 (0-7, 0-3 SUB Red)
@ Central 51 (3-4, 2-1 SUB Red)

St. Joseph Christian 64 (4-3)
@ Independence Home School 14 (KS)

AREA
Chillicothe 13 (5-2, 3-1 MEC)
@ Savannah 22 (4-3, 3-2 MEC)

Maryville 43 (7-0, 5-0 MEC)
@ Smithville 7 (5-2, 4-1 MEC)

East Buchanan 32 (7-0, 5-0 KCI)
@ North Platte 8 (2-5, 0-5 KCI)

Mid-Buchanan 12 (4-3, 2-3 KCI)
@ West Platte 48 (3-4, 2-3 KCI)

Hamilton 28 (5-2, 4-1 KCI)
@ Lawson 35 (4-3, 4-1 KCI)

Plattsburg 19 (1-6, 0-5 KCI)
@ Lathrop 55 (3-4, 3-2 KCI)

King City 28 (5-1, 4-0 GRC)
@ Princeton 6 (1-6, 0-4 GRC)

Polo 68 (6-1, 5-0 GRC)
@ Braymer 32 (3-4, 0-4 GRC)

Maysville 51 (3-4, 2-2 GRC)
@ Gallatin 30 (1-5, 1-3 GRC)

South Harrison 0 (4-3, 3-1 GRC)
@ Trenton 28 (5-2)

8-MAN
Worth County 26 (6-1, 5-0 275)
@ North Andrew 66 (7-0, 3-0 PVC)

Mound City 8 (3-4, 1-4 275)
@ North West Nodaway 54 (3-4, 2-3 275)

Rock Port 40 (3-4, 2-4 275)
@ South Holt/Nodaway-Holt 54 (3-4, 2-3 275)

Albany 12 (4-3, 3-3 275)
@ Stanberry 58 (7-0, 5-0 275)

DeKalb 58 (6-1, 2-1 PVC)
@ East Atchison 8 (1-5, 1-4 275)

Southwest Livingston 69 (6-1, 3-0 PVC)
@ Stewartsville 20 (1-6, 1-3 PVC)

Chilhowee 12 (2-5, 1-1 CRC)
@ Norborne/Hardin Central 80 (6-1, 1-0 CRC)

Western volleyball gets swept at home by No. 14 Central Oklahoma

Posted on October 3, 2015October 3, 2015

ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western volleyball team dropped its second-straight match and first at home this season, dropping three close sets to No. 14 Central Oklahoma Friday night in the MWSU Fieldhouse.

The loss dropped the Griffons to 10-4 overall and 2-1 in MIAA play. The win improved Central Oklahoma to 14-1 and 3-0 in the MIAA. UCO is now tied for first in the conference with Northwest Missouri State, which defeated Pittsburg State Friday night. The Griffons will host Pittsburg State Saturday afternoon.

Missouri Western went point-for-point with Central Oklahoma, which has now won eight-straight. The match featured 16 ties and eight lead changes, four each in the first two sets. The Bronchos won set one and three, 25-21 and took the second set 25-22. Missouri Western scored four-straight points in the first to tie the set at 17, but UCO jumped back in front and led the rest of the way. The Griffons led 15-9 in set two but three-straight errors brought the Bronchos within three. Missouri Western stretched the lead to 18-13 but allowed UCO to go on an 8-0 run that put UCO up for good. The third set was closely contested but tied only once as UCO took the set 25-21.

MWSU was led by Jessie Thorup’s 11 kills. The senior was honored before the match as just the fourth Griffon to reach 1,000 kills in the rally scoring era. She eclipsed the mark earlier this week in a loss at Missouri S&T. Blair Russell added 10 kills and Rachel Friedrichs had eight. Friedrichs and Shellby Taylor each had three blocks and Jordan Chohon had 34 assists. Kayla Ruff tied a career-high with 21 digs.

The Griffons stay at home when they host Pittsburg State at 2 p.m. Saturday.

— MWSU Athletics —

Royals defeat Twins for third consecutive win

Posted on October 3, 2015October 3, 2015

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins clubhouse, clouded so often this season by fog machines for the post-victory dance parties, was crystal clear and eerily quiet following the 160th game on the schedule.

This postseason bid by the upstart Twins took a big hit.

Ben Zobrist hit an RBI double in the eighth inning against struggling All-Star Glen Perkins, and the Kansas City Royals topped the Twins 3-1 on Friday night behind a strong start from Chris Young.

“You can feel it,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. “It’s deflating for sure.”

Perkins, hampered by neck and back trouble that led to his removal from the closer role, spoiled a stellar performance by starter Ervin Santana (7-5) with a first-pitch fastball that Zobrist drove off the wall in right-center field. Zobrist then scored when right fielder Torii Hunter fumbled a single by Mike Moustakas, another blemish on an awful second half for Perkins.

“This is a hard one to swallow,” Hunter said.

The Twins began the day one game behind Houston and tied with Los Angeles in the AL wild-card race. With two days left to make up ground this was as devastating a defeat as they’ve had in 2015. The Angels beat Texas to pass the Twins, and the Astros played later at Arizona.

Here the Twins were, playing a game that mattered on Oct. 2, a testament to their resiliency under the rookie manager Molitor this season following four straight years of mostly bad baseball. The paid attendance of 31,534 wasn’t quite a postseason crowd, but there was a palpable energy in the ballpark, with a hearty standing cheer for Santana as he walked off the mound and doffed his cap in the eighth.

“Ervin had his good stuff tonight, man,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “You just knew it was going to be a tight game.”

Young was just as good, giving the defending AL champion Royals another reason to consider the 6-foot-10 right-hander for the postseason rotation. He allowed just an RBI single by Aaron Hicks in the third. The 36-year-old gave up four hits in 6 1/3 innings, retiring 15 out of 16 batters at one point.

In three starts against the Twins this season, Young surrendered just two runs and 11 hits in 18 innings.

“The weather, the sun setting early, it’s a fun time of year,” Young said, “and it’s fun to be a part of it.”

Louis Coleman (1-0), Ryan Madson and Wade Davis wrapped up the win, with Davis notching his 16th save in 17 attempts.

Santana didn’t join the Twins until July 4, due to the positive test for a performance-enhancing drug that made him ineligible for the postseason, but he gave them quite the push down the stretch while most of the rest of the rotation stumbled to the finish. Over his last seven turns, Santana logged 50 innings with a 1.62 ERA while the Twins went 5-2.

Santana only had more than one man on base in the third, when Jarrod Dyson hit a leadoff double and eventually scored on a grounder by Eric Hosmer.

“It was tough. They were pitching very good. Nothing we can do,” Santana said.

BAD AFTER THE BREAK

Perkins, a three-time All-Star who was 28 for 28 in save opportunities in the first half, has allowed at least one earned run in 11 of 22 appearances after the break for a 7.32 ERA.

“We’re all are aware that it’s not coming out quite the same,” Molitor said. “I think physically he’s fine.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: Three banged-up regulars were held out of the lineup, with CF Lorenzo Cain (knee), DH Kendrys Morales (quadriceps) and C Salvador Perez (thumb) on the bench, but Morales entered as a pinch-hitter, Yost said Cain should be ready to play on Saturday, and Perez was rested with the afternoon game next.

Twins: Molitor indicated Santana would be summoned on shortened rest to pitch in a tiebreaker game, which he would be eligible for.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Yordano Ventura (12-8, 4.20 ERA) will start on Saturday. He’s 8-1 with a 3.26 ERA and 81 strikeouts in 80 innings over his last 13 turns, and the only loss in that stretch was to the Twins at home on Sept. 7.

Twins: LHP Tommy Milone (9-5, 4.04) will take the mound in the middle game of the series, coming off a critical win at Cleveland on Monday following an 11-day break due to weakness around his shoulder.

— Associated Press —

MWSU soccer gets first MIAA win with shutout of Missouri Southern

Posted on October 3, 2015October 3, 2015

ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western women’s soccer team defeated Missouri Southern Friday 2-0 at Spratt Stadium.

The win improved the Griffons’ record to 5-2-1, reaching five wins in their eighth match of the season. 2014 was the fastest the program had ever reached five wins, doing it in the 10th match of the year.

Missouri Western got goals from Bridget Blessie and Sydney Cluck, while Sarah Lyle and the Griffon back-line shut out Missouri Southern. Lyle became MWSU’s all-time career leader in shutouts with her 12th and moved into second all-time with 232 saves. Blessie’s goal came in the 25th minute off a deflection from a Sydney Andrews shot. Cluck scored on a header in the 78th minute with an assist from Jordyn Galvin. The Griffons had 26 shots to Missouri Southern’s 10 and Lyle only needed to make two saves for her record breaking shutout.

The Griffons will have a chance to move up in the MIAA standings when they host Southwest Baptist on Sunday at noon. The Bearcats are two games ahead of the Griffosn and in a fourth place tie with Nebraska-Kearney at 2-1 in league play. MWSU is 1-1-1.

— MWSU Athletics —

St. Louis gets blanked by Braves in series opener

Posted on October 3, 2015October 3, 2015

ATLANTA (AP) — Julio Teheran closed out the regular season just the way he wanted.

Teheran pitched six strong innings, Daniel Castro drove in two runs and the Atlanta Braves beat the NL Central champion St. Louis Cardinals 4-0 on Friday night.

“You want to finish strong,” Teheran said. “That’s what you want to take home.”

St. Louis, which opens the postseason at home next Friday, was coming off a three-game series win at Pittsburgh that secured its third straight division title. Manager Mike Matheny gave most of his everyday players the night off.

Teheran (11-8) allowed five hits, walked one and struck out six. The right-hander went 2-1 with a 1.62 ERA in his last six starts. The Braves’ season ends Sunday.

“I know we were playing the best team in the National League,” Teheran said. “I was really focused on this game. I think I did really good.”

The Cardinals had the bases loaded with no out in the fifth but came up empty when pinch-hitter John Jay grounded into a double play and Tommy Pham struck out.

Atlanta, which stranded 12 runners, went up 2-0 in the third on Castro’s second homer and A.J. Pierzynski’s RBI double. Castro’s RBI double and Nick Markakis’ RBI single in the eighth made it 4-0.

Jaime Garcia (10-6) gave up six hits and two runs with two walks and five strikeouts in his shortest outing since April 19, 2013 at Philadelphia. St. Louis has been shut out in all six of his losses.

“I wanted to get a feel for things and I was able to accomplish that,” Garcia said. “All I can say is I’m going to be ready to go next week, whenever it is (that he pitches).”

Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright, making his second relief appearance since returning this week from an Achilles injury, faced four batters in the seventh. Castro reached on an error.

The Braves used four relievers. Closer Arodys Vizcaino, pitching the ninth in a non-save situation, struck out Pete Kozma to end it with a runner at second.

SAME TRADE, DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS

The deal that sent right fielder Jason Heyward to St. Louis and starting pitcher Shelby Miller to Atlanta last winter hasn’t exactly been a blessing for both.

Heyward, who was given the night off, returned to Turner Field for the first time since last November’s trade and leads his new team with a .292 average and 23 stolen bases.

“It’d be more of a homecoming if more of the teammates I played with were still here,” Heyward said. “I know this is the team I broke in with and I played a lot of games with, but it’s a different team and a different vibe.”

Miller, whose new club has the majors’ third-worst record, remains close with Matheny and several former teammates. He’ll be cheering for them when the playoffs start.

Despite making the NL All-Star team, Miller is 0-16 in his last 24 starts, but has a 3.77 ERA over that span since May 17. He will try to end the streak Saturday.

“They’re some of my best friends and I wish them the best of luck, but I’m going to try to beat them tomorrow,” he said. “They’re not going to get out of here easy, that’s for sure.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: Matheny hopes OF Stephen Piscotty can play Saturday or Sunday. The rookie suffered a head contusion in an outfield collision on Monday and spent the night in a Pittsburgh hospital. Matheny said Piscotty passed a concussion test and did some hitting and running before the game.

Braves: RHP Paco Rodriguez, acquired in the trade that brought third baseman Hector Olivera from the Los Angeles Dodgers, has undergone Tommy John surgery and will miss all of next season.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP John Lackey (13-9) is 1-0 with a 1.46 ERA in two career starts against Atlanta.

Braves: RHP Miller (5-17) will face St. Louis for the second time. He lost 1-0 at Busch Stadium on July 25.

— Associated Press —

Gomes helps Royals beat White Sox, tie Toronto for AL’s best record

Posted on October 1, 2015October 1, 2015

CHICAGO (AP) — Jonny Gomes drove in three runs, and the banged-up Kansas City Royals moved into a tie with Toronto for the AL’s best record with a 6-4 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night.

Kansas City played without outfielders Lorenzo Cain and Alex Rios, and designated hitter Kendrys Morales (left quad tightness) and catcher Salvador Perez (swelling in right thumb) each departed during the game. Cain was sidelined by a sore right knee, and Rios was scratched because of a stiff back.

All four players are day to day, and the AL Central champions held on for their second straight victory against the lowly White Sox. Kris Medlen (6-2) pitched six innings of two-run ball, and Ryan Madson tossed a perfect ninth for his third save.

Kansas City (92-67) finishes the season with three games at Minnesota, while Toronto, which holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Royals, closes with a weekend series at Tampa Bay.

— Associated Press —

Hosmer’s HR lifts Kansas City past Chicago in 10 innings

Posted on October 1, 2015

CHICAGO (AP) — The Kansas City Royals have home-field advantage in one round of the playoffs. They’re still looking for more.

Eric Hosmer hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the top of the 10th inning, and the Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 5-3 on Wednesday night to clinch home-field advantage in an AL Division Series.

Ben Zobrist singled with one out, and Hosmer drove a pitch from David Robertson (6-5) into the bullpen in right field to give the Royals the lead. For Hosmer, it was his 18th homer of the season.

“It was a huge hit for us,” manager Ned Yost said.

Alex Gordon and Mike Moustakas also homered for Kansas City, which had already clinched the AL Central title. They will host the first two games of their ALDS, and a Game 5 if necessary.

Combined with Toronto splitting its doubleheader in Baltimore, the Royals pulled within a game of the Blue Jays for home-field advantage throughout the AL playoffs. Toronto did win the season series, giving it the tiebreaker over the Royals.

But that’s still the target for the Royals, who came within one victory of winning last year’s World Series.

“As many games as we can get at home as possible, that’s what we want to try and do,” Hosmer said. “Obviously we would like home-field advantage throughout the whole entire postseason but just got to see how that plays out. To have the first round at least at home is definitely big for us.”

The win was a painful one for Kansas City. In the seventh, Lorenzo Cain fouled a pitch from Jose Quintana off his right knee. He remained in the game and grounded out to third but he didn’t make it to first and was replaced in the bottom of the inning.

The Royals said Cain has a right knee contusion and is day-to-day.

Edinson Volquez went six innings, allowed one run and nine hits while striking out five but couldn’t pick up his first win since Sept. 8. Franklin Morales (4-2) pitched a scoreless inning in relief and Wade Davis picked up his 15th save in 16 tries.

Quintana remained winless since Sept. 12 despite going nine innings while allowing three runs and five hits.

“He was great, outstanding, you can use all of them,” Chicago manager Robin Ventura said. “We thought we had a chance there to get him one.”

Chicago gave Quintana a 1-0 lead in the second on Adam Eaton’s run-scoring single. The White Sox had three singles off Volquez in the first and three more in the second but only scored one run.

Gordon led off the third with his 13th home run over the fence in deep left-center field. Moustakas’ two-run homer in the sixth gave Kansas City a 3-1 lead.

Jose Abreu hit his 30th homer in the seventh for Chicago to pull within 3-2. In the eighth, Chicago tied the game with a double by Tyler Flowers when his drive to right off Kelvin Herrera went over Paulo Orlando’s head and bounced over the wall, bringing in Tyler Saladino.

But Robertson couldn’t hold Kansas City in the 10th.

“I just wasn’t able to nail it down there in the 10th and give us another chance to score a run,” Robertson said.

Kansas City, meanwhile, picked up its usually sturdy bullpen.

“It’s not going to happen very often and that’s what good teams do,” Hosmer said. “Just find ways to pick up your teammates.”

BUILDING MOJO

Yost was asked how critical it is for his team to put together some wins heading into the postseason with the Royals entering Wednesday’s game having lost four of five.

“We want to get into the playoffs feeling good and win as many games as we can,” Yost said. “It’s not fun losing ballgames. . It’s important to win, but I don’t think it’s going to have any bearing on how you do in the playoffs because it’s a different animal. But you want to finish as strong as you can.”

HISTORY

Abreu joined Albert Pujols (2001-02) and Ryan Braun (2007-08) as the only players in baseball history to hit 30 or more home runs in each of their first two seasons.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: OF Jarrod Dyson replaced Cain in center field.

White Sox: INF Micah Johnson will have surgery on his left knee Thursday. Ventura said he didn’t have a timetable for when Johnson would return to baseball activities. “It’s not that big a deal but it’s enough to go in and fix it,” Ventura said.

UP NEXT

Kansas City RHP Kris Medlen (5-2, 4.30) faces Chicago LHP John Danks (7-14, 4.53). Medlen is 4-0 with a 1.13 ERA in three starts and eight outings on the road in 2015.

— Associated Press —

Sporting KC beats Philadelphia 7-6 on penalties to win U.S. Open Cup

Posted on October 1, 2015

CHESTER, Pa. (AP) — Jordi Quintilla scored the winner in the eighth round of penalty kicks, Tim Melia made two saves in the tiebreaker and Sporting Kansas City beat the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday night for their third U.S. Open Cup title.

Sporting KC won the shootout 7-6 after the teams played to a 1-1 tie.

The championship was Sporting KC’s third major trophy in four years. They also won the 2012 U.S. Open Cup and 2013 MLS Cup on penalty kicks. Sporting won its first U.S. Open Cup in 2004.

“There’s just something about this group of guys on penalty kicks in championship games,” captain Matt Besler said. “Once the ref blew the whistle on the second extra time, we had all been there before so I think everyone was really comfortable and confident.”

John McCarthy was brought into the game in goal at the very end of extra time after leading Philadelphia to two shootout wins in the tournament, but stopped only Krisztian Nemeth as the Union lost the championship game at home for the second straight year.

Andrew Wenger and captain Maurice Edu both missed their penalty kicks for Philadelphia.

“We continue to try to find our first (trophy),” Union coach Jim Curtin. “It’s the hardest thing to do in our game. The building was ready to erupt and we came up a little bit short in penalty kicks.”

Nemeth tied it in the 65th minute, tucking a curler past starting goalkeeper Andre Blake for his fourth goal in four U.S. Open Cup games.

Sebastien Le Toux opened the scoring in the 23rd minute when he ran onto a perfect long ball from fellow Frenchman Vincent Nogueira and beat Melia to the far post. Le Toux has 16 career goals in the competition, scoring in two straight Open Cup games.

But the Union, despite generating the majority of the scoring chances in the first half, couldn’t score a second goal.

“I say this very professionally: We kicked their butts,” midfielder Michael Lahoud said. “On a different day, we embarrass Kanas City. But today was their day.”

With the win, Sporting Kansas City earned one of the United States’ four spots in the 2016-17 CONCACAF Champions League.

“This feeling never gets old,” Besler said. “Winning championships is what it’s about. It doesn’t matter how many you’ve won. We want to keep winning.”

— Associated Press —