IRVING, Texas – For the 10th-straight season, the Kansas men’s basketball team will make four appearances on ESPN’s Big Monday, as announced by the Big 12 Conference Wednesday.
KU’s first Big Monday contest of 2016 will be featured inside historic Allen Fieldhouse and will kick off the season on Jan. 4 against Oklahoma. The Jayhawks will then hit the road for its next Big Monday matchup at Iowa State on Jan. 25. Kansas will also play host to Oklahoma State on Feb. 25 and at Texas on Feb. 29 in Big Monday battles.
In the Big 12 era, Kansas and Oklahoma have faced each other on ESPN’s Big Monday nine times, while the Jayhawks have played Iowa State and Texas on seven occasions. KU and OSU have met six times on Big Monday.
Since the inception of the Big 12 in 1996-97, Kansas is 54-19 all-time on ESPN’s Big Monday (31-1 at home, 23-18 on the road), including 35-11 under head coach Bill Self. Additionally, KU has won 24-straight Big Monday games in Allen Fieldhouse, which includes a 20-0 mark under Self.
2016 Big 12 Men’s Basketball Schedule on ESPN’s Big Monday
All games televised on ESPN and available on WatchESPN.com
Date – Game(s), All Times at 8 p.m. CT
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Lorenzo Cain had a huge night and wanted more.
Cain went 4 for 4 with a home run and Yordano Ventura pitched six scoreless innings as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Detroit Tigers 6-1 on Tuesday.
Needing a triple in his final at-bat to complete the cycle, Cain sliced a single to right field and was out trying to stretch it into a double in the eighth inning.
“I wanted it bad,” Cain said about the cycle. “(Jarrod) Dyson definitely reminded me before I went up to hit. I was looking to drive a ball to right-center or right field somewhere. Unfortunately I didn’t hit it hard enough to get it to the gap. I ended up sliding in for a single.”
Cain, who raised his average to .316, led off the sixth with his 12th homer, a mammoth shot to left field.
“It felt amazing,” he said. “It was a curveball. They’ve definitely been throwing me a lot of off speed lately, far more than I’ve ever seen in my life. I was trying to adjust and stay on it, wait back. I was definitely sitting on off speed there. I ended up putting a good swing on it and it went out of the park.”
Mike Moustakas snapped an 0-for-18 drought with a homer to right with Kendrys Morales aboard in the same inning.
Ventura (7-7), who is 3-1 since the All-Star break, limited the Tigers to two hits but walked a career-high six. He struck out eight, matching his season high.
“Ventura wasn’t crazy wild,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “He was not missing by much. He stayed confident, stayed calm and continued to make pitches.”
Eric Hosmer hit a two-run homer in the first, giving him 21 RBI in the opening inning.
Anibal Sanchez (10-10) yielded all three homers, bringing his season total to 28 — tied for most in the American League. Sanchez yielded only 13 homers combined in the past two seasons.
“I don’t know what to say about it,” Sanchez said. “I don’t know what’s happened. I don’t get rattled. I just give up the home runs.”
Moustakas also stroked a run-scoring single in the eighth for his third three-RBI game of the year.
The Tigers snapped a season-worst 17-inning scoreless drought with a run in the seventh against reliever Franklin Morales. Pinch-hitter Rajai Davis’ sacrifice fly scored Jefry Marte, who led off with a double.
Luke Hochevar worked 2 2/3 spotless innings for his first save since Aug. 8, 2013, against Boston.
DEFENSIVE DANDIES
The Royals made five defensive gems, including throwing out James McCann at the plate when he attempted to score on Marte’s double to deep left-center. “I was surprised,” Yost said. “I didn’t think they had a chance to get him. I was shocked they did. When Dyson made a good throw to Esky (shortstop Alcides Escobar), I still didn’t think they had a chance. The defense was just spectacular tonight.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Tigers: 1B Miguel Cabrera (left calf strain) took batting practice and could come off the disabled list this weekend for a series at Houston.
Royals: C Salvador Perez left after seven innings with inflammation in his sore wrist, which has been bothering him for a few days, manager Ned Yost said. . RHP Wade Davis (stiff back) has not pitched since Thursday.
UP NEXT
Tigers: Rookie LHP Daniel Norris makes his third start since being acquired in a trade with the Blue Jays.
Royals: RHP Edinson Volquez, who is 1/3 with a 4.98 ERA in four career starts against Detroit, draws the assignment for the series finale.
ST. LOUIS (AP) — All season, the St. Louis Cardinals have tried to minimize the innings load for Carlos Martinez and Michael Wacha, saving their two young pitchers for the postseason.
During a 4-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night, manager Mike Matheny said the 23-year-old Martinez was simply too good to take out early. In the eighth inning, he judged “awkward swings” from the Pirates.
“The potential win supersedes anything we have in place right now,” Matheny said. “Right then we needed our best pitcher, and to me he was the best pitcher we had for that situation, and I think he proved that.”
Yadier Molina tied it with a sacrifice fly and rookie Stephen Piscotty singled in the go-ahead run on consecutive at-bats off Jeff Locke (6-7) in the fifth inning. Kolten Wong singled twice for his first multihit game of the month and Piscotty had three hits.
Trevor Rosenthal struck out the side in the ninth for his 34th save in 36 chances. The Cardinals lead the Pirates by six games in the NL Central and are 6-5 in the season series with seven of the games decided by one run and five in the final at-bat.
“Carlos did what our pitching’s known for,” Wong said of the right-hander. “We’re facing some good pitching on that side and they’re going to face our best pitching. It’s exciting.”
Or excruciating, depending on your perspective.
“These guys are where they’re at because they play good solid baseball every night,” Locke said. “Very similar to the way we play every night.
“That’s our motto here, one more than the other team.”
Jason Heyward had two hits and two RBI. St. Louis is 72-40 overall, at 32 over .500 it matches the season’s high water mark, and 41-16 at home — both major league bests.
Pedro Alvarez homered on a drive estimated at 446 feet that put the Pirates up 3-2 in the fourth. Aramis Ramirez earned his 145th career RBI against St. Louis, most against the Cardinals among active players, and Gregory Polanco had three hits.
Martinez (12-4) began the game throwing more off-speed stuff than usual and gave up single runs in the first, third and fourth but kept it close for a breakthrough three-run fifth that began with consecutive walks to Wong and Jhonny Peralta. He matched his career high for innings, striking out eight with one walk, and allowed one runner in scoring position his last three innings.
“Before the eighth, Mike asked me how I felt, `Could I go one more inning?” Martinez said through an interpreter. “I said, `Yeah, I’m ready to go.”
CLOSE CALL
Pirates reliever Jared Hughes stayed in the game after deflecting a line drive by Piscotty with his glove that glanced off his cheek in the eighth. “I’ll never watch that replay,” Hughes said, adding that he thought anyone who watched it was certain it was “bad.”
SCHOOL DAYS
The opener drew a paid attendance of 41,273, an impressive number until you consider it’s the Cardinals’ lowest-paid gate in 24 games since the Minnesota Twins attracted 41,203 on June 16. School begins this week for many area schools.
GAME OF INCHES
Heyward beat out the relay for an RBI groundout after the Cardinals appealed and got a double-play call overturned in the first. He mistimed his leap on Polanco’s drive off the top of the wall in right field on a leadoff triple in the third.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: 3B Josh Harrison (broken left thumb) and SS Jordy Mercer (left knee MCL sprain) began rehab assignments Tuesday at Triple-A Indianapolis. Manager Clint Hurdle is hopeful both will rejoin the team “considerably before Sept. 1.”
Cardinals: OF Jon Jay (wrist) and 1B Matt Adams (quad) are taking swings but are not close to rehab assignments. GM John Mozeliak debunked the notion RHP Adam Wainwright (Achilles) could return this season.
UP NEXT
Wednesday’s game has a marquee pitching matchup. Pirates RHP Gerrit Cole (14-5, 2.39) leads the NL in wins and Cardinals RHP Michael Wacha (13-4, 2.92) is right behind. Cole is 0-3 with a 5.95 ERA in four starts against the Cardinals and 14-2 with a 1.82 ERA in his other 18 starts.
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs churned through four coaches in eight years before Andy Reid arrived, and far more offensive and defensive coordinators. Each of them had varying schemes and ideas, and the result was a hodge-podge of failure.
Alex Smith went through a similar experience in San Francisco, where the constant changes on the coaching staff nearly ran the former No. 1 draft pick right out of the league.
Reid and Smith are entering Year 3 together, though. Their assistant coaches have remained largely unchanged. And in a league in which turnover — coaches and players — is part of life, the Chiefs are hoping that unique period of continuity will yield success.
“I think that’s important. Continuity is a big thing,” said Reid, whose 14 seasons spent in Philadelphia are a prime example. “We all kind of know as a coaching staff where we’re going, what direction we’re going in, and I think that’s important. That’s a good thing.”
Historically, the Chiefs aren’t a franchise that goes through coaching staffs.
Hank Stram was in charge for the first 15 years, leading the Chiefs to their only Super Bowl title in 1969. Marty Schottenheimer spent a decade in the coach’s office, leading Kansas City to seven playoff appearances. Dick Vermeil spent five years in charge.
But things changed after he hung up the headset. Herm Edwards had the franchise in the midst of a massive rebuilding project when he was fired after three years. Todd Haley didn’t make it past his third year before he was let go, as much because he couldn’t get along with then-general manager Scott Pioli as anything. Romeo Crennel was fired after one horrific season in charge.
Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said following Crennel’s dismissal that he wanted the franchise to be a model of consistency. So when Reid was let go by the Eagles, Hunt made an aggressive play for a coach whose hallmark over the years has been constancy and reliability.
So why is that continuity so important?
Start with the scheme. Reid and offensive coordinator Doug Pederson have a robust playbook at their disposal, but it is only as useful as the players’ knowledge of it. The fact that Smith, running back Jamaal Charles and other key pieces of the offense are in their third year running it takes much of the pressure off trying to digest everything in training camp.
“That’s the big thing, being in your third year, the guys understand our system,” Pederson explained. “So we’re putting them in the same situations that they would be in during the course of the game, and they are handling that very well, because they’re relying on past experience.”
Even the rookies can move along more quickly, because while everything may be new to them, they have what amounts to dozens of coaches — their well-versed teammates — helping them.
“The rookies have looked great,” second-year quarterback Aaron Murray said. “They’re just like the rest of us. They’ve come out and competed with the older guys.”
Another big benefit to continuity? Guys such as Charles that take a beating during the regular season need not absorb so much punishment before games count.
The star running back has not missed a practice this camp, but he often sits out when the team does 11-on-11, full-contact scrimmages. Charles already knows the playbook and its nuances, so why risk an injury? Especially after he was banged up much of last season.
“He knows what he’s doing, and we know what he can do, and he does a good job of taking care of his body,” Pederson said. But when the staff first got to Kansas City, “the reps were the biggest thing. Learning our offense was the biggest thing when we first got here.”
Finally, the Chiefs only play three games at Arrowhead Stadium in their first 11 — one of their designated homes games is in London. So in difficult environments where communication could be more challenging, an intimate knowledge of the system is crucial.
“This is our third year running as a group together,” tight end Travis Kelce said. “Our chemistry right now is through the roof.”
NOTES: WR Albert Wilson was dealing with an illness during Tuesday’s practice. OL Marcus Reed (right ankle) and DL Mike Catapano (groin) are also dealing with injuries. … The Chiefs have their final practice Wednesday before their preseason opener Saturday at Arizona.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Johnny Cueto could not have scripted a better introduction to the Kansas City fans.
Cueto threw a four-hitter in his home debut as the Royals beat the Detroit Tigers 4-0 on Monday night.
Cueto (1-1) did not allow a runner past second base, struck out eight and walked none. It was his sixth career shutout and second this season.
“The crowd really gave me an extra boost,” Cueto said with catching coach Pedro Grifol acting as his interpreter. “This is the most I’ve felt from a crowd; the intensity is by far the most.
“I felt really proud the fans were just feeding me that last little boost of energy I needed.”
Cueto, who was acquired from Cincinnati on July 26 for three pitching prospects, received a loud cheer as he went out for his warmup pitches and the standing ovations grew after every scoreless inning as he walked to the dugout.
Cueto struck out Anthony Gose on three pitches to begin the game as the festive Kauffman Stadium crowd roared with approval. Sluggerr, the Royals’ mascot, appeared wearing a Cueto-esque mane of dreadlocks.
When Cueto came out for the ninth, the Kauffman Stadium announced crowd of 36,672 rose in unison with a deafening roar that did not stop until long after he retired Victor Martinez on a fly ball to right fielder Alex Rios for the final out.
“A bunch of us were saying in the eighth inning just watch how loud this gets when he goes out for the ninth inning,” said Eric Hosmer, who had an RBI single in the seventh. “It was really cool to see and fun to be a part of it.
“It was pretty fun to see, his first game as a Royal at the K and hear the crowd out there in the ninth inning. It was a fun atmosphere tonight, a different feel tonight, a lot of people excited.”
Tigers manager Brad Ausmus complained to plate umpire Joe West that Cueto’s delivery was illegal, that he was stopping in his windup.
“Really, the way the rule reads, you’re not supposed to even alter your motion,” Ausmus said. “That’s the way the rule reads. They don’t enforce it. Well, he said if he stops it’s an illegal pitch.”
Tigers lefty Matt Boyd, who was acquired from Toronto on July 30 in the David Price trade, gave up three runs in the first inning.
Boyd (1-3), who beat Cueto and the Royals 2-1 last Wednesday when he allowed seven hits and one run over seven innings in his Tigers debut, gave up singles to Alcides Escobar and Ben Zobrist on his first two pitches.
Lorenzo Cain doubled to center, scoring both. Kendrys Morales’ one-out single produced the third run of the inning.
Zobrist went 3 for 3 with a walk. The Royals’ first five hitters — Escobar, Zobrist, Cain, Hosmer and Morales — went a combined 11 for 19 with four RBI.
J.D. Martinez doubled in the second for the Tigers’ only extra-base hit.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Tigers: 1B Miguel Cabrera (left calf strain) did light running around the bases. … RHP Alex Wilson (shoulder fatigue), threw a 12-pitch bullpen session. If his arm responds well Tuesday, he could be ready to pitch.
Royals: RHP Wade Davis (back stiffness) has not pitched since Thursday.
CHANGING LEFTIES
The Tigers optioned LHP Ian Krol, who had a 1/3 record with a 6.75 ERA in 26 relief appearances, to Triple-A Toledo. They recalled LHP Kyle Ryan from Toledo.
UP NEXT
Tigers: RHP Anabel Sanchez is 1-1 with a 5.59 ERA in three starts against the Royals this season.
Royals: RHP Yordano Ventura has an 8.18 ERA in two starts, both no-decisions, against the Tigers in 2015. He has yielded four home runs and 16 hits in 11 innings.
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — Alex Smith did everything the Kansas City Chiefs asked of him last season.
Now, he must do more.
The veteran quarterback with a reputation for being a game manager is being called upon to build on a solid if unremarkable season.
After signing a four-year, $68 million extension before training camp, Smith proceeded to throw for more than 3,000 yards and 18 touchdowns with only six interceptions, despite having his season cut a game short by injury.
But if the Chiefs hope to return to the playoffs — and win their first postseason game since 1993 — it will almost certainly be because their passing game flourishes this season.
“I feel really good,” said Smith, who is entering his 10th season in the league. “It’s a point of emphasis for us all offseason. We worked hard on it, QBs and wideouts included. We worked really hard on it and I do feel good with where we’re at.”
Much of his career, Smith has been hampered by spotty options at wide receiver. Dwayne Bowe and Donnie Avery hardly fit Chiefs coach Andy Reid’s offense, but other than a host of also-rans, they were just about all Smith had at his disposal.
That is hardly the case this season.
The Chiefs signed Jeremy Maclin, who grew up in Reid’s offense in Philadelphia — although the high-profile free agent missed Monday’s practice with an injury.
They also drafted Chris Conley in the third round, and the speedy, rangy pass-catcher out of Georgia returned to the practice field Monday for the first time since July 29 after dealing with a knee injury.
Throw in the emergence of tight end Travis Kelce as a bona fide star last season, and running back Jamaal Charles’s ability to catch passes out of the backfield, and Smith has more weapons in the huddle than any other time in his first two years in Kansas City.
He also has more down-the-field options.
One of the big criticisms of Smith has been his reluctance to throw deep, which might help loosen up opposing defenses and give Charles room to run. Smith completed just 40 passes of at least 20 yards last season, ranking in the bottom half of NFL starters, and three of at least 40 yards — tied for 35th among all quarterbacks that attempted a pass.
“Your percentages obviously go down when you shoot deep as opposed to short and intermediate passes, that only makes sense,” Reid said. “But he’s connected on some nice ones (in practice).
Even offensive coordinator Doug Pederson, himself a former quarterback, seems to be hoping Smith takes more chances, at least before the games start to count.
“If you’re going to throw an interception, training camp is the time to throw it. Let’s test our skill and ability, let’s see what our guys can do,” Pederson said.
“Let’s see what the quarterback can do, let’s see what our receivers can do. This is the time to test that, and we’ve got all of the confidence in the world, as a staff, when we call those plays that they’re completion plays and that Alex will do the right thing with the ball.”
Smith and his wide receivers are only part of the equation, though. To make the passing game click, the offensive line must protect better than it did last season, when it allowed Smith to get sacked a career-high 45 times in just 15 games.
So far, the Chiefs have yet to settle on a front five. Rookie center Mitch Morse is in a tight competition with Eric Kush, and the entire right side of the line remains in flux with Jeff Allen, Paul Fanaika and Donald Stephenson among those playing musical chairs.
“It doesn’t matter if you have two or three studs,” Allen said, “you have to have five guys working together. That is what we’re trying to get.”
Nobody would be happier to see that than Smith, who understands the burden of a successful season could very well fall on his right shoulder.
“I really feel that we have a lot of the pieces that it takes,” he said. “You just never know how long those windows last and you have to make the most out of this opportunity, and I really do think we have an opportunity in front of us.”
NOTES: Maclin woke up Monday with a strained neck. X-rays were negative. “Everything is OK. We just have to get the spasm out of it,” Reid said. “I’m not sure exactly when it happened.” It is unclear whether Maclin will play in Saturday’s preseason opener at Arizona. … OLB Dee Ford remained out of practice after going through the concussion protocol this past weekend.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — With All-Star reliever Wade Davis nursing a bad back and closer Greg Holland earning saves the past two days and unavailable, Kansas City Royals manager Ned Yost turned to Ryan Madson to protect a one-run lead in the ninth.
Madson struck out two in a spotless inning as the Royals edged the Chicago White Sox 5-4 Sunday for a three-game sweep.
“We feel we have four guys that can close,” Yost said.
Madson saved 32 games in 2011 with Philadelphia, but had been out of the majors until this year because of injuries.
“It helps a bunch,” Madson said of being familiar with the role. “When you first try it, it’s a totally different feel, a totally different game in that ninth inning.”
“But so, yeah, I appreciate all the experience I’ve had throwing in the ninth inning `cause then it’s just the same game as it is in the eighth and seventh. Sometimes it’s a little bit easier because the hitters feel more pressure and they’re a little more aggressive,” he said.
The Royals have won three straight games by one run for the first time since August 2012. Kansas City widened its lead to 11 1-2 games in the AL Central and improved to 10-3 against the White Sox this season.
Kendrys Morales hit a two-run homer that put Kansas City ahead 3-0 in the first.
“The first inning changed my whole game,” White Sox starter Jose Quintana said.
It was 4-all in the eighth when Alex Rios singled with one out off Jake Petricka (3-3) and Paulo Orlando followed with a ground-rule double. Omar Infante hit a grounder to first baseman Jose Abreu, and Rios slid home ahead of the tag.
“Jake threw the pitch he wanted,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “It wasn’t very well struck. At that point it doesn’t matter. They’ve got a guy who can run well down the line. It was a tough play by Jose, but I thought he made a good effort.”
Kelvin Herrera (3-2) picked up the victory despite blowing a save and giving up the tying run in the eighth on Melky Cabrera’s RBI single with two outs.
Eric Hosmer doubled home a run in the first and Morales hit his 13th homer. It was Morales’ major league-leading 24th multi-RBI game.
Royals starter Danny Duffy was pulled after 3 1/3 innings and 73 pitches. He gave up three runs in the third on a walk, hit batter, wild pitch and two hits. Kris Medlen replaced him and threw 3 2/3 hitless innings.
Gordon Beckham singled home the first run, his first RBI since June 21, and Alexei Ramirez had a two-out, two-run single.
Ben Zobrist put the Royals ahead in the fifth when he singled home Jarrod Dyson.
ZOBRIST AT THIRD
Zobrist started at third base for the first time since Sept. 30, 2010, while with the Rays at Kansas City. He did not field a ball at third base for seven innings before being replaced by Mike Moustakas in the eighth.
TRAINER’S ROOM
White Sox: OF J.B. Shuck (left hamstring strain), RHP Daniel Webb (back strain) and IF Emilio Bonifacio (left oblique strain) are on the 15-day disabled list.
Royals: LHP Brian Flynn (left lat tear) is rehabbing in Arizona, but it appears unlikely he will return before the season ends, although he did not require surgery.
UP NEXT
White Sox: LHP Chris Sale, who has allowed 14 earned runs and 18 hits in 10 1/3 innings in losing his previous two outings, will start Monday against the Angels.
Royals: RHP Johnny Cueto will make his first home start since the Royals acquired him in a July 26 trade with the Reds. The Royals dropped his first two starts on the road.
MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Brewers kept waiting, patiently hoping Khris Davis would get in the swing.
No more wondering when that’ll happen.
Davis hit two more homers, including a two-run shot in the eighth inning off recent teammate Jonathan Broxton, and the Brewers beat St. Louis 5-4 Sunday and ended the Cardinals’ four-game winning streak.
It was his Davis’ fourth home run in four games.
“That’s who he is,” Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said of Davis’ streaky tendency in his three-year career. “He’s trying to lengthen those good streaks and shorten the bad streaks. When he gets into these good streaks, he can win games for you.”
Broxton (1-3), traded from Milwaukee to the NL Central leaders on July 31, relieved Kevin Siegrist with a runner on second and one out with a 4-3 lead. Davis hit the first pitch into the Cardinals’ bullpen for his 11th homer.
“It fell just right there,” Davis said. “It was a good pitch to hit and I was ready.”
Will Smith (5-2) pitched a scoreless eighth. Francisco Rodriguez worked the ninth for his 26th save in 26 chances this year.
Davis earlier hit a two-run homer off Cardinals starter John Lackey.
Last Thursday, Davis hit a pair of three-run homers in Milwaukee’s 10-1 win over San Diego. He had been held hitless in six at-bats during the first two games of this series, a pair of shutouts for the Cardinals, before breaking loose.
“Khris hasn’t had that streak yet that we’re talking about it,” Counsell said. “We’ll assume this is it. Four homers in four games. Two, two-home run games. That’s it. When you’re that type of hitter you’re kind of waiting for it. You work hard and try to get there.”
Elian Herrera’s home run in the third ended the Cardinals’ streak of not allowing a run at 38 innings. It also was the first home run allowed by St. Louis pitchers in 62 innings.
Matt Carpenter hit a three-run homer off Brewers starter Jimmy Nelson with two outs in the seventh for a 4-3 lead.
Pinch-hitter Jason Rogers opened the Milwaukee eighth with a single off Siegrist. Shane Peterson’s sacrifice bunt moved him to second, and Broxton took over.
“(When) the roof’s open and the panels are open the ball flies here,” Broxton said. “You really got to focus on getting the ball down. I didn’t get that first pitch down. It’s away, but it’s just up.”
Lackey gave up six hits, including a solo homer by Herrera and the drive by Davis, in six innings.
“It’s a shame, that one bad inning,” St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. “A walk, a homer, he gave up next to nothing all day today. Sixty-six pitches. We didn’t have a lot of offensive opportunities. That’s tough. Throwing the ball that well and didn’t get a lot of offensive support early.”
Herrera’s home run with one out in the third came one pitch after Jean Segura was caught stealing second base, a play that was confirmed after a challenge by the Brewers.
Jason Heyward hit an RBI single in the sixth for the Cardinals. Nelson allowed four runs on eight hits while striking out eight in seven innings.
Brandon Moss and Stephen Piscotty opened the St. Louis seventh with singles, and Tony Cruz’s sacrificed. Pinch-hitter Mark Reynolds grounded out but, after a brief conference at the mound, Nelson stayed in the game and Carpenter hit his 16th home run.
RARE WALK
Brewers shortstop Jean Segura walked in the seventh inning, his first bases on balls in 120 plate appearances dating to July 3.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cardinals: C Yadier Molina was given the day off to rest and Cruz started in his place. Manager Mike Matheny said he made the move because with the off-day on Monday his starting catcher would get two days off.
Brewers: RHP Brandon Kintzler has allowed only one hit and no runs in two innings while on a rehab assignment for the Arizona League Brewers in the Rookie League. Kintzler is on the disabled list with knee tendinitis.
UP NEXT
Cardinals: The team returns home Tuesday to open a three-game series with their closest NL Central competitor, the Pittsburgh Pirates. The teams have split 10 games this year.
Brewers: Open a three-game series at the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday. It is the only three road games in a 20-game span for the team. The Brewers are 4-7 in the first 11 games of this stretch.
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — There were moments last season when the Chiefs’ De’Anthony Thomas resembled the player that rapper Snoop Dogg nicknamed “Black Mamba,” a shifty do-everything star renowned for his speed and elusiveness on the Pop Warner playing fields.
There were also moments that he looked like a lost NFL rookie.
Now a year wiser and stronger, Thomas is hoping to build on that debut entering Year 2 with Kansas City. He’s made the switch from running back to wide receiver, but the reality is the spot amounts to semantics — versatility remains a big part of his game.
“I learned the running back stuff last year, now I’m learning the receiver stuff also,” he said. It’s just all about learning the whole offense, and I feel like the more valuable I can be to the team, the more time I can be on the field.”
Thomas only played in 12 games last season, and his numbers on offense were modest: 14 carries for 113 yards and a score, and 23 catches for 156 yards.
In fact, he was more valuable as a kick and punt returner, even taking one punt for a touchdown against Oakland.
But the Chiefs expect more of the former fourth-round draft pick this season, especially given how thin they are at wide receiver.
Jeremy Maclin is the unquestioned leader of the position group, and Jason Avant is the elder statesman. But beyond that, players such as Albert Wilson are big on potential but short on proven ability.
“He is still taking the ball-handling, still doing stuff in the running back position, but the majority of his snaps were from that receiver position,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said, when asked to explain the switch to wide receiver.
“So we said, ‘You know what? Let’s just put him there. We know he can get back there — he does ball-handling, so he works on the runs, but we put the major emphasis on him getting to know those routes better as a receiver.'”
Thomas has already turned some heads in training camp. He made such a stunning cut to get open against cornerback Phillip Gaines that the defender went toppling to the ground, captured on a video that quickly went viral.
It wasn’t a whole lot different from Thomas’ days in college, when he would seemingly snap the ankles of a woebegone defender while racing around the field for Oregon.
“I just see myself as a contributor,” Thomas said. “Special teams is very big for us also. Doing stuff on special teams, and then coming in certain plays and certain formations to get the defense to where I’m at on the field — and how we can beat them.”
The Chiefs have had gadget-type players in the past, such as Dexter McCluster, who played a similar role before Thomas’ arrival.
But the youngster from Los Angeles possesses a wholly unique combination of speed and quickness that makes him a matchup nightmare.
In fact, Thomas admits his eyes light up when a bigger cornerback lines up on him.
“Real big. Just making that one move to open his hips up, and that’s the only thing I need. The next is attacking him,” he said. “After that, just letting ability take over. Just being patient and having fun out there.”
In an interview setting, Thomas punctuates many of his answers with “just having fun out there,” and for good reason. When you have the ability to make defenders look silly — whether it’s a teammate in training camp or an AFC rival in the regular season — it’s hard not to have fun.
“Quickness and speed, that’s what he’s got. And he’s really strong. For being small, he’s strong,” Reid said. “You don’t want to miss with him. He is one of those guys you put in that category if you’re a defensive corner or safety and he’s playing on the inside, you do not want to miss if you’re playing press coverage on him. You’re probably not going to catch him.”
NOTES: There were several scuffles in Sunday’s practice, including punches thrown between WR Jeremy Maclin and DB Marcus Cooper. RB Charcandrick West and CB Jamell Fleming got into it, as did WR Albert Wilson and CB Steven Nelson. … OLB Dee Ford did not practice after going through the concussion protocol following Saturday’s workout.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kendrys Morales and Salvador Perez each drove in two runs and the Kansas City Royals overcame Jose Abreu’s two home runs to beat the Chicago White Sox 7-6 on Saturday night.
Perez, who had been in a 6-for-32 skid, had a two-out single in the three-run fourth. Morales and Perez picked up back-to-back run-producing doubles with two out in a four-run fifth.
White Sox right-hander Jeff Samardzija (8-6) failed to make it out of the fifth, giving up seven runs on six hits.
Abreu homered to lead off the fourth and sixth innings.
Jeremy Guthrie (8-7) picked up the victory, although he gave up six runs on 10 hits, including both of Abreu’s homers, in 5 2/3 innings.
IRVING, Texas – For the 10th-straight season, the Kansas men’s basketball team will make four appearances on ESPN’s Big Monday, as announced by the Big 12 Conference Wednesday.
