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St. Louis loses at Seattle on Lind’s walk-off three-run home run

riggertCardinalsSEATTLE (AP) — Adam Lind hit a game-winning three-run home run in the ninth inning off St. Louis closer Trevor Rosenthal, and the Seattle Mariners rallied for a 4-3 win over the Cardinals on Friday night to snap a six-game losing streak.

The Mariners opened the ninth with a double by Kyle Seager and a walk to Dae-Ho Lee. Lind reached down and drove a 1-1 pitch out to right field for his fourth career walk-off home run. It was the third home run allowed this season by Rosenthal (2-3) and his third blown save.

St. Louis had scored three times in the eighth inning without the help of a base hit. Seattle reliever Joaquin Benoit issued three walks and a hit batter and Kyle Seager’s error on Matt Holliday’s hard ground ball allowed two runs to score.

— Associated Press —

Kansas City loses 4-3 as Mets sweep two-game series

riggertRoyalsNEW YORK (AP) — Even when the Mets win lately, it hurts.

Noah Syndergaard left his start after six innings with a sore elbow and Yoenis Cespedes came out because of an aching wrist, yet New York held off the Kansas City Royals 4-3 Wednesday for a two-game sweep in their World Series rematch.

Both star players were sent to the doctor as the banged-up Mets packed for a seven-game road trip. Lucas Duda, David Wright, Juan Lagares and reliever Jim Henderson already are out with injuries, and Bartolo Colon lasted four pitches in New York’s 2-1 victory Tuesday night before he was hit in the thumb by a line drive.

Fellow pitcher Zack Wheeler recently had a setback in his rehab from Tommy John surgery.

“We’ve got to keep grinding. We’ve got to go with what we’ve got,” second baseman Neil Walker said. “This is no different than what we’ve kind of been going through.”

Matt Reynolds snapped a sixth-inning tie with his first major league home run for the Mets. Asdrubal Cabrera homered for the second straight day and scored with an acrobatic slide to help Syndergaard (8-2) win his sixth consecutive decision.

Cespedes had two hits and a walk, including a double off the center-field wall, but was removed in the sixth because of discomfort in his left wrist.

“If you remember last fall he had a similar problem with that left hand. He takes some swings and it comes off the bat,” manager Terry Collins said. “So I don’t know what the issue is. I’m certainly concerned about it. Anytime, when you’re a hitter and you’re a big hitter and your hands and your wrists have problems, it’s a concern.”

Cespedes was diagnosed with a mild strain in his left wrist. He received a cortisone shot and is day to day, Mets spokesman Jay Horwitz told The Associated Press later Wednesday night.

The news about Syndergaard, an emerging ace in his second big league season and the hardest-throwing starter in the majors, was also a concern. The 23-year-old pitcher had his right elbow examined earlier this year after feeling some tightness, but hasn’t missed a turn in the rotation.

“His elbow flared up on him. That’s why I took him out of the game,” said a terse Collins, nudged by Horwitz to disclose that information at the conclusion of his postgame news conference.

An MRI showed no structural damage and he receive anti-inflammatory medication and was cleared to resume normal activities, Horwitz later said.

Syndergaard pitched on six days’ rest, pushed back a day after throwing 115 pitches — one short of his most in the majors — over a career-high 8 1/3 innings during his previous outing.

Wheeler was diagnosed with sensory nerve irritation in his right elbow. Tests showed no structural damage and he also received a cortisone shot and was cleared resume baseball activities as tolerated

Cheslor Cuthbert homered for the Royals, who had won eight of nine when they arrived at Citi Field — where they clinched their 2015 championship with a late rally in Game 5.

But after a string of comebacks floored the Mets last fall, this time New York’s bullpen held Kansas City at bay in two more tight games between the teams. Including a two-game split at Kauffman Stadium to begin the season, the Mets took three of four meetings between the defending league champions this year.

Reynolds, playing the outfield for the first time in his professional career, hit an opposite-field drive to right off Joakim Soria (3-3) with two outs in the sixth.

“He put it in the air, and the wind took care of the rest,” Soria said.

That put New York ahead 4-3 and made a winner of Syndergaard, who won 2-0 at Kansas City in April. Of course, he also earned New York’s only World Series victory last October and irritated the Royals by firing his first pitch above Alcides Escobar’s head.

The big right-hander squandered a pair of one-run leads this time, giving up three runs and a season-high eight hits. He struck out four and walked none.

Jerry Blevins and Addison Reed set up Jeurys Familia for his major league-leading 24th save.

Curtis Granderson walked with two outs in the fifth and Cabrera hit a two-run shot off a 97 mph, 1-2 fastball from frustrated starter Danny Duffy.

“I made one bad pitch that really kind of screwed up the whole performance,” Duffy said.

Whit Merrifield and Paulo Orlando each had an RBI single for the Royals.

STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND

New York sat slumping LF Michael Conforto against the left-hander, so Reynolds started in left field and made all his plays. The rookie infielder said the last time he played the outfield was one summer ballgame in the Cape Cod League during college.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: All-Star LF Alex Gordon (broken right wrist) played his fourth rehab game at Double-A Northwest Arkansas. He was 4 for 11 with a home run and a double in his first three games and could rejoin the Royals this weekend.

Mets: The 43-year-old Colon remains scheduled to make his next start Sunday in Atlanta. … Needing a fresh arm in their taxed bullpen, the Mets recalled RHP Logan Verrett from Triple-A Las Vegas and optioned INF Ty Kelly to their top farm club.

UP NEXT

Royals: After a day off Thursday, their second in four days, the Royals play another opponent they dispatched during the 2015 postseason. RHP Edinson Volquez (7-6, 4.12 ERA) faces AL Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel (3-9, 5.32) when Houston visits Kansas City on Friday night for a three-game series.

Mets: RHP Matt Harvey (4-9, 4.76 ERA) takes the mound Thursday night in the opener of a four-game set. RHP Matt Wisler (3-7, 4.23) pitches for the last-place Braves, who beat Harvey and swept three games at Citi Field last weekend.

— Associated Press —

Cardinals beat Arrieta, Cubs to complete three-game sweep

riggertCardinalsCHICAGO (AP) — When the St. Louis Cardinals arrived at Wrigley Field for a three-game series, manager Mike Matheny shook off questions about their 12 1/2-game deficit to the surging Cubs by insisting he avoids looking at the standings.

“It’s just not allowing me to fall into the trap, the trap of either being content or being overwhelmed,” Matheny said.

Three games later, Cardinals showed the NL Central may not be sewn up just yet.

Michael Wacha pitched into the seventh inning for his first win in nearly two months and the Cardinals waited out Jake Arrieta before roughing up Chicago’s bullpen in a 7-2 victory over the Cubs on Wednesday.

Aledmys Diaz hit a two-run home run, and Matt Carpenter had a two-run double in a five-run sixth after Arrieta (11-2) departed. The Cardinals won their eighth straight road game — their longest streak since 1982 — and completed their first three-game sweep at Wrigley Field since 1988.

“This is a big series for us,” Carpenter said.

Arrieta was charged with two runs — one earned — and four hits in five innings as he struggled with control (four walks) and pitch count (106).

“Go back to work tomorrow and combat the things that teams have done against me recently,” Arrieta said.

Wacha (3-7) allowed two hits until rookie Willson Contreras’ one-out, two-run homer in the seventh ended his day.

Contreras replaced Miguel Montero an inning earlier after the catcher twisted his right knee. He said after the game he was fine.

The Cubs had three hits and committed several mental and defensive miscues. Their three-game skid matches the longest of the season.

“Give them credit. They pitched well, they really played well and they beat us fair and square,” manager Joe Maddon said.

Chicago entered the series the darlings of baseball. But the Cardinals, who won 100 games last season before falling to the Cubs in the playoffs, showed their mettle.

Wacha set down the first nine batters before giving up two walks in the fourth and then Anthony Rizzo’s opposite-field single against the shift with two out.

But the Cubs didn’t score thanks to Chris Coghlan getting doubled off first base on a fly to left, and Wacha was able to snap a seven-game skid.

“It’s been a while for sure,” Wacha said.

The Cardinals made Arrieta work with long at-bats before taking advantage of Chicago’s shoddy defense.

“We grinded 1 through 9, even Wacha had a pretty long at-bat (seven pitches) against him,” Carpenter said. “We worked his pitch count and had runners on base. The error, that ended up being the difference in the game.”

A single and two walks loaded the bases in the fifth with one out when Stephen Picotty hit a grounder to third. But second baseman Ben Zobrist’s relay throw to first was a one-hopper, Rizzo couldn’t dig it out for the double play, and two runs scored.

“That was a big moment there,” Rizzo said. “I just missed it.”

Justin Grimm replaced Arrieta and was charged with four runs while getting one out in a nightmare sixth for Chicago before Contreras hit his second big league homer.

Rizzo later left the game as a precaution with a tight back.

“If it wasn’t 7-0, I think I would have stayed in the game,” Rizzo said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: RHP Seth Maness (elbow) allowed a walk and got two outs in his first appearance since being activated off the disabled list Sunday.

Cubs: With CF Dexter Fowler (hamstring) on the disabled list, Maddon has settled in on Coghlan batting leadoff against right-handers and Zobrist vs. lefties.

MOLINA & THE CUBS

Cardinals C Yadier Molina could be starting with an all-Cubs infield at the All-Star Game. The latest NL voting released Wednesday had Molina with a slight lead over San Francisco’s Buster Posey. The Cubs’ Rizzo, Zobrist, Kris Bryant and Addison Russell continued to lead at their infield positions.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: After an off day, RHP Carlos Martinez (7-5, 3.17 ERA) looks to stay unbeaten in June in the opener of a three-game series at Seattle.

Cubs: LHP Jon Lester (9-3, 2.06 ERA) aims to win his sixth straight start Thursday night as Chicago opens a season-high 11-game trip in Miami. Struggling LHP Wei-Yin Chen (4-2, 5.22) will start for the Marlins.

— Associated Press —

Royals come up short in World Series rematch at New York

riggertRoyalsNEW YORK (AP) — Bartolo Colon’s early injury put the New York Mets in a major bind, but they won a battle of bullpens against the best relief corps in baseball and defeated the Kansas City Royals 2-1 on Tuesday night in a World Series rematch.

Yoenis Cespedes hit his 18th home run and Asdrubal Cabrera also connected for New York, which had lost three straight and six of eight.

Held to one hit and no other baserunners Sunday as lowly Atlanta capped a sweep at Citi Field, the Mets again had trouble generating offense. This time, however, a gritty Hansel Robles (1-3) and four other relievers bailed them out by combining for 8 2/3 stellar innings in the opener of a two-game set.

The Royals were back at Citi Field for the first time since clinching their World Series title last November with a late rally in Game 5. Still, manager Ned Yost insisted the trip was no sunny stroll down memory lane. The teams split a two-game series in Kansas City to open the regular season.

“Just another series,” Yost said before the game. “I don’t know if it’s weird or not. I mean, it was a great accomplishment, but it’s kind of in the rearview mirror in the middle of the season now.”

Hours earlier, the Mets announced a tweak to their pitching rotation. Colon was bumped up a day to start on regular rest, and Noah Syndergaard was pushed back one day to Wednesday afternoon.

But after only four pitches by the 43-year-old Colon, the defending NL champions were scrambling.

Royals leadoff batter Whit Merrifield hit a line drive that barely glanced off the pitcher’s glove and struck him hard on his right thumb.

The ball deflected to second baseman Neil Walker, who threw to first for an out. In the meantime, Colon shook his pitching hand in obvious pain and bent over at the waist as manager Terry Collins and trainer Ray Ramirez came rushing out of the dugout.

After a brief meeting near the mound, Colon walked off the field. Robles entered and was given all the time he needed to warm up.

X-rays on Colon’s thumb were negative, the Mets said.

Robles took over and provided yeoman’s work. After throwing 41 pitches Sunday, he threw 65 over 3 2/3 effective innings in this one and struck out six. The right-hander’s previous career highs were 52 pitches and three innings, in different games.

Robles finally tired in the fifth and gave up an RBI single to Brett Eibner with nobody out before Erik Goeddel pitched out of a jam. Goeddel tossed two scoreless innings before Jerry Blevins worked a perfect seventh and Addison Reed a 1-2-3 eighth.

Jeurys Familia struck out two in a one-hit ninth for his major league-leading 23rd save. Familia, charged with three blown saves in the World Series last year against the Royals, has converted a club-record 39 consecutive regular-season chances dating to last August — though he did blow a four-run lead in the ninth inning of a game this season.

Cabrera hit an opposite-field drive to left off Ian Kennedy (5-6) in the first, and Cespedes homered to center leading off the fourth.

ON HIS WAY OUT

Kansas City has requested unconditional release waivers on 2B Omar Infante, designated for assignment last week. If he goes unclaimed, the 34-year-old Infante would become a free agent Thursday and could sign with any team.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: Three-time All-Star LF Alex Gordon (broken right wrist) could return to the lineup as early as this weekend if he keeps feeling good, Yost said. Gordon was 3 for 6 with a home run and a double in two rehab games with Double-A Northwest Arkansas.

Mets: On a busy day at Citi Field, the Mets activated Travis d’Arnaud from the disabled list. The catcher had been sidelined since April 26 with a strained right rotator cuff. He batted eighth and went 0 for 3 with a long flyout, but passed his first test on defense by throwing out Alcides Escobar trying to steal second base in the first inning. To open a roster spot for d’Arnaud, catcher Kevin Plawecki was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas. New York also put reliever Jim Henderson on the 15-day DL, retroactive to Sunday, with right biceps tendinitis and recalled LHP Sean Gilmartin from its top farm club.

UP NEXT

Syndergaard (7-2, 1.91 ERA) will start on six days’ rest Wednesday against LHP Danny Duffy (2-1, 3.17). Syndergaard has won five straight decisions. He also won 2-0 in Kansas City when the teams split two games to open the season. And of course, he earned New York’s lone World Series victory last October and rankled the Royals by firing his first pitch above Escobar’s head.

— Associated Press —-

Carpenter, Holliday homer as Cardinals beat Cubs again

riggertCardinalsCHICAGO (AP) — Matt Carpenter and Matt Holliday homered to back Adam Wainwright, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 4-3 on Tuesday night.

The Cardinals won their second straight game after going 0-5 on their first winless homestand of at least two series since 1983.

Carpenter and Holliday connected against Jason Hammel (7-3) in a three-run third inning that made it 4-1. Wainwright (6-4) pitched into the seventh and improved to 10-1 in 21 games — 16 starts — at Wrigley Field.

The Cardinals put themselves in position to sweep their first trip to Chicago since last year’s NL Division Series, though it won’t be easy with the major league-leading Cubs sending reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta to the mound.

Chris Coghlan scored two runs for the Cubs, whose longest losing streak is three games. Chicago hit into three double plays.

Wainwright allowed three runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Chicago’s Addison Russell doubled off the wall in left leading off the seventh. Jonathan Broxton came in with two outs and walked Coghlan, putting runners on first and third, but first baseman Brandon Moss made a diving stop on Jason Heyward’s grounder to end the threat.

Kevin Siegrist worked the eighth, and Trevor Rosenthal handled the ninth for his 14th save in 16 chances. Shaky in Monday’s win, he gave up a one-out single to Russell and walked Javier Baez with two outs before pinch-hitter Matt Szczur grounded into a force play to end the game.

Hammel went 5 2/3 innings, allowing four runs and six hits.

STRETCH TO START

The Cubs optioned right-hander Adam Warren to Triple-A Iowa to prepare him for a major league start. The Cubs plan to have him start two minor-league games and make one for them before the All-Star break. Warren might make another start after that.

Chicago will have played 24 consecutive days before the break. Stretching Warren will give the starters an extra day of rest.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: C Brayan Pena (left knee surgery) was hitting .179 through 11 minor league games. His rehab stint will expire next week.

Cubs: The Cubs placed LHP Clayton Richard on the 15-day DL because of a blister on his left middle finger.

UP NEXT

The Cubs send Arrieta (11-1, 1.74 ERA) to the mound while the Cardinals go with RHP Michael Wacha (2-7, 4.56) in the finale of the three-game series. Arrieta got the win at St. Louis on May 25 despite allowing a season-high four runs over five innings. Wacha is 0-7 in his last 10 starts.

— Associated Press —

Cardinals stop 5-game slide with 3-2 victory over Cubs

riggertCardinalsCHICAGO (AP) — Trevor Rosenthal was in deep trouble when Yadier Molina came up with a huge play — for the closer and the St. Louis Cardinals.

Molina cut down rookie Albert Almora Jr. trying to take third on a ball in the dirt in the ninth, and Rosenthal held on for the save as St. Louis stopped a five-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Monday night.

Almora doubled with one out and Rosenthal hit pinch-hitter Chris Coghlan with his next pitch. With Ben Zobrist at the plate, Almora tried to advance when a ball bounced away from Molina, but the eight-time Gold Glove winner made a perfect throw to third baseman Jhonny Peralta for the out.

“He’s the best catcher in baseball,” said Jaime Garcia, who pitched into the seventh inning in his first win in four June starts.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon said it looked as if the ball hit the foot of home plate umpire Pat Hoberg before Molina got to it.

“Their catcher, Molina, made a good play and they made a good tag,” Maddon said.

Zobrist followed with a single to right, putting runners on the corners, but Rosenthal got Jason Heyward to pop out for his 13th save in 15 chances. Rosenthal allowed five runs and seven hits in two-plus innings over his previous four appearances.

“He was flirting with danger again,” manager Mike Matheny said. “Got to get him right, and right there it’s not as much getting him right as much as it felt like he was our best shot.”

Brandon Moss and Peralta homered against John Lackey as the Cardinals got back on track following their first winless homestand of at least two series since 1983. It was their first trip to Wrigley Field since they were eliminated by the Cubs in the NL Division Series last year.

“We lost some one-run games there at home quite a few times on the homestand,” Moss said. “It’s good to move past them and win a game like that against a really good team.”

Lackey settled down after a slow start, but Garcia (5-6) and two relievers held the major league-leading Cubs in check. Lackey (7-3) allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings in his first loss in three appearances this year against his former team.

“Early on I definitely wasn’t locating quite as well as I could,” Lackey said. “We made some adjustments in between innings that paid off in the end.”

Both benches were warned by Hoberg after Moss and Chicago star Kris Bryant were each hit by a pitch in the fifth. But the longtime rivals played the rest of the game without incident.

Chicago was coming off a three-game sweep of Pittsburgh and had won 18 of 24 overall. Its NL Central lead over second-place St. Louis was trimmed to 11 1/2 games, still the biggest advantage in baseball.

Moss went deep in the second and Peralta added a leadoff drive in the third. Aledmys Diaz also had a two-out RBI single for the Cardinals.

Lackey allowed a total of three runs in his previous four starts combined.

The Cubs got two back in the third when Bryant hit an RBI double and scored on Willson Contreras’ two-out single in his first major league start. The touted catcher was promoted from Triple-A Iowa on Friday and hit a two-run homer on the first pitch of his first at-bat in Sunday night’s 10-5 victory over the Pirates.

With Contreras on first, Garcia got Javier Baez to fly out to right to end the inning. The left-hander allowed six hits in 6 2/3 innings in just his second win in his past seven starts.

MISSING FOWLER

The Cubs placed center fielder Dexter Fowler on the 15-day disabled list with a right hamstring strain and recalled right-hander Carl Edward Jr. from Triple-A Iowa.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: C Brayan Pena, who is coming back from left knee surgery, remains on a rehab stint in the minors, and Matheny offered no update on a possible return date when asked about the switch hitter before the game. … Reliever Mitch Harris said in a post on his Instagram account that he had right elbow surgery last week. Matheny said he doubted Harris would be ready for the start of next season. “I haven’t put a timetable, but it’s usually around a year,” he said.

Cubs: OF Jorge Soler (left hamstring strain) and INF Tommy La Stella (right hamstring strain) are running again. General manager Jed Hoyer said La Stella is closer to a rehab assignment than Soler.

UP NEXT

Cardinals RHP Adam Wainwright (5-4, 4.78 ERA) and Cubs RHP Jason Hammel (7-2, 2.26 ERA) face off on Tuesday night. Wainwright is 9-1 with a 3.33 ERA in 20 career games at Wrigley. Hammel pitched seven solid innings in a no-decision at Washington on Wednesday in his previous start.

— Associated Press —

Cuthbert’s RBI single in 13th lifts Royals past Tigers, 2-1

riggertRoyalsKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — While Cheslor Cuthbert delivered the game-winning hit, Chris Young said pitching six sharp innings on Father’s Day was an emotional outing for him.

Cuthbert singled home Lorenzo Cain in the 13th inning to lift the Kansas City Royals to a 2-1 win over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday.

The Royals won six of seven on their homestand and have the best home record in the American League at 25-8.

Young threw six innings, matching his longest outing of the year, holding the Tigers to three hits and one run, while walking one and striking out seven. Young is 4-0 with a 1.69 ERA in 10 career outings against the Tigers.

Young’s father Charles died last September.

“I think last year on Father’s Day was the last time he saw me pitch,” Young said. “A year later, he was certainly in my thoughts, a lot of great memories and some emotional times as well. I feel like I’m motivated every time out, but certainly a little bit of emotion on the first Father’s Day since my dad passed away.”

Salvador Perez led off the 13th with a single to right off left-hander Kyle Ryan (1-2), who was just promoted from Triple-A Toledo. Cain ran for Perez and advanced to second on Miguel Cabrera’s error on Ryan’s pickoff attempt.

After Kendrys Morales was walked intentionally walked, Paulo Orlando moved the runners with a sacrifice bunt. Ryan walked Brett Eibner intentionally to load the bases. Cuthbert hit a ground ball single to left to score Cain.

“I saw the ball going by and I took off,” Cain said.

Chien-Ming Wang (4-0) allowed one hit in 1 2/3 innings to pick up the victory.

Tigers starter Jordan Zimmermann, who threw 93 pitches in eight innings, had a three-ball count only on two batters — Cuthbert in the third and Orlando in the eighth. Zimmerman yielded one run on four hits, walked one and struck out five.

“He was very good,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. “He was throwing strikes and got them chasing pitches out of the strike zone. His pitch count was down and he was sharp. He did an excellent job. He deserved to get a `W’ really.”

Left-hander Justin Wilson replaced Zimmermann and hit speedy Jarrod Dyson with his first pitch. After Whit Merrifield popped up foul on a bunt, Wilson picked Dyson off first base and retired Alcides Escobar on a fly ball

Young threw six innings, matching his longest outing of the year, holding the Tigers to three hits and one run, while walking one and striking out seven. Young is 4-0 with a 1.69 ERA in 10 career outings against the Tigers.

Steven Moya’s first major league home run to lead off the third was Young’s only hiccup. Young has allowed 19 home runs 51 1/3 innings, but the past 14 have been with the bases empty.

Eibner’s ground out in fifth scored Morales to tie the score at 1. Morales led off the inning with a single and stopped at third on Orlando’s double to left. Eibner’s grounder to shortstop Jose Iglesias got Morales’ home.

After Young exited, Joakim Soria pitched a perfect seventh, while Kelvin Herrera struck out the side on 14 pitches in the eighth. Wade Davis walked one in a scoreless ninth.

TIGERS CALL UP TWO

The Tigers recalled RHP Bruce Rondon and Ryan from Triple-A Toledo and put them in a beleaguered bullpen, which had allowed 18 runs in 6 2/3 innings the previous two games. LHPs Matt Boyd and Blaine Hardy were sent to the minors after the 16-5 loss Saturday to the Royals. Manager Brad Ausmus said a decision has not been finalized on who will start Thursday in Boyd’s place. While Ryan took the loss Sunday, Rondon pitched two perfect innings, striking out three.

MAYBIN THUMBED

Tigers CF Cameron Maybin was ejected by plate umpire Gabe Morales in the 11th inning for debating a called third strike. Andrew Romine replaced him.

INCREDIBLE RISP

The Royals went 14 for 25 with runners in scoring position Saturday. That is their most successful with RISP since a record 17-for-25 effort on Sept. 9, 2004, at Detroit. They went 1 for 4 with RISP on Sunday.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: LF Alex Gordon (fractured right wrist) went 1 for 3 in his first rehab game Sunday with Double-A Northwest Arkansas. He doubled in his first at-bat and struck out

UP NEXT

Tigers: RHP Mike Pelfrey, who has allowed 91 hits and walked 30 in 71 1/3 innings, will start Monday against the Mariners, who will counter with RHP Nathan Karns.

Royals: They are off before a two-game series begins Tuesday at the Mets in a World Series rematch. RHP Ian Kennedy will start the first game.

— Associated Press —

Cardinals blow another late lead against Rangers

riggertCardinalsST. LOUIS (AP) — Sitting on the bench, Jurickson Profar knew he might be called on to hit for the Texas Rangers.

In the big moment, Profar came through when he hit a two-run, bases-loaded pinch-hit single in the eighth, lifting the Rangers to a 5-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday.

It was Profar’s first pinch-hit at-bat this season.

“The whole game, I was ready for that,” Profar said. “I was just sitting there but everybody on the bench has got to be ready to hit. I was just looking for my pitch. It was a pitch in the zone so I could drive it.”

With two outs in the eighth, Rougned Odor doubled off reliever Matt Bowman (1-2). He gave an intentional walk to Mitch Moreland. Elvis Andrus grounded to short and Moreland was called out at second. After a challenge, the call was overturned.

“That was a good job by Mitch beating out the ground ball and giving me a chance,” Profar said.

Profar hit for reliever Tony Barnette. Batting left-handed, Profar lined a 2-2 pitch into left to drive in the winning runs.

The overturned call did not upset Bowman.

“I knew it was close. As a pitcher, you always want to assume he’s safe,” Bowman said. “I made sure I was focused. I liked the pitch selection to (Profar). He hit it and you tip your cap.”

Texas manager Jeff Bannister said the spot for right for Profar.

“It felt like it was a situation where he was the best guy we could put up there and to be able to control the at-bat,” Bannister said. “He hunted a good pitch to hit. I think with all factors, playing regularly, we like how he swings the bat from the left side, bases loaded, he’s going to control that at-bat and he was the guy for us in that spot.”

St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said he was staying with Bowman.

“Bowman was throwing good. His ball was really moving well. With Profar in the pinch-hitting spot, I liked Bowman there to get a ground ball,” Matheny said. “He was making good pitches. He just got beat.”

Texas swept the three-game series and has won six in a row and eight of its last nine games. The Rangers are 14-4 this month and they improved to an MLB best 16-4 in one-run games this season.

St. Louis has lost five in a row — all at home. It was the first winless homestand of at least two series for St. Louis since 1983.

Barnette (4-2) pitched 1 2/3 innings in scoreless relief for the win. Sam Dyson pitched the ninth for his 13th save in 14 chances.

St. Louis scored two runs in the sixth to chase starter Martin Perez and take a 4-3 lead. Matt Holliday hit a one-out homer that hit the top the fence in the right-field corner and caromed over. Barnette later entered with the bases loaded. He struck out pinch-hitter Matt Adams but walked Eric Fryer to force in a run.

Normar Mazara led off the sixth with a solo homer for the Rangers for a short-lived lead.

Moreland’s two-out homer in the fourth off St. Louis starter Mike Leake tied the game at 2-2. His 456-foot home run tied him with Jay Bruce and Paul Goldschmidt for longest homer at Busch by an opposing player.

St. Louis took a 2-1 lead in the third on a one-out, bases loaded sacrifice fly by Holliday.

Texas scored in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Mazara to drive in Ian Desmond. Desmond reached base on a fielder’s choice, stole second and then went to third on an error by rookie shortstop Aledmys Diaz, who mishandled the throw from home. It was the 14th error this season for Diaz.

The Cardinals tied it in the second on a leadoff home run by Stephen Piscotty.

LOOKING FOR A HIT

Texas starter Perez struck out in the fifth. He has eight strikeouts in nine at-bats in the major leagues.

DAY OFF

St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina got the day off. Fryer made his seventh start of the season at catcher. Molina is eight hits shy of 1,500 for his career.

HONORING FATHER’S DAY

The birds on the bat were blue for the Cardinals, who also sported light blue numbers on their uniforms and blue caps in honor of Father’s Day. The uniforms of all MLB teams incorporated light blue into each team’s logo, much like the special pink caps and jersey trim used for Mother’s Day games.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: St. Louis activated right-handed pitcher Seth Maness from the 15-day disabled list (right elbow inflammation) and optioned left-handed pitcher Dean Kiekhefer to Triple-A Memphis before Sunday’s game. Maness went on the disabled list May 13 after going 0-1 with a 6.39 ERA in 13 games. Kiekhefer, a rookie, was 0-0 with a 5.73 ERA in 11 games with St. Louis.

Rangers: Catcher Robinson Chirinos, who was hit on the right hand by Trevor Rosenthal in the ninth inning Saturday and came out of the game in a double switch, was in the starting lineup, hitting eighth.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: St. Louis heads to Chicago for a series of the top two teams in the Central Division. Jaimie Garcia (4-6, 3.93 ERA) will face Chicago’s John Lackey (7-2, 2.66). Garcia’s last win over the Cubs came June 3, 2011, when he threw eight innings in a 6-1 victory.

Rangers: Texas goes home to face Baltimore in a makeup game for the game postponed April 17. Derek Holland (5-5, 5.14) will square off against Kevin Gausman (0-4, 4.14). In his last six starts against Baltimore since 2011, Holland is 5-1 with a 1.90 ERA.

— Associated Press —

Morales drives in five, Royals crush Tigers 16-5

riggertRoyalsKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kendrys Morales drove in five runs with four hits, Paulo Orlando also had four hits and the Kansas City Royals routed the Detroit Tigers 16-5 on Saturday night.

The Royals’ 21 hits and 16 runs were season highs. Whit Merrifield added three hits and four RBI, and seven Royals had at least two hits. It got so bad, Tigers utility player Andrew Romine was summoned to pitch with one out in the eighth.

Edinson Volquez (7-6) gave up two runs in the first, then retired 14 in a row during one stretch. He tired in a three-run seventh, which included Justin Upton’s two-run homer. Volquez allowed five runs on eight hits over 6 1/3 innings.

Morales tied a career high with the five RBI and also got his 200th career double in the second. Morales reached base eight straight times — three walks and five hits — over a three-game span before grounding out to end the fifth.

The Royals have won 11 of their past 12 home games and are 24-8 at Kauffman Stadium, the best home record in the American League. Merrifield has at least one hit and one run in 12 straight home games.

Tigers left-hander Matt Boyd (0-2) was lifted after 3 2/3 innings, yielding seven runs on eight hits. In his past two starts, Boyd has given up 13 runs on 15 hits in eight innings.

Orlando’s four hits were a career high.

Miguel Cabrera had two hits and a sacrifice fly, while Upton drove in three runs.

VENTURA STARTS SUSPENSION

Royals RHP Yordano Ventura had his suspension trimmed from nine to eight games and began serving it Saturday. Ventura hit Manny Machado with a pitch June 7 at Baltimore. Machado charged the mound, and that led to a benches clearing melee. Ventura can be reinstated June 28. The Royals can manage with a four-man rotation until then with two off days next week.

TIGERS PROMOTE MCGEHEE

The Tigers purchased the contract of corner IF Casey McGehee from Triple-A Toledo, where he hit .323 in 66 games. McGehee, 33, hit 23 home runs with 104 RBI in 2010 with the Brewers. He has also played for the Cubs, Pirates, Yankees, Marlins and Giants. Detroit optioned RHP Buck Farmer to the Mud Hens and designated for assignment OF Wynton Bernard.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: RHP Warwick Saupold (right groin strain) threw a 45-pitch bullpen. “It’s 100 percent,” Saupold said. “I’m looking forward to getting back out there.” … Cameron Maybin was back in center field after missing the two previous games with a sore left quad.

Royals: LF Alex Gordon (fractured right wrist) begins a minor league rehab assignment Sunday with Double-A Northwest Arkansas.

UP NEXT

Tigers: RHP Jordan Zimmermann (9-3) starts the series finale. He is 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA in two career starts at Kauffman Stadium.

Royals: RHP Chris Young (2-6), who has allowed 18 home runs in 45 1/3 innings, has a 4-0 career record against Detroit.

— Associated Press —

St. Louis blows another late lead, loses to Texas

riggertCardinalsST. LOUIS (AP) — The Texas Rangers had to rally late, and their reward was a place in the franchise record books.

Ian Desmond had a sacrifice fly to cap a ninth-inning rally and the Rangers overcame a late three-run deficit to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-3 on Saturday and win a team-record ninth consecutive series.

The Rangers beat the Cardinals 1-0 on Friday to begin the three-game set and have won seven of eight and 13 of 16. Their 44-25 mark is the best in team history after 69 games.

“It’s special in that it’s a conversation piece for everybody,” Banister said. “But, I don’t think they’re going to give away any badges that say `these are the most series wins in the history of the franchise.’ We’re just going to continue to play the game of baseball the way we have been.”

The Rangers scored two runs in each of the eighth and ninth innings on Saturday and are an AL-best 15-4 in one-run games.

“That just shows that we never quit,” said Desmond, who also had a double in the eighth inning. “We pride ourselves on never giving up.”

Outfielder Shin-Soo Choo also figured prominently in both big innings. He singled and scored the first run in the eighth and drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the contest in the ninth.

“Everybody did a great job in every situation,” Choo said.

Texas overcame a 3-2 deficit by scoring off closer Trevor Rosenthal (2-2) and Kevin Siegrist in the ninth.

Rougned Odor and Jurickson Profar singled to start the rally. Rosenthal hit Robinson Chirinos to load the bases, and Choo coaxed a walk off Siegrist to tie it. Desmond, who threw a runner out at the plate in the fifth, then brought in Profar with a fly ball to left.

“It’s about character, a bunch of guys pulling for each other,” Desmond said. “It works for all of us.”

Cardinals starter Carlos Martinez pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing four hits and a walk. He struck out four and has a 1.23 ERA over his past four starts.

Jake Diekman got his second save in as many chances. Shawn Tolleson (1-2) pitched a scoreless eighth to get the win. Closer Sam Dyson was given the day off after working four of the last six games.

Texas starter Nick Martinez gave up six hits and three runs in 4 1/3 innings. He is replacing Yu Darvish in the starting rotation while Darvish is on the 15-day disabled list with right shoulder discomfort.

“I guess I kept us in there long enough for us to get the win,” Nick Martinez said. “It was a tremendous come-from-behind win.”

Kolten Wong’s run-scoring single in the fifth pushed St. Louis’ lead to 2-0. Stephen Piscotty followed with a bases-loaded single for a 3-0 lead.

The Cardinals entered the contest 33-0 when leading after the eighth.

“It stings right now, that’s for sure,” St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. “Over the course of the season, you go back and remember games that you felt you should put away. And this was one.”

Rosenthal was removed after allowing all three runners to reach base. Matheny did not hesitate to pull his closer with a 3-2 lead.

“I was confident out there today, I thought I had good stuff,” Rosenthal said. “But, I’ll be back ready tomorrow and ready to go.”

St. Louis infielder Matt Carpenter reached base three times and extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a double in the seventh.

TRAINERS’ ROOM

Rangers: RHP Tom Wilhelmsen declined an outright assignment to Triple-A Round Rock, making him a free agent.

Cardinals: OF Tommy Pham was recalled from Triple-A Memphis. Pham suffered an oblique injury on opening day, then hit .250 with four home runs and 19 RBI in 37 games during combined stints in Memphis and Double-A Springfield. Pham struck out as a pinch hitter in the seventh. … OF Randal Grichuk was sent to Memphis to make room for Pham. Grichuk was hitting .206 with eight home runs and 27 RBI in 62 games.

UP NEXT

LHP Martin Perez (6-4. 3.38) will start for the Rangers against RHP Mike Leake (5-4, 4.08) in the final game of the series Sunday. Perez has won each of his last five starts and is 6-2 with a 2.93 ERA over his last 10 starts. Leake is 5-1 with a 2.66 ERA in his last seven starts.

— Associated Press —

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