The Kansas City Chiefs held their first training camp practice at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph Thursday. Click the links below to listen to interviews and audio from coaches and players after practice.
Category: Professional
Kansas City wins opener against Indians in 14 innings
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Nori Aoki singled home Lorenzo Cain in the 14th inning to lift the Kansas City Royals to a 2-1 win over Cleveland after Indians starter Corey Kluber carried a perfect game into the seventh inning on Thursday night.
Cain opened the 14th with an infield single and stole second before Aoki delivered the winning hit off John Axford on a full-count pitch with one out.
Aaron Crow (5-1), the seventh Kansas City pitcher, earned the victory — striking out the side in a perfect 14th.
Left-hander Marc Rzepcynski (0-3), who gave up the hit to Cain, took the loss.
Kluber held the Royals to two hits, retiring the first 19 batters he faced before Omar Infante, who was in a 0-for-16 skid, lined a single to center with one out in the seventh.
Mike Moustakas doubled and scored on a throwing error by left fielder Ryan Raburn in the eighth inning to give the Royals a 1-0 lead. Moustakas hit a fly ball down the left-field line that Raburn nearly caught. When Raburn tracked down the ball in foul territory, he spiked a throw that rolled into center field.
The Indians tied it in the ninth off Greg Holland, who blew his second save in 28 chances. Holland walked Carlos Santana leading off the inning, and pinch-hitter Chris Dickerson bunted him to second. Gomes’ two-out single to center scored Santana.
After Infante’s hit, Kluber got out of the inning when Alex Gordon struck out, and Infante was thrown out trying to steal second.
Kluber, who allowed only one unearned run in nine innings, struck out 10 and walked none.
Royals starter Danny Duffy, who was 1-5 in his previous six starts, gave up two singles — both to Santana — in seven scoreless innings. Duffy, who also walked two, was pulled after 108 pitches.
Duffy lowered his earned run average to 2.47. He is the only American League pitcher with a losing record with an ERA less than three.
Wade Davis, who replaced Duffy, pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the eighth. With one out, he permitted singles to Jose Ramirez and pinch-hitter David Murphy sandwiched around a walk to Jason Kipnis. Davis then got Michael Brantley to ground into an inning-ending double play.
— Associated Press —
Royals beat White Sox 2-1 with run in 9th
CHICAGO (AP) — It took a hard slide for the Kansas City Royals to end their skid.
Mike Moustakas scored the tie-breaking run when he jarred the ball out of the catcher’s glove in the ninth inning and the Royals beat the White Sox 2-1 Wednesday to take the three-game series.
Kansas City was victorious for the 12th time in their last 14 starts at U.S. Cellular Field. They also won consecutive games for the first time since July 2-4. They are 5-10 since then.
“I feel a lot better leaving Chicago than I did after the first game in Chicago,” manager Ned Yost said. “After the problems you run into, you can’t lose faith. You can’t start panicking. You can’t think the ship is sinking. You’ve got to stay positive, because these guys have the ability to fight through it and get themselves out of it.”
Moustakas triggered the decisive rally with a lead-off single off Zach Putnam (3-2), the last of four White Sox pitchers. Alcides Escobar bunted him over before Nori Aoki hit a flare to center field.
Adam Eaton’s strong throw beat Moustakas to the plate, but catcher Tyler Flowers lost control of the ball upon contact. Flowers was charged with an error on the play.
“With the (new) rules, you kind of have to obey them,” said Moustakas, who was at a four-inch, 30-pound disadvantage in the matchup. “You don’t really think about trying to truck anybody. That’s a big boy behind home plate there. It’s probably not a good idea to go that route.”
Flowers said he thought he had the ball.
“The replay looked like his knee on impact was literally straight into the webbing of the glove,” Flowers said. “I wish I could have hung onto it, but there’s nothing I could do different.”
Yost liked the jump off second base as much as the slide itself.
“(Moustakas) got a tremendous read on Nori’s base hit,” Yost said. “If he doesn’t get the read that he had, he doesn’t have the opportunity to score.”
Wade Davis (6-2) pitched one scoreless inning and Greg Holland retired the side in order in the ninth inning for his 26th save in 27 tries.
After the teams traded runs in the first inning, starters James Shields and Jose Quintana matched each other for six scoreless innings. Neither was overwhelming, but both were able to get key outs when necessary.
“(Shields) has the ability to make big pitches in crucial situations,” Yost said. “That’s why he’s our ace.”
Shields allowed six hits in seven innings He walked one batter and struck out seven.
“I just try to go out there every five days and pitch my game no matter where I’m at,” Shields said.
In seven innings, Quintana gave up seven hits and two walks and struck out three batters. He remained winless (0-5) against the Royals in 11 career starts.
The no decision was the 36th for Quintana since the 2012 season, the most in the majors.
Chicago’s Adam Dunn singled to tie the score at 1-1 in the first inning. The hit scored Jose Abreu, who had doubled with two outs. Abreu (sore back) was back in action after a one-game layoff.
Eric Hosmer’s sacrifice fly gave the Royals a 1-0 lead.
— Associated Press —
Chiefs agree to new contract with RB Jamal Charles
Pro Bowl running back Jamaal Charles has agreed to a contract extension with the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Chiefs announced the deal Wednesday night.
The two-year extension runs through the 2017 season, a person familiar with the contract said on condition of anonymity because the team didn’t disclose terms of the contract.
The six-year NFL veteran ran for 1,287 yards and 12 touchdowns last year to help the Chiefs reach the playoffs. He also had 70 catches for 693 yards and seven more TDs as Kansas City went 11-5 before losing to Indianapolis in an AFC wild-card game.
“Jamaal is an elite player in the National Football League,” Chiefs General Manager John Dorsey said in a statement released by the team. “It was important for us to keep him here in Kansas City long-term.”
Charles was expected to take part in the first practice scheduled for Thursday.
“I had no intention on holding out,” Charles tweeted. “I just ran out of gas on the way to camp and my cellphone battery died. It was a long walk I tell ya.”
Charles comes off a season with career highs in yards from scrimmage (1,980), rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns, receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.
Charles’ earned a base salary of $1.75 million in 2013, according to NFLPA records. He was set to earn a base salary of $2.65 million, which ranked 11th among NFL running backs, before the contract extension. Various media reports, including from NFL.com and ESPN, put Charles’ two-year extension at $18 million.
With Charles secured through 2017, the Chiefs can shift focus to quarterback Alex Smith and outside linebacker Justin Houston, both of whom enter the final years of respective contracts.
Smith, 30, comes off a season where he completed 308-of-508 passes for 3,313 yards and 23 touchdowns against 13 interceptions. He established career highs in rushing attempts (70) and yards (431), and became the second quarterback in team history to start the season with nine consecutive wins.
Smith reported Sunday with rookies and quarterbacks and put in two morning practices before being excused from Wednesday’s practice. The Chiefs’ second-year quarterback attended voluntary organized activities and mandatory minicamp.
The same can’t be said of Houston, who missed the Chiefs’ offseason workout program. Houston is expected to report for training camp, however.
“From what I hear, he’s going to be here,” outside linebacker Tamba Hali said. “We’re going to get it rocking again — Sack City. Whatever happened in the offseason, we put all of that behind us. He’s here to play football just like every other man. That’s our concern — get to that quarterback.”
Houston, 25, comes off his second straight Pro Bowl selection and finished the season with 11 sacks in 11 games. He and Hali combined for 22 sacks in 2013.
Houston is entering the final year of his rookie contract, which pays him a base salary of $1.4 million. His 26.5 sacks since 2011 matches Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Clay Matthews’ sack production during that span.
— Associated Press —
St. Louis gets blanked at home by Tampa Bay
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Tampa Bay pitcher Alex Cobb threw 10 pitches off the mound on Tuesday and was unhappy.
“It was horrible,” Cobb said. “I was not looking forward to coming into tonight.”
However, he was very glad he made the start Wednesday night.
Cobb struck out 10 and drove in a run with his first major league hit, leading the Rays to a 3-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals, the Rays’ seventh straight win.
Cobb (6-6) blanked the Cardinals on five hits over seven innings. It was the fourth time this season he has thrown at least seven innings without an earned run. Cobb missed 50 games last season with a concussion after he was hit near the right ear by a line drive off the bat of Kansas City’s Eric Hosmer.
“Tonight was the best I’ve felt on the mound hands down since I’ve come back and even before that,” Cobb said. “When my mechanics are right, all my pitches play off each other.”
St. Louis manager Mike Matheny agreed.
“You could tell right from the top, he had a good split working today,” Matheny said. “The guys had trouble laying off it below the zone. Their timing was right on it and it was just disappearing below the bat. He was locked in with it.”
All three Tampa Bay pitchers were locked in, finishing with 15 strikeouts.
Jake McGee pitched the ninth inning for his ninth save in 10 opportunities.
The Rays have won 25 of their last 36 games and are 13-4 in July. On June 29, they had the worst record in the majors and have passed 11 teams since.
Tampa Bay completed its road trip at 5-0 and its eight-game road winning streak ties the franchise record set twice. The loss was the third straight for the Cardinals.
“We played well. We had a great vibe in the dugout,” Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said.
St. Louis starter Lance Lynn (11-7) had won three straight and was 4-1 in his last five home starts. He struck out seven and gave up six hits in 6 1/3 innings. Lynn walked three, hit a batter and threw a wild pitch but stranded seven runners in the first five innings.
“I threw the ball well, I just gave up a couple too many with the way he was throwing the ball,” Lynn said. “Some nights, you get outpitched.”
Tampa Bay pitchers, hitting eighth, drove in the first runs in both games of the short series. On Tuesday, Rays pitcher Jake Odorizzi drove in the first run with a safety squeeze bunt.
Cobb was not to be outdone.
He picked up his first career hit in eight at-bats when he doubled down the first base line with two outs in the second inning to give Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead.
“That was the coolest thing I’ve done in my big league career,” Cobb said. “I was kind of secretly hoping it was going to be a 1-0 win.”
In the fourth, Cobb was hit on the right elbow by a fastball.
“Honestly, my initial thought was I had broken my elbow,” Cobb said. “I’d never been hit by a 94 mile an hour (pitch) before. Once I got on first base, it wasn’t hurting. It was like getting hit on your funny bone.”
Maddon was worried.
“I told him I didn’t want to miss his bat,” Maddon quipped. “I had so many different thoughts. He didn’t wince and there no hesitation on his part.”
Tampa Bay made it 2-0 in the seventh with an unearned run. After a one-out single by Desmond Jennings, St. Louis second baseman Kolten Wong mishandled a possible double play grounder to chase Lynn. Randy Choate walked pinch-hitter Brandon Guyer to load the bases. Evan Longoria drove in the run with a sacrifice fly off Seth Maness.
The Rays added a run in the ninth on an RBI single by Guyer.
After the first inning Cardinals third base coach Jose Oquendo left two packages of crackers for Tampa Bay catcher Jose Molina on home plate. They were from Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina, who is on the disabled list with torn ligaments in his right thumb.
Rays shortstop Yunel Escobar was ejected in the fourth inning. Escobar, who was leading off, vehemently argued with home plate umpire Dan Bellino, who called him out on a 3-2 pitch. Logan Forsythe replaced Escobar and played second base with Ben Zobrist moving to shortstop.
— Associated Press —
Moustakas hits two HRs as Kansas City breaks 4-game skid
CHICAGO (AP) — When the Chicago White Sox scheduled Greek Heritage Night for Tuesday, they probably didn’t consider that Mike Moustakas would be in the visiting dugout.
Moustakas put a capper on the festivities by homering twice to help the Kansas City Royals snap a four-game losing streak with a 7-1 rout.
Afterward, Moustakas was asked if he was aware of the promotion.
“Oh, I knew,” he said. “I was telling everybody that today was my day. It just ended up working out that way.”
Moustakas, who has 12 homers this season, went 3 for 5 with three RBIs. He raised his batting average to .198
The Royals entered the game with a major league-worst 55 homers and had managed a total of six runs during the losing streak.
“He’s starting to swing the bat pretty good,” manager Ned Yost said of Moustakas. “We’ve seen him in spurts, it doesn’t matter who’s pitching. When he’s right, he’s putting good swings on the ball.
“Tonight he was really seeing the ball good, he was in a good position to hit and he was really driving the ball.”
Bruce Chen (2-2) allowed one run and five hits in five innings to get the win.
Chen has 82 career victories to tie former New York Yankees great Mariano Rivera for the most wins by a Panamanian.
“For me, he’s one of the best pitchers to ever pitch in the big leagues and to tie him for most wins by a Panamanian really means a lot to me, and my family is very happy,” Chen said.
Adam Dunn went 2 for 4 with a solo homer for the White Sox, who had won three of four.
Chicago starter Scott Carroll (4-6) allowed five runs and 11 hits in five-plus innings.
“I thought I was just rusty; that’s kind of the way I felt,” Carroll said. “Overall, I just didn’t think I had my best stuff. But I have to be better, the sixth inning is what really got me. Up until that point I just felt rusty.”
The Royals had a players-only meeting before the game and needed a good start. Moustakas provided it when he led off the second with a long homer to right field to make it 1-0. The White Sox tied it when Dunn led off the fourth with a homer to left.
The Royals broke the game open with a four-run sixth inning thanks to some timely hits — another missing element during the losing streak — and White Sox miscues.
Billy Butler led off with a double and the next batter, Raul Ibanez, drove him in with a double to make it 2-1. Alcides Escobar followed with an infield hit to put runners on first and third, and Ibanez scored on a passed ball as Nori Aoki walked for a 3-1 lead.
That was all for Carroll as Javy Guerra entered.
Guerra, though, immediately dug a deeper hole with his defense. With runners on first and second, Jarrod Dyson bunted back to the vicinity of the mound. Guerra fielded the ball cleanly, but his throw to first base was wild and sailed by second baseman Gordon Beckham and down the right field line, allowing Escobar to score on the throwing error.
The Royals capped the scoring in the inning with a sacrifice fly by Omar Infante to make it 5-1.
“The tack-on runs were huge for us right there,” Yost said.
Moustakas added a two-run homer in the eighth.
— Associated Press —
Wainwright, Cardinals get roughed by Tampa Bay
ST. LOUIS (AP) — For a brief second, Tampa Bay right-hander Jake Odorizzi could swear he was at Tropicana Field.
Odorizzi, pitching 33 miles from his hometown of Highland, Illinois, allowed two runs over 5 2/3 innings and Yunel Escobar highlighted a five-run fifth inning with a two-run double to lead the Rays to a 7-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night.
It was the Rays’ season-high sixth straight win. They have outscored the opposition 36-11 during the run.
Odorizzi, pitching in St. Louis for the first time in his career, had as many as 500 supporters in the crowd of 43,623. The group made plenty of noise for its hometown hero when he left the game.
“It was pretty loud when I came out,” he said. “There were a lot of people standing up. I figured I had to tip my hat to them. I wanted to say thanks to everyone who came out from my town.”
Evan Longoria added a solo homer in the ninth for Tampa Bay.
St. Louis ace Adam Wainwright, making his first appearance since starting for the NL in the All-Star game, gave up six runs, four earned, in 4 2/3 innings. Wainwright (12-5) was trying to become the first 13-game winner in the NL. He walked four and hit a batter in his second-shortest outing of the season. He allowed seven earned runs in 4 1/3 innings in a 9-4 loss to San Francisco on May 30.
“That (fifth) inning was a train wreck,” Wainwright said. “It’s hard to explain things weird like that happening. Every now and then, you have a really crazy inning like that.”
Manager Mike Matheny agreed,
“We just couldn’t stop the bleeding,” he said. “That inning, he just couldn’t get through it.”
Matt Carpenter and Matt Holliday hit solo home runs for the Cardinals.
But the night belonged to Odorizzi, who gave up five hits, struck out eight and walked three in improving to 4-1 over his last seven starts. He has allowed three earned runs or less in 15 of 20 starts this season. He gave up a leadoff homer to Carpenter on his fifth pitch of the night and then settled down with four successive scoreless innings.
“I was nervous in the first,” he said. “But things got better.”
Odorizzi said his defense supplied the turning point.
After giving up the homer, he walked Kolten Wong. But catcher Jose Molina threw out Wong stealing. Desmond Jennings then made a nice running catch in center field. Odorizzi took over from there giving up two hits over the next four frames.
“He was a little amped early,” manager Joe Maddon said. “But then he started making some great pitches.”
Tampa Bay first baseman James Loney said Odorizzi displayed his character in battling back.
“It just shows you what kind of guy he is,” Loney said.
The Rays won their seventh successive road game, one shy of tying the franchise record.
Odorizzi outduelled Wainwright in a rematch of a June 10 game that the Cardinals won 1-0.
The Rays sent 10 batters to the plate in chasing Wainwright in the fifth. Matt Joyce broke a 1-1 tie with a run-scoring double. Wainwright, who walked three, hit a batter and committed a costly error in the inning, walked Loney one batter later with the bases loaded. Escobar followed with a ground-rule double to push the lead to 5-1.
Odorizzi, in his first major league at-bat, executed a perfect squeeze bunt in the second.
Maddon was ejected in the third inning by home plate umpire Mark Ripperger. Maddon was arguing a called third strike on Ben Zobrist from the dugout. It was Maddon’s fourth ejection of the season and 36th with the Rays.
“It was a misunderstanding,” Maddon said. “Their pitcher started yelling at (our) dugout and I’m yelling back at him and the umpire thinks I’m yelling at the umpire and he kicks me out.”
Wainwright admitted to barking toward the Rays bench. But he said he was ready to continue pitching and was upset that Maddon continued to command Ripperger’s attention.
“It was the first time I ever did that,” Wainwright said. “I was ready to pitch and I thought it was time for us to move on and I said so.”
— Associated Press —
Royals Offer Fun Stuff For First Home Stand After All-Star Break
The Kansas City Royals return for their first home stand after the All Star Break with some fun promotions this week.
The Royals host the Cleveland Indians (July 24-27) and the Minnesota Twins (July 29-31). Throughout the homestand, fans can be a part of some terrific events including Mizzou Night (July 25), Faith and Family Night (July 26) and Hunting and Fishing Night (July 29). Fans will also have the opportunity to get some great giveaways including a special edition Omar Infante poster (July 27) and another edition of T-Shirt Tuesday (July 29).
Thursday, July 24 – Cleveland Indians vs. Royals, 7:10 p.m.
· GordoNation – Fans can enjoy being a part of GordoNation, a special seating section in left field that will be reserved for die-hard Alex Gordon fans on Thursday home games throughout the season. The first 100 GordoNation fans will also receive an Alex Gordon big head. Tickets cost $35 and come with a gold GordoNation t-shirt. (photo attached) For details, visit www.royals.com/gordonation.
· All You Can Eat Seats – Fans can purchase All You Can Eat Seats located in the Loge Level (Sec. 318 – 325), which include unlimited ballpark fare. All the hot dogs, nachos, peanuts, pretzels and Pepsi products you can handle for $40 per seat! Individual and group discount tickets are available. For details, visit www.royals.com/allyoucaneat.
Friday, July 25 – Cleveland Indians vs. Royals, 7:10 p.m.
Mizzou Night – Supporters of The University of Missouri can join fellow Tigers for a day of big league action presented by FOX Sports Kansas City and Rally House. Visit www.royals.com/mizzou for details or to purchase discounted tickets. The first 3,500 Mizzou fans who bring their Mizzou Night discounted ticket to the Tigers table located inside Hy-Vee Gate B will receive a limited edition black and gold KC Royals Mizzou cap.
· Buck Night – Hot dogs, small Pepsi products and peanuts are just $1 each all night long. www.royals.com/fanvalue.
· Summer Fireworks – Fans will enjoy a spectacular fireworks show, presented by Hy-Vee and Pepsi, after the game.
Saturday, July 26 – Cleveland Indians vs. Royals, 6:10 p.m.
· Faith and Family Night presented by Hobby Lobby – The postgame festivities include appearances by select Royals personnel and Scott Dawson. Contemporary Christian musician Matthew West will also perform. Tickets for the game and postgame event start at just $10! www.royals.com/faith.
Sunday, July 27 – Cleveland Indians vs. Royals, 1:10 p.m.
· Omar Infante Poster – The first 10,000 fans will get a poster of Royals second baseman Omar Infante, courtesy of Pittcraft Printing and The Kansas City Steak Company.
· Mother/Son Day – Mothers and sons can enjoy a special day at the ballpark by purchasing a ticket package that includes a limited edition hat and commemorative photo. For more information, visit www.royals.com/family.
· Family FunDay Sunday – Each Sunday home game features pregame interactive kids entertainment by School of Rock, plus face painters, caricature or balloon artists in the Outfield Experience. New this season, fans also have the opportunity to get pregame autographs from select players each Sunday. All-Day Play Passes for unlimited activities in the Outfield Experience are available for just $10. In addition, the Royals are offering a Family FunDay Sunday 4-Pack that includes four Hy-Vee Infield tickets, $10 in loaded value per ticket to use for concessions and merchandise and four All-Day Play Passes – over $150 in value – for just $80! For more information, visit www.royals.com/sunday.
· Sunday Fun Run – All fans 14 and under can run the bases after the game (conditions permitting).
Monday, July 28 – Off Day
Tuesday, July 29 – Minnesota Twins vs. Royals, 7:10 p.m.
· Hunting and Fishing Night – The Royals have teamed up with Heartland Waterfowl to present Hunting and Fishing Night at The K that includes a special Field Plaza or Hy-Vee Infield ticket offer.
The first 750 people who bring the Hunting and Fishing Night ticket to the Hunting and Fishing Night table will receive a limited edition KC fishing lure. For groups of 20 of more, please call (816) 504-4168. Visit www.royals.com/huntingandfishing for more information.
· T-shirt Tuesday – The first 10,000 fans will receive a heather blue vintage Royals t-shirt, courtesy of Sprint.
Wednesday, July 30 – Minnesota Twins vs. Royals, 7:10 p.m.
Student Night presented by INK Magazine – Rivals Outfield Box or Hy-Vee Infield tickets are available for Wednesday home games for youth and students with a valid ID at the Kauffman Stadium Box Office for just $8. Select tickets are also available online at www.royals.com/studentnight. Seating is subject to availability.
Also Wednesday, July 30: Local Music Showcase presented by INK Magazine – Catch a free pregame concert on us. Every Wednesday Student Night also features live local music prior to the game in the Outfield Experience. Performing during this showcase will be the band, Katy Guillen & the Girls. For details, visit www.royals.com/studentnight.
Thursday, July 31 – Minnesota Twins vs. Royals, 7:10 p.m.
· GordoNation – Fans can enjoy being a part of GordoNation, a special seating section in left field that will be reserved for die-hard Alex Gordon fans on Thursday home games throughout the season. The first 100 GordoNation fans will also receive an Alex Gordon big head. Tickets cost $35 and come with a gold GordoNation t-shirt. (photo attached) For details, visit www.royals.com/gordonation.
· All You Can Eat Seats – Fans can purchase All You Can Eat Seats located in the Loge Level (Sec. 318 – 325), which include unlimited ballpark fare. All the hot dogs, nachos, peanuts, pretzels and Pepsi products you can handle for $40 per seat! Individual and group discount tickets are available. For details, visit www.royals.com/allyoucaneat.
Fans may purchase tickets online at royals.com, by calling 1-800-6ROYALS, at area Hy-Vee stores or at the Kauffman Stadium Box Office.
For more information, members of the media may contact the Royals Publicity Department at (816) 921-8000
Royals shut down by Sale, White Sox
CHICAGO (AP) — About the only pitch that Chris Sale wouldn’t make Monday night was his case for the American League’s Cy Young Award.
Then again, if he keeps pitching like he has so far this season, he won’t have to say much.
Sale pitched seven effective innings in his first outing since the All-Star break and Adam Dunn had two RBIs and scored a run to lead the Chicago White Sox to a 3-1 victory over the slumping Kansas City Royals on Monday night.
Sale (9-1) wasn’t at his best, allowing seven hits and a walk in seven innings, but he worked out of jams in the fourth and sixth innings. He struck out eight and now has allowed three runs or less in 14 of his 15 starts this season.
Those certainly appear to be Cy Young-worthy numbers, right?
“Like I’ve always said, I don’t pay too much attention to that,” Sale said. “I have a job to do and I have to focus on doing that and playing games. We’re right in the hunt right now, so these are the dog days and you have to bear down now. Now’s not the time to be thinking about yourself or some trophy or whatever.”
Chicago manager Robin Ventura, though, didn’t hesitate to respond when asked if Sale was a legitimate candidate for the award despite missing a month earlier in the season.
“Oh, yeah, absolutely,” Ventura said. “There’s no reason why he shouldn’t be in the discussion. I don’t care if he missed a month or not. He’s good.”
Dunn went 1-for-2 with a pair of walks as the White Sox for the third time in four games since the break.
Danny Valencia went 1-for-2 with a RBI for Kansas City, which has dropped four straight and seven of eight. The Royals had a team meeting before the game, but couldn’t turn around their fortunes as they dropped two games below .500 (48-50).
Royals starter Jeremy Guthrie (5-9) gave up three runs on five hits in six innings to get the loss. He had been 4-0 against the White Sox with the Royals before Monday.
“I thought Guthrie threw the ball all right,” Kansas City manager Ned Yost said. “The first inning they had some well-placed groundballs. He was a little off command-wise in the first inning. Ended up hitting two guys by mistake but still kind of limited the damage there.”
The White Sox took a 2-0 lead in the first inning as the first four batters reached base and then Dunn singled up the middle against the shift — essentially hitting the ball to the normal shortstop position — to score both Adam Eaton and Alexei Ramirez.
The Royals trimmed the lead in half in the fourth. Alex Gordon singled with one out, stole second and then scored on a two-out single by Valencia. The next batter, Alcides Escobar, doubled down the left-field line, but Valencia was nailed at the plate as left-fielder Alejandro De Aza and Ramirez got the ball to catcher Tyler Flowers for the putout to end the inning.
“That’s huge,” Sale said of the play at the plate. “That’s a game-changer, a game saver, just gives us momentum. It was awesome.”
The White Sox regained the two-run edge in the sixth as Dunn scored on a sacrifice fly by Gordon Beckham to make it 3-1.
That was plenty of a cushion for Sale, who has allowed a total of three runs in 23 ? innings in his last three starts.
Ronald Belisario pitched and eighth and Jake Petricka worked the ninth for his fourth save.
“I think I’m just trying to get better day in and day out,” Sale said.
— Associated Press —
(VIDEO) Boston Ball Girl Fields Royals’ Fair Ball!
We’re not sure which we enjoyed more, this ball girl’s impressive fielding skills on a fair ball…
…or the face she made afterward.