Professional – Page 95 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Royals rally to force extra innings, lose to White Sox in 10

Posted on August 9, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Todd Frazier hit a three-run homer in the 10th inning and Justin Morneau had four hits to lift the Chicago White Sox over the Kansas City Royals 7-5 on Tuesday night.

Frazier is tied for the major league lead with 31 homers, and this one came on the first pitch from Kelvin Herrera (1-4) after a single by Jose Abreu and a double by Morneau.

David Robertson (3-2) blew a save in the ninth when Alcides Escobar’s two-out single scored pinch-runner Jarrod Dyson.

Dan Jennings struck out Eric Hosmer to end the game, logging his first career save.

White Sox All-Star left-hander Chris Sale is 0-3 in five starts since a July 2 victory over Houston. He gave up three runs and seven hits in the first 2 1/3 innings but did not allow a hit after that. He threw 115 pitches in seven innings, striking out seven and walking one.

After Edinson Volquez retired the first two hitters in the fifth, the White Sox used five straight singles to score three runs and lead 4-3. Melky Cabrera, Abreu and Morneau each drove in a run.

Paulo Orlando, batting leadoff for the first time this season, started the first with a double and scored on Cheslor Cuthbert’s single.

Hosmer’s single in the third scored Cuthbert and Lorenzo Cain, giving the Royals a 3-1 advantage. Sale retired the next 13 batters before walking Raul Mondesi in the seventh.

Volquez allowed four runs, 10 hits and a walk over six innings.

The Royals scored an unearned run in the 10th when Cuthbert doubled, took third on an error and scored on Cain’s groundout.

ABREU’S REUNION

Abreu, who is from Cuba, visited his 5-year-old son Dariel on the off-day Monday in Miami in his first time on United States soil. “I couldn’t say anything. I just started crying,” Abreu said. Dariel, who is staying with grandparents in Florida, will see his father play in the majors for the first time this weekend when the White Sox play at the Marlins.

TRAINER’S ROOM

White Sox: OF-DH Avisail Garcia was placed on the disabled list with a sprained right knee. OF Jason Coats was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte.

Royals: LHP Mike Minor (recovering from 2015 labrum surgery) threw 4 1/3 innings Sunday on a rehab start for Triple-A Omaha, allowing three hits and one run against Colorado Springs. Royals general manager Dayton Moore attended Minor’s start. “He was very impressed with his fastball command and had a very good changeup with a lot of life,” Royals manager Ned Yost said of Moore’s scouting report.

UP NEXT

White Sox: LHP Jose Quintana is 1-8 with a 4.28 ERA in 20 career starts against the Royals.

Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy has allowed one earned run and seven hits while striking out 15 in 13 innings in his past two starts.

— Associated Press —

Reyes makes debut but St. Louis falls to Cincinnati 7-4

Posted on August 9, 2016August 9, 2016

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Adam Duvall drove in two runs and Tyler Holt’s double drove in the game-winning run as the Cincinnati Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-4 on Tuesday night.

Holt’s double off Matt Bowman (1-4) broke a 4-4 tie in the eighth. He then scored from second on an infield hit by Billy Hamilton after Cardinals second baseman Matt Carpenter bobbled a barehanded attempt to get the speedy Hamilton at first.

Duvall’s two-run single in the third broke a career high 0-for-18 skid and gave the Reds a 2-1 lead.

Joey Votto had two hits, an RBI and a walk and has hit safely in 18 of his last 19 games.

Reds lefty Brandon Finnegan struck out five, but walked six in six innings. Michael Lorenzen (2-0) gave up a run in two innings of relief and Raisel Iglesias picked up his first save.

Yadier Molina’s solo home run in the second inning broke a career-high 13-inning scoreless streak for Finnegan. It also extended Molina’s streak for reaching base safely to 22 games.

Matt Holliday’s solo homer in the fifth tied the game 3-3.

Cardinals right-hander Mike Leake failed to record a clean frame in six innings, surrendering a season-high four walks. Still, the three runs allowed were a much better showing than his two previous starts against his former club when he gave up six and seven runs, respectively.

DAZZLING DEBUT

Highly touted prospect Alex Reyes made his Cardinals debut in the ninth. The right-hander’s fastball topped out at 101 mph twice in a perfect frame that included a strikeout of Adam Duvall.

RUN BILLY RUN

Hamilton stole three bases and he has nine steals in his past three games. He has more stolen bases (48) than the Reds have wins (46).

PARKING ISSUES

The Cardinals closed their locker room for about 10 minutes to discuss temporary parking arrangements in preparation for the Paul McCartney concert Saturday at Busch Stadium.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: RHP Alfredo Simon (right trapezius) and RHP A.J. Morris (strained right shoulder) will continue their rehab assignment Wednesday at Triple-A Louisville. Simon is scheduled to pitch two innings and Morris one.

Cardinals: RHP Michael Wacha (strained right shoulder) was placed on the DL and Reyes was promoted from Triple-A Memphis.

UP NEXT

Reds: RHP Anthony DeSclafani (6-0, 2.94 ERA) is coming off a no-decision against Pittsburgh in which he gave up two runs in six innings. Last season, he became the first Reds rookie since Ewell Blackwell in 1946 to face St. Louis in consecutive starts and win them both.

Cardinals: LHP Jaime Garcia (8-8, 4.04) is coming off eight shutout innings in a 1-0 win over Atlanta. He drove in the lone run of that game with a single and allowed just three hits.

— Associated Press —

Molina’s RBI caps rally as Cardinals defeat Reds 5-4

Posted on August 9, 2016

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Never has a 94 mile-per-hour fastball to the ribs felt so good for Yadier Molina as it did Monday night.

Molina started and ended a five-run rally in the ninth inning as the St. Louis Cardinals stunned the Cincinnati Reds 5-4. He was hit by a pitch from Ross Ohlendorf with the bases loaded to drive home the winning run. Instead of wincing, Molina pumped his fist and slid into first base.

“He walked by me and said we have lots of ice,” manager Mike Matheny said. “So he wasn’t concerned about being hit there.”

Molina singled to start the inning against Reds closer Tony Cingrani. Matt Carpenter drove in two runs with a single, Stephen Piscotty singled home another and Matt Holliday walked to load the bases before Cingrani (2-4) was lifted for Ohlendorf, who walked Brandon Moss to tie it before hitting Molina.

“You can have the good approach, you can do all the things you want to, you can hit the ball hard, but it takes a little luck sometimes and you’ve got to get the pitches to do it with,” Moss said. “And in the ninth inning we got a lot of pitches to do it with.”

The comeback erased what had been a night of offensive futility for St. Louis through the first eight innings, as the Cardinals entered the last inning 0 for 11 with runners in scoring position.

“You trust in each other and that was one of those next men up,” Matheny said. “There was nobody with that huge home run. It was just one right after the other whether it’s a hit batsman, whether it’s walks or whether it’s a big hit. Play the game, good things can happen.”

Seth Maness (2-2) pitched a perfect ninth to earn the win.

Cardinals starter Michael Wacha struggled to settle in as seven of the first 12 batters he faced reached base. Zack Cozart’s double eluded the outstretched glove of Holliday in left field and went off the wall to give the Reds a 2-0 lead in the second. Cozart, who had two hits, scored when Joey Votto followed with a triple.

“Just command early on, especially in the first and second inning I was kind of just all over the place,” Wacha said. “I felt like I was able to settle in and throw some good pitches down in the zone.”

The rally spoiled what had the makings of Cody Reed’s first major league win. Reed’s six scoreless innings dropped the Reds starters’ ERA to 2.84 over the last 11 games.

“It’s miserable,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “It’s a miserable feeling but we’ve just got to come back tomorrow and win the game and get this feeling out of our system.”

GRAND THEFT

Billy Hamilton led off the game for the Reds with a single and stole second and third. He is 17 for 19 in stolen base attempts against Molina, a perennial gold glove catcher, and the 17 stolen bases are the most by any baserunner against Molina.

“When you have a true base stealer like that, he’s going to disrupt,” Matheny said. “That’s just how it goes. Yadi made a good throw . this guy gets some good jumps at times.”

STILL STREAKING

Molina walked in the fourth inning to extend his streak of reaching base safely to 21 games. It is the longest streak by a Cardinals catcher since Gene Tenace reached in 35 straight between the 1981 and 1982 seasons.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: RHP Alfredo Simon (right trapezius) and RHP A.J. Morris (strained right shoulder) began rehab assignments at Triple-A Louisville on Sunday. Simon gave up a run in an inning and Morris gave up three runs in 2/3 of an inning.

Cardinals: LHP Tyler Lyons (knee) saw a specialist in Chicago, but no update was available.

UP NEXT

Reds: LHP Brandon Finnegan (7-8, 4.45 ERA) is coming off a two-hit, six-inning shutout of St. Louis in a 7-0 win last week. His current 12-inning scoreless streak is the longest of his career.

Cardinals: RHP Mike Leake (8-9, 4.80 ERA) will look for better results against his former team after allowing seven runs his last time out in Cincinnati. In two career starts against the Reds, he is 0-1 with a 10.32 ERA.

— Associated Press —

Chiefs reveal first depth chart of training camp

Posted on August 8, 2016August 9, 2016

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs released their initial depth chart ahead of their preseason opener, and it left fans wondering just how good they might be once the games start counting.

Assuming all those pieces stay healthy. Or get healthy.

Jamaal Charles is the starting running back, even though he has been sitting out camp after surgery to repair his ACL. Eric Berry is the starting safety, even though he has yet to sign a franchise tag and report to camp. Justin Houston is one outside linebacker and Tamba Hali the other, even though both of them are also coming back from knee injuries — Houston may be out for a while.

Still, the Chiefs were required to put something on paper and they sent it out late Sunday.

What they came up with is a roster that, if everyone was healthy, might be their best in years

“The job (general manager) John Dorsey and his staff have continued to do in terms of bringing in young players and some veteran players who can fill in and make us stronger, I think this is the most complete team we’ve had since Andy (Reid) and John have been here,” chairman Clark Hunt said.

There were few major surprises on the depth chart ahead of Saturday’s game against Seattle.

Charcandrick West was listed ahead of Spencer Ware at running back, meaning he is the de factor No. 1 until Charles returns. West and Ware split reps after the Pro Bowler went down last season.

Chris Conley was listed ahead of Rod Streater at one wide receiver spot, both of them trailing Albert Wilson, who has missed time with a calf injury. Tyreek Hill is listed deep on the chart but has been making enough plays that it would hardly be a surprise to see him quickly climb it.

Demetrius Harris appears to have a slight edge on Ross Travis at the second tight end spot.

“Typically in this offense we count on tight ends,” co-offensive coordinator Brad Childress said. “Travis (Kelce) will continue to up his game and hopefully the guys behind him will up their game.”

The only surprise along the offensive line was more like an affirmation: rookie Parker Ehinger has been impressive throughout camp and was listed with the starts at left guard. Another rookie, defensive end Chris Jones, is backing up Jay Howard on the opposite line. Dontari Poe and Allen Bailey return from last season at the other two starting spots.

The linebacker situation is still fluid, though.

Houston’s injury means that former first-round pick Dee Ford will get his opportunity in the spotlight. He has been inconsistent — some might say ineffective — during his first two seasons, rarely playing at all as a rookie and making just 5 1/2 sacks his first two seasons.

“I’m here to do what I’ve always wanted to do. As far as my goals, I see this as an opportunity,” he said. “I knew at some point this is where I would be. So the last couple of years I’ve been working to get to this point. This is a chance for me to step up and really show what I can do.”

Safety Daniel Sorensen could just as well say the same thing.

He made the team a couple years ago as an undrafted free agent, and has slowly earned more playing time. But he’s due to get a whole lot of it if Berry refuses to sign his franchise tender.

Sorensen has already earned a reputation in camp for being a big hitter.

“He’s a smart player and we’re asking him to do a lot back there,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said, “but that’s what that position holds. Him and (Ron) Parker are close. Until E.B. gets in, he’s going to have to hold down the fort for us.”

One glance at the Chiefs’ first depth chart and there’s a lot of holding down the fort happening.

“We’re trading punches kind of back and forth, and they’re challenging each other in a positive way,” Reid said. “For the most part, I appreciate the effort they’re giving.”

— Associated Press —

Ventura, Morales lead KC to 7-1 victory against Blue Jays

Posted on August 7, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Yordano Ventura was not at his best, but good enough to end a personal losing drought.

Ventura pitched effectively into the seventh inning, Kendrys Morales hit a grand slam, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-1 Sunday.

“As far as stuff-wise and command, it obviously wasn’t one of his best games, but his mental toughness was great,” Royals catcher Drew Butera said. “That’s what we need out of him. Somedays you’re not going to have your best stuff. He came out and battled. He didn’t get too flustered on the mound and stayed within himself.”

Ventura (7-9), who was 0-5 in seven starts since a June 17 victory over the Detroit Tigers, limited the Blue Jays to one run and five singles in 6 2/3 innings, walking four and striking out four.

The Blue Jays had four hits and two walks in the first four innings, but wound up stranding eight men and went 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position.

“I was fighting the whole game,” Ventura said with catching coach Pedro Grifol as his interpreter. “I didn’t feel comfortable with my mechanics early, but the goal was to keep us in the ball game until we could score some runs and we did.”

Morales’ third career grand slam and his first since July 30, 2012, while with the Los Angeles Angels came off left-hander Brett Cecil with two out in the eighth to break the game open. Raul Mondesi, Alcides Escobar and Cheslor Cuthbert led off the inning with singles. It appeared Toronto might escape unharmed after Lorenzo Cain and Eric Hosmer struck out, but Morales hit Cecil’s first pitch out to straight-away center.

“I went up to the plate with an aggressive mindset and he threw a fastball and I was able to make good hard contact,” Morales said through a translator. “It was a high fastball, mask high and I was able to catch it out front.”

Blue Jays right-hander Marcus Stroman (8-5) allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings. He threw 95 pitches before being replaced by Scott Feldman.

Drew Butera and Mondesi delivered run-producing singles in the second. Butera cracked his bat on his hit to bring home Alex Gordon, while Mondesi’s bunt single scored Paulo Orlando, who logged his fourth straight multi-hit game.

“They’re a dynamic team with their speed,” Stroman said. “They don’t have to beat you with homers. They’re looking to move the ball, move guys. Very fast and they put the ball in play.

Escobar homered — only his second of the season — to lead off the fifth.

Ventura was pulled after walking Darwin Barney and giving up a single to Devon Travis with two out in the seventh. Peter Moylan replaced Ventura and struck out Jose Bautista, but not before a wild pitch allowed Barney to score.

“Today was a little frustrating,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. “It’s always tough to play here. They’re world champs. They’re that for a reason and they held us in check. We really haven’t been swinging that good since the beginning of the last homestand. We’ve been in kind of a rut, so we’re due to explode.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Blue Jays: CF Kevin Pillar jammed his left thumb sliding into second base Saturday and not in the lineup as a precaution.

UP NEXT

Blue Jays: RHP R.A. Dickey, who is second in the AL with 12 losses, will start against the Rays in the opener of a six-game homestand. Tampa Bay will start RHP Jake Odorizzi.

Royals: After a day off Monday, Edinson Volquez will start Tuesday against the White Sox. Volquez has a 9.82 ERA in losing his past two starts.

— Associated Press —

Wainwright struggles early as Cardinals drop second straight to Atlanta

Posted on August 7, 2016

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Mike Foltynewicz set the tone for the capper of the Atlanta Braves’ feel-good weekend.

The right-hander worked six strong innings, Nick Markakis and Erick Aybar had two RBI apiece and the Braves kept the St. Louis Cardinals down at home with a 6-3 victory on Sunday.

Matt Kemp added two hits and an RBI to help the Braves take two of three, outscoring the Cardinals 19-8 the last two games. Atlanta has the worst record in the majors at 41-70, but has won seven of its last 11 overall.

Counting a six-run ninth, they scored 12 runs in three innings.

“The guys are something else, I tell you,” interim manager Brian Snitker said.

Adam Wainwright (9-6) had a rare off-day against Atlanta, surrendering three runs in the first and second. He entered 8-2 with a 2.95 ERA against the Braves, who drafted him in the first round in 2000 and traded him to St. Louis in 2003 in a deal for J.D. Drew.

“We needed to win that game,” Wainwright said. “I’m sorry we didn’t, that was my fault, but the luck was certainly not on my side and sometimes you need it.”

The Cardinals are just 26-32 at home after going 55-26 last season, but have been good on the road at 32-21. They’ve lost 12 series at homme.

“It’s pretty dadgum dark, but nobody in this clubhouse is quitting,” Wainwright said. “We just need our starting pitcher to go out there and not give up six in the first two innings and give the team a good chance.”

Brandon Moss had a sacrifice fly and double and Yadier Molina had three hits and an RBI for St. Louis.

Foltynewicz (5-5) gave up a run and six hits, plus singled and scored his first career run in the second. In his previous three outings, he allowed 14 earned runs in 16 1/3 innings.

The big cushion certainly helped.

“It was awesome to see a lead like that, especially with their ace,” Foltynewicz said. “That’s what starting pitchers should do — that’s your job to get deep into games and give your team the best chance to win.”

Jim Johnson earned his eighth save in 11 chances.

Braves third baseman Adonis Garcia made an outstanding stab down the line to turn a double play on Jhonny Peralta in the sixth. Right fielder Nick Markakis made a diving catch on Wainwright’s shallow pop fly to end the fourth.

“The defense was amazing,” Foltynewicz said. “I was grinding since pitch one.”

After needing 61 pitches to get through the first two innings, Wainwright finished strong with four scoreless innings. But the Cardinals stranded five runners the first two innings.

STILL STREAKING

Atlanta’s Ender Inciarte singled and scored in the second and has an 18-game hitting streak, matching his career best set in 2014. He’s batting .380 (27 for 71) during the run.

“Kind of the kid we’ve been waiting to see, I guess,” Snitker said.

Aybar had a two-run triple in the second and has hit in 12 straight.

ROSTER UTILIZATION

Braves RHP Madison Younginer was put straight to work after his contract was purchased from Triple-A Gwinnett and he had a rough debut, allowing two runs while getting two outs. Atlanta claimed RHP Chaz Roe off waivers from the Orioles and designated OF-IF Brandon Snyder for assignment.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: 2B Matt Carpenter was not in the lineup a day after getting removed with apparent side muscle difficulties. He was activated off the DL on Friday after missing 24 games with a strained right oblique.

UP NEXT

Braves: Rob Whalen (1-0, 7.20) makes his second career start on Monday, working the opener of a four-game series at Milwaukee.

Cardinals: Michael Wacha (7-7, 4.35) has won his last five decisions heading into the opener of a three-game series against the Reds.

— Associated Press —

Sporting Kansas City loses at Portland 3-0

Posted on August 7, 2016

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Diego Valeri, Jack Jewsbury and Fanendo Adi scored second-half goals while both teams played a man short to help the Portland Timbers beat Sporting Kansas City 3-0 on Sunday.

In the 65th minute, a left wing cross from Vytas Vytautas Andriuskevicius was too high for Jack McInerney to head on goal. But it bounced right to Valeri just inside the penalty area, where he blasted a right-footed shot past goalkeeper Alec Kann for his 10th goal of the season.

“Big players, especially attacking players, come up with goals,” Portland coach Caleb Porter said. “Valeri’s doing what the big players do on good teams. You come up with big goals. He’s done that for us time and again.”

The Timbers put the game out of reach late in the game. In the 87th minute, Darlington Nagbe made a series of twists and turns to maintain possession in the Sporting penalty area, before laying off a pass for Jewsbury to smash into the net for his first goal.

“Obviously (Darlington) got into a good spot and I just tried to trail the play a little bit. I think he spun the guy two or three times and was able to lay it off to me,” Jewsbury said. “To be honest, I was just trying to pick the corner. It was nice to see it hit the back of the net and get that second goal, for sure.

Adi followed three minutes later by collecting his own blocked shot in the penalty area and converting his second attempt for his 11 goal.

Portland played most of the match with 10 men, after Diego Chara was shown a red card in the 12th minute for apparently elbowing Sporting midfielder Benny Feilhaber in the face after the two players got tangled up.

“We actually played better when we were 11 vs. 11 than when we went up a man. We got too direct, which I thought let them off the hook too many times,” Sporting Kansas City coach Peter Vermes said. “When you’re up a man, you got to make the other team work and we didn’t do that. We just kept giving them the ball back by playing direct up the field.”

Sporting’s man advantage was wiped out in the 39th minute, when Soni Mustivar’s attempt to control the ball instead caught Valeri in the knee, earning him an early exit.

Portland (8-8-8) snapped a two-game winning streak and moved back into a playoff position, two points ahead of Vancouver for the final spot in the Western Conference. Kansas City (10-11-4) had its two-game winning streak snapped and remained in fifth place, one point ahead of the Timbers.

— Associated Press —

Duffy, Royals end Sanchez’s 10-game win streak, beat Toronto

Posted on August 6, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Danny Duffy didn’t pitch quite as well as he did in his previous start — that would’ve been hard to match. He did plenty, though, to stop Aaron Sanchez and the Blue Jays.

Duffy and the Kansas City Royals ended a 10-game winning streak by Sanchez, topping Toronto 4-2 Saturday night.

Duffy (8-1) struck out a team-record 16 and permitted just one hit over eight innings at Tampa Bay in his last start. He won his seventh straight decision, holding the Blue Jays to two runs and five hits over 6 2/3 innings.

“I think the last start was probably the best start of my career,” Duffy said. “On days like that, I had everything working. Today not so much. Today, I didn’t have what I had the last time out, but I had enough. It wasn’t as good as the last one, but it was good enough.”

Sanchez (11-2) hadn’t lost since April 22 against Oakland. He allowed four runs and nine hits in six innings.

Sanchez still leads the AL with a 2.85 ERA.

The Blue Jays opted earlier this week to go with a six-man rotation instead of putting the 24-year-old Sanchez in the bullpen to limit his innings.

“It’s not like I thought he was out there distracted or rattled or anything,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. “They just beat him. Nobody’s invincible.”

Devon Travis led off the game with a home run for the second straight night. He also had an RBI single in the fifth after Kevin Pillar doubled.

“It was a minor frustration, leaving a changeup up after I’ve been so good with my changeup this entire season,” Duffy said of Travis’ leadoff homer. “It was frustrating, but you don’t let it affect the next hitter and I didn’t, just kind of moved on.”

Eric Hosmer hit a two-out, two-run single in a three-run fifth that made it 3-2.

“We had four hits that inning and three of them were infield hits,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “Hos came through. It was a big two-out hit.”

Sanchez pitched only 102 innings last year, including 9 2/3 in the minors on a rehab assignment after a shoulder injury. The All-Star righty has thrown 145 1/3 innings this season.

Alcides Escobar’s infield single scored Kansas City’s first run.

Raul Mondesi had an RBI triple in the sixth for his first extra-base hit in his 11th game in the majors.

The Royals scored more than three runs in a game for the first time in 10 games.

Kelvin Herrera picked up his fourth save in six chances, working a perfect ninth.

LEADING OFF

Travis became the first Blue Jays player to hit a leadoff home run in back-to-back game since Jose Cruz Jr. on April 22-23, 2000, against the Yankees. Mookie Betts of the Red Sox was the last to accomplish that feat in the majors, doing it last month.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: LHP Mike Minor (recovery from labrum surgery) is slated to throw five or six innings, up to 80 pitches, in a Sunday rehab start for Triple-A Omaha. In his prior two rehab starts, he has allowed no earned runs and struck out eight in 5 2/3 innings.

UP NEXT

Blue Jays: RHP Marcus Stroman, who struck out a career-best 13 Astros on Monday, starts the series finale.

Royals: RHP Yordano Ventura is looking for his first victory since June 17. He is 0-5 with a 5.40 ERA in his past seven starts.

— Associated Press —

St. Louis falls to Atlanta Saturday 13-5

Posted on August 6, 2016

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Freddie Freeman and Adonis Garcia had three-run home runs and the Atlanta Braves got enough from Roberto Hernandez in his first start this season for a 13-5 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday night.

The 35-year-old Hernandez (1-0), who previously pitched under the name Fausto Carmona, was the 14th starting pitcher used by the Braves this season, one off the franchise record in 1975. He allowed three runs in five-plus innings in his first start since July 19, 2015 with the Astros.

Carlos Martinez (10-7) surrendered a season-worst seven runs, and his six earned runs matched his season worst. He entered with a 2.99 ERA and had won six of his previous seven decisions.

Ender Inciarte and Matt Kemp each had two-run homers during a six-run ninth. Inciarte had three hits to extend his hitting streak to 17 games, and Kemp’s 24th of the season off Jonathan Broxton was his first since a trade from San Diego.

Atlanta beat the Cardinals for the first time in five meetings this season. Atlanta is last in the majors with a 40-70 record and 70 homers but has won seven of its last 11.

Kolten Wong had a pinch-hit homer for St. Louis but grounded out with the bases loaded to end the sixth against Ian Krol.

Freeman reached safely all five trips, adding two singles and two walks. He’d been batting just .205 with runners in scoring position before his 19th homer put Atlanta up 4-1, and Garcia’s ninth of the season made it a 7-2 cushion in the fifth.

KEY REPLAYS

Atlanta took the lead in the first after challenging a neighborhood play at second base. The Cardinals lost a challenge in the eighth on Tommy Pham’s run-scoring groundout.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: C Yadier Molina left with a right hand contusion, although it was unclear how he was hurt. Matt Adams pinch hit for him in the eighth and got an RBI double. … LHP Tyler Lyons (right knee) will see a specialist early next week for a stress fracture.

UP NEXT

Braves: Mike Foltynewicz hasn’t made it through the sixth his last three outings, allowing 14 earned runs in 16 1/3 innings.

Cardinals: Adam Wainwright has a 1.99 ERA his last six starts and is 8-2 with a 2.95 ERA against Atlanta, which drafted him in the first round in 2000 and traded him to St. Louis in a deal for J.D. Drew in December 2003.

ROSTER FODDER

The Braves acquired two prospects, LHP Michael Mader and SS Anfernee Seymour, from the Marlins in exchange for LHP Hunter Cervenka. They filled the roster spot by purchasing the contract of Hernandez from Triple-A Gwinnett.

— Associated Press —

Herrera allows 9th inning HR as Kansas City drops opener to Toronto 4-3

Posted on August 5, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Devon Travis has multiple hits in nine of his past 17 games. This one was different.

Travis hit his second homer of the game in the ninth inning to lift the Toronto Blue Jays over the Kansas City Royals 4-3 on Friday night.

Travis led off the game with a home run, then ripped a 1-2 pitch from Kelvin Herrera (1-3) into the Royals’ bullpen for his first career multihomer game.

“He’s on a nice little roll right now,” Blue Jays manager Josh Gibbons said. “He can turn around anybody’s fastball, so, he hit two home runs and it’s tough to hit them in this park, you’ve got to earn them. Anyway, he clutched up late.”

Travis hit Herrera’s 97 mph fastball that was high and out of the zone.

“I don’t know how the guy hit that ball,” Herrera said. “I was shocked.”

Travis is not sure how he hit it that far either.

“I kind of blacked out,” Travis said. “I’m going to go look at the tape. I just tried to open my eyes as wide as I can against him. He’s hard enough to see, a hundred (mph fastball) as it is. I’m just thankful everything worked out.”

Left-hander Brett Cecil (1-6) pitched a spotless eighth for the victory.

Francisco Liriano made his first start with the Blue Jays after being acquired in a trade Monday with Pittsburgh and yielded three runs, seven hits and two walks while striking out three. Liriano had allowed 11 runs, 14 hits — including four home runs — and eight walks in 8 1/3 innings while losing his final two starts with the Pirates.

Joaquin Benoit worked the ninth for his first save since Sept. 3 while with the San Diego Padres. Closer Roberto Osuna was unavailable after pitching the previous two days and in three of the past four.

Right-hander Dillon Gee held the Blue Jays to three runs and four hits over six innings. He gave up a leadoff homer to Travis, then worked his way into and out of a bases-loaded jam in the first.

“They’re a great lineup,” Gee said. “I was just trying to give us a chance to win. I was able to do that. I didn’t feel great tonight. It was a battle for sure.”

The Royals have scored three or fewer runs in nine consecutive games, a club record for offensive futility.

“It’s a broken record,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “We just have to find a way to put some runs on the board.”

Gee walked Josh Donaldson and Edwin Encarnacion in the third and both scored. Michael Saunders’ double scored Donaldson, and Encarnacion came home on Troy Tulowitzki’s groundout, giving the Blue Jays a 3-1 advantage.

The Royals tied it in the fifth on Paulo Orlando’s leadoff home run and Lorenzo Cain’s run-producing triple with two outs.

PILLAR RESTS

Kevin Pillar, who has started 105 games in center field for the Blue Jays, was not in the lineup after striking out eight times in his last 25 at-bats. He was used in the ninth as a defensive replacement.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: RHP Kris Medlen (rotator cuff inflammation) threw a bullpen session and could begin a minor league rehab assignment soon. … LHP Jason Vargas, who has not pitched since July 21, 2015 and needed reconstructive elbow surgery, will make his first rehab start Saturday in the Arizona League. He is scheduled to pitch two innings.

UP NEXT

Blue Jays: RHP Aaron Sanchez has not lost since April 22 to Oakland and makes his first August start after going 3-0 with a 1.59 ERA in July. He held the Royals to three hits and one run over eight innings in a victory July 4.

Royals: LHP Danny Duffy struck out a franchise-record 16 Rays in his start Monday and lost his no-hit bid on Desmond Jennings’ double in the eighth.

— Associated Press —