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Royals Beat D-backs 4-3 for Another Series Win

kc-royalsPHOENIX (AP) — Mike Moustakas homered and drove in four runs, Yordano Ventura pitched six solid innings and the Kansas City Royals beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-3 Wednesday night to win their fifth straight series.

Kansas City rolled over Arizona in the opener and had just enough offense for Ventura (9-8) to take the second game.

Moustakas, who was 1 for 13 to start the six-game road trip, hit a two-run homer off Josh Collmenter (8-6) in the third inning and added a run-scoring single off the right-hander in the fourth. He drove in another run on a fielder’s choice in the ninth inning to make it 4-2 and Greg Holland gave up a sacrifice fly to Mark Trumbo in the bottom half before closing out his 32nd save.

Gonzalez Homers as Rockies Rout Cubs, 13-4

colorado-rockiesDENVER (AP) — Carlos Gonzalez homered, doubled and singled in his return to the lineup, and the Colorado Rockies snapped a five-game losing streak with a 13-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night.

Corey Dickerson had four hits, drove in three and was a homer shy of the cycle. Mike McKenry also homered for Colorado.

The Rockies hadn’t won since beating the Cubs last week at Wrigley Field, but ended their struggles with a big sixth inning against starter Jake Arrieta (6-3). Trailing 4-3, the first seven batters had hits, including Gonzalez’s 11th homer, a two-run shot that gave the Rockies a 6-4 lead.

Gonzalez had not started since aggravating his sprained right ankle in Detroit on Friday.

Jordan Lyles (6-1) came off the 60-day disabled list to earn his first win since May 10.

Beck Pleased with Quicker Tempo Offense

nebraska_helmetLincoln, Neb. – The Nebraska football team continued Fall Camp on Wednesday with a two-hour practice at the Ed and Joyanne Gass practice fields outside of the Hawks Championship Center.

Afterward, Offensive Coordinator Tim Beck spoke to the media about the up-tempo speed of practice and was pleased with the way it is going so far.

“I like it,” Beck said. “It’s part of the simplification process on us to allow those guys to play a little bit faster. It fits what we can do. I think we have good depth on both sides of the ball. We’re going to go after people a little bit. It keeps them focused.”

Beck also talked about the quarterback battle from the last few practices.

“(I see) just inconsistency right now,” Beck said. “Obviously we are putting in all the install today. Their heads were swimming a little bit. But there’s talent. There’s a lot of good things they are doing. I’ve been pleased. I see improvement in them every day in the things they need to improve on. It’s going to be a process we are going to have to go through here in the next couple weeks. Hopefully the best player is going to end up rising to the top. They are all working hard. I’m pleased the way they are working. We’re a work in progress. We just have a ways to go.”

Beck said that reps have been split “pretty evenly,” but added that Tommy Armstrong has been mostly with the ones. When discussing Armstrong along with Ryker Fyfe and Johnny Stanton, Beck said, “No matter which one of those guys is in there, I like them all and we can build an offense around each one of those guys.”

Beck added that today was a heavy day but said the offense needs to keep an edge.

“You introduce it, you practice it, you start focusing on ‘this is what we are best at. Here’s what we are going to do,” Beck said. “We aren’t to that point just yet.”

Beck also elaborated on how the coaching staff has simplified the offense.

“Everything,” Beck said. “How we call it. What we call it. Signaling. Just kind of everything.”

Nebraska fans are reminded about their opportunity to be on hand at Memorial Stadium as the Huskers kick off the 2014 season. Fans can purchase the Cornhusker Kickoff Combo package for the Florida Atlantic game on Aug. 30 and the matchup with McNeese State on Sept. 6. The two-game package can be purchased at Huskers.com for $100. Fans can also purchase single-game tickets to all games other than the Miami and Minnesota games at Huskers.com. 

Jack Hoffman Has Cancer Recurrence

Jack-Hoffman-Nebraska-Football-ESPYLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The 8-year-old who received national attention for his touchdown run in the 2013 Nebraska spring football game has had a recurrence of brain cancer.

Jack Hoffman, from Atkinson, had been in remission since October. His father, Andy, said doctors found a “spot of concern” in Jack’s brain in April, and follow-up tests in Boston on Wednesday showed the tumor had grown.

Andy Hoffman wrote on Jack’s CaringBridge page that the tumor would be treated with chemotherapy.

Jack’s touchdown won an ESPY Award for best sports moment of 2013. Players mobbed him and lifted him on their shoulders in triumph after his 69-yard run. The video of the play has been replayed on national TV and viewed more than 8 million times on YouTube.

Rockies Activate RHP Lyles from 60-Day DL

Jordan Lyles
Jordan Lyles

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Rockies have activated right-hander Jordan Lyles from the 60-day disabled list and placed lefty Brett Anderson on the 15-day DL.

Lyles will start Wednesday night’s game against the Chicago Cubs.

Lyles missed 54 games with a fractured left finger suffered in his June 4 start against Arizona. The 23 year old, who was acquired from Houston in the offseason, is 5-1 with a 3.52 ERA in 12 starts.

Anderson left Tuesday night’s game with a lower back strain after throwing one pitch in the fourth inning. It is his second trip to the disabled list. He missed two months with a fractured left hand before returning July 13.

The Rockies also recalled left-handed reliever Brooks Brown from Triple-A Colorado Springs and designated Jason Pridie for assignment. Brown will be available out of the bullpen Wednesday.

Huskers Ranked 13th in NSCAA Preseason Poll

huskersoccerThe Nebraska soccer team earned the No. 13 spot in the NSCAA/Continental Tire Division I Preseason Rankings when the list was announced on Wednesday.

Last season, the Huskers posted a 19-4-1 record en route to winning the Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles. Nebraska finished the 2013 campaign with the No. 13 ranking and will return starters Samantha Areman, Mayme Conroy, Caroline Gray, Jaycie Johnson and Katie Kraeutner this season.

Nebraska faces Colorado College on Friday, Aug. 15 in its exhibition opener before beginning the regular season at home against SMU on Friday, Aug. 22 at the Nebraska Soccer Field.

The Huskers will play three teams in the NSCAA preseason poll: No. 7 Michigan (Oct. 2), No. 15 Marquette (Aug. 31) and No. 24 Penn State (Oct. 24).

Dalton, Smith in Spotlight as Bengals Visit Chiefs

Kansas City Chiefs HelmetKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Quarterback Andy Dalton is armed with a new contract that could keep him with the Bengals through the 200 season. It may just set the market for Chiefs counterpart Alex Smith.

On Thursday night, Smith will get a chance to prove whether the two of them are truly comparable when the Chiefs play the Bengals in the preseason opener for both teams.

Dalton has led Cincinnati to the playoffs in each of his first three seasons, but he’s yet to win a playoff game. The Bengals were bounced by the Chargers last season.

Smith helped to turn around a two-win team prior to his arrival, going 11-5 and making the playoffs last year. But the Chiefs blew a 38-10 second-half lead in a 45-44 playoff loss in Indianapolis, leaving Smith and the rest of the team eager for the start of a new season.

Seahawks Visit Broncos in Rematch of Super Bowl

DenverBroncosDENVER (AP) — When the Seattle Seahawks visit the Broncos for a preseason kickoff Thursday night, they’ll see a Denver defense that was reshaped with them in mind — along with a team still smarting over all that trash talk during and after the Super Bowl.

The Broncos responded to that 43-8 shellacking by adding thumpers DeMarcus Ware, T.J. Ward and Aqib Talib in free agency.

Bruised leg permitting, Ware will make a cameo appearance in what promises to be an intense start to the preseason at Sports Authority Field before the starters give way to backups for the bulk of the night.

Baez Homers in Debut as Cubs Top Rockies, 6-5

colorado-rockiesDENVER (AP) — Javier Baez homered in the 12th inning in his major league debut and the Chicago Cubs beat the Colorado Rockies 6-5 on Tuesday night.

Wellington Castillo also homered for the Cubs, who have won four of five.

Baez, a prized prospect called up before the game, struck out in three of his first five at-bats before hitting Boone Logan’s first pitch of the 12th an estimated 414 feet into the Rockies’ bullpen.

Hector Rondon (3-3) blew his fourth save but got the win and Carlos Villanueva picked up his second save.

Both teams scored a run in the 11th to extend the game.

Nolan Arenado homered and Logan (2-2) took the loss for the Rockies, who have dropped five straight.

Royals Rout Diamondbacks 12-2

kc-royalsPHOENIX (AP) — Billy Butler had a three-run homer among his four hits, Nori Aoki hit a grand slam and the Kansas City Royals gave Danny Duffy some rare run support by bashing the Arizona Diamondbacks 12-2 on Tuesday night.

Kansas City battered Wade Miley (7-8) from the start, scoring 10 runs off him by the fifth inning. Salvador Perez had the first big blow with a three-run homer in the third inning and Butler added another three-run shot during Kansas City’s eight-run fifth. Aoki capped the big inning with his first career grand slam.

The Royals had 10 of their 15 hits by the fifth inning and had a season-high in runs, allowing Duffy (6-10) to cruise to his first win since June 30.

Perez had three hits.

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