Sports – Page 524 – North Platte Post Archive

LA Kings Outlast Rangers 5-4 in Double OT

Posted on June 7, 2014

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Captain Dustin Brown redirected Willie Mitchell’s shot 10:26 into the second overtime, and the Los Angeles Kings outlasted the New York Rangers 5-4 Saturday night to take a 2-0 lead in the Stanley Cup finals.

Marian Gaborik tied it with 12:24 left in regulation for the Kings, who rallied from another two-goal deficit in their latest exhibition of clutch comeback hockey.

In their third straight overtime game, they traded scoring chances with New York before Mitchell teed up a long shot. Brown deflected it under Henrik Lundqvist’s glove arm, ending the longest finals game in Rangers history and nearly the longest playoff game in Kings history.

Lundqvist made 39 saves for New York, and Jonathan Quick had 34 for Los Angeles.

Game 3 is Monday at Madison Square Garden.

California Chrome Sustains Gash to Foot

Posted on June 7, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) — California Chrome sustained a bloody gash to his right front foot during the Belmont Stakes, an injury that may have hurt his chances in his failed bid to sweep the Triple Crown for the first time in 36 years.

Photos taken while the horse was walking back to the barn after his loss in the third leg of the Triple Crown on Saturday show the injured hoof.

It isn’t clear when the injury happened, but the colt’s camp says it’s not serious. Chrome finished in a dead heat for fourth with Wicked Strong.

The horse was the overwhelming favorite in the Belmont and his supporters were hoping he would become the first Triple Crown champion since Affirmed in 1978.

Perez Leads Royals to 8-4 Victory over Yankees

Posted on June 7, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez hit a three-run homer, Eric Hosmer also went deep and the Kansas City Royals cruised to an 8-4 victory over the New York Yankees on Saturday night.

Alex Gordon, Lorenzo Cain, Alcides Escobar and Nori Aoki drove in a run apiece as the Royals bounced back from an offensively inept performance in a 4-2 series-opening loss Friday night.

Aaron Crow (3-1) retired one batter in the sixth in relief of starter Danny Duffy, and breezed through the seventh to earn the victory. Kelvin Herrera and Michael Mariot finished it off.

David Phelps (1-4) allowed seven runs on 10 hits and two walks in 5 2-3 innings.

Barnes, Rockies End 8-Game Skid, Top Dodgers in 10

Posted on June 7, 2014

DENVER (AP) — Brandon Barnes hit a winning triple off the center-field wall in the 10th inning and the Colorado Rockies snapped an eight-game losing streak, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-4 Saturday.

The defeat capped a tough day for the Dodgers, who saw outfielder Yasiel Puig and second baseman Dee Gordon leave early because of injuries.

Gordon left in the fourth inning because of discomfort in his right hip and was listed as day to day.

Puig was day to day with a strained right hip flexor. He walked in the fifth, slid hard into second on a double-play grounder and didn’t take the field in the bottom half.

Chris Perez (0-3) allowed a one-out single to Justin Morneau in the 10th. He fanned Michael McKenry before Barnes hit a deep drive to end it.

Franklin Morales (4-4) pitched 1 1-3 scoreless innings.

Three Huskers Picked on Final Day of MLB Draft

Posted on June 7, 2014

Lincoln – Three members of the 2014 Nebraska baseball team, along with two Husker signees were picked on the final day of the MLB First-Year Player Draft on Saturdayafternoon.

Pat Kelly, Aaron Bummer and Zach Hirsch were each picked on Saturday after helping the Huskers reach the NCAA Tournament in 2014 for the first time since the 2008 season. Husker signees Luis Alvarado and Garett King were also selected, joining fellow signees Monte Harrison and Jakson Reetz, who picked on Thursday and Friday.

Kelly was the first to hear is name called when he was picked by his home state Minnesota Twins with the fifth pick in the 12^th round. A three-time All-Big Ten selection, including first-team honors the past two seasons, Kelly is a native of Red Wing, Minn.

Kelly is the first Husker selected in the top-15 rounds of the draft since 2011, when Cody Asche was a fourth-round pick by the Philadelphia Phillies. Kelly is also the third Husker taken by the Twins in the last three drafts, joining Chad Christensen (2013) and Travis Huber (2012).

Bummer and Hirsch were both taken in the 19^th round, with Bummer being selected with the third pick by the Chicago White Sox, while Hirsch went eight picks later to the Milwaukee Brewers. Hirsch was the second player with Husker ties picked by the Brewers, as Milwaukee snagged Harrison with the 50^th overall pick in the second round on Thursday night.

Alvarado became the third Husker signee picked in the draft when the Boston Red Sox took him with the second-to-last pick in the 33^rd round. King then came off the board as the 10^th pick in the 36^th round by the New York Mets.

Saturday marked the first time since 2010 that the Huskers have had three players taken in the first 20 rounds of the draft. Michael Mariot (8th – Kansas City), Ryan Hughes (16^th– Oakland) and Mike Nesseth (17^th – Philadephia) were each picked in the first 20 rounds of the 2010 draft.

Kelly’s selection marked the 36-straight year that at least one Husker has been picked in the MLB Draft.

Pat Kelly | JR | 2B (Minnesota Twins – 12^th Round)

Kelly has been one of the top hitters in the Big Ten the last two seasons, while also ranking as one of the best infield defenders in the league. He led the Huskers in hits (76), RBIs (55) and home runs (4) in 2014. Kelly led the Huskers in hits each of the past two seasons and his 55 RBIs in 2014 were the most by a Husker since 2010 when Adam Bailey drove in 57 runs. Defensively he committed just three errors all season in 315 chances, a fielding percentage of .990.

Kelly became the 22^nd player in school history to notch 200 career hits, and ended his junior year ranked 20^th in school history with 212 hits. He has also started the past 135 straight games for the Huskers, including every game of the past two seasons.

Aaron Bummer | JR | LHP (Chicago White Sox – 19^th Round)

Saturday marked the second time Bummer has been selected in the draft, as he was a 31^st-round pick by the New York Yankees in 2011 out of high school, but instead chose to come to Nebraska.

Bummer worked as a reliever during his freshman season in 2012 and started in the bullpen as a sophomore before joining NU’s weekend rotation during Big Ten play in 2013. The 6-2 lefty worked exclusively as a starter in 2014, throwing 89.0 innings over 15 starts. He led the Huskers in 2014 in strikeouts with 56, including a team-best 16 strikeouts looking.

Through his junior season, Bummer has posted a 11-6 record with a 3.06 ERA. He also tossed his first career complete game during the 2014 season, as he capped a series sweep of Ohio State at Hawks Field.

Zach Hirsch | SR | LHP (Milwaukee Brewers – 19^th Round)

After working as a starter during his sophomore season in 2012, Hirsch made the move to the bullpen in 2013 and was one of the top relief arms in the country this season. A third-team All-Big Ten selection in 2014, Hirsch was also one of 50 relievers nationally to be named to the Midseason Stopper-of-the-Year List.

Hirsch led the Huskers with a 1.72 ERA in 2014 and held opposing batters to a .193 average. The 6-4 lefty’s 31 appearances were the most by a Husker since Brett Jensen made 33 appearances in 2005.

Hirsch struck out a career-high 50 batters in 52.1 innings of work, while posting a 5-2 record and four saves. His 50 strikeouts ranked third on the team to starters Aaron Bummer (56) and Chance Sinclair (52).

Luis Alvarado | HS (Puerto Rico Baseball Academy) | RHP/INF/OF (Boston Red Sox – 33^rd Round)

Alvarado was a late addition to Nebraska’s signing class, as he signed a letter of intent in April. The 6-5 native of Salinas, Puerto Rico, has an athletic frame and could play in the field or pitch for the Huskers.

Tabbed as an second-team underclass All-American in 2013 by Perfect Game, Alvarado earned first-team All-Canada/Puerto Rico honors in 2014. The scouting service ranked Alvarado as the No. 3 high school player in Puerto Rico and the No. 165 high school recruit overall.

Alvarado attended Montverde Academy in Florida in 2013, before returning to Puerto Rico for his senior season.

Garett King | HS (Orange County Lutheran) | RHP (N.Y. Mets – 36^th Round)

The Nebraska coaching staff was able to pull King away from Anaheim, Calif., to sign with the Huskers last fall. The 6-3 righty was tabbed as the No. 18 right-handed pitcher in the state of California by Perfect Game and the No. 187 righty in the country. King was a 2014 California Region honorable-mention pick by Perfect Game in 2014 after earning underclass high honorable-mention All-American honors last season.

As a junior in 2013, King helped the Lancers to a runner-up finish in the Trinity League in after the team won the title in 2012. He also competed at the 2013 PG WWBA World Championships with Team Evoshield in Jupiter, Fla.

2014 MLB Draftees

Monte Harrison | Round 2 (Milwaukee Brewers)

Jakson Reetz | Round 3 (Washington Nationals)

Pat Kelly | Round 12 (Minnesota Twins)

Aaron Bummer | Round 19 (Chicago White Sox)

Zach Hirsch | Round 19 (Milwaukee Brewers)

Luis Alvarado | Round 33 (Boston Red Sox)

Garett King | Round 36 (New York Mets)

California Chrome’s Triple Crown Quest Collapses

Posted on June 7, 2014

California Chrome Kentucky Derby — California Chrome

NEW YORK (AP) — California Chrome has failed in his bid to win the first Triple Crown in 36 years.

Tonalist won the Belmont Stakes, and California Chrome finished far back in a tie for fourth Saturday. The result means the longest drought without a Triple Crown champion in history is extended.

California Chrome and jockey Victor Espinoza lost the 1 1/2-mile race on a hot day at Belmont Park, where tens of thousands of fans were packed in hoping to see history. It was not to be, leaving Affirmed as the most recent Triple Crown winner in 1978.

Gordon’s 2 Triples Lead Dodgers past Rockies 7-2

Posted on June 6, 2014

DENVER (AP) — Dee Gordon tripled twice among his three hits and drove in three runs as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat Colorado 7-2 on Friday night, handing the Rockies their eighth straight defeat.

Hanley Ramirez had two hits and stole two bases, and Justin Turner also had two of Los Angeles’ 12 hits.

The Dodgers had lost six of eight but got healthy against the struggling Rockies. Hyun-Jin Ryu cruised through the first five innings before Drew Stubbs hit a solo homer with one out in the sixth.

Ryu (7-2) allowed two runs and eight hits over six innings.

Stubbs and Troy Tulowitzki had two hits each for the slumping Rockies, who lost again in starter Eddie Butler’s major league debut.

Whitley Pitches Yankees to 4-2 Win over Royals

Posted on June 6, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chase Whitley pitched seven innings for his first career win, Brian McCann drove in three runs with a timely double and the New York Yankees beat the Kansas City Royals 4-2 on Friday night.

Brian Roberts drove in a run for the Yankees, who finally gave their young right-hander some support. Whitley (1-0) had allowed five earned runs in his first four starts, and left two of them with the lead, only for his team to saddle him with a series of no-decisions.

McCann helped take care of that with one swing of the bat. His bases-loaded double off Jeremy Guthrie (2-6) in the third inning broke a 1-all tie and gave New York the lead for good.

Dellin Betances worked around a double by Alcides Escobar in the eighth, and David Robertson retired Salvador Perez with runners on first and second in the ninth to earn his 14th save.

Perez and Lorenzo Cain drove in runs for the Royals.

Making their only scheduled visit to Kauffman Stadium, the Yankees won their second straight on the heels of a four-game losing streak. They also established some much-needed confidence as they began a 10-game trip that will take them through Seattle and Oakland.

The Royals figured they were catching a break during the four-game series by missing Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka, who pitched his way to a 2-1 win over the Oakland Athletics on Thursday.

Whitley made them wish they were facing the Japanese star.

Mixing his fastball with an effective slider and change-up, the former 15th-round draft pick allowed five hits while striking out three without issuing a walk in the longest start of his career. Whitley had never lasted more than five innings in the big leagues.

The Yankees took a 1-0 lead on a single by Roberts in the second inning, and Kansas City promptly answered when Perez followed a double by Alex Gordon with his own RBI single.

New York quickly regained the lead in the third.

Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner led off with singles, and Guthrie grazed Mark Teixeira on the shoulder to load the bases with one out. That’s when McCann connected for his double to left, giving the Yankees what turned out to be an insurmountable 4-1 lead.

Guthrie kept the Royals in the game, retiring his final nine hitters. His weak-hitting offense even got a run back in the fifth when Cain drove in Gordon with a double.

Still, it was not enough for Guthrie to avoid his sixth straight losing decision and his 11th consecutive start without a win. In the last five of them, the veteran right-hander has received a total of three runs of support.

NOTES: Yankees SS Derek Jeter got the night off. Asked whether he felt he needed it, he replied: “I never feel like I need a day.” … The Royals traded LHP Justin Marks to Oakland for cash considerations. He was designated for assignment Monday. … New York RHP David Phelps and Royals LHP Danny Duffy are starting Saturday night.

Reetz Taken in Third Round by Nationals

Posted on June 6, 2014

Lincoln – After Monte Harrison was picked in the second round of the MLB First-Year Player Draft on Thursday night, another Nebraska baseball signee was selected on Fridayafternoon, as Firth, Neb., native Jakson Reetz was picked in the third round by the Washington Nationals.

Picked 93^rd overall in the draft, Reetz is the first high school player from the state of Nebraska to be picked in the top five rounds since 1996 when Omaha native Buddy Carlyle was selected in the second round by the Cincinnati Reds.

Reetz was tabbed as the No. 2 high school catcher and the No. 30 overall high school player in the country by Perfect Game. A three-time Lincoln Journal Star Super-State selection, Reetz hit .486 with 13 doubles and eight home runs, while driving in 37, as a senior at Norris High School. Reetz was one of two Norris products to sign with the Huskers last fall, joining Byron Hood.

Reetz was a first-team Perfect Game All-American in 2014, after earning first-team Underclass All-American honors in 2013. Last summer, Reetz was named MVP of the 2013 Perfect Game USA All-America Game at Petco Park in August. He was the second straight Husker signee to earn the award, as 2014 Freshman All-American Ryan Boldt took the honor in 2012.

Reetz earned a spot on USA Baseball’s 18U National Team last summer, becoming the first player in the state to earn a spot on the U18 team and only the second player to compete for Team USA, joining Alex Gordon (2004 National Team).

Harrison and Reetz have until July 18 to sign a contracts with their respective teams.

With the first 10 rounds in the books, the 2014 draft concludes on Saturday starting at Noon with rounds 11-40, streamed live on MLB.com.

2014 MLB Draftees with Huskers Ties

Round 2 (Milwaukee Brewers) – Monte Harrison (Signee)

Round 3 (Washington Nationals) – Jakson Reetz (Signee)

Rockies Select Contract of RHP Butler

Posted on June 6, 2014

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Rockies have selected the contract of right-hander Eddie Butler from Double-A Tulsa and he will start Friday against the Los Angeles Dodgers in his major league debut.

Colorado drafted Butler, 26, in the supplemental round (46th overall) of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Butler was 4-4 with a 2.49 ERA in 11 starts for the Drillers this season.

In 52 minor league games (51 starts) with four teams Butler is 20-10 with a 2.38 ERA and 238 strikeouts.

To make room for Butler on the roster, the Rockies placed LHP Boone Logan on the 15-day disabled list on Thursday with left elbow inflammation.