Sports – Page 531 – North Platte Post Archive

Kluber Strikes Out 12 as Indians Beat Rockies 5-2

Posted on May 30, 2014

CLEVELAND (AP) — Corey Kluber began the season as one of the question marks in Cleveland’s rotation.

The right-hander ends May as one of the top pitchers in the American League.

Kluber struck out 12 in 7 1-3 innings to continue his dominant pitching in May and the Indians beat the Colorado Rockies 5-2 on Friday night.

“It’s fun to write his name in the lineup every five days,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “He continues to get better and better. He’s got power, movement and command. He’s pretty good.”

Kluber (6-3) has been a lot better than pretty good. Other than giving up a two-run homer in the fourth inning to Carlos Gonzalez, he was in complete control of the highest-scoring offense in the NL. He recorded his third double-figure strikeout game this season and ends the month with a 4-0 record and a 2.09 ERA in six starts.

Kluber, who struck out a career-high 13 on May 4 against the Chicago White Sox, finished the month with 60 strikeouts in 43 innings. The right-hander allowed five hits with one walk and was given a standing ovation by the crowd of 25,066 when he was pulled after retiring the first batter in the eighth.

“To do it against that lineup tonight — that’s a very difficult lineup to strike out,” Francona said. “That’s as much, or more impressive as anything, to do it against that team.”

Kluber, who rarely shows any emotion when he’s on the mound, downplayed his accomplishments and says he wasn’t aware that he leads the AL with 95 strikeouts.

“I had no idea, honestly,” he said. “I keep saying when you guys ask me that strikeouts are a by-product of making good pitches. I’m not going out there trying to strike guys out.”

Kluber was given several ovations as his strikeout totals rose, but he remained focused on the task at hand.

“I’m kind of locked in when I’m out there,” he said. “I don’t really notice.”

Asdrubal Cabrera’s two-run homer broke a fifth-inning tie. The Indians snapped a four-game losing streak while the Rockies fell to 2-5 on their nine-game trip.

Colorado didn’t have a hit through three innings, but Corey Dickerson led off the fourth with a double and Gonzalez homered to right-center on an 0-1 pitch with one out.

“It was a changeup, belt high down the middle, it wasn’t a good pitch,” Kluber said.

Rockies manager Walt Weiss, who was ejected in the sixth inning, was impressed.

“That nasty breaking ball, and we knew he did coming in, but he commanded it and it was a good one,” Weiss said. “It was hard and late and he’s on a good run. And he threw well again tonight.”

Cleveland chased Juan Nicasio (5-3) with a four-run fifth. Michael Bourn’s single tied the game before Cabrera’s homer put Cleveland ahead. Lonnie Chisenhall, who drove in two runs, added an RBI double.

Kluber struck out the side in the third. He took control after Gonzalez’s homer in the fourth. Seven of the next nine outs were strikeouts and he got Charlie Culberson to bounce into a double play to end the seventh.

Cody Allen pitched a perfect ninth for his second save.

Gonzalez returned to the lineup after not starting Wednesday because of a sore right calf. He fouled a pitch off his leg Tuesday and left the game, and was limited to pinch-hitting duties Wednesday. His home run snapped an 0-for-11 slump, but Colorado has 16 runs in the first seven games of the trip and is 5 for 51 with runners in scoring position.

The Rockies’ frustration boiled over in the sixth when Michael Cuddyer was called out on strikes by plate umpire John Tumpane. Cuddyer angrily argued the call before being pulled away. Weiss continued the argument and was ejected for the first time in his managerial career.

Michael Brantley extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a fifth-inning double and has hit in 19 consecutive home games, a Progressive Field record.

Jason Kipnis’ second-inning single snapped an 0-for-15 slump. He returned Wednesday after missing 25 games with a strained right oblique.

NOTES: Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado (broken finger) visited doctors at the Cleveland Clinic, who confirmed the diagnosis of Colorado team doctors that he won’t need surgery. The plan is to let the finger heal on its own and there’s no timetable for his return. … Indians 3B/C Carlos Santana (concussion) said he’s feeling better, but doesn’t know when he’ll resume physical activities. He was placed on the 7-day DL Tuesday. … Cleveland RHP Zach McAllister (sore back) threw a simulated game Friday and is scheduled to throw on the side Sunday. … Rockies LHP Franklin Morales faces RHP Trevor Bauer on Saturday.

Cain and Gordon Homer as Royals Beat Blue Jays

Posted on May 30, 2014

TORONTO (AP) — When Jason Vargas snuffed out a Toronto rally in the first inning, it gave the Kansas City Royals an early lift, one they carried all the way to a second straight win over the Blue Jays.

Alex Gordon and Lorenzo Cain homered, Vargas won for the first time in three starts and the Royals beat the Blue Jays 6-1 on Friday night.

Vargas (5-2) allowed one run and seven hits in six innings, walked three and struck out seven. He is 2-0 with a 1.60 ERA in six road starts this season.

Vargas allowed a leadoff triple to Jose Reyes in the first, but Reyes had to hold at third on Melky Cabrera’s fly ball to right. Jose Bautista followed with a walk, but Vargas got out of it by getting Edwin Encarnacion and Brett Lawrie to fly out.

“I feel something like that hopefully sets the tone for the game and fires us up,” Vargas said. “We were able to get a run the next inning and keep it moving from there.”

Vargas kept on turning the Blue Jays away whenever they put men on base. Toronto finished 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position and stranded 14 runners.

“Vargas keeps you off balance,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. “If you’re sitting on a pitch, you don’t get it. We had some shots but he was better.”

Cain went 3 for 4 and matched a career high with four RBIs, and Gordon reached base three times as the Royals handed Toronto its second consecutive loss following a season-best nine-game winning streak.

“This is more of the offense that we envisioned coming out of spring training,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “We’re not going to be a club that’s going to lead the league in home runs but we’ve got home run power that we haven’t used.”

The home runs were the 23rd and 24th of the season for the Royals, whose total is the lowest in the majors.

Aaron Crow worked the seventh and Kevin Herrera pitched the final two innings, striking out Dioner Navarro for the final out and stranding runners at first and second.

Cain got the Royals on the board with an RBI single off left-hander J.A. Happ in the second, and Gordon followed Butler’s leadoff single by homering on a 3-2 pitch in the fourth.

Bautista replied with a two-out homer in the fifth, but the Royals restored their three-run lead in the sixth. Gordon drew a one-out walk and was almost caught stealing but ended up at second after first baseman Encarnacion dropped Happ’s pickoff throw. The mistake proved costly when Cain drove in Gordon with a two-out single.

Kansas City chased Happ and capped the scoring in the eighth on Cain’s two-out homer.

Happ (4-2) lost for the first time in four starts, allowing a season-worst six runs in 7 2-3 innings. He walked two and struck out six.

“They put some good swings on me,” Happ said. “They were aggressive and they definitely made me pay for my mistakes.”

For the second straight game, Bautista threw out a runner at first from right field. After getting Billy Butler on Thursday, Bautista slid to corral Infante’s shallow fly and gunned a throw to first in the seventh after Infante didn’t initially run out of the box.

“I don’t know if you’ll see a better play in baseball today than that play right there,” Yost said. “Omar hit the ball and lost it, he thought it was foul. For Bautista to come, smother the ball, one, and then still see that he had a play at first base, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a play like that. Tremendous play.”

NOTES: 3B Danny Valencia returned to Kansas City’s lineup after missing the past five games with a sore left hand. … Toronto selected RHP Bobby Korecky from Triple-A Buffalo before the game and optioned LHP Rob Rasmussen to Triple-A. Korecky was designated for assignment following the game and RHP Marcus Stroman was recalled from Buffalo to start Saturday, with RHP Drew Hutchison pushed back to Tuesday for extra rest. … The Royals intend to recall RHP Aaron Brooks from Triple-A Omaha to start against the Blue Jays on Saturday. Brooks will pitch in place of RHP Yordano Ventura, who left his last start with a sore elbow. … Ventura played catch Friday and will throw a light bullpen Saturday.

Huskers Fall to Titans in NCAA Opener

Posted on May 30, 2014

Stillwater, Okla. – Playing in a NCAA Regional for the first time since 2008, the Nebraska baseball team (40-20) dropped a 5-1 decision to the Cal State Fullerton Titans (33-22)on Friday afternoon at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium.

The game was a pitcher’s duel for most of the day, with four of the game’s six runs coming in the eighth inning. With the game tied 1-1 and the bases empty with two outs in the top of the eighth, the Titans loaded the bases and their No. 3 hitter J.D. Davis smashed a grand slam well over the left-field fence to put the Titans on top 5-1.

Both starters went 6.1 innings and put together strong outings, but neither factored into the decision. NU’s Chance Sinclair allowed just one unearned run on two hits, a walk and four strikeouts, while CSF’s Thomas Eshelman gave up one run on seven hits and a walk, while striking out five.

After being tabbed as a third-team All-American on Thursday morning, Sinclair showed why he deserved the national honor. The junior took a no hitter into the seventh, when Davis broke it up with a line-drive single to left field. Sinclair retired the first 14 batters he faced before he issued a two-out walk in the fifth. On the day, Sinclair retired the Titans in order five times.

Nebraska entered the day 31-1 on the year when outhitting their opponent, with the only loss coming in the second game of the season against Oregon State. NU’s record dropped to 31-2 after outhitting the Titans, 9-5. Eight of Nebraska’s starters notched a hit on the afternoon, including a pair of hits by freshman Ryan Bolt.

Nebraska was in position to scores the game’s first run in the bottom of the third when Austin Christensen led off with a single and Steven Reveles laid down a sacrifice bunt that put Christensen in scoring position for the top of NU’s lineup with one out. Eshelman didn’t let Christensen advance any farther though, as the sophomore righty got Boldt and Austin Darby each to pop out to end the third.

Sinclair was perfect through 4.2 innings, as he retired the first 14 Titan batters he faced. The Titans got their first base runner of the game when Tanner Pinkston worked a four-pitch walk. Sinclair went right back to work and got Austin Diemer to pop out for the final out of the CSF fifth.

Boldt nearly untied the scoreless game with one swing to lead off the bottom of the sixth, but the fly ball hit the wall in right-center field and the freshman had to settle for a leadoff triple, his fifth of the season. Two pitches later Darby delivered a RBI groundout to second base that put the Huskers ahead 1-0. With one down, Michael Pritchard and Pat Kelly notched consecutive line-drive singles, but Eshelman kept the damage to one run with a strikeout and a fly out.

The Titans evened the game, 1-1, in the top of the seventh on an unearned run. Keegan Dale led off the frame with a ground ball to Christensen at first, but Christensen bobbled the ball and Dale reached on the error that would prove costly. Davis then broke up Sinclair’s no hitter with a single to left that put Dale in scoring position. Sinclair got a pop out for the first out of the inning, but David Olemdo-Barrera came through with a RBI single up the middle that tied the game 1-1. With the go-ahead run at second base with one out, Nebraska went to senior Zach Hirsch. The lefty calmed the waters and kept the game tied 1-1, as he got pinch-hitter Greg Velazquez to bounce into a 5-3 inning-ending double play.

Nebraska was in business in the bottom of the seventh after Reveles executed a hit-and-run and put runners on the corners with one down. Boldt then worked a four-pitch walk that loaded the bases for NU’s 2-3-4 hitters. CSF reliever Koby Gauna was able to escape the jam by getting Darby to pop up and Pritchard to fly out.

The Titans then loaded the bases in the top of the eight with two outs and Nebraska’s pitching staff was unable to what CSF’s bullpen. After Hirsch gave up a full-count walk to Dale that loaded the bases, NU brought in Josh Roeder to face Davis, a right-handed batter. The CSF right fielder blew the game open for the Titans when he blasted a 1-1 offering from Roeder for a grand slam to left field.

The Huskers got one hit over their final two at-bats, and were unable to put together a late rally like they have done so many times this year.

The Huskers fall to the loser’s bracket and will play tomorrow at 12:05 p.m. (CT) against the loser of tonight’s game between Oklahoma State and Binghamton. TV coverage fortomorrow is yet to be announced.

Manning Signs Deal with Insurance Company

Posted on May 30, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Quarterback. Pizza maker. Motivational speaker. And now, Peyton Manning is getting into the insurance business.

The Broncos quarterback signed an endorsement deal with Nationwide Insurance and will be featured in national advertising next season.

The insurance company also announced an expanded marketing deal with the Broncos.

Shortly after his move to Denver, Manning made a splash when he bought franchises of a national pizza chain and began starring in commercials for the company.

In addition to making speaking appearances and showing up on David Letterman during a busy offseason, Manning inked the deal with Nationwide.

At a news conference, Manning handed a company executive a No. 18 Broncos jersey with “Nationwide” sewed on the back.

“Don’t put it on eBay,” Manning said.

Judge Denies Union Link in O’Bannon Trial

Posted on May 30, 2014

Plaintiffs in the upcoming NCAA antitrust trial will not be able to introduce as evidence the recent decision that allowed Northwestern football players to vote on whether they wanted to join a union.

U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken ruled Friday that lawyers for former UCLA basketball star Ed O’Bannon and 19 others may cite the decision by a regional director of the National Labor Relations Board allowing the vote in their trial brief, but may not introduce the findings as evidence once the trial begins.

The decision was part of a series of rulings covering outstanding motions in the case. As part of the filing, Wilken again ordered the trial that could reshape major college sports to begin June 9 in federal court in Oakland, California.

Bronco Back 6 Months After Emergency Surgery

Posted on May 30, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — A year ago at this time, Denver Broncos safety Rahim Moore was dealing with the emotional scars of having allowed Jacoby Jones’ game-turning touchdown in the playoffs.

He used it as fodder for a spectacular 2013 season, one which ended in November with a rare muscle condition.

Now, it’s a physical scar that serves as his motivation.

Jagged and thick, it runs 13 inches down his left calf, a constant reminder of that night six months ago when his decision to go to the hospital in the middle of the night saved not only his NFL career but also his leg and potentially his life.

Royals Rally to Beat Blue Jays 8-6 in 10

Posted on May 29, 2014

TORONTO (AP) — Omar Infante hit a two-run single in the 10th inning and the Kansas City Royals overcame two home runs by Edwin Encarnacion to beat the Blue Jays 8-6 on Thursday night, snapping Toronto’s winning streak at nine games.

Facing Todd Redmond (0-4), Alcides Escobar singled to begin the 10th. Pedro Ciriaco was hit on the front of the helmet while squaring to bunt and Nori Aoki advanced the runners with a sacrifice before Infante lined a single just over the reach of leaping third baseman Brett Lawrie.

Wade Davis (4-1) worked two innings for the win and Greg Holland closed it out for his 15th save in 16 chances.

The Blue Jays were on the verge of victory in the ninth before the Royals tied it with an unearned run off Casey Janssen, who blew a save for the first time in nine chances. After Jose Bautista threw out Butler at first base from right field for the second out, Alex Gordon singled to left and was replaced by pinch-runner Jarrod Dyson, who stole second and scored when Encarnacion couldn’t handle an errant, bouncing throw from shortstop Jose Reyes on Salvador Perez’s grounder.

Reyes batted with a runner on in the 10th but couldn’t atone for his gaffe, striking out looking to end it.

Perez hit a solo homer in the second for the Royals who snapped a four-game skid and avoided matching their longest losing streak of the season.

The Royals had 14 hits on the same day they shook up their staff, making Dale Sveum the hitting coach and Mike Jirschele their third base coach. Pedro Grifol, who took over as hitting coach last season, was reassigned as a catching instructor.

Encarnacion matched a major league record with his fifth multihomer game in a month. Albert Belle did it in September 1995 and Harmon Killebrew in May 1959.

The blasts were Encarnacion’s 15th and 16th in May, breaking Bautista’s team record for homers in a month. Bautista hit 14 in June, 2012.

The major league record for home runs in May is 17, set by Barry Bonds in 2001. Encarnacion has two games remaining this month.

Encarnacion has 18 total homers, second in the majors to Baltimore’s Nelson Cruz, who entered play Thursday with 19.

Both of Encarnacion’s homers, which came in the fourth and sixth innings, were two-run shots into the second deck, and both came off Royals right-hander James Shields.

Bautista added a two-run shot in the first as the Blue Jays boosted their major league-leading total to 79. Toronto has hit at least one home run in 11 of the past 12 games.

Shields came in having won four straight decisions and was 6-1 with a 1.13 ERA in his past eight starts against Toronto, but couldn’t duplicate that success. He allowed six runs and eight hits in seven innings, including a season-worst three homers. Shields walked none and struck out six.

Bautista put the Jays in front with his first-inning homer, but Perez cut the lead in half in the second and the Royals tied it on Gordon’s RBI double in the fourth.

Encarnacion restored Toronto’s lead in the fourth but R.A. Dickey couldn’t make it stand up as Kansas City scored three in the fifth. Ciriaco hit an RBI double and Infante and Butler had RBI singles.

The Royals chased Dickey in the sixth when Lorenzo Cain hit a leadoff double and Escobar followed with a bunt single. Steve Delabar came on and struck out Ciriaco, then appeared to give up a run when Cain scored on a wild pitch, with Aoki claiming he had been hit by the bouncing pitch. After a replay review, Aoki was awarded his base and Cain was sent back to third. Infante followed with a double play liner to shortstop, with Escobar forced out at second.

Buoyed by the reprieve, the Blue Jays reclaimed the lead in the bottom half on Encarnacion’s two-out homer.

Dickey allowed five runs and a season-worst 10 hits in five innings. He walked one and struck out seven.

NOTES: Kansas City has 22 home runs, the fewest in the majors. … Royals LHP Jason Vargas (4-2) faces Blue Jays LHP J.A. Happ (4-1) on Friday.

North Platte’s Steele Finishes Freshman Year 4th in State

Posted on May 29, 2014

North Platte Bulldog golfer Kort Steele placed fourth in the NSAA Class A Boys Golf State Championship on Thursday.

Steele is one of only two freshmen that qualified for the Class A State Championship Tournament held at Holmes Park Golf Course in Lincoln. The other freshman, Reece Rhodes, from Grand Island finished tied for 38th. Steele, however was one of only six players that finished the tournament below par. Steele shot a first round 72 for even par and was tied for fifth after the first day. He followed that up with a three under par 69 on Thursday to finish the tournament with a three under par 141 over the course of the two days the championship was held.

Steele was steady through the front nine on Thursday shooting even par and looking like he was going to hold even like the first day. The difference is that on Wednesday he was plus-1 after the front nine before going minus-1 on the back nine. He played great on the back nine Thursday to finish three under. The only hole he bogeyed on the back nine in the first round he got a birdie on in the second round.

Benjamin Maschka from Creighton Prep took State as a senior at 8-under par. Another senior, Clayton Peterson from Lincoln Southeast, placed second at 7-under par, and a sophomore, Alex Schaake from Creighton Prep, finished third at 5-under par.

Royals Shake up Coaching Staff amid Offensive Funk

Posted on May 29, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — They Royals shook up their coaching staff Thursday in an attempt to jumpstart their failing offense, appointing Dale Sveum (swaym) as the hitting coach and making Mike Jirschele their third base coach.

Pedro Grifol, who took over as hitting coach last season, will now instruct catchers.

The moves were announced after the Royals finished off a disastrous homestand that included a sweep at the hands of Houston, and before they opened a four-game series in Toronto.

The Royals began the day last in the majors by a wide margin with 21 homers, and in the bottom third of the league in runs, on-base percentage and several other statistical categories.

Flowers, Houston Absent as Chiefs Begin Workouts

Posted on May 29, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs coach Andy Reid downplayed the absences of cornerback Brandon Flowers and linebacker Justin Houston from the first week of voluntary, full-squad workouts.

That likely won’t do much to quell speculation about why they were missing on Thursday.

Flowers gradually lost playing time last season, and his bloated contract could mean that the Chiefs are trying to restructure the deal or trade him. It could also mean the Chiefs are thinking about cutting him to save valuable salary cap space.

As for Houston, he becomes a free agent after the upcoming season. The Chiefs have expressed interest in signing him to a long-term deal, but they are cash-strapped at present.

The Chiefs are also negotiating with quarterback Alex Smith, who is entering the final year of his contract.