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Ventura Wins Despite Thumb Cramp, Royals Rout White Sox 10-1

kc-royalsKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Yordano Ventura pitched six solid innings before leaving with a thumb cramp, and Alex Rios had a three-run homer among his three hits as the AL champion Kansas City Royals defeated the Chicago White Sox 10-1 on Monday.

Ventura was replaced by Kelvin Herrera in the seventh after crumpling to the ground following a strike to Adam LaRoche. The preliminary report was a right thumb cramp. Ventura will be evaluated later this week, but Royals trainers said it is not believed to be serious.

Rios, who was making his Kansas City debut, homered in a five-run seventh with Kendrys Morales and Alex Gordon aboard. Gordon stroked a two-run single in the inning.

Jose Abreu homered in the seventh for the White Sox.

Record 115 Players Start Baseball Season on Disabled List

mlb bigNEW YORK (AP) — A record 115 major league players are starting the season on the disabled list.

The total was up from 101 last year and broke the previous opening-day mark of 110 in 2008.

The commissioner’s office has records dating to 1995, when 46 players started the year on the DL. Because of expansion to 30 teams in 1998, MLB says it is virtually certain the DL total was not higher in a season before its DL records began. Before 2008, the only season the opening DL total reached triple digits was 2001 with 104.

Among those on the DL are Los Angeles Angels outfielder Josh Hamilton, Texas pitcher Yu Darvish, Baltimore catcher Matt Wieters, Philadelphia pitcher Cliff Lee and Los Angeles Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen.

Oakland and Texas started with eight players each on the DL. Minnesota was the only team with none.

Royals RHP Yordano Ventura Leaves Opener with Cramp in Thumb

Yordano Ventura
Yordano Ventura

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City starter Yordano Ventura has left their opener in the seventh inning with a cramp in his right thumb.

It was a scary moment for the Royals on Monday when the young ace crumpled to the ground in pain days after agreeing to a $23 million, five-year deal. But the team said shortly after that the injury did not appear serious.

After throwing a strike to Chicago’s Adam LaRoche, Ventura initially showed no discomfort. Then suddenly his face contorted in pain, and he flung away his glove. Manager Ned Yost and trainers rushed to the mound.

The 23-year-old Ventura had limited the White Sox to one run and four hits in six-plus innings in his first opening day start.

The hard-throwing right-hander dazzled as a rookie last season, going 14-10 with a 3.20 ERA.

Kendrick, Rockies Trounce Brewers 10-0 in Opener

colorado-rockiesMILWAUKEE (AP) — Kyle Kendrick pitched seven sharp innings and also got two hits Monday as the Colorado Rockies trounced the Milwaukee Brewers 10-0 on opening day.

Corey Dickerson and Nolan Arenado each homered and drove in four runs. Troy Tulowitzki doubled twice, singled and scored three times.

There were eight extra-base hits in the game, all by Colorado. Kendrick, Dickerson and Carlos Gonzalez contributed doubles.

Kendrick (1-0), who left Philadelphia after last season, excelled in his first opening day start. He gave up seven singles, walked none and struck out six.

After former commissioner Bud Selig lobbed in the ceremonial first ball, the Rockies teed off against Kyle Lohse (0-1).

Gonzalez, Tulowitzki and Arenado doubled in the first inning and Dickerson hit a two-run homer for a 4-0 lead.

No. 23 Huskers Visit Wildcats for Midweek Showdown

husker baseballLincoln – The No. 23 Nebraska baseball team (23-10, 3-0 Big Ten) is scheduled to play its fifth straight road game on Tuesday night when it visits Manhattan, Kan., for a 6:35 p.m. meeting with the Kansas State Wildcats (13-16, 2-7 Big 12) at Tointon Stadium. It will be the first of two games between the two teams this season, with the Wildcats scheduled to visit Hawks Field on Tuesday, April 21.

Tuesday night’s game will be broadcast in Nebraska and Kansas on Time Warner Sports. It will be carried in Nebraska on Time Warner Cable, including in Lincoln on TWCSC HD 1310 and TWCSC SD 310. The game will also be video streamed on K-StateHD.TV (subscription required).

After playing two midweek games each of the past four weeks, the Huskers lone midweek game this week will be against the Wildcats, before NU gets back into Big Ten play this weekend with a visit from the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

The Huskers have been dominant at home this season, posting a 15-1 record, but have struggled when having to play away from Lincoln. Nebraska is 8-9 in games away from Hawks Field, including a 4-6 record in road games. The Wildcats enter Tuesday with a 7-4 record at Tointon Stadium and are coming off a home series loss to West Virginia, where they won the series opener before dropping the final two games of the series. The Wildcats started the year 4-0 at home, but have since gone 3-4.

The Huskers are scheduled to start freshman Garett King, who is coming off a season-high 8.0-inning outing against Creighton last week, a game the Huskers won 5-1. The right hander struck out five and didn’t issue a walk for the second straight start. King was perfect through the first four innings, before Harrison Crawford led off the fifth with a triple down the right-field line. Following the triple, King went on to retire 12 of the final 13 Jays he faced.

Kansas State is scheduled to start junior Kyle Halbohn, who is 2-2 with a save on the year. The 6-8 right hander has a 3.94 ERA in seven appearances, including three starts. Halbohn has thrown 16.0 innings, allowing 10 runs (seven earned) on 19 hits and four walks, while striking out 12. A Pawley’s Island, S.C., native, Halbohn spent his freshman season at San Jacinto College. He then transferred to Spartanburg Methodist and redshirted the 2013 season before pitching for the Pioneers in 2014.

Tuesday, April 7 (6:35 p.m.)

Probable Starters: RHP King (3-0) vs. RHP Halbohn (2-2)

TV: Time Warner Cable Sports

Audio Stream: Huskers.com | Video Stream: K-StateHD.TV

Radio: Husker Sports Network

MLB’s Manfred Announces 2018 All-Star Game will be in DC

Washington Nationals ParkWASHINGTON (AP) — Nationals Park will host baseball’s 2018 All-Star Game, the fourth consecutive year that event will be in an NL city.

New Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred made the announcement Monday before attending the Washington Nationals’ opener against the New York Mets.

Speaking at a news conference at Nationals Park, which opened in 2008, Manfred called the awarding of the 2018 game an “opportunity to showcase this terrific facility.”

Cincinnati will hold the All-Star game this year, followed by San Diego in 2016, then Miami in 2017.

When Miami’s turn was announced in February, MLB said leagues will continue to alternate who bats last, no matter what city is host. So the AL will bat last in the 2016 game at San Diego and in the 2018 game at Washington.

MLB Ticket Price Average Up 3.3 Percent to $28.94

mlb bigCHICAGO (AP) — Major League Baseball’s average ticket price rose 3.3 percent this season to $28.94, the steepest increase in six years.

Team Marketing Report said in its annual survey Monday that the average is up 4.4 percent since 2013 after remaining flat in 2012.

World Series champion Boston had the highest average at $52.34 after leaving prices flat. The New York Yankees also left their average unchanged at $51.55 after missing the playoffs for the second straight season.

The Chicago Cubs, who renovated Wrigley Field and their roster, raised their average for the first time since 2010, a 1.5 percent increase to $44.81. The Cubs are coming off a last-place finish.

The Dodgers’ average rose 10.9 percent to $28.61 as Los Angeles hiked its opening-day payroll to a record $270 million.

Huskers Drop Finale on Walk-Off Win

husker baseballCollege Park, Md. – The No. 18 Nebraska baseball team (23-10, 3-3 Big Ten) jumped out to a 5-0 lead over the No. 17 Maryland Terrapins (22-7, 7-2 Big Ten) on Sundayafternoon, but the Terrapins fought back and scored the game’s final six runs, including an unearned run in the ninth for a 6-5 walk-off win.

The Huskers were swept in the series, the first time they’ve been swept in a conference series since joining the Big Ten. The last time NU was swept in a conference series was in 2011 as members of the Big 12, when NU lost three straight at Texas A&M.

The game was tied 5-5 going into the bottom of the ninth and after NU reliever Colton Howell retired Brandon Lowe to start the inning, the Terps got back-to-back singles that put the tying run on second base. Howell then got a ground ball to shortstop Wes Edrington and he tossed to Jake Placzek for an out at second base, Placzek tried to turn the double play, but committed an error throwing to first base and the game-winning run scored on the play.

Nebraska jumped out to a 5-0 lead on five hits through the first two innings, but was then held hitless the rest of the game. The Terrapins didn’t get a hit the first three innings before notching eight the rest of the game, including three home runs.

Nebraska sophomore Derek Burkamper gave the Huskers 5.1 innings and allowed three runs on only four hits, but two of the hits were solo home runs. The right hander left the game with a 5-3 lead, but didn’t factor into the decision after UM tied the game in the seventh.

Maryland started junior Kevin Mooney, who entered the game with a team-best three saves and just one start on the season. The right hander lasted just 3.0 innings after giving up five runs (two earned) on two hits and four walks. Mooney entered the game with one hit and three walks issued over 8.0 innings.

Just like both games yesterday, the Huskers had their leadoff man on to start the game when Ryan Boldt was hit with Mooney’s first pitch. Jake Schleppenbach followed with his fifth double of the year and the Huskers were in business with two runners in scoring position. Mooney came back and struck out Blake Headley on three pitches, but Tanner Lubach then got the job done with a RBI groundout that gave the Huskers a 1-0 lead.

Nebraska added to its lead in the second thanks to walks and a two-out error. Scott Schreiber led off the frame with a single and it looked like he’d be stranded after Mooney retired the next two Huskers he faced, but UM’s starter lost the strike zone and walked three straight. With the bases loaded and one run already across, Lubach hit a routine popup to shallow left field, but UM shortstop Kevin Smith had the ball bounce off his glove and three Huskers scored on the miscue to give NU at 5-0 lead.

Burkamper retired the first eight Terrapins he faced and didn’t allow a baserunner until there were two outs in the third when No. 9 hitter Kengo Kawahara reached on a fielding error by Schreiber at first base. Burkamper’s shutout and no hitter came to an end with one out in the fourth on a solo homer by Kevin Martir. NU’s starter didn’t allow any other damage in the inning and the Huskers took a 5-1 lead into the fifth inning.

The Terps got their second hit of the game in the fifth, and just the like the first hit it was a one-out solo home run. After Jamal Wade’s third homer of the year cut NU’s lead to 5-2, Burkamper walked Kawahara before retiring UM’s No. 1 and 2 hitters to end the fifth.

Maryland kept chipping away and added a run in the sixth, before Smith launched a two-run homer with two outs in the seventh off Jeff Chesnut that evened the score, 5-5. Chesnut entered the game with only two runs allowed on the year in 21.1 innings over 15 appearances.

The Huskers had the go-ahead run on base in the eighth when Schreiber drew a four-pitch walk to start the frame. Luis Alvarado then moved Schreiber into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, but UM reliever Alex Robinson got Edrington to fly out for the second out of the inning. Robinson then walked Boldt and the Huskers went to Placzek, who Robinson struck out on three pitches. Maryland then had the go-ahead run in scoring position with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, but Howell kept the game tied, 5-5, with a strikeout of Kawahara.

Headley led off the top of the ninth with his second walk of the game, but he was quickly cleared off the bases when Lubach hit into a 6-4-3 double play. Robinson then got Ben Miller to fly out, setting the stage for the Terrapins to complete their comeback in the ninth.

The Huskers now head back to Lincoln before hitting the road on Tuesday for a midweek contest in Manhattan, Kan., against the Kansas State Wildcats. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. and the game will be carried on Time Warner Sports in Nebraska.

Huskers Drop Doubleheader to Terrapins

husker baseballCollege Park, Md. – The No. 18 Nebraska baseball team (23-9, 3-2 Big Ten) dropped a doubleheader on Saturday to the No. 17 Maryland Terrapins (21-7, 6-2 Big Ten), as the Terps won game one 8-3 and followed that with an 8-2 win in game two to clinch the series.

Saturday marked the first time the Huskers have lost both games of a doubleheader since April 27, 2013, when NU dropped a pair of games to Oklahoma State at the TD Ameritrade Park Classic.

One highlight for the Huskers on the day was Austin Darby’s one out single in the seventh. It was the 200th hit of Darby’s NU career, as he became the 23rd member of NU’s 200-hit club.

Senior Kyle Kubat’s 36th career start will be one he’ll want to quickly forget, as he gave up a career-high six runs (five earned) on a career-high tying nine hits over 4.2 innings. Kubat fell to 4-1 on the year and lost just the fourth game of his career, he is now 19-4 as a Husker.

Maryland starter Tayler Stiles, who was making his fourth start of the year, allowed one run on six hits and struck out eight Huskers over 7.0 innings to improve to 3-1 on the year.

The Terrapins jumped on Kubat in the first with three runs on four hits, all singles. Kubat had given up three runs in his last three starts combined. Maryland extended its lead to 4-0 in the third when Brandon Lowe led off the frame with his sixth home run of the season.

With just two hits through the first three innings and trailing 4-0, the Huskers got on the board in the fourth with a run on three hits. Tanner Lubach reach on a single and after Luis Alvarado struck out looking, Scott Schreiber and Darby delivered consecutive two-out singles. Darby’s single notched the 99th RBI of his NU career. With runners on the corners, Taylor Fish came to the plate looking to cut into the lead even more, but Stiles got a pop out to shallow left field.

Kubat retired the first two UM hitters he faced in the fifth, but then the Terps rattled off three straight two-out singles and Fish allowed a passed ball that pushed UM’s lead to 6-1. Following a walk to Tim Lewis, the Huskers turned the ball over to reliever Austin Christensen, who ended the threat with a pop out.

The Terps added in a run in both the sixth and seventh to take a 8-1 lead. After their three hits in the fourth, the Huskers totaled one run on three hits over the final five innings.

The Huskers and Terps wrap up their three-game series tomorrow at 11:05 a.m. (CT). The game will be shown live on BTN2Go and will be shown on tape delay on BTN at 2 p.m.

Royals Young Ace Yordano Ventura gets $23M, 5-Year Contract

Yordano Ventura
Yordano Ventura

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Young ace Yordano Ventura and the Kansas City Royals have reached a five-year contract worth $23 million.

The AL champions announced they had a deal Saturday, two days before they open the season.

The 23-year-old Ventura dazzled as a rookie last season, going 14-10 with a 3.20 ERA.

The hard-throwing righty pitched seven shutout innings against San Francisco to win Game 6 of the World Series. The Giants won the title the next day.

Ventura was 1-0 with a 3.20 ERA in five postseason appearances, including four starts.

The contract runs through 2019, and includes club options for the following two seasons.

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