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Daily ClipsAugust 8, 2017LOCALMoose cracks 32nd HR, but Royals fall to CardsAugust 8, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan and Robert Falkoff/ Troublesome fourth inning trips up RoyalsEscobar misplays double-play ball, six runs score in the frameAugust 8, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan/ Salvy hoping DL stint will just be 10 daysRoyals catcher says injections have helped reduce painAugust 8, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan/ Vargas aims to bounce back against CardinalsAugust 8, 2017By Robert Falkoff/ Royal advantage: KC has edge in playoff chaseWeighted scheduling considers both opposing teams and quality of recent playAugust 8, 2017By Mike Petriello/ Kennedy, defense falter in Royals’ 11-3 setback against the CardinalsAugust 8, 2017By Rustin Dodd/KC Star Royals’ Salvador Perez says pain in side ‘has gone down a little bit’August 8, 2017By Rustin Dodd/KC Star Royals fans showed up better than their team in battle for cross-state bragging rightsAugust 8, 2017By Vahe Gregorian/KC Star Doctor gives Royals pitcher Nathan Karns a surgery souvenir: A piece of his ribAugust 8, 2017By Rustin Dodd/KC Star Why the Royals need to be the best defensive team in the American LeagueAugust 8, 2017By Lee Judge/KC Star MINORSSoler's 4 RBIs Lead Chasers to 8-4 WinOmaha take opener in Memphis, win 5th out of 6August 8, 2017Omaha Storm Chasers Asheville wins 7-0 in series openerAugust 8, 2017Lexington Legends Mustangs no-hit through six, lose series opener 6-2 to ChukarsAugust 8, 2017Billings Mustangs MLB TRANSACTIONSAugust 8, 2017 ?. cracks 32nd HR, but Royals fall to CardsAugust 8, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan and Robert Falkoff/ Right-hander Carlos Martinez went eight strong innings and first baseman Matt Carpenter drilled a three-run home run as the Cardinals rolled past the Royals, 11-3, on Monday night at Kauffman Stadium.The Cardinals reached the .500 mark (56-56) for the first time since they were 26-26. They moved within 3 1/2 games of the National League Central lead. The Royals dropped three games behind the American League Central-leading Indians, and fell into a tie with Tampa Bay for the second AL Wild Card spot.Martinez (8-9) gave up six hits and two runs while walking none and striking out seven. Kolten Wong and Paul DeJong added two-run home runs for the Cards.Martinez has had first-inning woes in recent weeks, but breezed through the first frame on Monday."He wakes up intense every single day," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "It's just harnessing it. Too much or not enough. It's part of his development as a frontline pitcher."Said Martinez through a translator: "Today, I was really focused. Especially in the bullpen when I was warming up."The Cardinals have suddenly broke out from an offensively-challenged stretch to score 24 runs combined in their last two games."To see everybody contributing is huge," Matheny said.Royals right-hander Ian Kennedy was fine until a six-run fourth did him in, an inning that was aided by two errors and two walks. He finished with six innings pitched, giving up seven runs (six earned) while walking four and striking out five."He had a bad inning," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "That's what it was. Rest of the game he was actually pretty good."Added Kennedy, "I feel like it's a funk. It just stinks when you have the last two outings I've had."Mike Moustakas hit his 32nd home run for the Royals. He is now just four homers away from tying Steve Balboni for the club record in a single season, set in 1985. Brandon Moss and Eric Hosmer also homered.MOMENTS THAT MATTEREDCostly boot: The Cardinals were threatening for a big inning in a 1-1 game in the fourth, loading the bases on a single by Jose Martinez, a double by Yadier Molina and a walk to Dexter Fowler. Wong then hit a hard three-hopper to shortstop Alcides Escobar, a sure double-play ball, but Escobar booted it and all runners were safe as a run scored. Kennedy struck out Randal Grichuk, which would have been the third out. Kennedy then walked Greg Garcia, forcing in another run, and a throwing error on a pickoff attempt by Drew Butera brought home one more. Carpenter then ripped a three-run home run to complete the six-run inning."It's a play I can make," Escobar said. "I didn't really get my feet set and I tried to stretch for it. I didn't get it."Martinez ends a threat: The Royals, down 7-1 in the fourth, started to make some noise with one out when Hosmer belted his 18th home run to left. Melky Cabrera followed with a double and Moustakas reached on an error. But Martinez struck out Moss and got Escobar to tap back to the mound."I had a lot more confidence in my control and command today, and that helped me get through the eight innings," Martinez said through a translator.WHAT'S NEXTCardinals: Right-hander Michael Wacha (8-4, 3.66 ERA) will start for the Cardinals in the road trip finale at 7:15 p.m. CT on Tuesday at Kauffman Stadium. Wacha worked only four innings in his last start at Milwaukee, allowing one run on five hits while getting a no-decision. Wacha is 4-5 with a 3.42 ERA in 13 career Interleague starts.Royals: Left-hander Jason Vargas (13-5, 3.10) will take the mound against the Cardinals on Tuesday night before the I-70 Series shifts to Busch Stadium. Vargas gave up three runs over five innings in his last start against the Orioles in a 6-0 loss at Camden Yards. Vargas hasn't faced the Cardinals since 2014.Troublesome fourth inning trips up RoyalsEscobar misplays double-play ball, six runs score in the frameAugust 8, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan/ It's a play that Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar makes almost every single time.With the bases loaded and none out in a tie game in the fourth, the Cardinals' Kolten Wong sent a three-hopper toward Escobar, and the Royals were fully expecting a 6-4-3 double play. Instead, Escobar booted it, everyone was safe, and a run scored.Within minutes, the Cardinals added five runs in the inning and essentially put the game away. The Cards won Monday, 11-3."It's a play I can make," Escobar said. "I didn't really get my feet set and I tried to stretch for it. I didn't get it."What really made the error sting was that Royals starter Ian Kennedy struck out the next hitter, which could have been the third out, meaning the Royals would have escaped the mess trailing only 2-1."He's so good over there," Kennedy said. "You think it's a double play and it's only going to take one more out to get out of it. You try to pick him up the best you can. He doesn't make those errors."Kennedy shoulders some blame as well. He walked two hitters, including the No. 9 hitter, Greg Garcia, to force in another run before a throwing error by catcher Drew Butera allowed yet another run to score. The inning was capped by Matt Carpenter's three-run homer."The whole time was really high-intensity pitches," Kennedy said. "First two guys got on, then the walk. The whole time I just kept falling behind guys."Royals manager Ned Yost applauded the Cardinals' offensive approach."He was just missing off the corner," Yost said. "And they wouldn't bite."The Royals also were lamenting a second straight day of shaky defense. In an 8-7 loss to the Mariners on Sunday, a passed ball on a third strike/third out and a botched rundown play allowed four Mariners runs.It's an unusual stretch for one of the best defensive teams in baseball. Yost said all teams go through defensive lapses."I mean, they do," Yost said. "There's no way around it. We do have a tremendous defensive team. It's a little unexpected when we have those errors."Salvy hoping DL stint will just be 10 daysRoyals catcher says injections have helped reduce painAugust 8, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan/ A little less than 72 hours after Royals All-Star catcher Salvador Perez sustained a right intercostal strain, Perez had no more insight into how long he would remain on the disabled list.The intercostal is a group of muscles located between the ribs that work to stabilize the chest wall."We don't have a timetable right now," Perez said before Monday's game against the Cardinals. "We don't have one exact day to come back. It will at least have to be 10 days. Hopefully it will just be 10 days."For now, Perez will continue to receive daily treatment, including the anti-inflammatory injections he received on Sunday."It feels better today," Perez said. "Yesterday was a little painful. Today's pain went down a little. I think the injections are starting to work."The Royals' medical staff is waiting for the inflammation in Perez's right side to subside before making a more definitive estimate on his recovery time.Meanwhile, Perez is trying to cope with being on the disabled list for the first time since 2013."It's terrible," Perez said. "I don't like it. But it's part of the game. I feel a little sad when I see my teammates play and I can't help."Perez has been dealing with nagging issues on both sides of his torso since May. But the strains were not severe enough then to keep him out of the lineup."It started in May," Perez said. "I felt something there. Something sore, something tight. But it was something I could control."I don't think a little rest would have helped. They told me if I wanted it to go away, I should sit and let it heal for a month."We're fighting for another chance at a playoff. It's hard. I want to play."But on Friday night against the Mariners, Perez swung hard and missed at a 2-0 pitch in the dirt. And the pain was indeed more evident than earlier this season."It only hurts when I swing and miss," Perez said. "I was feeling something, a little pinch on left side and right side. I felt it worse that night. It was a 2-0 count. Swung and missed. Then it hurt."Perez came out of the game immediately and later on Friday night, he got the bad news after getting an MRI."All I can do is work hard and get treatment," Perez said. "The harder I work the faster I'll come back."Vargas aims to bounce back against CardinalsAugust 8, 2017By Robert Falkoff/ Cardinals right-hander Michael Wacha has been prospering lately in much the same manner that Royals left-hander Jason Vargas prospered earlier this season.Wacha, who is 5-1 with a 1.90 ERA in his last seven starts, will try to keep it going on Tuesday while Vargas will attempt to approach his earlier form which landed him on the All-Star team as the Royals and Cardinals wrap up the Kauffman Stadium portion of the annual I-70 Series. The cross-state rivals will play on Wednesday and Thursday at Busch Stadium.After going 12-3 with a 2.22 ERA through June 30, Vargas struggled in July with a 7.23 ERA in four starts. He'll be facing the Cardinals for the first time since 2014.Vargas is coming off a rough second inning on Wednesday against the Orioles at Camden Yards. He allowed three runs in that inning on an RBI double and a two-run homer. Wacha allowed one run on five hits while going just four innings in his last start, a no-decision against the Brewers at Miller Park.Three things to know about this game? Wacha has made four career starts against the Royals, and each outing has been a quality start. He is 2-1 with a 2.42 ERA.? Vargas' changeup has had a significant hand in his success this season, although its performance has dipped of late. Prior to July 1, the pitch yielded just a .139 batting average and .194 slugging percentage, but those numbers since have jumped to .333/.611.? The Cardinals are just 3-5 while playing the last game of a road trip. St. Louis is concluding a three-city trip through Milwaukee, Cincinnati and Kansas City.Royal advantage: KC has edge in playoff chaseWeighted scheduling considers both opposing teams and quality of recent playAugust 8, 2017By Mike Petriello/ With nine teams* still battling for entry into the postseason in the American League, it's safe to say that every single game is of the utmost importance. Of course, not every team has the same schedule remaining, and that's a big deal. So which club has it easiest going down the stretch? And how do you even answer that question?* -- Yes, nine. The Astros have had the AL West locked up for months, and the White Sox, Rangers, A's, Blue Jays and Tigers are within neither three games of .500 nor three games of an AL Wild Card spot. Everyone else, including the division-leading Red Sox and Indians, still has a lot to play for.It's easy to look at a team's remaining schedule, add up the winning percentage of all the teams they're facing, and go from there. While doing so is a decent start, it doesn't really tell you enough about where each team is right now. A win in April counts as much as a win in August, sure. But it doesn't matter as much, does it?That being the case, we have good news for you, Royals fans: No team has a lighter schedule down the stretch, with an adjusted remaining strength of schedule of just .477. Put another way, that's 77-85 opposition over a full season. On the other hand, the Angels still have nine more games against Houston and face the equivalent of an 82-80 schedule. It matters.How did we come up with these adjusted numbers? Let's use the Royals as an example.After splitting Sunday's doubleheader with Seattle, Kansas City is 57-53, a fine .518 winning percentage. But like every other team, the Royals have changed considerably as the year has gone on. They aren't the same team that went a league-worst 7-16 in April, when Raul Mondesi and Paulo Orlando were in the regular lineup, and Eric Hosmer hadn't yet turned his season around. Surely, you have to put more weight on the fact that Kansas City went 16-10 in July, and that the club recently added Melky Cabrera and three pitchers from San Diego, right? Right.Or take the Dodgers, who went merely 14-12 in April, when Justin Turner was injured and Cody Bellinger and Chris Taylor weren't on the roster. You would have rather played them then than now. Conversely, it's safe to say you'd have rather played the White Sox in August than in April, when they were 13-10 and still had Jose Quintana, Todd Frazier, David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle.So how do we account for that effect? There's no perfect way, but here is one way: We take each team's monthly winning percentage (grouping the few August games with July), and weight each month proportionally more heavily than the one before it. So while the Royals have a .518 winning percentage this season, our weighted average gives them credit for playing like a .560 team. After all, they've improved in each month of the season, from .304 in April, to .517 in May, to .581 in June, to .630 in July/August. Having come up with each team's adjusted winning percentage, we reweight it again based on the number of times a team will see a particular opponent, and this becomes extremely important. To pick an example at random, the Angels see the Mariners 10 more times, but the Rays play Seattle just three times. We must account for that, so combining a team's adjusted record and how many games they have left against each club gives us our remaining strength of schedule.So what is it that gives the Royals such an advantage? And now that we mention it, why are the three teams with the lowest opponents adjusted strength of schedule all in the AL Central? As it turns out, the White Sox will still have a pretty big say in how this year's playoffs shake out -- just not in the way you'd expect.As we said, the White Sox have undergone a massive -- and very well-reviewed -- sell-off, accumulating what's probably baseball's best farm system. Of course, it's left them considerably weakened at the big league level; they're 4-23 since July 4. So if we look to the AL West, the Angels, for example, still get to play the White Sox four more times, but the Mariners are finished -- and won just four of seven. Advantage, Angels.The Royals, however, still get to face Chicago nine more times, the most of any team. They face the Twins seven more times, and Minnesota's hot start (.522 in April, .538 in May) has not persisted (.483 in June, .419 since July 1). Not only that, Kansas City is better positioned against the East's best than Cleveland is, since the Royals have just a single game remaining against the pair (a makeup game against the Yankees), while the Tribe sees the Red Sox (adjusted .565) and Yanks (.516) seven more times.Despite being swept by Baltimore last week, the Royals are still the AL's hottest team, and they'll get to face baseball's coldest team more than anyone else. There's a lot more that goes into making the playoffs than simply who you play, of course. But this matters, too. You'd rather be facing teams that are building for the future than ones gearing up for a playoff run. If Kansas City makes another unexpected run to October, don't forget the role pure timing and scheduling may have played.As for you, White Sox fans. you're in a good spot. The future is extremely bright. And in the present, you get a very large say in who makes it to October. Kennedy, defense falter in Royals’ 11-3 setback against the CardinalsAugust 8, 2017By Rustin Dodd/KC Star The sport of baseball is an unpredictable beast, a nightly escapade relying of the random nature of balls flying through the air and fallible men playing a children’s game. No person should ever try to earn a fortune by wagering on the results of the day. But for close to four seasons, the Royals’ defense has been a pretty safe bet.For four years, the unit has made spectacular plays, rationed its errors and covered vast ground in the outfield. For two days here at Kauffman Stadium, that same defense suffered through an uncharacteristic slump, paving the way to two losses.The latest breakdown came in an 11-3 setback to the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday night. The latest frustrating sequence came as an army of red invaded a ballpark on the first night of a four-game I-70 series split across two cities.The number of Cardinals fans among the 38,478 in attendance did not eclipse the home fans on a pleasant evening in Kansas City, yet the proliferation of red did lead to some strange cheers during a fourth-inning debacle in which Royals starter Ian Kennedy struggled to throw strikes and shortstop Alcides Escobar and catcher Drew Butera made costly errors.By the end of the inning, the Cardinals had put up six runs, and the Kansas City defense had malfunctioned again. The Royals (57-54) will look to even the series here on Tuesday night before heading across the state of Missouri on Wednesday.“You don’t expect it,” Royals manager Ned Yost said, reflecting on the sloppy moments. “When it happens, it’s a little bit unexpected.”Yost was somewhat at a loss. His team has committed the fewest errors in baseball. Yet On Sunday afternoon, the Royals gifted the Seattle Mariners four runs during a gaffe-filled second inning, botching a rundown and extending the pain after a passed ball from Butera. The mistakes resulted in an 8-7 loss before the Royals regrouped to claim the second game of a doubleheader.On Monday, the porous defense surfaced in the top of the fourth inning and included the following:1. With the game tied at 1-1, Kennedy loaded the bases by yielding a single, double and a walk. He responded by inducing a well-struck grounder just to the left of shortstop Alcides Escobar.The pace of the grounder made for an easy double-play ball. It also increased the difficulty. Escobar booted the grounder, allowing a run to score and the bases to remain loaded.Yost called it a “tough play,” seeking to insulate his shortstop from criticism. Escobar said it was a play he should have made.“I didn’t set my foot like a regular ground ball,” Escobar said. “I just was stretching and it hit me right in my glove.”2. Kennedy followed by striking out the Cardinals’ Randal Grichuk before issuing a bases-loaded walk to Greg Garcia, which had little to do with the defense but did illustrate Kennedy’s command issues.In six innings, he walked four while allowing six hits and seven runs (six earned). In his last two starts, he has been bombarded for 10 earned runs while lasting a combined 10 innings, his ERA jumping from 4.43 to 4.83.“It’s like you get into a funk,” said Kennedy, who had posted a 3.68 ERA during the month of July.For now, Kennedy is still trying to sort through the issue, still looking for a possible answer. By late Monday, it had not come through video analysis or self diagnosis.“I’ve had like a mixed couple outings here,” he said. “I felt like I was throwing really well before that.”Back to the fourth inning.3. Moments after the bases-loaded walk, Butera attempted to throw behind St. Louis’ Dexter Fowler at third base. But the baseball hit Fowler in the gluteus maximus as dived back into the base, skipping into left field and allowing the fleet-footed Fowler to scamper home.“I went and looked at the replay,” said Butera, filling in on Salvador Perez’s second day on the disabled list. “We’d have had him if it didn’t hit him. And I think right there you’re trying to make something happen, get an out for Ian.”4. Much like Sunday, the errors were compounded by another costly pitch — in this case, a 2-2 slider to Matt Carpenter that turned into a three-run homer to right field and a 7-1 deficit.The Royals had entered the day with the best fielding percentage (.989) in the league. They had committed just 43 errors, the least in the American League by 10, and if you prefer something a little less arbitrarily than errors, they also ranked second in the American League in Defensive Runs Above Average, an advanced metric compiled at .Those numbers, of course, came with catcher Perez healthy and in the lineup. And they did little to help on Monday.Mike Moustakas clubbed his 32nd homer in the second inning, pulling within four of franchise record-holder Steve Balboni. Eric Hosmer added his 18th homer on an opposite-field blast in the fourth. That was all the offense against Cardinals starter Carlos Martinez, who lasted eight innings and struck out seven. Designated hitter Brandon Moss added another solo shot in the ninth.On Monday, as the annual I-70 home-and-home series loomed, the Cardinals (56-56) sat one game under .500 and 3 1/2 games out of first, while the Royals occupied the second American League wild-card spot and nipped at the heels of the idle Cleveland Indians.The Royals once dreamed of the sustainability of their cross-state rival, of developing an organization that could once again compete for playoff appearances across a decade. And less than two years after claiming a World Series championship — four seasons after the Cardinals’ last title — Kansas City began Monday in position for their third playoff appearance in four years.They ended the day tied with Tampa Bay for the second wild card, and perhaps there was an easy lesson to decipher. To get back to October, the Royals must play better defense than they did across two days at Kauffman Stadium.“You don’t like it because it adds extra pressure on the pitchers,” Yost said of the miscues. “But we do have a tremendous defensive team.”Royals’ Salvador Perez says pain in side ‘has gone down a little bit’August 8, 2017By Rustin Dodd/KC Star A Team Venezuela cap atop his head, a hooded sweatshirt on his back, Salvador Perez strolled into the interview room on the first floor of Kauffman Stadium on Monday afternoon. Making his first public comments since going on the disabled list on Sunday, Perez offered no visible signs of discomfort and no noticeable pain stemming from a strained intercostal muscle in his right side.Yet as he sat down in a chair and leaned toward a microphone, he conceded that the pain was still present and still significant.“Yesterday was a little pain … ” he said. “Today the pain has gone down a little bit. I think the injection has started to [take hold].”The Royals have yet to offer a public timetable for Perez’s recovery. That did not change on Monday. In interviews this weekend, manager Ned Yost indicated that Perez could miss anywhere from two to four weeks. He clarified on Sunday that four weeks was the “absolute” worst-case scenario.Three days after sustaining the strain in a loss on Friday, Perez said he was hopeful that he would be back shortly after his 10-day stint day on the disabled list was over.“We don’t have [a timetable] right now,” he said. “We don’t know exactly what day I’m going to come back, but I’m just working hard with the trainer. We’re going to seePerez will be eligible to return from the disabled list on Aug. 15. One day later, the Royals will conclude a three-game series at Oakland before a day off on Aug. 17. They will open a three-game series against first-place Cleveland on Aug. 18 at Kauffman Stadium.“I just got to wait 10 days and see where we are,” Perez said. “And hopefully it’s only 10 days.”It could be longer. As he spoke on Monday, Perez clarified a number of details regarding his injury. He had battled tightness in his left and right side since May, describing the pain as “a little pinch.” He missed a handful of games while resting his side. Yet on Friday, he aggravated his right side while swinging at a 2-0 fastball from Seattle starter James Paxton in the bottom of the sixth inning.The pain, Perez said, does not significantly affect his ability to play behind the plate. It surfaces any time he swings and misses.“That’s when I feel it more,” he said.When asked if additional rest might have healed the injury sooner, Perez gently pushed back. He referenced a conversation where head trainer Nick Kenney told him that he would’ve likely needed a month of rest to fully heal the tightness and tweaks in his intercostal muscles.“[We’re] in the season,” Perez said. “We’re fighting for another chance to be in the playoffs. It’s hard. They know me, I like to play.”For now, the Royals will move forward with backup Drew Butera and rookie Cam Gallagher filling in for Perez. On Monday, Butera started against the St. Louis Cardinals as the club opened a four-game series split between Kansas City and St. Louis. Yost, however, would not commit to any plan for how he might split up the playing time.“I see Drew catching today,” Yost said. “I’m not setting anything further than today. We go day to day with it. We’ll see how it goes.”Royals fans showed up better than their team in battle for cross-state bragging rightsAugust 8, 2017By Vahe Gregorian/KC Star The St. Louis Cardinals came to town on Monday with enough invading fans to make any crowd advantage a tossup in the sellout audience of 38,478 at Kauffman Stadium.“Just think of them as economic activity $$,” Mayor Sly James, who attended the game, playfully wrote on Twitter in response to a question about what could be done about the horde.Visible and vocal as they were, those numbers have evened out here since the days it basically became Busch Stadium West.Then the Royals’ renaissance provided something Cardinals fans could never fully appreciate: the sensation of a rebirth after more than a generation without a postseason appearance.It’s ultimately just guesswork, but there appeared to be more fans in Royals or neutral gear than in red for what became an 11-3 Cardinal clobbering of the Royals.“We’ve always believed that the Cardinals have one of the very best fan bases in baseball, and not only in baseball but in the history of baseball,” Royals general manager Dayton Moore said before the game. “It’s a terrific environment to play in. Everybody in baseball understands that and acknowledges that.“But we’re also very proud of our fan base. And I believe it’s extremely passionate and supportive, and they’ve demonstrated that.”Meanwhile, entering this first in a four-game home-and-home series, the Royals themselves had a chance to do something more substantial.They had a chance to demonstrate that they’re the team of the moment, or even of the last few years, in a state that never will forget who won the 1985 World Series — and will forever be divided between those who blame it on Don Denkinger and those who realize the Cardinals were free to keep playing after his blown call in Game 6.After all, the Royals have made more recent World Series appearances (2014 and 2015) than the Cardinals (2011) and had a better record this season (57-53 vs. 55-56) going into the game.More to the point, the Cardinals had languished below .500 since June 3 and had been sabotaging themselves with sloppiness and mental mistakes uncharacteristic of the organization’s rightly proud past.The lax play was symbolized by reliever Trevor Rosenthal in a game last month against the Mets when he failed to cover first base with two outs in the ninth inning, allowing the winning run to score.But any such notion of the Royals surpassing the Cardinals in recent history looked silly on Monday.Because for a worrisome second straight day, the Royals were beset by mistakes that made them look careless and lackadaisical (when the opposite likely is true) as they try to compensate for catcher Sal Perez being on the disabled list.On the heels of falling behind 7-0 after a slapstick second inning in what became an 8-7 loss in the first game of a doubleheader on Sunday, instead of picking up momentum from the 9-1 win in game two the Royals stumbled right back into that ditch.This time it was 7-1 after four innings because Ian Kennedy allowed two hits and a walk to open the frame, and then shortstop Alcides Escobar made a rare error on what appeared to a likely double-play grounder.Make that play, and the entire dynamic of the inning and game changes.But he didn’t, letting one run in and paving the way to more — including Dexter Fowler coming home when catcher Drew Butera tried to pick him off third only to hit Fowler and have the ball go into left field.Then came Matt Carpenter’s three-run homer, and the Cardinals were well on their way to an even record for the first time in more than two months as the Royals were closer to .500 in their own right and left to ask themselves some questions:Are these gaffes just a string of oddities that are part of the ebb and flow of the season, an annoyance but not a trend? Are they something more? Or a simple sign of pressing without Perez?Might Escobar, who is back to struggling at the plate (2 of his last 28) benefit from a day off after starting his club-record 282nd straight game?It’s no shame to lose, of course, but it’s something else to lose by not being fundamentally sound.Especially against a team that had been quite capable of doing that itself but never was pressed on Monday, when Royals fans showed up better than their team did.Doctor gives Royals pitcher Nathan Karns a surgery souvenir: A piece of his ribAugust 8, 2017By Rustin Dodd/KC Star For now, the small piece of bone is floating in a container at home. Royals starter Nathan Karns has plans for it, of course. Maybe a necklace, he says. Maybe a keepsake to mark another surgery overcome.“I’ve got to figure out how to clean it off,” Karns said.On July 19, a surgeon in Dallas removed a small piece of rib from near Karns’ right shoulder as part of a procedure to address thoracic outlet syndrome, a neurogenic condition caused by the compression of nerves near the neck and shoulder. The removal of the rib — officially known as a first rib resection — is meant to alleviate stress on the nerve and solve discomfort in the arm. The surgery usually results in a strange souvenir for the patient.“They pull it out, put it in a little container and say ‘Here you go,’ ” Karns said, standing inside the Royals clubhouse on a recent afternoon. “I’m excited to kind of clean it up, put it in a necklace or something, wear it around, so wherever I go, I’ll be a 100 percent skeleton instead of 99 percent.”All joking aside, Karns said he felt optimistic about his recovery just two weeks after undergoing the season-ending surgery. Acquired last offseason in a trade for outfielder Jarrod Dyson, Karns last pitched on May 19 in Minnesota before a nagging case of forearm tightness ended his season. The symptoms persisted for months and ultimately resulted in a diagnoses of thoracic outlet syndrome. After undergoing the procedure, he is expected to return for spring training in 2018.“I’m moving my arm around, no pain, no setbacks,” said Karns, who returned to KC in late July. “Everything feels really, really good. I don’t have any nerve-y symptoms coming out of surgery. We feel like we’re in a great spot.”Karns became the latest Royals pitcher to undergo surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome. He will now await a long rehab process.Reliever Luke Hochevar had the surgery last summer before experiencing setbacks during his rehab. He is expected to return next season. Top prospect Kyle Zimmer also underwent the procedure last year. In a more positive case, former Royals pitcher Chris Young had surgery to address the condition four years ago and the procedure extended his career, allowing him to become an important piece of a World Series championship pitching staff in 2015.“It was a serious procedure leading up to it,” said Karns, whose surgery was performed by Gregory J. Pearl in Dallas. “We found the best doctors that we could to help me out through this. We feel like we’re in great hands and it was successful.”Why the Royals need to be the best defensive team in the American LeagueAugust 8, 2017By Lee Judge/KC Star Generally speaking, baseball fans care more about offense than defense. Offense is easier to measure and understand and that makes the numbers more compelling.Unless the play is spectacular — and spectacular plays are often the result of poor positioning or lousy pitch location — good defense is much more subtle.Just look at Monday night’s game against the Cardinals:In the second inning, Mike Moustakas hit his 32nd home run and everybody noticed.But in the fourth inning, before the game was out of hand, Lorenzo Cain turned a Jose Martinez double into a Jose Martinez single by cutting the ball off in the gap; few fans cheered Cain’s outstanding play and half of those fans were probably cheering Martinez’ single.Fans may not notice good defense, but baseball teams do.In the big leagues, teams don’t care if a player puts runs on the board or keeps them off; both lead to winning.And the Royals, more than most teams, rely on good defense.Kauffman Stadium requires good defenseWhen Dayton Moore took over the Royals and looked at the size of Kauffman Stadium’s outfield, he knew his team would never hit a lot of home runs; the K is just too big. The Royals could invest in a home-run hitter, but they wouldn’t get what they paid for.People who ridicule Steve Balboni’s single-season record of 36 home runs miss the point; it’s not an embarrassment, it’s physics.Even now — with the team and Mike Moustakas on their way to breaking the single-season records for home runs — the Royals only rank eighth in the American League when it comes to the long ball. The Royals at their home-run best are still in the middle of the pack.So if home runs aren’t going to put a lot of runs on the board, good defense needs to keep runs off the board.The Royals needed outfielders who could cover Kauffman Stadium’s spacious outfield and turn doubles into singles, or better yet, doubles into outs. Compared to home-run hitters, good outfielders are a bargain.The 2015 World Champion Royals were second-to-last in American League home runs, but made that work because only two teams allowed fewer runs.The Kansas City Royals depend on good defense and in Game 1 of Sunday’s doubleheader against the Mariners and on Monday night against the Cardinals, we all saw what happens when they don’t get it.Walks and errors: how big innings are builtIf the Royals allow four runs or less, they have a winning record; if the Royals allow five runs or more, they have a losing record.On most nights, the Royals have to keep the score low to have a chance; this season they’re 12th in runs scored, so if the opponent has a big inning the Royals will have a tough time matching it.So how do the Royals avoid big innings?Limit the walks and errors.There are always exceptions, but it’s difficult for a team to build a big inning by getting hit after hit.On Sunday, in the second inning of the first game of a doubleheader, the Mariners scored four runs on just two hits; a walk, a botched rundown and a passed ball kept the inning going.On Monday, in the fourth inning, the Cardinals scored six runs on just three hits; two walks and two errors kept the inning alive.If big innings were brick walls (and I’m about to stretch a metaphor here) hits are the bricks; walks and errors are the mortar that holds those bricks together.The Mariners’ team batting average is .258; St. Louis’ is .256. If the Royals avoid walks and errors — easier said than done — the Mariners and Cardinals would still score, but they wouldn’t score runs in bunches.Why we take good defense for grantedWhen a player makes a diving catch, it’s often the result of one of two things; the player wasn’t standing in the right spot to begin with or the pitcher missed location with a pitch.Those spectacular plays make the game highlights, but the best defensive plays are boring; the pitcher makes a good pitch and the ball is hit right at a defender.Watching good defense is like having a car that starts every morning; we tend to take it for granted ... until the car doesn’t start.The 2017 Royals are currently ninth in team batting average, 15th in on-base percentage and 12th in runs scored. If they’re going to make those numbers work, they have to play good defense.Even though we might not notice.MINORSSoler's 4 RBIs Lead Chasers to 8-4 WinOmaha take opener in Memphis, win 5th out of 6August 8, 2017Omaha Storm Chasers After 2 home runs on Sunday, Jorge Soler drove in 4 more runs on Monday night, as the Storm Chasers defeated the Redbirds 8-4 in their series opener at AutoZone Park.Omaha scored twice in the opening inning; Billy Burns walked, Dean Anna singled, and Cheslor Cuthbert singled to load the bases. Soler followed with a 2-run single, giving Omaha a 2-0 lead.Memphis responded with a run in the bottom of the 1st. Rangel Ravelo singled, stole 2nd, and scored on a single by Alex Mejia.The Redbirds then grabbed the lead in the bottom of the 4th, on a home run by Patrick Wisdom, a double by Wilfredo Tovar, and a single by Alberto Rosario.The home run ended the night for spot-starter Andres Machado , who allowed 2 runs on 3 hits over 3.2 innings, with 4 strikeouts and 2 walks. Pedro Fernandez allowed the Redbirds' 2nd run in the 4th inning, but recovered with a scoreless 5th.The Storm Chasers then rallied for 5 in the top of the 6th. Frank Schwindel doubled, Logan Moon doubled him home, and Garin Cecchini doubled Moon to 3rd. With 1 out, Corey Toups bounced a single into center to plate both Moon and Cecchini, making it 5-3 Omaha. After the 2nd out, Dean Anna drew a walk, marking the end of the night for Redbirds starter Luke Weaver.Josh Zeid was summoned out of the Memphis bullpen, but the Chasers scored twice more before the inning was over. Cheslor Cuthbert walked to load the bases, and Jorge Soler singled home 2 more runs, giving Omaha a 7-3 advantage.Weaver (L, 9-2) was charged with 7 runs, 12 hits, and 2 walks in 5.2 innings. He struck out 2.Pedro Fernandez (W, 1-0), meanwhile, threw 2 more scoreless innings, working through the bottom of the 7th. He allowed just 1 run in 3.1 total innings, and earned his first Triple-A win.Kyle Zimmer allowed a leadoff homer to Harrison Bader in the bottom of the 8th inning, cutting the lead to 7-4. Zimmer then proceeded to strike out the side.Omaha gained that run right back in the top of the 9th. Frank Schwindel doubled, went to 3rd on a sacrifice bunt by Logan Moon, and was pinch-run for by Terrance Gore . Garin Cecchini was intentionally walked, and Brayan Pena beat out a fielder's choice at 1st, earning an RBI and allowing Gore to score for an 8-4 lead.Zimmer returned for the bottom of the 9th, closing out the game and giving Omaha their 5th win in their last 6 games.The Storm Chasers will continue the series with a doubleheader in Memphis tomorrow. Game 1 will begin at 5:35, with LHP Brian Flynn (4-2, 6.00) tossing for Omaha against RHP Kevin Herget (3-1, 4.14).Asheville wins 7-0 in series openerAugust 8, 2017Lexington Legends Asheville starter Erick Julio pitched six and one-third scoreless innings as the Tourists blanked the Lexington Legends 7-0 in a rain-shortened game Monday night in Asheville. Play was stopped with the Legends batting in the top of the eighth inning.A solo homer by Max George in the bottom of the third gave the Tourists a 1-0 lead. Asheville scored two more in the fourth. Bobby Wernes led off with a double, moved to third on a single by Joel Diaz, and scored on a wild pitch as Diaz advanced to second. Diaz went to third on a ground out and scored on a two-out double by Taylor Snyder.A three-run rally that started with two outs and the bases empty in the fifth gave the Tourists a 6-0 lead. Tyler Nevin singled and went to third on a double by Wernes. A double by Diaz scored two runs, and Diaz came home when third baseman Emmanuel Rivera committed a throwing error after fielding a ball hit by Manny Melendez.Willie Abreu's leadoff homer in the bottom of the seventh accounted for the final Asheville run.Julio (5-10), got the win. He allowed six hits, walked one batter and struck out five. Rico Garcia pitched one inning in relief before rain halted play.Legends starter Nolan Watson (1-8) was the losing pitcher.Game two of the three-game series will be played Tuesday night. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.Mustangs no-hit through six, lose series opener 6-2 to ChukarsAugust 8, 2017Billings Mustangs The Billings Mustangs (3-3, 21-22-1) lost their series opener 6-2 to the Idaho Falls Chukars (3-4, 20-25) in front of 2,439 on Monday at Dehler Park. It was the first meeting of the season between the two teams.Billings would not record a hit in their first six innings at the plate as Robert Garcia (1-2) threw shutout baseball for the first time this season. Garcia struck out six in five innings while walking two. Idaho Falls took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third when Christhian Vasquez scurried home during a rundown between first and second of Julio Gonzalez. Gonzalez would eventually be tagged out in the play to end the inning. The Chukars then extended that lead on Travis Jones' first homerun of the season, a solo homer in the fifth. Jones finished 2-for-3 with three RBI to pace the Chukars' offense.The Mustangs' first hit came when Leandro Santana singled with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning to right field off Garrett Harris. Santana would have the only multi-hit game Monday for the Mustangs, going 2-for-4 with a run. Mark Kolozsvary doubled later in the inning to score Santana and get the Mustangs on the board. Billings would have the tying run on base in both the seventh and the eighth innings, but would leave the bases loaded in both of those frames. They would strand 11 on in the game to tie a season-high.The Chukars extended their lead late by scoring three runs over the eighth and ninth innings. Stuart Fairchild's RBI single in the bottom of the ninth kept a brief ninth-inning rally alive before the Chukars closed the door for good.Billings and Idaho Falls will now play in game two of their three-game series Tuesday at Dehler Park. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.MLB TRANSACTIONSAugust 8, 2017 ?. PhilliesZach EflinCalled Up from MinorsWashington NationalsGio GonzalezReinstated from Paternity Leave ListWashington NationalsErick FeddeSent to MinorsChicago CubsMike FreemanSigned to a Minor League ContractChicago White SoxAvisaíl GarcíaSent to Minors, For RehabilitationCincinnati RedsDevin MesoracoPlaced on Paternity Leave ListCincinnati RedsAustin BriceCalled Up from MinorsDetroit TigersJeimer CandelarioCalled Up from MinorsLos Angeles AngelsJose AlvarezCalled Up from MinorsLos Angeles AngelsShane RobinsonDesignated for AssignmentLos Angeles AngelsEduardo ParedesSent to MinorsLos Angeles AngelsCameron MaybinRemoved From 10-Day DL, (Sprained right knee)Los Angeles AngelsCameron MaybinRecalled From Minors, Rehab AssignmentPittsburgh PiratesDovydas NeverauskasSent to MinorsPittsburgh PiratesDanny OrtizOutrighted to MinorsSan Diego PadresCarter CappsCalled Up from MinorsSan Diego PadresBuddy BaumannSent to MinorsSt. Louis CardinalsStephen PiscottySent to MinorsSt. Louis CardinalsDexter FowlerRemoved From 10-Day DL, (Strained left wrist)Toronto Blue JaysChris CoghlanSent to Minors, For Rehabilitation ................
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