Kritik und Lob » baseman Brandon Phillips in Mond

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Hector Santiago and Ian Kennedy are two pitchers going in opposite directions.Alex Gordon homered twice and doubled, Kennedy pitched eight sharp innings and the Royals extended their winning streak to seven games, beating the Minnesota Twins 10-0 Saturday night.While Kennedy has an 0.79 ERA in his past five starts, Santiago has had problems keeping the ball in the park and finding a win since joining the Twins.Santiago was tagged for eight runs and 11 hits over 4 2/3 innings. The lefty is 0-4 with a 10.89 ERA since the Twins acquired him in an Aug. 1 trade with the Los Angeles Angels. He yielded three homers to the Royals and has permitted seven home runs and 32 hits in 19 innings with Minnesota.Too many pitches in the middle of the zone, too many mistakes, Santiago said.Twins manager Paul Molitor echoed Santiagos sentiments.Hes leaving pitches too much over the middle, hitters counts, certain times along the way when youve got an opportunity with open bases to try to make better pitches and they were just taking advantage of the mistakes, Molitor said. So, its tough for us when we get behind.Kennedy had a nice night for them. Their starting pitching has kind of been sticking it to us the first three days, but in Hectors case, its just one of those things where hes got to keep working and trying to find a better feel to where he gets the ball to where he needs to get it, he said.The Royals string is their best since they won seven straight in April 2015. The World Series champions have won 12 of 14 to move back into the AL wild-card race.Gordon has homered five times in five games. He connected in the fourth inning and again in the fifth for his fourth career multihomer game and his first since May 18, 2014.Kennedy (8-9) gave up four hits, walked none and struck out six. He allowed only one runner past second base.Kennedys got a sneaky fastball, Twins star Brian Dozier said. And he lives away. He was getting the call all night about three or four inches off. He kept peppering us. Its what veteran pitchers do. He kept getting it and we tried to make adjustments.Obviously with a good pitcher like that, and you give up run after run after run from the third inning on, its tough to play catch up, he said.Kennedy has allowed no more than one run while pitching at least six innings in that five-start span, tying a team record. Larry Gura had a parallel streak in 1981.Salvador Perez and Gordon hit back-to-back home runs in a four-run fifth, chasing Hector Santiago (10-8).Lorenzo Cain doubled twice, singled and drove in three runs.NO DOZIER HOMERDozier had homered in seven straight games hed started against the Royals before going 0 for 4.TWINS RECALL MEJIALHP Adalberto Mejia, acquired by the Twins from the Giants in a July 28 trade for Eduardo Nunez, was recalled from Triple-A Rochester, where he was 1-2 with a 4.66 ERA in three starts. Mejia was scheduled to start Saturday for the Red Wings, but instead went to the Minnesota bullpen. Mejia made his big league debut, giving up two runs on five hits, a walk and a sacrifice fly in 2 1/3 innings. The Twins announced after the game he was being sent back to Rochester. ... 1B-DH Kenny Vargas, who hit .259 in 25 games, was optioned to Rochester.TRAINERS ROOMRoyals: Closer RHP Wade Davis, who went on the disabled list July 31 with a flexor strain, is going to Surprise, Arizona, to throw batting practice. Well see how he does there, Royals manager Ned Yost said. Yost said Davis has thrown three or four bullpen sessions.UP NEXTTwins: RHP Ervin Santana, who has won his past three starts, is 13-14 with a 3.69 ERA in 39 starts with the Twins. Hes in the second year of a four-year contract with the club.Royals: Duffy, who will be making his first start this season against the Twins, will be seeking his 10th straight victory since a June 6 loss at Baltimore.Erik McCoy Youth Jersey . -- Arizona knocked off some quality opponents, rolled over a few overmatched ones and grinded out victories even when things didnt go so well. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson Saints Jersey . Vettel was 0.168 seconds faster than Red Bull teammate Mark Webber around the Suzuka circuit. Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg was two tenths of a second off Vettel. "The car balance is decent, but I think we can still improve," Vettel said. http://www.saintsrookiestore.com/Saints-Sam-Mills-Jersey/ . Clarkson had been dealing with an elbow injury in early January and will be out of action for at least one week. He has three goals and five assists through 36 games with the Leafs this season. Willie Roaf Jersey . Hargreaves began his career in 2008 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and has played with the Edmonton Eskimos and last season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Sheldon Rankins Womens Jersey .com) - The Montreal Canadiens embark on their first road trip of the season as they head out west to battle the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night.CINCINNATI -- Don Mattingly doesnt want anyone feeling sorry for the Miami Marlins. Yes, the Marlins are likely to be without Home Run Derby champion Giancarlos Stanton for the rest of the season after the slugger suffered a Grade 3 groin strain this past weekend, but that doesnt mean hopes for the franchises first postseason berth since the World Series championship season of 2003 are kaput.The Marlins are 2-0 without Stanton and will be seeking to make it three in a row (and four games straight overall) when they face former teammate Anthony DeSclafani Tuesday night in the second game of a four-game series against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. The Reds acquired DeSclafani in a December 2014 trade that sent pitcher Mat Latos to the Marlins.DeSclafani won his first six decisions after starting the season on the disabled list with a strained left oblique. He suffered his first loss of the season in his last outing when he gave up three runs on six hits in five innings in a 3-2 loss at St. Louis. Hes walked five batters in his last 11 innings after walking just seven in his previous 52 2/3 innings.Im in the midst of trying to get a better feel and get back on a better roll, said DeSclafani. Ive been walking some guys and Im trying to get back to filling up the strike zone and throwing better quality pitches. I feel as if I havent done that as of late.DeSclafani has faced the Marlins once since the trade, taking the loss in a 5-0 defeat at GABP last season. He allowed three runs on four hits in five innings in that game.Mattingly announced late Monday night that right-hander Jose Urena will be recalled from Triple-A New Orleans to start Tuesday against the Reds. Urena is 1/3 in 19 appearances (three starts) for the Marlins this season. The loss of Adam Conley to the disabled list has left a spot open in the Marlins rotation.Mattingly said he has faith in the team as it is made up now even without Stanton, who has 25 home runs and 70 RBI. The Marlins are tied with St. Louis for the second National League wild-card spot.ddddddddddddYou just want to move forward with your club because you dont have time to look back and go Ohhhh, were not going to be as good, said Mattingly. I dont say this in a negative way about Giancarlo because in the past I think when youd read about the Marlins it was Giancarlo and all of these little guys with him. Now, weve got a lot of good players here. Its really an insult to the rest of them to think we cant do anything without Giancarlo.Left fielder Christian Yelich and third baseman Martin Prado each have 40 multi-hit games to lead the team. Prado has driven in 20 runs since July 27. Center fielder Marcell Ozuna has been struggling over his last 15 games (9-for-55) but he has doubled and homered in the last two games after going 11 straight games without an extra-base hit.Its not too much pressure because we know we have the ability to play this game, said Ozuna. We have a lot of young guys here, a lot of guys with talent and we have fun out there. Thats the most important part to winning more games.The Reds sat shortstop Zack Cozart and second baseman Brandon Phillips in Mondays (6-3) loss to the Marlins. For Cozart, who did pinch hit in the ninth inning and drew a walk, it was a scheduled day off but Phillips was dealing with a knee contusion suffered on a recent road trip.Center fielder Billy Hamilton was banged up against the Marlins Monday night. He twice ran into the wall in the outfield; he took extra bases away from Ozuna in the first inning but couldnt come down with a ball off of Prados bat in the third, a hit that went for a triple. Hamilton left the game with a knee contusion.Phillips and Hamilton will be re-evaluated Tuesday.Billy has a contusion. He ran into the wall twice, said Reds manager Bryan Price. Basically, the entire side of his body from his shoulder to his knee is a contusion. The knee was more prominent. ' ' '