If their series opener was a good indication
http://www.clevelandbrownsteamonline.com/baker-mayfield-jersey , Royals plan on competing as if this was a playoff series, not an interleague matchup of also-rans.“A lot of life in the clubhouse. A lot of excitement (looking) toward the future,” the Pirates’ Josh Bell said after the teams went back and forth Monday. Pittsburgh tied it in the eighth inning and won it 7-6 on Jacob Stallings‘ walkoff RBI single.The second game of the three-game set is Tuesday at PNC Park.Article continues below ...The Pirates (75-74) moved above .500 with their third straight win. They have won four of five and nine of 12.Kansas City (52-98) lost its second straight but entered the series having won three of four, five of seven and 14 of 21.The status of Pirates No. 1 catcher Francisco Cervelli and infielder/outfielder Adam Frazier remains to be seen. Cervelli was a late lineup scratch Monday because of flu symptoms. Frazier left the game after fouling a ball off his right knee — but not before hitting a double in that at-bat.In the middle game Tuesday, Kansas City left-hander Eric Skoglund (1-5, 6.19) is scheduled to face Pittsburgh right-hander Jameson Taillon (13-9, 3.37).Skoglund is considered a candidate to make the Kansas City rotation next year. His challenge apparently is pitching well on the road, where he is winless in eight career appearances, including 0-2 with a 7.15 ERA in five outings, four of them starts, this year.He will be making his second start, third appearance since coming off the disabled list Sept. 4 because of a left UCL sprain.On Wednesday, Skoglund did not get a decision in the Royals’ 4-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox. He gave up two runs and two hits in five innings, with two walks.“It was exciting to be back out there with the guys,” Skoglund said. “It felt good. It’s something I can take into the next start and continue to work.”In that game, he was on a strict 70-pitch limit, and there was a good reason. He came within three of that and felt it.“The last inning I had good rhythm, but I was getting a little tired
Authentic Baker Mayfield Jersey ,” Skoglund said. “I did everything I could to get through that fifth.”Against Pittsburgh, he could have more stamina coming off the nearly four-month stint on the DL. His control hasn’t waned; he has given up two walks or fewer in 14 of his 15 career starts, nine of 10 this season.This will be Taillon’s career-high 30th start. In his past 19, he has given up three earned runs or fewer, and he has made it at least into the sixth inning in 17 of his past 21 starts.“Last year, especially in the second half, I had some ups and downs — a lot of downs — and I think that kind of prepared me for this year,” Taillon said. “I wanted to be that guy to go out there and pitch deep into the game and give us a chance.”Wednesday, in a 4-3 win at St. Louis, he gave up two runs in seven-plus innings. That put him at 171 innings this season.“Especially the innings, that’s something that I’m proud of,” Taillon said. “I’m not done yet. I’d love to, after the year, look back and be extra proud of what I’ve done. For right now, it’s cool. I’ve thrown the most innings of my life, and I feel strong.”Taillon has never faced the Royals. ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — For Blake Snell, all the setbacks set up all these victories.Snell became the major leagues’ first 20-game winner in two years
Greg Joseph Jersey Elite , helping pitch the Tampa Bay Rays past the Texas Rangers 4-0 Tuesday night.Snell (20-5) threw one-hit ball for five innings and tied the Tampa Bay record for victories in a season. David Price also won 20 in his Cy Young Award season of 2012.Little more than a year ago, things were much different.Snell, Tampa Bay’s 2011 first-round draft pick, was demoted to Triple-A Durham during last season with a 6-14 career record. Since returning to the Rays on Aug. 8, he’s 25-6.“Knowing what it’s like to struggle, that helps me a lot,” Snell said. “It’s always in the back of my head.”Snell won his eighth straight start. The 25-year-old lefty struck out five to reach 200 this year, walked two and threw 92 pitches, exiting with a 1.97 ERA.No one in the big leagues won more than 18 games last season. Rick Porcello won 22 in 2016, with Max Scherzer and J.A. Happ each winning 20.Tampa Bay has won four straight and 13 of 16 this month in a last-ditch attempt to wrest the AL second wild-card playoff berth from Oakland. The Rays trail the A’s by 5 ½ games.“It feels good being counted on,” Snell said, “because I know what it’s like to not be counted on.”“We’ve just been playing good team baseball when I pitch. The guys are helping me swinging it, playing defense, and I’ve been doing well as well,” he said.Manager Kevin Cash didn’t even pretend he knew Snell would win 20 games or strike out 200 this season.“No,” Cash said. “I think Blake deserves the bulk of the credit, but there’s been a lot of people in our player development system, (coaches) Kyle Snyder and Stan (Boroski)
http://www.clevelandbrownsteamonline.com/greg-joseph-jersey , a lot of work has gone in. And I think our catchers deserve a lot of credit.”The Rays scored three times in the fourth against Yovani Gallardo (8-6). Willie Adames hit a two-run homer and Joey Wendle had an RBI double.Snell remained the AL leader in wins over Cleveland’s Corey Kluber, who won his 19th on Tuesday night.Rangers catcher Robinson Chirinos had the only hit against Snell, a second-inning single.“His fastball command, it was not great today,” Chirinos said. “I was able to hit the breaking ball my first at-bat. After that, I thought he was going to throw me more fastballs, but he stuck with the same plan — changeup, changeup, changeup.”Three Rays relievers completed the four-hit shutout with four scoreless innings.Wendle tied a career high with four hits, including two doubles.TRAINER’S ROOMRays: C Jesus Sucre fouled a pitch off the top of his left foot. He was hobbling after the game, but X-rays were negative.Rangers: OF Joey Gallo missed his second game since fouling a ball off his right little toe over the weekend in San Diego. Manager Jeff Banister said, “I don’t foresee it lingering.”GOOSE EGGSThe Rangers were not shut out their first 75 home games through Sunday. Now Texas has been shut out on a total of only six hits in the first two games of this three-game series.They hadn’t been shut out back-to-back on consecutive nights at home since Detroit blanked Texas Aug. 13-14, 2016.WELCOME BACKThe crowd cheered ex-Ranger Carlos Gomez when, standing at the dugout railing, he made a one-handed grab of a one-hop foul ball by Sucre.UP NEXTRays: Diego Castillo (3-2, 3.24) will start as the opener for the fifth time in 11 days.Rangers: LHP Yohander Mendez (2-1, 3.86) will start the final game in the three-game series on Wednesday afternoon.