Feedback von euch » ALCS, but there are no guarantees there. But

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- James Shields picked up his first home win in more than three months and the Kansas City Royals have won seven consecutive series for the first time in 22 years. Shields pitched seven strong innings, Alex Gordon homered and the Kansas City Royals beat the Boston Red Sox 4-3 on Sunday. The Royals improved to 18-5 since the All-Star break, winning every series. The last time they won seven straight series was 1991. "Its huge," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "You cant understate it. The fact of the matter is thats nice, but it doesnt mean anything tomorrow. " Its big, but youve got to keep plugging. I wouldnt classify it as a statement (series) win. But its still the team with the best record came in and we won three out of four. Were playing great baseball right now. We just have to maintain our focus on that." Shields (7-8), who had not won at Kauffman Stadium since an April 30 victory over Tampa Bay, limited the Red Sox to three runs and seven hits over seven innings. He struck out five and walked three. "I feel like ever since the All-Star break, weve been making a statement," Shields said. "Were here to stay and compete. Our bullpen has been phenomenal. Our defence has been great. Were getting some good timely hitting." Gordon hit a 2-2 pitch from John Lackey (7-10) out to right in the third inning for his third homer in five games. "He went through a little down period about a week ago, but the last week hes been really swinging the bat really, really well," Yost said. "The thing about Alex is when he gets hot, he can carry you for a while." Lackey, who is 0-4 in his past five starts, walked David Lough and Eric Hosmer to lead off the first. Gordons two-out single scored Lough to tie it at 1. Shane Victorino scored Bostons first run when he doubled in the first, stole third and came home on catcher Salvador Perezs errant pickoff throw. The Royals scored two runs in the third, with Jarrod Dyson and Lough delivering RBI singles. Dysons hit drove home Mike Moustakas, who doubled to start the inning. Dyson stole second and scored on Loughs flare to shallow right. After a rocky start, Lackey lasted seven innings, giving up four runs and seven hits and two walks, while striking out five. "It was a grind early," Lackey said. "I wasnt feeling really great. I had a couple of 3-2 counts and didnt make my pitch. I was lucky to get the ground ball for the double play in the first and then I found my groove and started to make my pitches." "For me to walk two in one inning let alone to lead off the game is hard to believe. I didnt execute and I lost the game." Ryan Lavarnways two-out single in the sixth scored Daniel Nava and Stephen Drew, trimming the Kansas City lead to 4-3. Drew went 2 for 4 and is hitting .422 in his season-high, 12-game hitting streak. Nava is convinced the Royals are a playoff contender. "Of course," Nava said. "Everyone realizes with their offence and pitching its just a matter of time before they click." Royals relievers Tim Collins, Aaron Crow and Greg Holland, who earned his 32nd save in 34 opportunities, worked two scoreless innings to protect the one-run lead. The bullpen has allowed one run in 20 innings on this homestand. Notes: The Royals obtained IF Jamey Carroll from the Minnesota Twins in a trade after the game for a player to be named or cash considerations. Yost said Carroll would platoon with Chris Getz, when he returns from the disabled list, at second base and backup third and shortstop. ... IF Miguel Tejada, 39, was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right calf as the Royals made seven roster moves. Perez came off the concussion list, while RHP Wade Davis was removed from the family emergency leave list and will start Monday against Miami. IF Irving Falu was recalled from Triple-A Omaha. LHP Donnie Joseph was optioned to Omaha, while C Brett Hayes was designated for assignment. ... Red Sox RHP Clay Buchholz, who was 9-0 with a 1.71 ERA before going on the disabled list June 9 with a neck strain, threw another side session Sunday and is scheduled to throw again Tuesday. "Well get through Tuesday before we determine that," Red Sox manager John Farrell said of sending Buchholz out on a rehab assignment. ... Royals 2B Elliot Johnson is hitless in his past 27 at-bats and 1 for 49 since June 19. Air Force 1 Cheap Wholesale . Oyama had six birdies and two bogeys at Kintetsu Kashikojima in the event also sanctioned by the Japan LPGA Tour. "I have been having this neck ache thats been affecting my golf recently," Oyama said. Air Force 1 Sale Mens . The FA rejected Wilsheres appeal that the length of his punishment was "clearly excessive" and said Thursday his suspension begins with immediate effect. He will miss league matches against Chelsea on Monday and West Ham on Dec. http://www.airforce1sale.com/ .ca NFL Power Rankings, overtaking the Denver Broncos and remaining ahead of NFC competition San Francisco, Carolina and New Orleans. Nike Air Force 1 Cheap Outlet .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Nike Air Force Ones Sale . "It doesnt get any better than that," Giambi said. "Im speechless." The Indians are roaring toward October. Giambi belted a two-run, pinch-hit homer with two outs in the ninth inning to give Cleveland a shocking 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night, keeping the Indians up with the lead pack in the AL wild-card race. Some saw a American League Championship Series pitting the Toronto Blue Jays against the Cleveland Indians coming, but few saw each team flying into the ALCS coming off inspiring sweeps.The Jays won in a walk-off in the wild-card game then swept the?Texas Rangers?-- the first postseason series sweep in Blue Jays history -- in a Game 3 walk-off in the first postseason series ever to end with the winning run scoring on an error. The Indians swept the?Red Sox, holding the games best offense to seven runs, after no team had held Boston to just seven runs in a three-game series this season. The Indians got contributions from so many players, including Lonnie Chisenhall, who hit his first homer this season against a left-hander, and Coco Crisp, acquired for the stretch run, who had a crucial two-run home run during the clinching Game 3.When things like that happen, destiny seems to be in play, yet destiny only takes one team, which is why the Blue Jays-Indians ALCS should be fascinating. Here are five questions:Has the Toronto offense finally emerged?The Blue Jays scored 127 more runs than any American League team last season, but they scored 132 fewer runs this year, finishing fifth in the league in runs scored. They averaged 3.7 runs per game in September/October, the third team ever to go to the postseason as the lowest-scoring team in September/October. But now the Blue Jays look like the offensive powerhouse that they were for most of last season. They scored 22 runs in sweeping the Rangers, the fourth most by any team in a sweep in a division series. They got eight home runs from seven different players, tying a division series record.Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Bautista, free agents after the season, seem to be swinging for big, new contracts. Josh Donaldson has not hit a home run during this postseason, but he is quietly dealing with various injuries and still went 7-for-13, with four doubles in the division series. Donaldson scored the winning run in Game 3 from second base on a throwing error in the 10th inning. The gang is back together in Toronto. And it crushed Texas rotation: 16 earned runs in 10? innings.How good is the Cleveland bullpen?Its not just really good, it is different than most of the other pens because of Andrew Miller (1.45 ERA this season, with 0.69 WHIP, nine walks, 123 strikeouts). In Game 1 of the sweep against Boston, Miller pitched in relief in the fifth inning for the first time since 2013; it also was the first time since 2011 that he pitched in relief in three different innings. In Game 3, Miller threw two more scoreless innings and struck out three. The Indians can move Miller around and pitch him in any situation, because he is so versatile -- and because closer Cody Allen has, for the most part, got the ninth inning covered. In Game 1 of the division series, Allen and Miller threw 40-plus pitches, the first relief teammates to do that in a ppostseason game since 2008.dddddddddddd. Look for that to happen again in the ALCS. And look for that Cleveland defense, which is so good and so much better than two years ago, to help the pitching.How good is the Toronto bullpen?Really good. It threw 4? scoreless innings in the clinching Game 3 against the Rangers. In 14 innings during this postseason, the bullpen has allowed just two runs, including five scoreless frames (with one hit allowed) in the wild-card game against the Orioles. Closer Roberto Osuna, who left that wild-card game with a shoulder issue, was terrific in the division series. In the clinching Game 3 against Texas, Osuna retired all six batters he faced, striking out two and showing no signs of a shoulder issue. Francisco Liriano (concussion) might not be available for the ALCS -- and?Joaquin Benoit?might not be ready, either. It will be interesting to see if the Toronto pen can be as good against Cleveland as it has been so far during this postseason.How do we explain the Indians rotation?It is hard to believe that without injured starters Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar, the Indians could hold the Red Sox -- who led the AL in runs scored, with 101 more than the next team, the Indians -- to just seven runs in three games. Trevor Bauer kept the Indians in the game until Miller arrived in Game 1. Corey Kluber, a Cy Young candidate, was marvelous in Game 2, allowing three hits and no runs in seven innings. Then Josh Tomlin gave the Red Sox five strong innings in Game 3. Tomlin allowed just 20 walks against 36 homers allowed this season, a plus-16; Carlos Silva is the only other pitcher to allow 16 more homers than walks in a season (2005). Salazar (shoulder) is working to try to be ready for the ALCS, but there are no guarantees there. But this is guaranteed: The Indians will start Kluber in Game 1 of the ALCS, then have him, if necessary, for Game 4 and -- this is a real stretch these days -- Game 7.What are the options for the Toronto rotation?The Blue Jays have all sorts of choices, none involving short rest. They can start the series with Marcus Stroman, who threw six innings (two runs) in the wild-card game against the Orioles. Or they can go with Marco Estrada, who shut down the Rangers (one run, four hits, 8? innings) in Game 1 of the division series, because that great changeup of his was unhittable. Or they can go with 20-game winner J.A. Happ, who beat the Rangers in Game 2 of the division series with five innings pitched and one run allowed. And they can wait instead of push Aaron Sanchez, keeping him for Game 3 or Game 4. Remember, over the final 21 games of the regular season, the Blue Jays rotation had a 2.08 ERA, the best in the big leagues. The postseason has been an extension of that success.Indians in seven. ' ' '