Francisco Mejia scorched a line drive

**elaine95** 18 дек 2018, 03:55

If their series opener was a good indication Allen Craig Jersey , the Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City 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 http://www.padresfanproshop.com/authentic-tony-gwynn-jersey , 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,” 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 http://www.padresfanproshop.com/authentic-dave-winfield-jersey , 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. SAN DIEGO (AP) — Robinson Chirinos and the Rangers broke through in the sixth inning, and the bullpen made that lead stand on a long work night for Texas’ relievers.Chirinos hit a three-run double and Isiah Kiner-Falefa followed with a pinch-hit RBI double during a five-run sixth inning to help the Rangers beat the San Diego Padres 6-3 on Saturday night.“That was a big two-out double by Robinson and then Isiah’s double put the distance between us where we could use our bullpen” manager Jeff Banister said.San Diego led 3-1 prior to the big inning. The Padres fell to 59-90, losing 90 games for the third straight season.The Rangers sent 10 to the plate in the sixth mostly against the bullpen after a solid five-inning start by Eric Lauer. The left-hander was charged with two runs Rollie Fingers Jersey , including one in the sixth after allowing Elvis Andrus‘ leadoff single.After Trey Wingenter walked Adrian Beltre, Jose Castillo (2-3) allowed a single to Jurickson Profar, RBI doubles to Chirinos and Kiner-Falefa, and a run-scoring single to Shin-Soo Choo.“It was just one of those days where (Castillo) wasn’t sharp,” Padres manager Andy Green said.The Rangers had a reliever open the game for the second straight night, with left-hander Alex Claudio getting the nod. Claudio gave way to Ariel Jurado after an inning. Things didn’t immediately go as well as the previous game, when four Rangers blanked the Padres.Eric Hosmer hit a three-run homer off Jurado (3-5) for a 3-1 lead in the third. Hosmer smacked the outside pitch the opposite way off the second deck of the Western Metal Building in left field. Before Hosmer’s 17th homer and fourth in seven games, Wil Myers walked and Franmil Reyes singled.“That was hit like a right-handed pull hitter,” Green said. “It’s really impressive.”Added Banister: “That was supposed to be up and in to Hosmer and it rode back over the plate. But that was really the only blemish on the scorecard for (Jurado).”The Padres didn’t score again against Jurado as he went four innings and surrendered six hits and two walks with three strikeouts. It was the third consecutive outing that a reliever pitched before Jurado, and for the first time, the rookie right-hander earned a victory.“He struggled with his slider tonight, but he was able to get a feel for his changeup http://www.padresfanproshop.com/authentic-randy-jones-jersey ,” Banister said.After Jurado exited, Martin Perez worked two innings, with Connor Sadzeck and Jose Leclerc each pitching a frame. Leclerc got his 11th save and extended his scoreless-inning streak to 18.Joey Gallo hit his team-high 39th home run for Texas and his third on the road trip for a 1-0 lead in the first.HOPE THEY KEPT THE BALLPadres shortstop Javy Guerra recorded his first major league hit in the third inning, but it wasn’t made official until about two hours later. Shortstop Andrus originally drew an error on the grounder, but it was changed to an infield hit.DRESSED FOR SAFETYPadres catcher Austin Hedges had his mask on and his glove at the ready, while sitting on the bench in the eighth inning. Moments before he donned his gear, Francisco Mejia scorched a line drive into the Padres dugout, nearly taking out Myers and Hedges.TRAINER’S ROOMRangers: RHP Chris Martin (upper-respiratory) wasn’t available Saturday and his condition will be updated Sunday.UP NEXTRangers LHP Mike Minor (12-7, 4.19) gets the start as Texas wraps its nine-game road trip. Minor has gone 3-1 in his last four starts while pitching to a 1.96 ERA. The last time he faced the Padres, Minor took a perfect game into the seventh inning before Hosmer’s single. Padres RHP Jacob Nix (2-3, 6.00) makes his first start against the Rangers and the seventh of his career.