Gäste Forum » Junior Damian Williams went the rest

MINNEAPOLIS -- Coming off a disappointing homestand, and on the edge of the AL wild-card race, the Kansas City Royals cant afford to let too many more opportunities slip away.The defending World Series champions regained their winning touch Monday, despite Brian Dozier hitting three home runs for Minnesota. The Royals got homers from Kendrys Morales and Eric Hosmer to pull away from the Twins 11-5.Jarrod Dyson had three hits and scored three times for Kansas City, which won for the second time in six games.We put ourselves in a tough position, but we still believe that we can pull this thing off, Hosmer said.Kansas City started the day four games out of the second wild-card spot.The Royals went 2-4 in their last six games with New York and Detroit, with each of the losses a close one.We could be talking about a major run right here. We quite possibly could have been 6-0 at home, manager Ned Yost said. We still feel that were not out of this thing by any stretch of the imagination.Dozier homered on the first pitch from Ian Kennedy (10-9), then hit a two-run shot in the third and a solo drive into the upper deck in the eighth. Dozier became the sixth Minnesota player to hit three home runs in a game, and the first to do it at home.Dozier has eight home runs in seven games and 38 this season, the most by a Twins player since Harmon Killebrew hit 41 in 1970. Doziers 10 home runs against Kansas City this year are the most ever by a Royals opponent.It would be better to be on the winning side of it, Dozier said.Kennedy struggled with command, allowing four earned runs in 5 1/3 innings but is 4-0 in his past five starts.Morales hit a three-run drive off Jose Berrios (2-5) in the fifth for a 5-4 lead. Hosmer, who had four RBI, hit a three-run homer in the eighth.Berrios was called up from Triple-A to start. The Royals tagged him for five earned runs on nine hits in five innings.Considered the Twins top pitching prospect, Berrios allowed 21 earned runs in 22 innings over five August starts before being sent down.Dozier has hit a majors-most 24 home runs since the All-Star break. Hes connected 36 times as a second baseman and twice as a designated hitter. The AL record for homers in a season by a second baseman is 39 by Alfonso Soriano in 2002 for the Yankees.The best way to (get him out) is dont throw fastballs down the middle and thats what we did, Yost said.Dozier became the second Twins player with a three-homer game this year. Rookie Max Kepler did it at Cleveland.TRAINERS ROOMRoyals: OF Lorenzo Cain missed his fifth straight game because of left wrist inflammation. He was allowed to swing a bat Monday and remains day to day.Twins: Kepler got the day off. Kepler, who leads AL rookies in home runs (16), RBI (59) and walks (37), has played in all but one game since July 28. He struck out five times Sunday. We talk about young players and the challenge of playing September baseball for the first time, said manager Paul Molitor. Well try to keep them fresh as we can.UP NEXTDillon Gee (6-7, 4.33) is scheduled to start for Kansas City on Tuesday against Ervin Santana (7-10, 3.54). Gee was 2-2 with a 3.94 ERA in five August starts and pitched an inning of relief Friday. Santana is 3-1 in his last five starts with a 3.09 ERA. Air Force 1 Grey Discount . Galatasaray said in a statement on its website Monday that Mancini signed a three-year contract and will be paid 3.5 million euros for the upcoming season, with his salary upped to 4. Air Force 1 Grey Sale . After Martin Skrtel put the Reds in front from close range at Stamford Bridge after only four minutes, Hazard hit back in the 17th with a superb strike. Etoo gave Jose Mourinhos team a decisive lead from Oscars back pass in the 34th. http://www.airforce1storesale.com/fake-air-force-1-red-outlet.html . Terms of the deal were not immediately available. The 26-year-old finished last season with Clevelands Triple-A affiliate in Columbus after signing with the Indians in August. Air Force 1 Womens On Sale . Darren Helm scored on Detroits sixth attempt in the shootout and then Jonas Gustavsson stopped Andrew Shaws shot, lifting the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night. Air Force 1 Low Discount . -- Bryant McKinnie came out of his stance and lowered his shoulder into a practice squad player, causing a crisp thud to reverberate in the Miami Dolphins practice bubble. STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald set a school record for rushing yards by a quarterback and the Bulldogs defeated South Carolina 27-14 Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium.Fitzgerald rushed 17 times for 195 yards and also passed for 178 yards and two touchdowns. Mississippi State (1-1) captured its first win of the season in its SEC opener after being upset by South Alabama last week.I like the effort the players came out with in the first half, said Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen. That looked like Mississippi State football. We have to do a better job in the red zone, especially in the first half and we had some big missed opportunities there. But we played with effort and I am not sure I saw that for the entire game last week.South Carolina (1-1) was outgained 485-243 in total offense. The Gamecocks did register a pair of second half touchdown passes from freshman quarterback Brandon McIllwain, who started the second half for South Carolina after not playing in the first half.Fitzgeralds rushing yards for a quarterback broke a 36-year old school record. His 195 yards easily passed former Mississippi State quarterback John Bonds previous record of 163 rushing yards in 1980 against Ole Miss.It was kinda what I saw last week when we decided to start Nick, said Mullen. He had a good week of practice. We had to make that decision to start him, let ho, go and play the game. We decided that before the game and he came out and played fairly well. There were a couple of things here and there in the throw game but a lot of that comes from experience.Mississippi State rolled to a 24-0 lead at halftime thanks to a pair of touchdown passes by Fitzgerald. Receiver Fred Ross hadd a touchdown catch and a touchdown pass in the first half.ddddddddddddhe Bulldogs outgained South Carolina 324-90 in total yards in the first half. A lightning delay forced both teams to stay inside the locker room for an extra 32 minutes at halftime.McIllwain finished with 126 yards passing and two touchdowns. Hayden Hurst led the Gamecocks with eight catches for 68 yards. As a team, South Carolina was held to just 34 yards rushing and both quarterbacks were each sacked twice.In the second half, weve got young players and theyve got to learn to keep it cranked up for four quarters, said Mullen. We had the lightning delay and guys were waiting, waiting, waiting. So weve got to learn to crank it back up.Last week Mullen also started Fitzgerald but pulled him after just two series. Junior Damian Williams went the rest of the way in the loss to South Alabama. Williams did not play on Saturday and Mullen said Fitzgerald would start Saturday when the Bulldogs travel to LSU.THE TAKEAWAYSouth Carolina: The Gamecocks only had 90 yards of total offense in the first half with Perry Orth at quarterback. Orth was 9-of-17 for just 83 yards with one interception.Mississippi State: In his second career start, Nick Fitzgerald had career highs in rushing yards, passing touchdowns, passing yards, pass attempts and pass completions.UP NEXTSouth Carolina: After opening the season with two straight road games, South Carolina hosts East Carolina next Saturday in the home opener.Mississippi State: Mississippi State goes on the road for the first time this season next Saturday with a trip to LSU. ' ' '