The Royals lead in the American League Central is now down to one game after losing to the White Sox 4-3 in Chicago on Wednesday. The Royals trailed 4-0 going into the ninth inning, but Carlos Beltran made it interesting with a three-run home run, which cut the lead to one. But that’s as close as the Royals got. Desi Relaford ended the game on a called third strike with a runner on first base. Bartolo Colon was almost untouchable in eight innings of work, holding the Royals to just three hits, one walk, no runs and he struck out seven batters. Kansas City, which was swept by the White Sox at home last week, dropped two of three to Chicago. The White Sox have been on a tear since the All-Star Break, winning 15 of 20 games and cutting the Royals lead from seven games down to one. Kansas City and Chicago won’t square off again until September when seven of their last ten games will be against one another. The Royals came to terms with pitcher Kevin Appier on Wednesday afternoon, signing him to a contract through the end of the season. He’s 7-7 this season and will start against the Devil Rays on Friday night.
Cardinals Are Willis’ Latest Victim
Is Dontrelle Willis for real? He certainly was against the Cardinals on Wednesday night. The rookie chalked up another win with a five-hit, three-run, eight-inning performance as the Marlins topped the Cardinals 7-3. Willis also struck out six and walked just one batter as he improved to 11-2 on the season to go with his 2.56 ERA. Scott Rolen got Willis back on his heels in the first inning with a two-run double to give the Cardinals a 2-1 lead. But the Marlins answered with RBI singles from Mike Lowell and Juan Encarnacion to put Florida back on top for good. Eddie Perez homered for the Cardinals in the eighth inning to make it 7-3. Albert Pujols was 1-4, extending his hitting streak to 20 games; it’s the longest Cardinal hitting streak since Joe McEwing hit in 25-straight in 1999.
USA Leaves Without Medal
The Team USA experience is over for Arthur Johnson and Rickey Paulding. The two Missouri Tigers were barely a factor in the United States’ 78-70 loss to Puerto Rico in the bronze medal game of the Pan Am Games. Johnson scored four points and Paulding added six as the U.S. found itself trailing by as many as 20 points in the second half. They went 2-3 at the games; with Mizzou head coach Quin Snyder on Tom Izzo’s staff as an assistant. Former Saint Louis University head coach Lorenzo Romar was also an assistant.
Suspect In KC Axe Killing Nabbed … Charged With Murder
Police say Kansas City resident George Hillmon came back to get the body that fell out of his pickup truck … and that’s when he was arrested for murder. Hillmon is accused of using an axe and a butcher knife to kill Ezell Craft Junior. The murder charge says he loaded Craft’s body into his truck and took off after the killing, but Craft’s body fell out. The court documents say that police had arrived on the scene by the time Hillmon realized he’d lost the body and went back to get it.
Bond Criticizes Missouri River Water Flow Reduction Plan
The federal court order to reduce flows for three days on the Missouri River doesn’t sit well with Senator Christopher Bond. He says the Army Corps of Engineers, which manages the flow of the river, is already caught between orders from two federal judges – one telling it to maintain current levels and the other ordering a reduction in levels. Bond says this temporary three-day reduction planned for August 12th is already causing problems with barge traffic on the river because of the need to plan ahead. Bond says any further reduction in Missouri River flows will result in greater truck traffic on Interstate 70 and other crowded highways in the state. The order to reduce the flows is in response to environmental concerns.
