Royals closer Joakim Soria is off the DL and now just waiting to pitch. Jamey Wright gave up two runs in the bottom of the 8 th wasting a good start from Gil Meche as the Royals droppled their 7 th in a row, losing 3-2 at Tampa.
BJ Upton homered off relief pitcher Jamey Wright with one on and two outs to give the Rays the win. In the 7th, Carl Crawford led off the inning with a home run off Gil Meche, the only blemish on Meche’s day.
Meche, prior to that home run gave up five hits and five walks while over six innings of work while holding the Rays off the board. The Royals offense continues to struggle. KC finished with just six hits and three of those came in the third after David DeJesus doubled and Willie Bloomquist singled. They scored on Billy Butler’s double to put the Royals up 2-0. From that point on, Rays’ starter Scot Shields would hold down the Royals while striking out eight.
The good news is that despite losing seven games, the Royals haven’t lost any ground to first place Detroit as they have lost their last three games. It seems too often we keep mentioning this, but the Royals will lean on Zack Greinke to end this losing streak as the Royals start a weekend series in Toronto.
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Bullpen blows game late for the Royals
Peterson to present for Thomas family
The family of Derrick Thomas has asked Carl Peterson , the former President of the Kansas City Chiefs, to serve as presenter for the late linebacker at the NFL Hall of Fame induction ceremony on August 8 th . Peterson, who drafted Thomas in 1989, was also real close with him off the field.
Thomas set team records for career sacks (126.5), sacks in a season (20), sacks in a game (7), fumble recoveries (19), safeties (3) and playoff appearances (10).
Missouri State tailback to miss 2009 season
Kingjack Washington, Missouri State University’s starting tailback last season, will sit out the 2009 season as he works to restore his academic eligibility and pursue his degree in sociology. Washington (5-10, 177, Jr., Owasso, Okla.) could return to the team in 2010 with the potential of two remaining years of eligibility.
Washington will be able to practice and condition this season with the Bears, but will not play. Washington rushed for a team-best 641 yards with three touchdowns as a sophomore last season. As a true freshman in 2007, he compiled 674 rushing yards with five touchdowns while being named to the Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Newcomer team.
Junior Stephen Johnston, who was second on the squad in rushing last season, looks like the team’s probable starting running back. He and fellow returnees Miguel Warren and Jonathan Davis will likely shoulder much of the Missouri State rushing load, along with versatile quarterback Cody Kirby who scored nine rushing touchdowns a season ago while accumulating 213 yards on the ground.
Allen’s fourth season as the Missouri State head coach gets underway on September 5 when his Bears open the season against the University of Arkansas in a game to be played in Little Rock.
