Clan-Members » the newest challenge for the Cardinals, who did not hit

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Los Angeles Angels provided plenty of run support for Tyler Skaggs in his return to the majors.Way more than he needed.Skaggs pitched seven innings in his first big league start in two years and Yunel Escobar went 5 for 5 to help the Angels pound the Kansas City Royals 13-0 on Tuesday night.Kole Calhoun drove in four runs and Carlos Perez had four hits, including a home run. Mike Trout drove in three runs, and Johnny Giavotella had three hits and scored three times.Escobar matched a career high for hits and the Angels collected 22 overall, equaling their season best.Addressing what he thought was the best part of the night, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said: Theres no doubt watching Tyler go out there and, once he got his feet on the ground, bringing all his pitches into the game. He had a good crisp fastball, good changeup, good curveball. He mixed his pitches up well.The 25-year-old Skaggs allowed three singles, struck out five and walked one.I was definitely nervous, my first time on a big league mound in two years, Skaggs said. I just wanted to get that first batter out of the way. I started relaxing after that.The left-hander, who had elbow surgery in August 2014, had his fastball clocked in the 91-95 mph range.He just did a fantastic job, Royals manager Ned Yost said. He was very impressive. Thats pretty good stuff he featured out there tonight.Calhoun doubled home Escobar in the first inning. The Royals have been outscored 73-51 in the first inning after allowing only 68 first-inning runs last year.Calhoun drove in another run in the fourth with a groundout. He also had a sacrifice fly in the sixth and another run-scoring grounder in the ninth.Perez led off the sixth with his fifth homer.Royals right-hander Dillon Gee (3-4) was charged with five runs and 10 hits in five-plus innings.The Angels sent 13 men to the plate in a seven-run ninth. Reserve catcher Drew Butera got the final out in his second pitching appearance of the season.Anytime I have to come in and pitch, its never a fun time, Butera said. Its an unfortunate situation. I hope this is the last time in my career.The Royals have dropped six of seven to fall three games below .500 for the first time this season.MONDESI CALLED UPRaul Mondesi, the first player to make his major league debut in the World Series, was called up and inserted into Kansas Citys lineup at second base. He went 0 for 3 and committed an error on the first ball hit to him in the first inning.Mondesi, who turns 21 on Wednesday, struck out as a pinch hitter in Game 3 of the World Series against the New York Mets.Mondesi hit .400 in his final nine games with Triple-A Omaha with seven RBI and five stolen bases. He began the season with Double-A Northwest Arkansas, but was suspended for 50 games in May for testing positive for a banned substance.The Royals optioned utilityman Whit Merrifield to Omaha. Merrifield hit .317 in his first 34 games, but only .169 in his last 19 games, including going 1 for 17 after the All-Star break.CUNNINGHAM CUTThe Angels designated outfielder Todd Cunningham for assignment to make room for Skaggs. Cunningham hit .148 with one RBI in 20 games.TRAINERS ROOMAngels: Dr. David Altchek confirmed the initial diagnosis of RHP Nick Tropeanos ligament tear in his right elbow. The Angels are discussing options with Tropeano, who went to New York for the second opinion.Royals: OF Lorenzo Cain (left hamstring strain) will play his first rehab game Thursday with Triple-A Omaha. Well monitor it day to day and see how hes feeling, Yost said. Soon as feels like hes good to go, hell be back.UP NEXTAngels: RHP Matt Shoemaker starts for Los Angeles on Wednesday. He has allowed two or fewer runs in seven starts without getting a win.Royals: LHP Danny Duffy goes for Kansas City. He has won his past five decisions and is 3-0 with a 3.70 ERA at home.China Jerseys Wholesale . Its 1987 and a Brazilian playmaker, known as Mirandinha, is being paraded around St James Park to the passionate Newcastle fans. Fake China Jerseys .com) - The game was all punts and field goals before Kodi Whitfields catch. https://www.chinajerseyscheap.us/ .ca. Hey Kerry, big fan of yours, just finished reading your book. I think that we all saw the Canucks/Flames line brawl just after puck drop. It was obvious that something was about to happen, even to the referees because the fourth lines were on to start. Cheap Jerseys From China . -- Bobby Ryan helped the U. China Jerseys Stitched . Soukalova missed only one target and completed the 15-kilometre course in 40 minutes, 32.6 seconds for both victories in this seasons individual discipline. Darya Domracheva of Belarus was second, 34.ST. LOUIS -- For the first time since 2008, the Cubs can clinch the NL Central division title this week.The Cardinals know it is going to happen -- they just dont want them to do it during the series in St. Louis.To prevent that from happening, all the Cardinals have to do is win one of three games in the series that begins Monday night. A sweep by the Cubs would have them spraying champagne at Busch Stadium on Wednesday.The Cubs arrive in town with a magic number of five after the Cardinals 2-1 loss to the Brewers on Sunday and their 9-5 win Sunday night in Houston.You never want anyone celebrating on your home field, even if they are not division rivals or anything, said Cardinals pitcher Lance Lynn, who has not pitched this year after undergoing Tommy John surgery. You dont want anybody to clinch here. Thats definitely something you dont want to see.In recent years, the Cardinals have been the ones doing the celebrating. They have been to the postseason five consecutive years, and as the season winds down, know they will have to qualify as a wild-card team if they are going to extend that streak to six years.The loss to the Brewers, which came on a ninth-inning home run by Ryan Braun off Kevin Siegrist, dropped the Cardinals a half game out of the second wild-card spot because of the Mets 10-3 win over the Braves.Mike Leake will get the starting assignment for Monday nights game, which begins a stretch that will see the CCardinals play the Cubs and the Giants, who currently are in the first wild-card spot, in 10 of their next 13 games.ddddddddddddKyle Hendricks, who leads the NL with a 2.07 ERA, will start for the Cubs.Facing Hendricks will present the newest challenge for the Cardinals, who did not hit a home run on Saturday or Sunday, the first time they have gone two consecutive games without hitting a homer since Aug. 7-8. They lead the NL with 204 homers.Weve got to figure out how to score more runs, said manager Mike Matheny. We squared up two balls that almost all year have been gone. The ball wasnt jumping.Playing, and winning, at home has been a problem for the Cardinals this season. Their loss Sunday was the 39th at home, the most since they moved into the current Busch Stadium in 2006. They have 10 games left at home in the regular season.Last year, it was the Cardinals who won the division title, then saw their season end when they lost to the wild-card Cubs in the Division Series. The Cubs just want to win the division, then worry about the playoffs later.Were probably anxious to clinch as soon as possible, catcher Miguel Montero told the Chicago Sun-Times. That gives you the extra excitement to just try to do too much, to try to win games and get the lead even bigger, and clinch, on this road trip. ' ' '