Basisphilosophie » innings, struck out

NEW YORK -- James Shields knows what this September means to the Kansas City Royals, a team that hasnt been to the playoffs since many of their players were born. "Hopefully we can enjoy the moment and embrace it, have fun with it," he said. They sure will if he keeps pitching the way he did Friday night. Shields took a two-hitter into the ninth inning and Nori Aoki lined a run-scoring single in the third following Chase Headleys two-base error, leading the Royals over the New York Yankees 1-0. "You could sense the energy out there, and it is a lot of fun to play in," first baseman Eric Hosmer said. "Huge win for us. We have to take the first game of every series -- that is the goal." Kansas City (78-61), which opened a two-game lead over second-place Detroit in the AL Central, is in first place in September for the first time since 1985 -- when the Royals won the World Series in their last post-season trip. Kansas City has won four in a row and is 17 games over .500 for the first time since 1989, according to STATS. Two starts after losing to the Yankees 8-1 in one of his worst outings this season, Shields (13-7) retired his first 11 batters before Brett Gardners double in the fourth. Headley singled in the fifth, and Gardner flied out to the right-field warning track in the sixth. Shields retired 11 straight before Derek Jeter singled softly with one out in the ninth. "I think that is by far the best game he has thrown all year," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "He was surgical with his stuff. He had everything going, his curve, his changeup. He was spotting his fastball. He commanded the pitch count tremendously." With closer Greg Holland bothered by triceps tightness, Yost brought in Wade Davis. After pinch-runner Antoan Richardson stole second, Gardner struck out swinging on a 98 mph full-count pitch. Carlos Beltran then took a called third strike, giving Davis his first big league save. "He was up to the challenge," Yost said of Davis, who has fanned 92 batters in 62 1-3 innings this season. New York rarely hit the ball hard against Shields, who induced 12 groundouts. He allowed three hits in 8 1-3 innings, struck out five, walked none and hit a batter with a pitch. "He pitched way different than the Shields we faced in Kansas City," Beltran said. "Today he was using a lot of cutters and the changeup away. So basically he kept us off balance all game long." New York began the night four games out for the second AL wild card and is in danger of missing the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time since 1992 and 93. Michael Pineda (3-4), who has not allowed more than two runs in any of his 10 big league starts this year, has received 18 runs of offensive support in his last 13 outings dating to August 2013. He was hurt by the Yankees defence in the third, when Alcides Escobar hit a hard, one-out grounder that glanced off Headleys glove at third and into left field. Escobar hustled into second and scored an unearned run two pitches later when Aoki singled to centre. Pineda was nearly as sharp as Shields, giving up three hits, all singles, in seven innings with no walks. "To win in New York, 1-0, that is one of the best games of our season," Escobar said. TRAINERS ROOM Yankees: INF-OF Martin Prado, recovering from a left hamstring strain, was available to pinch hit but didnt play. He could be back in the starting lineup Saturday. UP NEXT RHP Brandon McCarthy (5-4) is slated to start Saturday for the Yankees against LHP Danny Duffy (9-11). NOT WATCHING Yost doesnt bother to watch the scoreboard and see how his teams rivals are doing. "Other people can do it. I dont like to do it. I like to just stay focused on what were doing. Ill look at the standings every couple of days," he said. "Im not up for staying up late and studying." After the Royals arrived in New York on Thursday evening, he had dinner and didnt watch the Tigers-Indians game, won by Detroit 11-4 in 11 innings just before midnight. "I was in bed way before that game ended," Yost said. BATTING PRACTICE CHATTER A different type of batter was speaking with Jeter on the field before the game: retired Indian cricket captain Sachin Tendulkar. The batsman is nicknamed the "God of Cricket." Colin Wilson Jersey . -- Washingtons Bradley Beal seemed to make every shot he took in setting a career high with 37 points. Blake Comeau Jersey . The Braves optioned outfielder Jose Constanza to Triple-A Gwinnett. As expected, the Braves also called up right-hander Julio Teheran from Gwinnett to start Sundays game and optioned backup catcher J. http://www.officialavalanchefanstore.com/authentic-nikita-zadorov-avalanche-jersey/ . Louis Blues, having added Ryan Miller and Steve Ott from Buffalo, remain the No. Chris Bigras Jersey . The international synchronized skating competition takes place from January 31 - February 1, 2014, and features 39 teams from 10 countries, in senior, junior, and novice. Mikko Rantanen Jersey . - The infectious smile was missing from Nam Nguyen last week.Ottawa, ON (SportsNetwork.com) - Mike Hoffman scored twice as the Ottawa Senators roughed up the Anaheim Ducks, 6-2, on Friday. Kyle Turris and Mika Zibanejad each posted a goal and an assist, while Milan Michalek and Mark Stone also scored for the Senators, who have won four of their last six. Craig Anderson allowed just two goals on 32 shots in the win. Ryan Getzlaf scored both goals while Ilya Bryzgalov gave up all six goals on 31 shots for the Ducks, who came into the game having won eight of their last nine. Ottawa scored just 2:03 in on an early power play as Erik Karlsson sent a one- timed pass from the right point to the slot where Michalek redirected it in for his third of the year. Just over six minutes later, the Senators took a 2-0 lead after Mark Borowieckis slap shot from the left point was stopped, and Stone snapped in the rebound from down low. Skating shorthanded, the Sens made it a 3-0 game as Turris skated througgh the neutral zone and down the middle before cutting to the left circle and snapping the puck into the right corner at 16:18 of the second.dddddddddddd Hoffman scored his first goal just 41 seconds later to give his team a four- goal edge. Getzlaf scored with just 44 seconds left in the second as he knocked in a one- timer in front, and made it a two-goal game 1:49 into the third when he flew down the left wing and bulled his way to the side of the net before lifting it in. Ottawa, though, got one back four minutes later on Hoffmans low shot between the pads of Bryzgalov off a feed from Bobby Ryan, and Zibanejad put the finishing touches on the game with his ninth of the year at 16:32. Game Notes Ottawa plays in Montreal on Saturday ... Anaheim hosts San Jose on Monday ... The Senators went 1-for-2 on the power play, while the Ducks were 0-for-3 ... Ryan and Karlsson each had two assists. Authentic Nike Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Tennessee Titans Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Washington Redskins Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Arizona Cardinals Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Denver Broncos Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Green Bay Packers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Los Angeles Chargers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike New England Patriots Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Oakland Raiders Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Seattle Seahawks Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Carolina Panthers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Cleveland Browns Jerseys Cheap Cheap Throwback Baseball Arizona Diamondbacks Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Atlanta Braves Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Baltimore Orioles Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Boston Red Sox Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Chicago Cubs Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Chicago White Sox Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Cincinnati Reds Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Cleveland Indians Jerseys ' ' '