ERST LESEN! » ivers on the fly. The Argos also dealt with regular change

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Omar Infante told Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar that on a muggy night at Kauffman Stadium, with a stiff breeze blowing out to left field, any ball hit solidly would clear the fence. Infante never predicted that hed hit one with the bases loaded. The veteran capped a seven-run inning with his first career grand slam Friday, and Kansas City held on to beat the Los Angeles Angels 8-6 on a rough night for starting pitchers. "There was a lot of wind," Infante said. "I just wanted to make contact, do something." The grand slam in the third gave the Royals a 7-2 lead, and they tacked on one more run the next inning. Then, after starter Jason Vargas gave up four runs in the fifth, the Kansas City bullpen twirled five scoreless innings to preserve the victory. Michael Mariot (1-0) picked up his first career win with 1 1-3 innings of relief, and Greg Holland earned his 23rd save by tossing a perfect ninth. "We just knew that with Vargas going four innings, we needed to piece it together," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "Mariot did a phenomenal job." Lorenzo Cain, Billy Butler and Alex Gordon each drove in a run for Kansas City, which ended the Angels six-game winning streak after limping into the series having lost six of seven. Vargas and Angels counterpart Matt Shoemaker (5-2) combined to give up 14 runs on 20 hits -- four of them home runs -- and neither got an out in the fifth. "It was definitely not fun," Shoemaker said. "Its going to make me tougher, not that I wasnt, but you learn from it. The third inning was a long inning. There were a lot of runs." C.J. Cron hit two homers for Los Angeles, and Mike Trout sent a shot to centre in the first inning that cleared the fence, four rows of seats and a walkway before landing in a fountain. "I squared it up. I definitely barrelled it," Trout said. "I was trying to put a good swing on it and got a pitch I could hit. Im always looking fastball and reacted. I got a heater." Trouts mammoth drive only counted for one run, though. It was going to take more than that to win, with the ball carrying so well. Cron added a homer to left with two outs in the second inning, but Kansas City quickly erased its two-run deficit in the third by matching its biggest inning of the season. The seven-run outburst against Shoemaker began with a double by Escobar, who added a single later in the inning. Jarrod Dyson, Cain and Eric Hosmer hit singles, Butler walked, Gordon hit a sacrifice fly and Salvador Perez added another base hit. By that point, the Royals had pulled ahead 3-2 and the bases were loaded for Infante, who hit a high fly to left field that carried just over the wall and landed in the bullpen. His first career grand slam came in his 1,268th game. "The ball was really carrying tonight," Yost said. "I knew he hit it good." Butler added an RBI single in the fourth to make it 8-2. Shoemaker finished the inning but did not emerge for the fifth after allowing eight runs on 11 hits and a walk. The rookie was 5-0 with a 3.00 ERA in his previous seven starts. Vargas nearly squandered the big cushion when Cron hit a two-run shot in the fifth for his first career multihomer game. David Freese, Chris Iannetta and Collin Cowgill joined Trout in stringing together enough hits to eventually put up four runs. Howie Kendrick nearly tied the game with a shot to the wall in right, but Cain caught it on a gallop at the warning track to end the inning and preserve the Royals 8-6 lead. Despite some hiccups, their bullpen kept the Angels off the board the rest of the way. "We had a lot of great opportunities. We could have easily put our heads down when it was 8-2, but we fought back," Trout said. "We just fell short." NOTES: The Angels traded RHP Ernesto Frieri to Pittsburgh for RHP Jason Grilli before the game. "Were trying to get a bullpen with some chemistry," manager Mike Scioscia said. ... The Angels optioned INF Efren Navarro to Triple-A Salt Lake and recalled RHP Michael Kohn after the game. ... Royals RHP Yordano Ventura faces Angels LHP Hector Santiago on Saturday. Manu Ginobili Spurs Jersey . The Marlies centre set up three goals, including the game-winner, as Toronto cruised to a 4-1 victory over the Oklahoma City Barons in American Hockey League action. LaMarcus Aldridge Jersey . A player confirmed to TSN on the condition of anonymity that he received his ballot yesterday. Another confirms hes been told to expect his shortly. "The unions executive committee insists a strike vote does not mean were pushing away from the table," the player said. "But we want the league to know were serious about our position. https://www.spurslockerroom.com/Jakob-Poeltl-City-Edition-Jersey/ . 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The 32-year-old native of Honolulu recently purchased a home in Mississauga, Ont., and is scheduled to take possession late next week.In the meantime, Owens, his wife Rena and their three children — Chad Jr. (11), Areana (nine) and Sierra-Lynn (six) — are staying with former Argo fullback Jeff Johnson and his family until the new digs are ready. After years of splitting their school years between Toronto and Hawaii, Owens said his kids were instrumental in the decision to call Canada home.Weve actually been thinking about it the last three years, but three years ago the kids were that much younger and always wanted to go back home and see their family and cousins, Owens said Thursday. At the end of this past season we talked a lot about it again and the kids this time said they wanted to stay because they have friends here and like their school, which was confirmation that it was time.Mother Nature certainly provided a chilly reception Wednesday when the Owens clan returned to Toronto. Environment Canada had issued an extreme cold weather alert for the city as temperatures fell to -17 C, which felt like –30 C with the wind chill.That prompted Owens to tweet a graphic Wednesday showing the temperature being 73 F in Honolulu with brilliant sunshine compared to 1 F for Toronto, with snow forecast for Friday and Saturday.I didnt want to put Celsius because a lot of people back home wouldnt understand and be like, What? Owens said with a chuckle. But its all good, its just cold.I can deal with the cold, you just layer up. Ive been spoiled, Ive lived in Hawaii my whole life and been in beautiful weather. We can deal with this for a few months.And when it snows, Owens said he and his family know how to make the best of it.We get to build snowmen, real snowmen, Owens said. Hawaii will always be home but for what were doing and what we want for our children, this is the obvious right answer.I just think theres going to be a lot more opportunities here for us as a family.Its also the right move for Owens.The five-foot-eight 180-pound dynamo will be able to work out with many of his teammates — including good friend and fellow slotback Andre Durie, who missed most of last year with a broken clavicle. Hell also make numerous off-season appearances for the Argos.Football is my life, he said. I want to be fully surrounded by this community and so does my family.I want to have an off-season where Im able to do those things, to get out there and promote the team and be in the schools and community as much as I can because during the season its all about football.ddddddddddddAfter previously spending time living with the Johnson and Durie families, Owens said he is anxious to establish his own roots in the country. And he added the plan is to one day obtain Canadian citizenship.Owens is following in the footsteps of Mike (Pinball) Clemons, the former Argos star player and head coach who now serves as the clubs vice-chair. But thats not by accident.Pinball Clemons is like my mentor, Owens said. Hes someone Ive talked to a lot the past three years about this decision.Hes not a bad guy to try and follow.Getting Owens into the community certainly wont hurt a franchise that averaged under 18,000 spectators last season at Rogers Centre. Owens is one of the Argos most recognized players because of his on-field brilliance and engaging, pleasant demeanour off it.Owens has recorded several notable achievements since being acquired from Montreal prior to the 10 season for a 2011 fourth-round pick. He was the leagues top special-teams performer his first year with Toronto, then was named the CFLs outstanding player in 12 when he helped Toronto capture the 100th Grey Cup.But the last two seasons have been difficult ones for Owens and the Argos.In 2013, Toronto seemed poised to make a second straight Grey Cup appearance, finishing atop the East Division with an 11-7 record to host archrival Hamilton in the division final. But the Tiger-Cats outscored the Argos 19-0 in the second half for a 36-24 victory at Rogers Centre.Last year, Toronto finished third in the East with an 8-10 record to miss the playoffs. Injuries to Owens, Durie, Jason Barnes and promising rookie Anthony Coombs forced starter Ricky Ray to try to develop chemistry with new receivers on the fly. The Argos also dealt with regular changes to their practice venues before a permanent facility was completed in September.Despite missing seven games to injury, Owens was the CFLs fourth-leading receiver with 86 catches for 989 yards and seven TDs.Looking back on last season, theres so many things we can take from that which can motivate us ... but I think the year before hurt more, Owens said. As far as what will fuel me to prepare for next season its always the same, its wanting to be better individually.Ive talked to Andre already and said, Lets get it in this year. Im fired up because we get to train and prepare together and thats something Ive never had in five years because Ive always been in Hawaii training by myself. Im always motivated to be the best but now I get to be surrounded by my brothers and the guys I go out to war with every week.Its exciting, Im really looking forward to that part of it. ' ' '