KANSAS CITY, Mo. Glen Rice Jersey . -- Bruce Chen put a stop to a bad string of starts for the Kansas City Royals. Chen picked up the Royals beleaguered rotation with seven solid innings, pitching Kansas City past the Detroit Tigers 5-2 Sunday. Chen (7-2), who moved into the rotation on July 12 after 19 relief appearances, limited the AL Central leaders to five hits and two runs. He earned the first victory for a Royals starter on their seven-game homestand. "I was pounding the strike zone, mixing in all my pitches, throwing different angles," Chen said. Eric Hosmer had three hits, including a three-run homer in the fifth inning. The Royals stayed close in the wild-card chase, taking the final two games of the series after losing 16-2 Friday. "After that game, it was a bad feeling," Hosmer said. "They just flat out beat us that day. Just to forget it as a team and bounce back like that shows a lot about the character on the team and pitching staff." The Kansas City starters had an 8.00 ERA in the first six games of the homestand, allowing 24 runs on 41 hits and 16 walks in 27 innings. The other four starters had a 9.43 ERA in that span and had failed to make it beyond 4 1-3 innings in four starts. Hosmer homered off Doug Fister after Alex Gordon and Emilio Bonifacio singled with two outs. Fister (12-8) allowed five runs on eight hits in 6 1-3 innings. Chen kept the Tigers hitters off-balance all afternoon. "We hit a lot of lazy fly balls," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "The credit goes to Chen. He changes speeds and got us out in front a lot. You know what youre going to get with him. He changed speeds and got us out in front and mixed his pitches. He was very effective." Greg Holland allowed Prince Fielders double with two out in the ninth, but collected his 40th save in 43 chances. Joakim Soria, Jeff Montgomery and Dan Quisenberry are the only other Royals relievers to earn 40 saves in a season. Jose Iglesias, who had not played since leaving the game Wednesday with shin splints, homered in the third inning after Alex Avila had singled, giving the Tigers a 2-0 lead. "Chen pitched how he always pitches," Avila said. "You can look back at any game hes pitched and its always the same. He mixes a lot of pitches, works in and out, changes speeds, and never gives in. "After he gets you out, you go back to the dugout saying, Man, how did I get out?" Iglesias hit his second home run since the Tigers acquired him in a July 30 trade with Boston. "After that pitch, Chen was locked in the entire day," Hosmer said. "We knew if could get a lead and hand it off to the bullpen, wed be in a good spot." The Royals got a run in the fourth when Billy Butler grounded a single. Jarrod Dyson led off the Royals seventh with a triple into the left-field corner and scored when Gordon dunked a fly ball into shallow right over a drawn-in Tigers infield for a single. Chen pitched out of trouble in the sixth. Austin Jackson led off with a double and Miguel Cabrera came up -- he had five career home runs off Chen in 36 at-bats. This time Cabrera hit a comebacker and Chen threw out Jackson at third. Chen fell behind 3-0 to Fielder, who then looked at the next three pitches -- all strikes. "It was a huge play with Miguel," Chen said. "We have a two-run lead and the first pitch, he hits a groundball to me." NOTES: Fielder played in his 486th consecutive game, the longest active streak in the majors. ... C Salvador Perez, who hit a two-run homer Saturday night, was not in the Royals lineup Sunday. Manager Ned Yost said he decided to rest Perez with temperatures reaching 100 degrees and the Royals in a stretch of 44 games in 44 days. ... Leyland said OF Nick Castellanos would start again Monday after making his first major league start Saturday. "Hes got a feel for hitting," Leyland said. "Hes a confident kid in the batters box. He looks natural in the batters box." Nicolas Batum Jersey . Jacob Jacques, Andrew Ryan and Jonathan Drouin also scored for Halifax (37-18-3), who outshot the Islanders 40-26. Kevin Darveau stopped 25 shots. Bradley Kennedy had the lone goal for Charlottetown (18-33-5), which has nine losses in its last 10 games. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Hornets Jersey . -- Green Bay wide receiver Greg Jennings will be on the sideline as the Packers make their push for a perfect regular season.NEW YORK -- Its been 20 months since Masahiro Tanaka lost a regular-season game -- in any country. Garrett Richards and the Los Angeles Angels had a chance to end that streak until Mark Teixeira found his power stroke from the left side of the plate. Teixeira hit a tying homer and Jacoby Ellsbury scored the go-ahead run thanks to a passed ball and wild pitch in the eighth inning, sending the New York Yankees to a 3-2 victory Sunday night. Tanaka struck out a season-high 11, including Mike Trout twice, and overcame an early bout of wildness in a tight pitchers duel with Richards. Neither starter received a decision, leaving both undefeated this year. "Tanaka had it going," Yankees catcher Brian McCann said. "It was a good team win." David Robertson struck out pinch-hitter Raul Ibanez with a runner on second to end it, and New York has won 10 of 14 after taking two of three in the series. David Freese homered for the Angels, who went 4-5 on a tough road trip to Detroit, Washington and New York. Tanaka walked four in 6 1-3 innings against the Angels, who began the day leading the majors in homers. The $155 million rookie was on the hook for his first regular-season loss since August 2012 in Japan until Teixeira homered leading off the seventh. "Obviously, I was really happy that the score was tied," Tanaka said through a translator. "I was hoping that our offence could come back and put us back in the game." New York broke the tie without a hit in the eighth, a rough inning for Angels catcher Chris Iannetta. With the score 2-all, Michael Kohn (1-1) walked Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran. Nick Maronde relieved, and both runners advanced on Iannettas passed ball. "It was a fastball right there and I just missed it," Iannetta said. "One of the dumbest plays Ive made in my career -- or not made." McCann barely stayed alive with a couple of foul tips, and Maronde bounced a breaking ball in front of the plate. The ball ricocheted off Iannetta and far enough away for Ellsbury to score easily. Adam Warren (1-1) fanned two in 1 2-3 scoreless innings. Robertson worked the ninth for his fourth save and second in two days, whiffing Ibanez seconds before security workers tackled a fan who ran into the outfield. New York managed only three hits, winning a game with three or fewer for the first time since July 7, 2006, at Tampa Bay. Tanaka had the most strikeouts by a Yankees rookie since Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez whiffed 13 Texas Rangers on Aug. Cody Zeller Jersey. 13, 1998. The team said his 46 strikeouts this season are the third-most since 1900 for a major league pitcher in his first five career starts, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Herb Score (50) and Stephen Strasburg (48) were the only ones with more. Tanaka is 31-0 combined in Japan and the United States over his last 39 regular-season starts. He did lose Game 6 of the Japan Series last year -- before earning a save in Game 7. "First and foremost, I want to win the ballgame. But it wouldve been nice to give him his first loss," Richards said. Richards took a two-hitter and a 2-1 lead into the seventh, when Teixeira launched a 2-2 pitch into the second deck in right field for his second home run since returning from the disabled list last Sunday. It was Teixeiras first homer while batting left-handed since June 6, 2013. His season ended nine days later due to a right wrist injury that required surgery. "Thats my swing when Im healthy. Thats the swing that I want," Teixeira said. "Its a good sign that I start seeing results." Freese sent Tanakas first pitch of the sixth to right-centre for his second home run with the Angels since they acquired him from St. Louis in a November trade. Tanaka had an amazing ratio of 35 strikeouts to two walks in his first four starts, which covered 29 1-3 innings. But he struggled with his command early on this 54-degree night, walking a batter in each of the first four innings. Albert Pujols even stared out at the mound after Tanaka backed him off the plate with two straight pitches in the third. The walks caught up with Tanaka in the fourth, when Erick Aybar led off with a double and scored on an RBI groundout by J.B. Shuck with the bases loaded. New York tied it in the fifth. A leadoff walk to Teixeira and Brian Roberts one-out double set up Ichiro Suzukis run-scoring groundout against Richards. "Garrett was terrific. He had explosive stuff," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "I think both pitchers went toe to toe. We just couldnt get it done late." NOTES: The Angels have led in 10 of their 13 losses. ... A test on INF Yangervis Solartes sore right shoulder showed no damage, New York manager Joe Girardi said. ... The Yankees are off Monday before Robinson Cano returns to New York with the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night. ' ' '
KANSAS CITY, Mo. Glen Rice Jersey . -- Bruce Chen put a stop to a bad string of starts for the Kansas City Royals. Chen picked up the Royals beleaguered rotation with seven solid innings, pitching Kansas City past the Detroit Tigers 5-2 Sunday. Chen (7-2), who moved into the rotation on July 12 after 19 relief appearances, limited the AL Central leaders to five hits and two runs. He earned the first victory for a Royals starter on their seven-game homestand. "I was pounding the strike zone, mixing in all my pitches, throwing different angles," Chen said. Eric Hosmer had three hits, including a three-run homer in the fifth inning. The Royals stayed close in the wild-card chase, taking the final two games of the series after losing 16-2 Friday. "After that game, it was a bad feeling," Hosmer said. "They just flat out beat us that day. Just to forget it as a team and bounce back like that shows a lot about the character on the team and pitching staff." The Kansas City starters had an 8.00 ERA in the first six games of the homestand, allowing 24 runs on 41 hits and 16 walks in 27 innings. The other four starters had a 9.43 ERA in that span and had failed to make it beyond 4 1-3 innings in four starts. Hosmer homered off Doug Fister after Alex Gordon and Emilio Bonifacio singled with two outs. Fister (12-8) allowed five runs on eight hits in 6 1-3 innings. Chen kept the Tigers hitters off-balance all afternoon. "We hit a lot of lazy fly balls," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "The credit goes to Chen. He changes speeds and got us out in front a lot. You know what youre going to get with him. He changed speeds and got us out in front and mixed his pitches. He was very effective." Greg Holland allowed Prince Fielders double with two out in the ninth, but collected his 40th save in 43 chances. Joakim Soria, Jeff Montgomery and Dan Quisenberry are the only other Royals relievers to earn 40 saves in a season. Jose Iglesias, who had not played since leaving the game Wednesday with shin splints, homered in the third inning after Alex Avila had singled, giving the Tigers a 2-0 lead. "Chen pitched how he always pitches," Avila said. "You can look back at any game hes pitched and its always the same. He mixes a lot of pitches, works in and out, changes speeds, and never gives in. "After he gets you out, you go back to the dugout saying, Man, how did I get out?" Iglesias hit his second home run since the Tigers acquired him in a July 30 trade with Boston. "After that pitch, Chen was locked in the entire day," Hosmer said. "We knew if could get a lead and hand it off to the bullpen, wed be in a good spot." The Royals got a run in the fourth when Billy Butler grounded a single. Jarrod Dyson led off the Royals seventh with a triple into the left-field corner and scored when Gordon dunked a fly ball into shallow right over a drawn-in Tigers infield for a single. Chen pitched out of trouble in the sixth. Austin Jackson led off with a double and Miguel Cabrera came up -- he had five career home runs off Chen in 36 at-bats. This time Cabrera hit a comebacker and Chen threw out Jackson at third. Chen fell behind 3-0 to Fielder, who then looked at the next three pitches -- all strikes. "It was a huge play with Miguel," Chen said. "We have a two-run lead and the first pitch, he hits a groundball to me." NOTES: Fielder played in his 486th consecutive game, the longest active streak in the majors. ... C Salvador Perez, who hit a two-run homer Saturday night, was not in the Royals lineup Sunday. Manager Ned Yost said he decided to rest Perez with temperatures reaching 100 degrees and the Royals in a stretch of 44 games in 44 days. ... Leyland said OF Nick Castellanos would start again Monday after making his first major league start Saturday. "Hes got a feel for hitting," Leyland said. "Hes a confident kid in the batters box. He looks natural in the batters box." Nicolas Batum Jersey . Jacob Jacques, Andrew Ryan and Jonathan Drouin also scored for Halifax (37-18-3), who outshot the Islanders 40-26. Kevin Darveau stopped 25 shots. Bradley Kennedy had the lone goal for Charlottetown (18-33-5), which has nine losses in its last 10 games. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Hornets Jersey . -- Green Bay wide receiver Greg Jennings will be on the sideline as the Packers make their push for a perfect regular season.NEW YORK -- Its been 20 months since Masahiro Tanaka lost a regular-season game -- in any country. Garrett Richards and the Los Angeles Angels had a chance to end that streak until Mark Teixeira found his power stroke from the left side of the plate. Teixeira hit a tying homer and Jacoby Ellsbury scored the go-ahead run thanks to a passed ball and wild pitch in the eighth inning, sending the New York Yankees to a 3-2 victory Sunday night. Tanaka struck out a season-high 11, including Mike Trout twice, and overcame an early bout of wildness in a tight pitchers duel with Richards. Neither starter received a decision, leaving both undefeated this year. "Tanaka had it going," Yankees catcher Brian McCann said. "It was a good team win." David Robertson struck out pinch-hitter Raul Ibanez with a runner on second to end it, and New York has won 10 of 14 after taking two of three in the series. David Freese homered for the Angels, who went 4-5 on a tough road trip to Detroit, Washington and New York. Tanaka walked four in 6 1-3 innings against the Angels, who began the day leading the majors in homers. The $155 million rookie was on the hook for his first regular-season loss since August 2012 in Japan until Teixeira homered leading off the seventh. "Obviously, I was really happy that the score was tied," Tanaka said through a translator. "I was hoping that our offence could come back and put us back in the game." New York broke the tie without a hit in the eighth, a rough inning for Angels catcher Chris Iannetta. With the score 2-all, Michael Kohn (1-1) walked Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran. Nick Maronde relieved, and both runners advanced on Iannettas passed ball. "It was a fastball right there and I just missed it," Iannetta said. "One of the dumbest plays Ive made in my career -- or not made." McCann barely stayed alive with a couple of foul tips, and Maronde bounced a breaking ball in front of the plate. The ball ricocheted off Iannetta and far enough away for Ellsbury to score easily. Adam Warren (1-1) fanned two in 1 2-3 scoreless innings. Robertson worked the ninth for his fourth save and second in two days, whiffing Ibanez seconds before security workers tackled a fan who ran into the outfield. New York managed only three hits, winning a game with three or fewer for the first time since July 7, 2006, at Tampa Bay. Tanaka had the most strikeouts by a Yankees rookie since Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez whiffed 13 Texas Rangers on Aug. Cody Zeller Jersey. 13, 1998. The team said his 46 strikeouts this season are the third-most since 1900 for a major league pitcher in his first five career starts, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Herb Score (50) and Stephen Strasburg (48) were the only ones with more. Tanaka is 31-0 combined in Japan and the United States over his last 39 regular-season starts. He did lose Game 6 of the Japan Series last year -- before earning a save in Game 7. "First and foremost, I want to win the ballgame. But it wouldve been nice to give him his first loss," Richards said. Richards took a two-hitter and a 2-1 lead into the seventh, when Teixeira launched a 2-2 pitch into the second deck in right field for his second home run since returning from the disabled list last Sunday. It was Teixeiras first homer while batting left-handed since June 6, 2013. His season ended nine days later due to a right wrist injury that required surgery. "Thats my swing when Im healthy. Thats the swing that I want," Teixeira said. "Its a good sign that I start seeing results." Freese sent Tanakas first pitch of the sixth to right-centre for his second home run with the Angels since they acquired him from St. Louis in a November trade. Tanaka had an amazing ratio of 35 strikeouts to two walks in his first four starts, which covered 29 1-3 innings. But he struggled with his command early on this 54-degree night, walking a batter in each of the first four innings. Albert Pujols even stared out at the mound after Tanaka backed him off the plate with two straight pitches in the third. The walks caught up with Tanaka in the fourth, when Erick Aybar led off with a double and scored on an RBI groundout by J.B. Shuck with the bases loaded. New York tied it in the fifth. A leadoff walk to Teixeira and Brian Roberts one-out double set up Ichiro Suzukis run-scoring groundout against Richards. "Garrett was terrific. He had explosive stuff," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "I think both pitchers went toe to toe. We just couldnt get it done late." NOTES: The Angels have led in 10 of their 13 losses. ... A test on INF Yangervis Solartes sore right shoulder showed no damage, New York manager Joe Girardi said. ... The Yankees are off Monday before Robinson Cano returns to New York with the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night. ' ' '