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Rangers' Felix picks off back-to-back Royals baserunners
Texas win in 11th after Hosmer's game-tying homer in ninth
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — On just about any other night, the 13 walks their pitchers issued would have been the most embarrassing aspect of Kansas City's 5-4 loss to the Texas Rangers.

But this was not any other night.

After rookie sensation Eric Hosmer homered off Texas closer Neftali Feliz in the ninth inning to tie it 3-all, injecting the crowd and the team with a big dose of momentum and energy, Feliz walked the next two batters.

But he then picked off pinch-runners Jarrod Dyson and Mike Aviles, back to back, one right after the other, taking all the air right out of the Kansas City sails.

The Rangers said they had never seen such a thing. According to STATS LLC, it hadn't happened since a Cubs-Mets game more than eight years ago.

According to Aviles and Royals manager Ned Yost, Feliz should have been called for two balks, not credited with two pickoffs.

"He bent his front knee. He definitely did," Aviles said. "He had a balk move and it went unnoticed and he picked two guys off. His left knee broke forward. His left knee bent. Once your left knee bends, you've got to go to the plate."

Rangers manager Ron Washington scoffed at the notion.

"There's pitchers in the league who are doing that. The umpire never called a balk," he said. "So I don't know anything about Neftali having a balk move. Of course there's other guys in the league doing that. The umpire didn't call it a balk. That's all I've got to say about it."

Yost sided with his player.

"My opinion is he was balking. He was breaking his front leg and then coming to first base," Yost said. "The umpires are going to have to keep their eyes on that. It's a good move."

Aviles admitted the pickoffs shouldn't have happened in the first place.

"But it shouldn't be that close. That can't happen," he said. "But that's just the way baseball goes sometimes, I guess."

Jeremy Jeffress walked the bases full in the 11th, running the Royals' total on the night to 13. Then Adrian Beltre, who came in with a career average of .373 in Kauffman Stadium, delivered a solid single into center. Endy Chavez scored easily and Ian Kinsler scored on a close play at the plate.

Brayan Pena had an RBI single in the bottom of the 11th.

Yost said there was nothing to blame the walks on.

"No, we just have to command better," he said.

 

Danny Duffy, the ninth rookie to be added to the Royals roster, made his major league debut and issued six of the walks. In four-plus innings, he also gave up two runs and four hits, and struck out four.

"I didn't have much control tonight and that's contrary to what I've been doing," the left-hander said. "I feel like I doubled my walk total for the year. It was fun. I had a great time. But I didn't come up here to keep my team in the game. I came up here to win."

"I thought Duffy threw the ball great," Yost said. "His pitch count got way up. But stuff-wise, very impressive. Very encouraging."

Mark Lowe gave up Pena's RBI single with two outs in the 11th to make it 5-4 but finished for his first save. Arthur Rhodes (2-2) got two outs in the 10th for the win.

The Rangers had gone ahead 3-2 in the top of the ninth on a pinch-hit RBI single by Elvis Andrus.

Joakim Soria, on his 27th birthday, walked Craig Gentry leading off the Texas ninth. Chavez sacrificed him to second and then Andrus, batting for Andres Blanco, who was 2 for 4, delivered an RBI single.

Texas' Alexi Ogando went seven strong innings, his eighth straight career start without a loss, two shy of the club record. The right-hander, who spent last year in the bullpen, allowed two runs and four hits, failing in only one inning to set the Royals down 1-2-3. He walked one and struck out five.

Chavez singled and came around to score on Beltre's fielder's choice grounder in the third inning and then the Rangers tied it 2-all in the fourth without putting the ball in play. No. 9 hitter Craig Gentry drew a two-out walk and stole second, then Chavez walked and the two pulled a double steal. When Duffy bounced a breaking pitch in the dirt, Gentry scored on the wild pitch as the ball rolled toward the backstop.

Until Wilson Betemit singled with one out in the seventh, Ogando had retired 14 in a row. Then Betemit was caught stealing and Matt Treanor struck out.

 

2024 NFL standings
CHIEFS
The Kansas City Chiefs have made Arrowhead Stadium their home since 1972. For their second of four preseason games, the Chiefs travel to Baltimore on Friday night to play the Raven in a 6:30 kickoff. - photo by Mack McClure Great Bend Tribune
AFC WEST x-playoff x-Kansas City 15-2 x-LA Chargers 11-6 x-Denver 10-7 Las Vegas 4-13 AFC EAST x-Buffalo 13-4 Miami 8-9 NY Jets 5-12 New England 4-13 AFC SOUTH x-Houston 10-7 Indianapolis 8-9 Jacksonville 4-13 Tennessee 3-14 AFC NORTH x-Baltimore 12-5 Pittsburgh 10-7 Cincinnati 9-8 Cleveland 3-14 NFC EAST x-Philadelphia 14-3 x-Washington 12-5 Dallas 7-10 NY Giants 3-14 NFC CENTRAL x-Detroit 15-2 x-Minnesota 14-3 x-Green Bay 11-6 Chicago 5-12 NFC SOUTH x-Tampa Bay 10-7 Atlanta 8-9 New Orleans 5-12 Carolina 5-12 NFC WEST x-LA Rams 10-7 Seattle 10-7 Arizona 8-9 San Francisco 6-11 1-4—Ravens 35, Browns 10; Bengals 19, Steelers 17 1-5—Colts 26, Jaguars 23; Panthers 44, Falcons 38; Commanders 23, Cowboys 19; Bears 24, Packers 22; Texans 23, Titans 14; Patriots 23, Bills 16; Eagles 20, Giants 13; Bucs 27, Saints 19; Broncos 38, Chiefs 0; Cardinals 47, 49ers 24; Jets 32, Dolphins 20; Seahawks 30, Rams 25; Chargers 34, Raiders 20; Lions 31, Vikings 9 1-11—Chargers at Texans, 3:30; Steelers at Ravens, 7 1-12—Broncos at Bills, 12; Packers at Eagles, 3:30; Commanders at Buccaneers, 7 1-13—Vikings at Rams, 7
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