KANSAS CITY—Alcides Escobar has been dutifully going to the gym every week, and not just going through the motions. The Royals shortstop has been putting in some work, and truly believes that he’s becoming a stronger all-around player.He made a believer out of a lot of people Saturday night.Escobar hit a pair of homers off White Sox All-Star Jake Peavy, the second a go-ahead shot with two outs in the seventh inning, sending Kansas City to a morale-boosting 6-3 victory.

“I’m working out in the gym and I’m feeling very comfortable,” said Escobar, who came into the game with two homers all season and 11 in his career. “I’m the same guy, though, just trying to hit the ball in the middle.”

He certainly accomplished that — twice.The 25-year-old Escobar connected on a two-run shot off Peavy (7-6) in the third inning, and after Adam Dunn and Dayan Viciedo helped Chicago knot the game 3-all in the sixth, the wiry young shortstop added a solo shot in the seventh for the first multihomer game of his career.

“He’s making himself look like an All-Star-caliber-type player,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “We talked about it a bunch, but we knew he was a real athletic player, and once he grew into his body, he would be a real good big league hitter.”

Jeff Francoeur and Lorenzo Cain added insurance runs in the eighth, and Greg Holland (3-2) won in relief. Jonathan Broxton rebounded from a blown save the previous night to retire the White Sox in order for his 22nd save of the season.Broxton pumped his fist after finishing the game — and all the Royals fans that were in the ballpark Friday night probably did the same. Broxton gave up a run in the ninth in the series opener to turn a potential Royals victory into a 14-inning, 5½-hour affair.The White Sox eventually won that game on Kevin Youkilis’ sacrifice fly.

“He’s done really, really well on back-to-back days that he pitches,” Yost said of Broxton, who was among the five AL players in the All-Star final vote. “The thing that really impresses me about Brox is that no matter the trouble he gets in, he never gets flustered.”

The Royals and White Sox are no strangers to close affairs at Kauffman Stadium, having gone to extra innings in seven of their previous 21 meetings.This one appeared to be headed the same direction most of the night.The White Sox struck first when Gordon Beckham, who scored the winning run in the series opener, walked in the third inning, and Alejandro De Aza’s double provided a 1-0 lead.Kansas City answered in the bottom half of the inning when Jarrod Dyson singled to right, stole second and scored on Alex Gordon’s single. Escobar followed with his third home run of the year, this one landing in the bullpen in left field and giving Kansas City a 3-1 lead.

“The pitch in the third to Escobar wasn’t a bad pitch, but just the wrong pitch,” Peavy said. “It was a ball that he got enough of to hit out of the ball park. Obviously, a big blow there.”

The White Sox clawed back, though, just as they repeatedly did the previous night.Dunn’s homer leading off the sixth traveled an estimated 451 feet, clearing two different walls in center field — “I figured he hit it over the scoreboard,” Royals starter Luke Hochevar said. Viciedo added a tying RBI triple off reliever Aaron Crow later in the inning.The White Sox just couldn’t get enough offense to counter the Royals’ late surge.Peavy wound up pitching into the eighth inning for Chicago, throwing 120 pitches along the way. He still ended up losing for the fifth time in six starts. Much of the onus for that falls on his offense, which has managed a total of nine runs of support over that span.

“He was good. Escobar got him a couple of times, those are the ones that got him,” Robin Ventura said. “Other than that, he was in it. That’s the way it goes.”

NOTES—Cain came in as a pinch hitter after starting Friday night. He missed nearly half the season with a multitude of injuries. … Robin Ventura said Dylan Axelrod and Phil Humber will start against Boston, though he hasn’t decided on the order for Tuesday and Wednesday. …Chris Sale will start the series finale Sunday for the White Sox. RHP Luis Mendoza will take the mound for Kansas City.

Ryan Dempster tied the team record with a 33-inning scoreless streak, pitching six solid frames and leading Chicago over the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-1 on Saturday.Dempster matched the mark set by Ken Holtzman in 1969.

“It’s pretty crazy. I think as a reliever when you do something like that it seems a little more realistic because you go out there one inning at a time,” Dempster said. “To go out there start after start and not give up any runs is pretty humbling. I’m just trying to get outs and not expecting that and trying to win ballgames.”

Dempster (5-3) allowed four hits and set a career best by winning his fifth straight start. He leads the majors with a 1.86 ERA.Dale Sveum limited Dempster to 89 pitches. The right-hander made his second start since coming off the disabled list with tightness in his pitching shoulder.

“When I took him out he wanted to stay, but he wasn’t going to talk me out of it. That’s a competitive pitcher that wanted to stay in. That was the game plan today and it worked out perfect. He got another inning in and he got to 90 pitches. The plan worked to a tee today,” Sveum said.

Dempster struck out five and walked three. With the Cubs far back in the playoff race and Dempster in the last season of a four-year contract, he has become a possible trade option for contending teams.

“Like I said before, I am well aware of things going on, rumors and things like that,” he said. “But I’m a member of the Chicago Cubs and I’m trying to do my best job for this team.I understand the business side of baseball, too,” he said. “But I have not given it a whole lot of thought to be somewhere else now. I’m just enjoying playing here, winning today and being part of this run we are on.”

Darwin Barney hit an RBI double for the Cubs, who have won 11 of their last 15 games.Chris Young homered for Arizona in the seventh off James Russell. The Diamondbacks have lost eight of 11, including an 8-1 loss to the Cubs on Friday.

“You don’t want to come in and lose the first two games,” Arizona manager Kirk Gibson. “We scored two runs in Wrigley Field in two days. That’s not what we expect to do. We got to do better than that. “We’re 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position, we hit in three double plays today and a couple yesterday. We struck out in key situations. That’s not the way to get it done.”

Carlos Marmol pitched a scoreless ninth for his ninth save in 11 chances. Marmol allowed a leadoff double to Stephen Drew and walked Young. Geoff Blum followed with a deep fly ball to right, but Reed Johnson made a nice running catch up against the ivy, then Marmol got pinch hitter Jason Kubel to hit into a double play to end the game.Joe Saunders (4-6) returned after being on the disabled list with a left shoulder strain and pitched six innings. He allowed three earned runs and eight hits.

“Felt great. It was fun to get back out, start contributing again,” he said. “We knew runs were going to be hard to come by against Mr. Dempster out there, he’s been throwing the ball great. You just try to limit the damage and hope you get a couple breaks.”

Luis Valbuena led off the Cubs third with a single and Dempster sacrificed. Johnson reached on a bunt single and Starlin Castro beat out a potential inning-ending double play as Valbuena scored.In the fourth, Alfonso Soriano led off with a single and later scored on Barney’s two-out double. Three pitches later, Valbuena singled up the middle for a 3-0 lead.The Cubs scored in the sixth on an error and Barney’s double-play ball.

NOTES—The Diamondbacks optioned LHP Patrick Corbin to Triple-A Reno to make room on the roster for Saunders. Gibson said Corbin will work as a starter at Reno. He started five games for Arizona this year but had been appearing out of the bullpen of late….Kubel (right hamstring tightness) was held out of the starting lineup. Gibson said Kubel was still sore. Kubel was removed in the seventh inning of Friday’s 8-1 loss after slipping several times on the slick field.

MILWAUKEE—The finality of the 2012 season hit quarterback Russ Michna earlier than he had hoped. During Friday’s league transactions his name came across the wire for being placed on injured reserve.Sustaining a right shoulder injury on the second offensive series of the game last week against the San Antonio Talons Michna chose to remain in the game. He began the game 7-8 for 66 yards and an interception. After sustaining the injury, he finished the game 19-27 for 290 yards, 6 touchdowns and one interception.Luke Drone will start the final two games for the Rush.

“It’s……. this year has been extremely tough because it could’ve easily gone our way in so many close games, but didn’t,” said the 5-year AFL quarterback.

With injured reserve requiring a player to miss at least four weeks, the assignment appeared to kick in motion the end of the year reflections.What if the Rush were still in playoff contention?

“Early in the week was really bad (for the injury).”

Word from the coaching staff circled around Michna missing this game no matter what and that the Cleveland game would’ve required Michna to play far below 100% healthy.So enter in Illinois State quarterback Luke Drone who is no stranger to playing time this season.He’s had one start and seen action in in thirteen games for the Rush. Drone’s passing line reads 39-67 for 511 yards, with seven touchdowns and two interceptions. Another dimension of his game comes in the rushing department, where he’s cradled the ball 21 times and finished off 12 of those attempts with touchdowns.

“I’m excited,” stated Drone as a smile crept on his face. Clearly no one wishes injury upon anyone, but in a sport that is full of contact and squeezed into a smaller field everyone is aware of the next man up philosophy.

The former Dallas Desperados backup actually has a snippet of playing time against the Mustangs. In Week 6 of 2011 he entered into the game late and completed a pass for 16 yards. Expect bigger things tonight as he’s armed with a supporting cast hungry to finish the season 11-7.

Catch tonight’s game on ustream.tv/chicagorush beginning at 7:45 p.m. with Les Grobstein.

KANSAS CITY—There was nobody White Sox manager Robin Ventura would rather have had at the plate with runners on the corners in the 14th inning than his gritty new third baseman.Kevin Youkilis hit a sacrifice fly on the 14th pitch of his marathon at-bat, scoring Gordon Beckham for a 9-8 victory over the Kansas City Royals in a game that stretched into the wee hours of Saturday morning.Youkilis earned the praise, but it was Beckham who got the winning rally going.He drew a one-out walk off Everett Teaford (1-3), and Alejandro De Aza sent a single down the third-base line to put runners on the corners for Youkilis, who muscled a fly ball deep to center for what turned out to be his fifth game-winning hit in 14 games with the White Sox.

“We just kept battling back, and it was a pretty unbelievable game,” Beckham said. “There were so many times I could see that game being over, but it just kept going.”

Dylan Axelrod (1-2) worked around trouble in the 13th, and then retired the side in the 14th to end a game that lasted 5 hours, 23 minutes.

Both teams had chances to end it much earlier. Royals closer Jonathan Broxton blew a save in the ninth inning and White Sox closer Addison Reed did the same in the 12th.

“The offense did a great job of battling back. We had a couple of situations to put it away, but didn’t,” Royals manager Ned Yost said.

Both teams burned through nine pitchers, setting a franchise record for the Royals. Teaford was scheduled to start Tuesday night before being pressed into relief duty.The game also came close to ending in the 13th inning, when Dayan Viciedo earned a walk from Tim Collins, and Beckham doubled to score pinch-runner Jordan Danks from second base.Jeff Francoeur answered with a double of his own leading off the bottom of the inning, and after Brayan Pena grounded out, Lorenzo Cain singled to put runners on the corners. Alex Gordon sent a chopper up the middle that scored Francoeur and kept the game alive.Of course, that was a microcosm of the entire back-and-forth affair.Adam Dunn and Alex Rios homered to give the Sox a 3-0 lead in the first inning, Mike Moustakas homered to help the Royals score three times in the second, and Kansas City added two more runs in the fourth — one coming on a homer by Francoeur down the third-base line.The White Sox charged back in the fifth. Dunn and A.J. Pierzynski singled off Royals starter Bruce Chen, and Viciedo connected for a three-run homer and a 6-5 lead.The Royals were down to their final out in the eighth inning when Cain doubled and Gordon walked. Alcides Escobar came through with a clutch two-run triple.Broxton, who seems to make every outing an adventure, gave up a single to Youkilis to start the ninth. Dunn and Paul Konerko walked to load the bases with no outs, and after Rios flied out to center, Pierzynski sent an RBI single to right field.Francoeur came up throwing as pinch-runner Orlando Hudson tried to score. The throw was well up the first-base line, but it arrived in plenty of time for catcher Salvador Perez to lunge back across home and make the tag — even the replays showed that Hudson may have been safe.Ventura argued to no avail with plate umpire Chris Guccione.The Royals put a runner aboard with one out in the 10th and couldn’t get him home, and loaded the bases with one out in the 11th before Yuniesky Betancourt popped out and Moustakas grounded out to shortstop to keep the game going well into the night.

NOTES—The White Sox recalled RHP Jhan Marinez from Triple-A Charlotte. He took the roster spot of RHP Deunte Heath, who was optioned to Charlotte last Sunday. Marinez was among the players obtained from the Marlins for manager Ozzie Guillen…..Luke Hochevar starts Saturday for the Royals against Jake Peavy.

Alfonso Soriano homered twice, hit two doubles and had five RBI Friday as the Cubs beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-1 in the first game after the All-Star break.

“Oh man,” Soriano said. “I swung very good today. Those four days I cleared my mind and my body, too. The game I had, I hope I have a couple of more like that.”

So do the Cubs, who have suddenly won 10 of their last 14. Lefty Paul Maholm picked up his third straight win with seven strong innings and was able to keep his concentration during a 3-hour and 40-minute rain delay before the first pitch.

“I tried to stay busy. The cable went out for a little while so it was kind of a quiet clubhouse,” Maholm said.

Even though it wasn’t raining at the time, the Cubs held up the start of the game after radar showed a big storm coming toward Wrigley Field. When it finally arrived, the deluge soaked the warning tracks and bullpens on either side of the field, creating ankle-deep water in some spots.

“You just deal with rain delays,” Maholm said. “I get ready as though the game is starting on time. I came out today to start long tossing and they said they were going to delay it 20 minutes and it turned into 4 hours. It’s a little different because you never know when it’s going to stop.”

Soriano launched his 16th homer leading off the fourth, a shot to left that cleared the bleachers and put the Cubs up 2-1. And with two outs and two on the fifth, he hit a high drive that landed over the fence in center to make it 5-1. Both homers came off Ian Kennedy. He added a run-scoring double in the seventh off Brad Ziegler.It was Soriano’s s second multi-homer game this season and 30th of his career. The 36-year-old slugger has hit all of his 17 homers this season since May 15. His five RBI tied a career high.

“There was a lot of rain. It’s important we got the win because it’s a long day,” Soriano said. “We got the win. It doesn’t matter how long we stay here at the ball park.”

Kennedy (6-8) gave up seven hits and six runs in five-plus innings, hitting a batter, walking two and throwing two wild pitches. He hadn’t pitched since July 4.
Maholm (7-6) allowed six hits and a run in seven innings to win his third straight start. He drove in a run with a bunt in the sixth inning.Maholm had his shortest start of the season when he faced the Diamondbacks on June 23 in Phoenix, lasting 3 1/2 innings and giving up nine hits and six earned runs. He hasn’t lost since that outing.After four days off for the All-Star break and then the long delay, the Diamondbacks came out ready to go as Willie Bloomquist led off with a double and Aaron Hill beat out a bunt single. Bloomquist scored on Justin Upton’s double play grounder, the first of two double plays turned by the Cubs in the first two innings.
Kennedy’s wildness helped the Cubs tie it in the second. Soriano led off with a double, reached third on a fly and scored on a wild pitch.Diamondbacks left fielder Jason Kubel was pulled in the seventh inning with a tight right hamstring. The outfield grass was still slick from the rain and he slipped early in the game.

NOTES—Diamondbacks RHP Daniel Hudson had successful Tommy John surgery on Monday in Los Angeles. It was performed by Dr. Lewis Yocum….Cubs 3B Ian Stewart had surgery on his left wrist Tuesday in Cleveland. The team will determine in August if he will play again this season….Arizona RHP Josh Collmenter will move back to bullpen with LHP Joe Saunders (left shoulder strain) returning to start Saturday after coming off the DL….Announced attendance was 36,878.

 

KANSAS CITY—So now the National League has won three straight All Star Games to go along with having won two straight World Series(and four of the past six). The A.L. does still control Inter League Play,but it appears the NL has at least caught to the Junior Circuit in key events.
Pablo Sandoval and Melky Cabrera turned the All-Star game into a Giant blowout.Flashing their bright orange spikes and booming bats, the San Francisco sluggers keyed a five-run blitz against Justin Verlander in the first inning that sent the National League to an 8-0 romp over the American League on Tuesday night.Cabrera homered and won the MVP award, and Giants teammate Matt Cain started a strong pitching performance for the NL in its most-lopsided All-Star victory. Cain combined with Stephen Strasburg, R.A. Dickey, Aroldis Chapman and the rest of a lights-out staff on a six-hitter. “San Francisco Giants show,” Matt Kemp of the rival Dodgers said during the game.Ryan Braun, an All-Star again after his drug suspension was overturned last winter, doubled, tripled and made a fine catch in the outfield to help give the NL its first three-game winning streak in two decades.Chipper Jones singled in his final All-Star at-bat at age 40 as the NL, under retired manager Tony La Russa, once again claimed home-field advantage in the World Series.Teen sensation Bryce Harper had a shaky All-Star debut. Fellow rookie Mike Trout, only 20, showed off his dynamic skills. The game was pretty much decided a few moments after it started.

Sandoval hit the first bases-loaded triple in All-Star history off Verlander, who couldn’t control his 100 mph heat. Cabrera singled and scored the first run, then hit a two-run homer against Matt Harrison in a three-run fourth.

“I don’t get many triples,” said the slow-footed Sandoval, known as Kung Fu Panda. “We had some fun with that in the dugout.”

Cabrera was flanked by his mom as he received his award.

“I was surprised for me, the MVP, but thank you, the fans,” he said.

San Francisco fans, who made a late voting push to elect Sandoval and Cabrera to starting spots, might really appreciate the victory come October. The Giants are a half-game behind the first-place Dodgers in the NL West.Rafael Furcal also hit a three-bagger, making the NL the first league with three in an All-Star game.As the All-Stars returned to Kansas City for the first time since 1973, La Russa bid a fond farewell to the national stage in the city where he played for his first major league team.Having retired after managing St. Louis to last year’s World Series title, La Russa became just the fourth inactive manager to skipper an All-Star team and improved to 4-2.

“Just lucky, like I’ve been 30 years,” La Russa said.

The NL boosted its advantage to 43-38-2 and won for just the third time in the 10 years the All-Star game has been used to determine home-field advantage in the World Series. La Russa’s Cardinals benefited from last year’s NL All-Star victory, with St. Louis winning Games 6 and 7 at home against Ron Washington’s Texas Rangers.

“It’s very disappointing, because we’re competitors and we want to win,” said Washington, who lost for the second straight year. “They came out. They swung the bats. Once they got the lead, started bringing those arms in their hand, and they got the job done.”

Jones, retiring at the end of the season, also had one last All-Star moment, pinch hitting in the sixth and singling just past second baseman Ian Kinsler and into right field. Jones chuckled as the ball rolled through.

“Whether you’re 19 or 40, we are all equals here,” Jones said during his pregame speech to the NL.

Harper, at 19 the youngest position player in All-Star history, had a shaky start when he entered in the fifth. The heralded rookie, wearing shiny gold shoes, didn’t flash a Gold Glove and lost Mike Napoli’s routine fly to left in the lights, allowing it to drop behind him for a single. He then caught Kinsler’s bases-loaded flyball to end the inning, earning cheers from the crowd of 40,933 at Kauffman Stadium, spruced up by a $250 million renovation that was completed three years ago.Harper did draw a walk and tagged up on a long fly, but later got himself hung up in a rundown and tagged out.Trout, among a record five All-Star rookies, had a nice showing against two very different pitchers. The Angels outfielder singled and stole a base against Dickey’s knuckleball, then drew a walk against Chapman and his 101 mph heat.

“I’m going to remember this the rest of my life,” Trout said.

Cain pitched the 22nd perfect game in big league history last month. He didn’t have to be perfect in this one, allowing one hit in two innings for the win.

“For those guys to go out and score five runs in the first inning was definitely a little more relaxing for me,” he said. “But I still tried to stay focused.”

Cain was followed by 10 relievers, with Jonathan Papelbon getting the last out with a runner on third base.Verlander had a puzzling outing. In games that count, he hasn’t allowed five runs in an inning since April 2010.He became the first All-Star to give up a five-spot since Houston’s Roger Clemens in front of his hometown fans in 2004.

“It was pretty difficult for me to get the ball down today,” said Verlander, who admitted he approached this differently than a regular-season start.

In a 35-pitch inning, he threw five pitches clocked at 100 mph and another at 101.A crowd clad in red, white and blue T-shirts cheered during pregame introductions for hometown star Billy Butler, who dropped his cap when he tried to wave it. Fans booed the New York Yankees’ Robinson Cano, who angered local fans when he bypassed Butler for Monday night’s Home Run Derby.Not since Game 7 of Kansas City’s 1985 World Series over the Cardinals had the baseball world descended on the Royals’ ballpark, a rare 1970s beauty known for its 322-foot-wide fountain in right and the 105-foot-high scoreboard topped by a crown.
Cabrera, a former Yankee and Royal, singled with one out in the first and scored on a double to deep right by Braun, the reigning NL MVP.Verlander threw six straight balls during consecutive two-out walks to Carlos Beltran and Buster Posey. Wearing shiny gold-and-orange spikes for the occasion, Sandoval sent a drive off the base of the wall in the right-field corner for a 4-0 lead.He scored when Dan Uggla grounded to the shortstop hole and first baseman Prince Fielder failed to come up with Derek Jeter’s one-hop throw, leaving Uggla with an infield hit.After Furcal tripled to right, pinch-hitter Matt Holliday singled for a 6-0 lead and Cabrera followed with a drive into the left-field bullpen.Dickey, a first-time All-Star at 37, was given a big ovation. He pitched a one-hit sixth, hitting Paul Konerko on a shoulder with pitch.Although he has a big league-best 12-1 record, Dickey was denied the start – possibly because of the difficulty of catching his knuckler. He brought along an oversized glove from Mets catcher Josh Thole that was used by Carlos Ruiz, who replaced Posey behind the plate in the sixth.

NOTES—In addition to Konerko getting hit by a pitch, Adam Dunn was the only position player on either team not to get into the game, Chris Sale gave up 2 hits in a scoreless inning, and Jake Peavy did not get in for the A.L…..Brian Lahair grounded out and Starlin Castro flew out in their only at bats….The NL extended the AL’s scoreless streak to 14 innings — its longest drought since 1995-97….The NL won for just the sixth time in a quarter-century….The NL had last won three straight in 1994-96…..It was the first All-Star shutout since the NL’s 6-0 win in 1996 at Philadelphia.

Colby Rasmus hit one of four Blue Jays homers and had three RBI to help Toronto end the White Sox’s five-game winning streak with an 11-9 victory Sunday.The first-place White Sox go to the All-Star break with a 47-38 record and a three-game lead in the AL Central. Robin Ventura was ejected in the top of the ninth after charging to the plate to heatedly argue a ball and strike call with home plate umpire D.J. Reyburn.Jason Frasor (1-1), the third of five Blue Jays’ relievers, was credited with the win and Casey Janssen pitched the final 1 2-3 innings for his 12th save in 13 chances. He gave up two ninth-inning singles before striking out Alejandro De Aza to end it.Rasmus and Edwin Encarnacion had two-run homers in the first off Dylan Axelrod and Kelly Johnson and Jeff Mathis also connected for Toronto on a windy day at U.S. Cellular Field. Alex Rios hit a three-run homer for the White Sox.The Blue Jays, finishing 43-43 at the break, took advantage of nine walks from five Sox pitchers. After the White Sox had cut the lead to 8-7, Toronto tacked on three runs in the sixth, one on a disputed ground rule double by Jose Bautista that was touched by a fan.Axelrod (0-2) was working on just three days rest. It would have been Chris Sale’s turn in the rotation, but the White Sox decided to skip their ace lefty’s last start before the break and he is expected to throw an inning in Tuesday night’s All-Star game.Axelford gave up six hits, including three homers, and seven runs in his three innings before Mathis greeted reliever Brian Omogrosso with a solo homer in the fourth, making it 8-3.Adam Dunn’s RBI fielder’s choice grounder and an RBI double by Rios – right after an error on Vizquel at third – finished starter Brett Cecil after 4 1-3 innings and cut Toronto’s lead to 8-5. Alexei Ramirez then hit reliever Jesse Chavez’s first pitch for a two-run triple, slicing the lead to 8-7.But Rajai Davis walked in the sixth, stole second and third and scored on Leyson Septimo’s wild pitch to put Toronto up by two. After another walk to Rasmus, Bautista hit a ball past third that was ruled fair and a fan reached out and touched it, making it a ground rule double. But umpires allowed Rasmus to score from first on the play, despite an argument from Ventura. After another walk, Adam Lind doubled home the Blue Jays’ 11th run.Cecil gave up six hits and seven runs, six of them earned. Reliever Luis Perez departed in the seventh after giving up hits to the first two batters and walked off the mound with a trainer. Frasor came on and gave up a sacrifice fly and intentional walk before retiring the side with two strikeouts.

NOTES—Rios tied a career high with his four RBIs. …. Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie sat out with a tight back, a condition that forced him to leave Saturday’s game. .. Kevin Youkilis had an RBI double in the sixth, giving him 14 RBIs in his first 13 games with the Sox….Jake Peavy was named as a late injury replacement to the All-Star team for the Angels’ C.J. Wilson. Peavy had lost out in the Final Vote balloting earlier in the week to Texas’ Yu Darvish.

NEW YORK—Ryan Dempster extended his scoreless innings streak to 27 in his first start in three weeks, Starlin Castro hit a three-run homer and the  Cubs beat the New York Mets 7-0 Sunday.Dempster (4-3) was activated from the disabled list then pitched five innings of four-hit ball in his first outing since June 15, when he experienced tightness in a back muscle. His lengthy string of zeros is the Cubs’ best for a starter since Ken Holtzman went 27 innings in 1971.The Cubs made it as comfortable as possible for Dempster, scoring four runs before he even threw a pitch.Alfonso Soriano had an RBI single, Jeff Baker a run-scoring double and Geovany Soto drove in two runs with a single against Jonathon Niese (7-4)who  had only given up four or more runs in a game five times – 16 starts – this season entering Sunday.The Cubs finished the first half in the midst of a modest surge, winning nine of 13 to improve to a disappointing 33-52 in Theo Epstein’s first year in charge.The Mets had a chance to move a season high-tying eight games above .500 but continued a recent trend of trading wins and losses. They go into the All-Star break 46-40. New York finished a homestand against last place teams, Philadelphia and the Cubs, 3-3.Not that the Mets didn’t have had their chances Sunday. They put runners in scoring position in each of first three innings and also in the sixth but came up empty.Dempster put his streak in jeopardy by allowing a one-out triple to Scott Hairston in the second but he got Jordany Valdespin to line out to second and Josh Thole to groundout to shortstop. Niese and Ruben Tejada opened the third with singles but the Nos. 2-3-4 hitters couldn’t capitalize.After Tejada’s hit, Dempster retired nine in a row before being lifted. The right-hander is scheduled to start the Cubs’ first game after the All-Star break on Friday.Dempster has won four in a row after an 18-start winless streak dating back to Aug. 11. He struck out four and walked none.Paul Maholm came on in relief for the first time. He made 201 consecutive starts until he entered in the sixth and gave up two hits. But the Mets failed again with runners. Ike Davis popped to shortstop and Lucas Duda grounded into a double play.Manuel Corpas, James Russell and Shawn Camp finished the eight-hitter.Niese had settled in after the first, allowing only one hit until Luis Valbuena singled with one out in the seventh. Reed Johnson singled with two outs and Castro hit the first pitch for a three-run homer, his seventh long ball this year.Niese allowed seven runs and nine hits in seven innings.

 
NOTES—To make room for Dempster on the Cubs roster, Chris Volstad was optioned to Triple-A Iowa. Volstad is 0-7 this season. … Mets prospects RHP Zach Wheeler and 3B Wilmer Flores were scheduled to play in the MLB Futures Game in Kansas City Sunday. … Valdespin started in center field for first time in his career. … Game took a crisp 2 hours, 8 minutes.

In what has been an other wise ho-hum,blah off season for the Bulls, Kirk Hinrich, who spent the first six and a half years of his career in a Bulls uniform, has reached an agreement to return.Hinrich, who spent his first seven seasons with the Bulls, is expected to sign a two-year deal worth just over $6 million, one source said, though details were still being finalized. The free-agent moratorium ends July 11.Hinrich fills a major need for the Bulls, a combo guard who can also be used to spread the floor next to Derrick Rose and provide a defensive guard to pair with Derrick Rose when he returns from injury. They need someone to run point while Rose recovers from ACL surgery, which is expected to keep him out until January or later, then they need a combo guard to run the offense off the bench and provide scoring and offense management.Hinrich returns from Atlanta, where he landed after being traded from the Bulls to the Wizards in a salary ditch in 2011. Hinrich had signed a massive contract extension with the Bulls coming off one of his strongest seasons, but his shot started on a rollercoaster afterwards and has never stabilized. He’ll shoot over 40 percent from three one season then plummet the next. His offensive management skills have also eroded.Still, Hinrich’s a willing defender, and he has a family in the area, which will trump anything. He’ll fit well into the rotation.As a consequence, it’s expected that C.J. Watson will not be retained. Watson will hit the market as a valuable reserve.John Lucas III,Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer are other free agents,any of which(or all)who could be gone.

ROSEMONT—A pregame scuffle between the two central division rivals ignited all sorts of adrenaline for the Chicago Rush (9-7) but they fell in the final minutes to the San Antonio Talons (13-3) 61-54 Sunday afternoon in front of 7,679 fans at Allstate Arena. Defensive player of the game Victor DeGrate sacked Rush quarterback Russ Michna on back-to-back downs with under eight minutes to play to give the Talons the ammunition for their game-winning touchdown. A 20-7 scoring difference in the final quarter helped the Talons overcome a six-point deficit to clinch their first ever National Central Division Championship.
“It’s disappointing because of how much each and every guy in this locker room wants to win and make the playoffs,” Rush head coach Bob McMillen stated.
The game began on the Rush’s side when Reggie Gray fired the opening salvo five seconds in with a 56-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.Talons quarterback Aaron Garcia would not be fazed however as he threaded the ball with precision all night to the tune of 320 passingyards and 7 touchdowns. Tossing along the hash marks for a pass on a first drive third down began the scoring for the Talons when Jomo Wilson juggled, but caught the first of his four touchdowns. Interceptions by both teams on the next two possessions derailed scoring opportunities as Kenneth Fontenette took a touchdown away from Jared Perry, while the Rush’s Jorrick Calvin caught back up to Jason Willis to out jump him for his eighth pick of the year.The Rush capitalized on the turnover by mixing up their looks offensively. Screens, pitches and passes set up a 2-yard touchdown run by backup quarterback Luke Drone, his twelfth of the year.The second quarter introduced the second touchdown catch by Wilson. Despite using six plays inside the Rush nine-yard line Wilson edged his defender on third and goal with a crossing route to secure a 14-13 advantage. Using their first lead of the night the Talons defense preyed on Michna long enough for Devon Allen to coral him to the turf for the first of four team sacks. However, the mini rally of pressure couldn’t carry over to fourth and sixteen as Rush receiver Jared Perry snuck along the left side of the field to bring in the pass and walk in for a 36-yard touchdown.Following the touchdown, a six-play drive lasted over five minutes for San Antonio ending with a fourth and eight at the Rush 24-yard line. Taking time to survey his options, Garcia found Wilson for their thirdtouchdown of the first half.Not wasting anytime to retaliate Michna twirled his second touchdown pass of the game by hitting Perry again, this time for a 28-yard score. An unsuccessful onside kick attempt from the foot of Joe Houston tallied seven easy points when Derek Lee waltzed into the end zone against his former team for the Talons to deadlock the game at 27.
Lee notched the first score of the third quarter for San Antonio when he capped off an eight play, 47-yard drive with his first touchdown catch of the game. Not being discouraged, the Rush quickly recaptured flashbulbs when Perry escaped a jersey tackle to scoot 39-yards for a touchdown grab.  Teammate Marquis Hamilton showed off his talents on the ensuing kickoff by punching the ball out of the hands of Brent Holmes and into the waiting grasp of the Rush’s Semaj Moody.  Using only one play, Gray caught a quick out, twisted the ankles of Fred Shaw, and strutted in for his second touchdown on the afternoon.The aerial assault kept rolling as Marquis Hamilton took his special team talents to the offensive side by sprinting 29-yards to haul inMichna’s fifth touchdown pass of the night. However, Houston’s second missed extra point of the night only gave the Rush a six-point lead going into the fourth quarter.Talons kicker and former Northwestern Wildcat Stefon Demos ended up acquiring the jinx of Houston on extra points as he failed on his second of the game after Wilson caught his fourth touchdown of the night to tie things at 47 early in the fourth quarter.The tie didn’t last more than 74 seconds as J.J. Payne snuck out of the backfield to catch a screen pass and bully his way 25-yards to the end zone. The touchdown at 11:18 of the fourth quarter marked the last score for the Rush on the afternoon.
Just like last week, a player haunted the Rush on a kickoff as Wilson moved his receiving talents to kickoffs and escaped tackles to bring the kick all the way to the Rush 14-yard line. His lengthy return afforded the Talons to score within three plays and tie the game back at 54with 8:54 left to play.From there on out the Talons defense stiffened up sacking Michna twice and hurrying him on two other throws to force a turnover on downs.The one that hurt the most was when he was sacked for a 19 yard loss on third down with the score still tied 54-54. Michna was out of the pocket,but did not try to throw the ball away. On fourth down,an incomplete pass gave the ball to San Antonio and set up the winning score when fullback Chad Cook took a screen catch down to the Rush 3-yard line to set up his own rushing touchdown. His first touchdown of the night not only clinched the victory, but officially eliminated the Rush from the playoff picture.
Perry used his big night to push his season touchdown total to 30. His 120 catches and 1,668 yards put him in the top ten overall for receivers in the Arena Football League.With the loss, the Rush will miss the playoffs for the first time in their eleven-year history. They continue the final two games of their season next weekend with a road game against the Milwaukee Mustangs on July 14th.

National Guard MVP – SA Jomo Wilson

Russell Athletic Offensive Player of the Game – CHI Jared Perry

Riddell Defensive Player of the Game – SA Victor DeGrate

Cutters Catch of the Week – SA Jomo Wilson 3rd quarter touchdown catch

AFL Playmaker of the Game – CHI WR Reggie Gray

Spalding Highlight of the Game – CHI WR Reggie Gray 3rd quarter TD catch vs. Fred Shaw

JLS Ironman of the Game – CHI WR Marquis Hamilton (FF, Tackle, TD catch)