ACC/Big Ten Challenge figures to be the top game of the week.J

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Yonder Alonsos doubles are spoiling the Kansas City Royals postseason hopes.Alonso and Marcus Semien hit two-run doubles as the Oakland Athletics beat Kansas City 8-0 for the third straight game on Wednesday night to further ruin the Royals postseason chances.The 2015 World Series champion Royals are five games out in the American League wild card with 17 games left and would have to climb over five teams.I think our guys were really fired up coming into today, Royals manager Ned Yost said. There was some anger in that locker room today before the game, so I dont feel any deflation. Guys are upset that we lost those games. Theyre not pointing any fingers because they know that we win as a team and lose as a team. Theyre not happy with it.Alonsos two-run eighth inning laser pinch double Tuesday lifted the As to victory. Alonsos broken-bat double in the first scored Danny Valencia and Stephen Vogt.A totally different swing in a totally different situation, but it got the job done and thats what matters, Alonso said. In this game, sometimes youd rather by lucky than good. It worked out for me yesterday. Today was a new day and it worked out. The bat died a hero.As rookie left-hander Sean Manaea (5-9) picked up his first career road victory, retiring 13 of the final 14 batters he faced in five scoreless innings, striking out five and walking one. Manaea, who had not pitched since Aug. 29 when he left in the fourth inning with a strained left rhomboid, was removed after 67 pitches. The As acquired Manaea from the Royals in July 2015 as part of the Ben Zobrist trade.I dont think about those things, Manaea said of facing his former club. It was great seeing those guys again and doing well against them makes everything better.Yordano Ventura (10-11) threw 39 pitches, 28 after two outs, in a three-run third. Ventura retired the first two batters and then gave up five consecutive hits, two of them doubles. Semiens double scored Alonso and Ryon Healy. Bruce Maxwells single scored Semien.I was trying to be a little too fine and I was falling behind in the count, Ventura said through an interpreter.Ventura was pulled after 4 1/3 innings, giving up five runs on seven hits, four walks, a hit batter and two wild pitches. He has yielded 17 hits and nine runs in 11 1/3 innings in losing his past two starts.Khris Davis delivered a two-out two-run eighth inning single and scored on Healys single to cap off the scoring.Oakland relievers John Axford, Liam Hendriks and Chris Smith held the Royals to one single the final four innings. The As bullpen has restricted the Royals to one run and three hits over 12 1/3 innings in the first three games.Manaea did a great job of pitching, as did their whole staff, Yost said. You know, Ventura was out there competing his tail off. He just struggled to command the secondary stuff and his fastball.The Royals, who have lost seven of their past eight home games, did not have a runner reach third base.STICKING WITH SORIAWhile RHP Joakim Soria is 0-3 with three blown saves and a 9.00 ERA in seven games since August 30, Royals manager Ned Yost said he is not forsaking him. Jacks had great outings and hes had bad outings, Yost said. Yeah, hes had a rough year. The thing that is so puzzling to him is he feels good. Its just one of those things.FUENTES RELEASEDThe Royals asked for unconditional release waivers on Rey Fuentes, who was their opening day starting right fielder after hitting .386 in spring training. Fuentes hit .317 in 13 games and 44 plate-appearances with Kansas City. He spent most of the season with Triple-A Omaha, where he hit .254 and swiped 17 bases in 22 attempts.TRAINERS ROOMAthletics: RHP Sonny Gray (strained forearm) threw a 20-pitch bullpen session and could appear in a game before the season ends. The look on his face and the intensity in which he threw suggests that he wants to pitch, As manager Bob Melvin said. Obviously, well be careful and make sure that every step along the way hes healthy, but theres a good chance, at this point, well get him in a game or two. . RHP J.B. Wendelken (forearm tightness) was unavailable.UP NEXTAthletics: RHP Daniel Mengden, who is 0-2 with a 10.57 ERA in two September starts, faces the Royals for the first time.Royals: RHP Edinson Volquez, who has won his past three decisions against the As, starts the series finale.Tim Heed Jersey . -- Matt Kuchar and Harris English ran away with the Franklin Templeton Shootout, shooting a 14-under 58 on Sunday in the final-round scramble to break the tournament course record. Adidas Martin Jones Jersey . -- Mike Smith never saw his first NHL goal go in. http://www.cheapsharksjerseys.com/ . 1, meaning problems for the doping controls at both major international sports events next year. The World Anti-Doping Agency provisionally suspended the Moscow Antidoping Center on Sunday, saying its operations must improve or a six-month ban on the facilitys accreditation will be imposed. Joel Ward Jersey . -- Jonathan Drouin gave Halifax the boost it needed to edge host Sherbrooke Phoenix 3-2 in a shootout in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Joe Pavelski Jersey . The players spoke Jan. 13 during a Major League Baseball Players Association conference call after Rodriguez sued the union and Major League Baseball to overturn an arbitrators decision suspending him for the 2014 season and post-season.LAS VEGAS -- Maryland trailed for much of the game, grew frustrated by its miscues and needed to make key plays down the stretch under pressure.Just what the No. 6 Terrapins were craving.Brionna Jones had 20 points and a career-high 20 rebounds and Maryland pulled away late to beat Washington State 79-69 on Saturday.Maryland (6-0) entered having won each game by at least 32 points. The Terrapins largest deficit was 2-0 and it had trailed for less than 2 minutes total in five games.This team is really, really competitive, so I think theyd much rather play in games like this where youre tested to be able to see how to work through a game, coach Brenda Frese said. We really enjoyed it.The Cougars led by six in the first half and for much of the third quarter. With game tied at 61, Jones hit two free throws and Destiny Slocum added a 3-pointer and two free throws in a 10-2 run to put Maryland ahead 71-63 with 1:39 left at the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout.I think this just shows how hard we have to compete going forward, Jones said.The senior centers offensive rebounds helped keep her teammates in it in the first half. She delivered clutch plays down the stretch as her teammates found a rhythm.She was huge, Frese said. We knew we were going to be able to go inside, but her presence, they had no answer for her on both ends of the floor.Kaila Charles scored 19 points, Shatori Walker-Kimbrough had 15 and Slocum 11 for Maryland in its final tuneup before its showdown at No. 4 Louisville on Thursday.Borislava Hristova scored 25 points on 11-of-19 shooting for Washington State (4-2). The Cougars were 7 of 21 from the foul line.Im really proud of our team. I thought we had a good tournament here, Washington State coach June Daugherty said. We played very well the other night against Nebraska and I thought for about three and a half quarters, we played pretty well against the No. (6) team in the couuntry.ddddddddddddBIG PICTUREMaryland: Winning games by 56, 45 and 64 points before routing No. 23 Arizona State by 41 Friday may have led to a lack of intensity. There were plenty of missed layups and poor passes allowing the Cougars to gain confidence in a physical game.Washington State: The Cougars, picked to finish 10th in the Pac-12, have plenty of contributors. For the sixth straight game, 12 players saw action. Daugherty, in her 10th season, had her players diving for loose balls and drawing charges in an inspired performance.POLL IMPLICATIONS:Maryland could move up a spot by jumping over the loser of Sundays game between No. 3 South Carolina and No. 4 Louisville. Thursdays matchup with the Cardinals in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge figures to be the top game of the week.JONES DOMINANCEJones said she maybe had a 20-20 game in high school, but not recently. Her previous career high was 19 rebounds.HRISTOVA SHINESHristova, the Pac-12s second-leading freshman scorer last season, was held to nine points against Nebraska and previously suffered through 4-of-13 and 5-of-14 shooting games.She has not been happy with her play on both ends of the floor, Daugherty said. To her credit, she just relaxed a little bit and let the game come to her for a while. Then she got some confidence and she tried to take over the game, which is great to see.FREE THROW WOESDaugherty looked at the stats sheet and the 14 missed free throws and declared, Thats ballgame.Caila Hailey went 2 for 8 from the line.UP NEXTThursday will be Marylands first trip to Louisville since beating the Cardinals to advance to the 2014 Final Four.Washington State returns home to face San Diego on Friday, its fourth West Coast Conference opponent of the season. The Pac-12 opener is Dec. 27 at No. 15 Washington. ' ' '