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KANSAS CITY, Mo.-- Coming off back-to-back quality starts, the Seattle Mariners should feel confident going into the third game of the series Saturday against Kansas City.Kansas Citys offense is struggling, and Wade Miley, Seattles starting pitcher on Saturday, has done well almost every time he has faced them.Miley owns a 4-1 career record in five starts against Kansas City with a 2.91 ERA. He joined the Mariners this off-season after pitching for five years with the Diamondbacks and the Red Sox.In his first appearance against Kansas City in a Mariners uniform, he threw his first career shutout, giving up just five hits and striking out four back on April 30 in Seattle.Seattle manager Scott Servais hopes things continue the way they have gone in the first two games of the series.On Thursday, James Paxton threw just 57 pitches through the first seven innings. He had to throw 21 more in the eighth, but still left with a 3-2 lead. Kansas City came back to win 4-3 on a two-run double by Salvador Perez.In Fridays 3-2 win, Hisashi Iwakuma allowed one run and five hits in 6 2/3 innings and Edwin Diaz retired Jarrod Dyson with a runner in scoring position for the final out of the seventh.Our guys did an outstanding job (Friday) Servais said. With Iwakuma and the bullpen we kind of matched them up a bit. It was a nice job by Diaz coming back (in the seventh) after getting down 3-0 on Dyson. He just calmed down and made his pitches. The story of the night is definitely our pitching.Some of the credit or blame must go to the Kansas City offense. Even with a 28-12 home record that is the best, when the bats go silent they go real silent.The Royals are a 14-12 in their 26 games and has showcased the tendencies of an inconsistent offense.In their 14 wins, the Royals have batted .308 and averaged 5.6 runs. In the 12 losses, Kansas has batted .240 and averaged 2.9 runs.Part of the problem is that Kansas City does not take a lot of pitches. The Royals are last in Major League Baseball in walks with 192 through 86 games. Three American League teams have at least 300 walks.Manager Ned Yost defiantly says its part of his teams DNA.Were an aggressive team, he said. You try to find whats best for your guys and our guys are aggressive guys. If the other guy is throwing strikes, theyre going to be swinging the bat. Sometimes it plays into your game.The other day (Wednesday), I was really impressed with (Torontos Marcus) Stroman. He threw 68 pitches going into the eighth inning. We still found a way to tie the ballgame. We ended up losing the game.Last night it was 57 pitches (by Paxton) going into the eighth. Dang, thats unheard of. But we still found a way to win the ballgame. Its something you cant change. Its what we are, its who we are. When it works its great. When it doesnt, people want to criticize.Yost will be hoping that his starter, Edinson Volquez, can build on a solid start Monday in Toronto. Volquez allowed one run on just three hits in the first six innings before breaking down in the seventh. He left with no outs in the seventh and the bases loaded. All three runners scored.The key will be the first inning. Volquez has allowed 14 earned runs in the first inning of his 18 starts this season (7.00 ERA), while his season ERA is 4.87.Volquez has pitched better at home, where hes 5-3 with a 4.22 ERA in 10 starts. Hes 2-5 with a 5.72 ERA on the road. <a href="http://www.astrosteamproshop.com/Astros-Jeff-Bagwell-Kids-Jersey/">Jeff Bagwell Jersey</a>. The defending champion beat Gael Monfils of France 7-6 (6), 6-3, while second-seeded Andy Murray of Britain dispatched Edouard Roger-Vasselin, also of France, 6-3, 6-3. 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With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. <a href="http://www.astrosteamproshop.com/Astros-Andy-Pettitte-Kids-Jersey/">Andy Pettitte Jersey</a>. PAUL, Minn. <a href="http://www.astrosteamproshop.com/Astros-Josh-Reddick-Kids-Jersey/">Josh Reddick Jersey</a>. The catch: It needs a lot of money, and it needs it fast. ARLINGTON, Va. -- It didnt take long for Alex Ovechkin to feel comfortable back on the ice with the Washington Capitals.Ovechkin made his training camp debut Wednesday after playing at the World Cup of Hockey, joined by Russian teammates Evgeny Kuznetsov and Dmitry Orlov. Russia lost to Canada in the semifinals Saturday, and Ovechkin got a couple of days off like other World Cup players felt physically OK when getting back to work.It was kind of hard to be back on the ice, but after a couple drills you start to feel the puck again and skating abilities (are) coming back, Ovechkin said.Playing three exhibitions, three round-robin contests and one semifinal game at the World Cup was a mental and physical grind because the tournament was a new challenge. Playing meaningful hockey in the fall is significantly different than the playoffs in the spring or even the Olympics in the winter.Ovechkin believes that made a difference at the World Cup.I think if it was during the year like Olympic Games I dont think U.S. would lose, I dont think Finland would lose, Ovechkin said. It would be a totally different tournament if it was during the year, not before the year when everybody not in shape, everybody never been in this position before.Ovechkin supports the idea of the World Cup, arguing that its a good and a bad thing because of the level of play and the potential for injuriees.dddddddddddd The three-time Hart Trophy winner who led the NHL in goals last season just turned 31 and isnt worried about the extra seven games on his body.I dont think its gonna mean a lot, Ovechkin said, adding that when the season starts he believes having played in the World Cup will help players who played in these tough games.Kuznetsov said it felt good to be home with the Capitals and be back in hockey mode. Playing with Kuznetsov, Ovechkin got into hockey mode at the World Cup and is beginning the adjustment back to the NHL.Its nice to be back, obviously, Ovechkin said. Its kind of when youre waiting when the seasons over like, `OK Im gonna have a couple months to wait. But as soon as three weeks off you feel like the seasons gonna have to start right away because you miss this atmosphere and attention. Sometimes it just gets boring.Ovechkin tied for the team lead in points for Russia with three in four games. The 525-goal scorer might be ready to play in a regular-season game right now but will have some time to ramp back up for Oct. 13 against the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins.Thats why we have a couple more weeks to be in that shape, Ovechkin said.---Follow Stephen Whyno on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/SWhyno . <a href="http://www.chinawholesalejerseysnfl.com/">Wholesale Jerseys</a> ' ' '