Off Topic » though he failed to strike out a batter

DETROIT -- The Kansas City Royals finally lost, but slugger Billy Butler hopes their impressive push in the AL Central will go on. "This doesnt end anything," he said. "Weve got 10-1 in our last 11 games, and were going home in first place. We just have to keep playing the way we are right now." Anibal Sanchez pitched seven sharp innings, and the Detroit Tigers snapped Kansas Citys 10-game winning streak with a 2-1 victory Thursday. J.D. Martinez hit a tiebreaking homer in the fourth for the Tigers, who avoided a four-game sweep and pulled within a half-game of the AL Central-leading Royals. Sanchez (4-2) allowed five hits and a walk, keeping the Kansas City offence quiet even though he failed to strike out a batter. Joba Chamberlain pitched the eighth, and struggling closer Joe Nathan struck out the side in the ninth for his 14th save in 18 chances. Danny Duffy (4-6) allowed two runs and three hits in seven innings. He walked one and struck out five. "We just had a great road trip, Danny Duffy just pitched a great game, and we lost a game to a great pitcher and a home run where I have no idea how J.D. Martinez hit the ball out of the park," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "All I can do is tip my cap to him, because he killed us all series." Butler gave the Royals a 1-0 lead with an RBI double in the first, but Miguel Cabrera drove in a run with a double of his own in the fourth. Cabrera was tagged out on a bizarre double play when right fielder Nori Aoki caught Victor Martinezs flyball and threw back to the infield, where Cabrera was nonchalantly returning to second. Shortstop Alcides Escobar caught the ball and made the tag. Cabrera was initially ruled safe, but the call was overturned on replay. J.D. Martinez followed with a solo homer to right, his sixth of the year. He now has a nine-game hitting streak, with a .412 average in that span, and he hopes this win will end a stretch in which so much has gone badly for the Tigers. Detroit won for only the 10th time in its last 30 games. "Its funny, even talking to the umpires, they even chime in and say it. Theyre like, Dude, everything thats going wrong just seems to be going wrong for you guys. You guys just got to grind through it," Martinez said. "You see the breaks that weve been getting. We hit the ball hard, it gets caught. We hit it soft, it gets caught. We get on base, the ball goes to the backstop, comes back, gets thrown out, were out of an inning. Its just kind of like, craziness." Sanchez went without a strikeout for the first time in his career, but his fielders helped him. Third baseman Nick Castellanos reached over the railing of the Detroit dugout to catch a foul popup in the sixth. Nathan, who signed with the Tigers in the off-season, brought a 6.57 ERA into the game. He struck out Butler to start the ninth -- the Kansas City designated hitter argued the called third strike -- and Salvador Perez went down swinging. With the crowd on its feet and anxious for a much-needed win, Nathan struck out Lorenzo Cain to end it. "That looked like the Joe Nathan Ive faced for years," Butler said. "All those times with the Twins and then with Texas -- the one with a few hundred saves and all those All-Star games. Hes had some tough moments in his career, but that looked like the same guy today." The Royals were without outfielder Alex Gordon, who sat out because of flu-like symptoms. Detroit outfielder Torii Hunter (hamstring) did not play either. NOTES: The Tigers play at Cleveland on Friday night. Detroit RHP Rick Porcello (8-4) faces Cleveland RHP Corey Kluber (6-4). ... The Royals host Seattle. Kansas City RHP James Shields (7-3) takes on Mariners RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (5-3). Dikembe Mutombo Jersey . - Whether its because of her improved play or the reason for it, Michelle Wie appears as comfortable on and off the golf course as at any time in her career. Malik Beasley Jersey .The law passed on Friday, in a 128-62 vote in the lower chamber of parliament, was prompted by FIFA bribery scandals in recent years.Switzerland-based sports leaders such as FIFA President Sepp Blatter and IOC President Thomas Bach are now classed as politically exposed persons in wider legislation covering money-laundering. http://www.cheapnuggetsjerseys.com/.C. -- Duke sophomore Rodney Hood is entering the NBA draft. Michael Porter Jersey . Sam, who joined the Cowboys in early September, has spent the entire season on the practice roster. Cheap Swingman Nuggets Jerseys . 17.A string of English Premier League teams, most in the lower end of the standings, has been linked to the 32-year-old forward but most have seemingly balked at the cost given his wages and transfer fee.With all eyes on the Grey Cup in Regina, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers continue their search for a new head coach and it appears some names are beginning to surface. According to the Edmonton Sun, Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterbacks coach Khari Jones is the favourite to be hired for the position after the Grey Cup. The Blue Bombers must wait until after Sundays game to ask permission to speak to Jones but that may not be their only phone call. The Sun also reports that Hamilton Tiger-Cats head U.S. scout Danny McManus is also on the Blue Bombers radar. The report indicates that McManus may be in the running to become the teams assistaant general manager.dddddddddddd Currently, Kyle Walters is the Blue Bombers acting genereal manager but the interim tag may be removed in the near future, paving the way for new hires. Walters and McManus were teammates with the Tiger-Cats and Jones and McManus worked together on the Hamilton staff in recent years. Meanwhile, the Winnipeg Free Press reports the Blue Bombers have asked permission to speak to Toronto Argonauts special-teams co-ordinator Mike OShea about the position. When asked about the report, Argonauts general manager Jim Barker told the Free Press, "Its not my place to divulge that." ' ' '