Story und Regeln » Westbrook was the only regular

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Matt Carpenter had a career-high five hits for St. Louis on Wednesday night. The last of them was arguably the most important. Carpenter delivered a go-ahead double in the 11th inning, and the Cardinals added two more runs on a single by Allen Craig, sending them to a 5-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals and ending a frustrating three-game losing streak. "Sometimes it takes an emotional victory like this to kind of jumpstart a team," said Carpenter, who also reached base on a walk. "Maybe this one will be the one for us." The Royals rallied with two runs in the ninth, and the game remained tied until the 11th, when Peter Bourjos worked a one-out walk off Royals reliever Kelvin Herrera (1-2). Carpenter then rapped his double to centre field, drawing a roar from a crowd comprised mostly of Cardinals fans. Craig added his single off Tim Collins later in the inning, and Pat Neshek breezed through the bottom half to end the Royals six-game winning streak against National League clubs. Sam Freeman (1-0) earned the win with a perfect 10th inning. "It was just one of those gut-check games," Craig said. "Were not going to stop competing." Carpenter became the first Cardinal to record five hits in a game since Ryan Ludwick on Sept. 4, 2009. He had a part in his clubs first three runs, driving in Mark Ellis in the second inning and scoring on Matt Hollidays groundout in the seventh After St. Louis dropped the first two games of the four-game, two-city set at Busch Stadium, the NL champs rebounded to win for the eighth straight time at Kauffman Stadium. The Cardinals persevered after Adam Wainwright blew a 2-0 lead in the ninth inning. He struck out Eric Hosmer to start it, but the ball squirted away from catcher Yadier Molina, allowing Hosmer to reach first base. Billy Butler followed with a crisp single up the middle. Trevor Rosenthal, who took the loss Tuesday night, entered in relief and walked Alex Gordon on a full count to load the bases. Salvador Perez followed with a broken-bat groundout to score a run, and Lorenzo Cains single up the middle knotted the game 2-all. "You lose the lead and a start like that from Waino, theres a lot of teams that will roll over in that situation," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said, "but the guys stepped up." The ninth-inning rally still soured a dazzling outing by Wainwright, who was trying to become the NLs first nine-game winner. The two-time All-Star did not allow a hit until the sixth inning, stranded three runners on third base and struck out eight while walking just two. "Wainwright pitched a great game. Hes an unbelievable pitcher," Cain said. "When we tied the game, I thought we had them. We tried to spoil it for him at the end." Wainwright wasnt the only Cardinal to get on track, though. Molina had hits in his first two at-bats, snapping an 0-for-16 streak. Ellis ended an 0-for-8 stretch with his single in the second that led to the games first run. Jason Vargas kept Kansas City in it most of the night. After leaving the bases loaded in the first inning, he went on strand 10 in a season-high eight innings. The left-hander allowed nine hits and walked two while allowing two runs or fewer for the fifth time in six starts. "Carpenter was pretty hot," Vargas said. "It was just one of those games where youve got to grind, make pitches and kind of think your way through things." NOTES: Vargas threw a season-high 117 pitches. ... Royals RHP Greg Holland pitched a scoreless 10th, his 11th straight appearance without allowing a run. ... LHP Bruce Chen (bulging disc) said he will need at least two more rehab starts before rejoining the Royals. He allowed eight hits in three innings for Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Tuesday night. ... Cardinals 2B Kolten Wong was out of the lineup with a sore right shoulder. He pinch hit for Ellis in the 10th inning and remained in the game. ... RHP Michael Wacha starts for St. Louis in Thursdays series finale. RHP Yordano Ventura is on the mound for Kansas City. Cheap Wholesale Air Max 720 . -- The Jacksonville Jaguars are bringing back quarterback Chad Henne -- and making him the starter. Clearance Air Max 720 . - Mark Sanchez found out the New York Jets had acquired Tim Tebow on a conference call with team management. http://www.airmax720canada.com/. And follow TSN.ca right through Wednesdays 3pm et trade deadline for all the updates. Blue line help for Red Wings? In addition to what he reported in Insider Trading, TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun wrote on ESPN. Wholesale Air Max 720 . Jonathan Crompton led the team to a 40-9 win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Crompton threw three touchdown passes - two to Duron Carter and one to Brandon London - and Sean Whyte connected on four field goals to power the Alouettes to the win. Nike Air Max 720 Canada . Sterling was banned for life and fined US$2.5 million by the NBA on Tuesday for racist comments the league says he made in a recorded conversation. Nash, who plays for the rival L.A. Lakers, spoke as a representative of current NBA players at a press conference assembled by Sacramento mayor and National Basketball Players Association adviser Kevin Johnson.OKLAHOMA CITY - As Russell Westbrook sat out for two months while recovering from knee surgery last season, he watched Kevin Durant emerge as a leader.Westbrook said two things stood out most about the way Durant picked up the slack for him — the stream of victories and the way Durant showed confidence in his teammates who also had to take on more significant roles.In Oklahoma Citys first preseason action since learning that Durant would be out with a Jones fracture in his right foot, Westbrook showed that same kind of confidence in his teammates and got similar results. He had 14 points and 12 assists in three quarters as the Thunder beat the Grizzlies 117-107 on Tuesday night.The game was an important step for the Thunder, and for Westbrook, as they prepare to start the season without the reigning MVP. Typical recovery time for Durants injury is six to eight weeks.Weve got to find a way to get rhythm, find sets, Westbrook said. I know for myself, Ive got to find a way to see how I can make an impact on the game and still be effective and win games.Durant walked around during timeouts and often smiled while talking to teammates throughout the game. Westbrook talked to his teammates, too. During a break in the action in the second quarter, he told centre Steven Adams, Every time, Steve-O. Adams scored 14 of his 22 points in that quarter in just eight minutes.Adams averaged just 3.3 points per game last season primarily as Kendrick Perkins backup, but he has made 24 of 28 field goals this preseasoon and leads the team with 18.dddddddddddd7 points per game.Once I drive, the big has to help, Westbrook said. He (Adams) just has to be ready. He has big hands, man, he has huge hands. I think its an advantage. Great touch.Other Thunder players who sat out with injuries include Nick Collison (ankle sprain), Serge Ibaka (ankle sprain), Reggie Jackson (wrist contusion), Grant Jerrett (ankle), Mitch McGary (foot fracture) and Perkins (quad strain). Westbrook was the only regular from last seasons starting lineup who played.The injuries gave several players a chance to shine. Jeremy Lamb led the way with 23 points. Anthony Morrow, a free-agent pickup who last played for the New Orleans Pelicans, added 19 points.Oklahoma City trailed 32-23 at the end of the first quarter, but the Thunder scored 37 points in the second to take a 60-59 lead at the break. Oklahoma City extended its lead to 92-83 at the end of the third quarter.Key players Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol, Mike Conley, Tony Allen and Tayshaun Prince didnt play for the Grizzlies. Still, the Thunder were glad to get a chance to start figuring out how to be competitive without Durant and the other injured players.Its definitely a challenge, Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. Its not the ideal situation, but its a challenge that were all going to step up and learn from and get better from it. When our team is whole, we want to be a better team. Thats our mindset every day.___Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/CliffBruntAP ' ' '