Die Macht » en.Sixth-placed Brisbane will try to sta

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Toronto Blue Jays bats went silent over the weekend.Jose Bautista, Josh Donaldson and Edwin Encarnacion did not have an extra-base hit or drive in a run in the three-game series at Kansas City.Yordano Ventura pitched effectively into the seventh inning Sunday and Kendrys Morales hit a grand slam as the Royals beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-1.Today was a little frustrating, Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. Its always tough to play here. Theyre world champs. Theyre that for a reason and they held us in check. We really havent been swinging that good since the beginning of the last homestand. Weve been in kind of a rut, so were due to explode.The fired duds against Ventura. Ventura (7-9), who was 0-5 in seven starts since a June 17 victory over the Detroit Tigers, limited the Blue Jays to one run and five singles in 6 2/3 innings, walking four and striking out four.Its hard to be hot for 162, losing pitcher Marcus Stroman said. Our guys are some of the best hitters in the league and were aware of that and the droughts not going to last. Its just one of those spurts and Im sure theyll break out pretty soon.The Blue Jays had four hits and two walks in the first four innings, but wound up stranding eight men and went 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position.Morales third career grand slam and his first since July 30, 2012, while with the Los Angeles Angels came off left-hander Brett Cecil with two out in the eighth to break the game open. Raul Mondesi, Alcides Escobar and Cheslor Cuthbert led off the inning with singles. It appeared Toronto might escape unharmed after Lorenzo Cain and Eric Hosmer struck out, but Morales hit Cecils first pitch out to straight-away center.Stroman (8-5) allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings. He threw 95 pitches before being replaced by Scott Feldman.Gibbons called it a solid outing by Stroman.He pitched good enough to win, and they made him work, Gibson said. They beat us at their game, really. They threw out some hits, and the safety squeeze, things like that. Three runs in five innings, youll take that. Whatd we score, one? There you go.Drew Butera and Mondesi delivered run-producing singles in the second. Butera cracked his bat on his hit to bring home Alex Gordon, while Mondesis bunt single scored Paulo Orlando, who logged his fourth straight multi-hit game.Theyre a dynamic team with their speed, Stroman said. They dont have to beat you with homers. Theyre looking to move the ball, move guys. Very fast and they put the ball in play.Escobar homered -- only his second of the season -- to lead off the fifth.Ventura was pulled after walking Darwin Barney and giving up a single to Devon Travis with two out in the seventh. Peter Moylan replaced Ventura and struck out Jose Bautista, but not before a wild pitch allowed Barney to score.TRAINERS ROOMBlue Jays: CF Kevin Pillar jammed his left thumb sliding into second base Saturday and not in the lineup as a precaution.UP NEXTBlue Jays: RHP R.A. Dickey, who is second in the AL with 12 losses, will start against the Rays in the opener of a six-game homestand. Tampa Bay will start RHP Jake Odorizzi.Royals: After a day off Monday, Edinson Volquez will start Tuesday against the White Sox. Volquez has a 9.82 ERA in losing his past two starts. Tim Frazier Pistons Jersey . Already owning gold from competition in Vancouver in 2010, Loch posted a combined four-run time of 3:27.526. That included a track-record third run of 51. Reggie Jackson Jersey . The mixed zone is not a place to make friends. https://www.pistonsrookiesshop.com/Bill-Laimbeer-City-Edition-Jersey/ . 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Dont write anyone off yet.Wayne Bennett has adopted the mantra ahead of Brisbanes NRL clash with Penrith on Friday night, insisting the premiership race is still wide open.Sixth-placed Brisbane will try to stay in touch with runaway pacesetters Cronulla and Melbourne with a win over ex-Broncos coach Anthony Griffins Panthers at Suncorp Stadium.But Bennett has dismissed the notion that the 2016 title can only be won by a top-four team.Finals football is all about momentum, he said.Ive seen teams play woeful three weeks out from the finals ... then win a tough game in the play-offs and they are on their way.Dont write anyone off yet.The Broncos dont have much momentum just yet - they snapped a stretch of five losses in six games with last rounds 30-10 victory over South Sydney.Brisbane have a good run into the finals, facing just two sides currently in the top eight - the Bulldogs and Melbourne.And two of their remaining seven games are against lowly Sydney Roosters.Bennett may not be taking notice of the NRL ladder but he does have one eye on the future after rival Gold Coasts signing of Jarrod Wallace.Bennett will look to bolster forward depth and develop youungsters Tevita Pangai, Jai Arrow, Herman Eseese and Joe Ofahengaue with Wallace and captain Corey Parker (retirement) departing at the end of the season.ddddddddddddWe didnt want to lose him but thats the salary cap, Bennett said of Wallaces Titans deal.Brisbane will look to the market to bolster their pack - not that Bennett was giving anything away on Thursday.We are not going to make big statements about who we are after, he said.But we are not at panic stations.Wallaces departure frees up money for Brisbane to re-sign Test forward Matt Gillett and utility Kodi Nikorima.It is part of the juggling act, Bennett said.Bennett said Gillett (shoulder) would return next week.KEY FACTS - BRONCOS v PANTHERS* Brisbane have defeated Penrith in five of their past six matches at Suncorp Stadium* Penrith has won three of their eight away games this season. Since the start of 2015 the Panthers have claimed just five of 20 matches away* Penrith have won one of their past eight games in Queensland stretching back to the end of the 2011 season. ' ' '