Greinke and Pena lead Royals past Jays

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07/21/2010 - Kansas City, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Zack Greinke allowed two runs and struck out nine in eight strong innings, leading the Kansas City Royals to a 5-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in the rubber match of a three-game series.

Greinke (6-9) scattered six hits in the outing and did not walk a batter, as the Royals won for the seventh time in their last eight series tiebreaking games. Brayan Pena recorded a career-high three hits and an RBI, as five different players scored a run in the win.

Joakim Soria notched his AL-leading 26th save of the season.

Vernon Wells had three hits and scored once for the Blue Jays, who fell to 0-5-2 in their last seven series in Kansas City. Lyle Overbay and John McDonald each drove in a run in defeat.

Mark Rzepczynski (0-1) allowed five runs on nine hits in 4 2/3 innings in a spot start to receive the loss.

Soria came on to finish the game in the ninth -- holding a three-run lead -- but ran into some trouble.

Wells singled with one away and moved to third when Adam Lind reached on an error. Soria, though, recovered to strike out Aaron Hill before inducing a weak groundout from Overbay to end the game.

McDonald's RBI double in the third put Toronto ahead, but Kansas City scored twice in the home half to move in front for good

Yuniesky Betancourt led off the inning with a triple to right and Willie Bloomquist singled on the next pitch to tie the game. Bloomquist moved to second on a Mike Aviles single and to third on a Wilson Betemit walk before Jose Guillen's sacrifice fly made it 2-1.

Three more runs by the Royals' offense in the fifth helped build a four-run lead.

Aviles tripled and scored on Billy Butler's double to start the inning, and Butler moved up to third on a wild pitch with one away. Guillen's double plated Butler, and Pena's RBI base hit off Casey Janssen extended the margin to 5-1.

Greinke retired 10 straight batters from the end of the third through the end of the sixth, a streak that ended when Wells singled to begin the seventh. Hill sent Wells to second with a base hit, and Overbay cut Toronto's deficit to three with a run-scoring single.

Edwin Encarnacion, however, grounded into an inning-ending double play to thwart the rally.

Game Notes

The Blue Jays fell to 4-2 on a 10-game road trip...The teams split the season series, 3-3...The Jays failed to homer, snapping a streak of going deep in 13 straight games, a season-high...Toronto shortstop Yunel Escobar (hand) did not play.

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Problem with Bears?

Chicago, IL - New Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and star linebacker Brian Urlacher shot down reports of a rift, saying they're simply not true.

"There's nothing between us," Cutler said Thursday, when he reported to training camp. "I just want to put that to rest. There never has been anything between us."

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Urlacher added: "I never said what I was quoted as saying and that's it. I have a lot of respect for Jay. I think Jay knows that."
Former Bears receiver Bobby Wade caused a stir when he told Minneapolis radio station KFAN-AM that Urlacher used a profanity while questioning Cutler's manhood during a conversation in Las Vegas last weekend. Wade, who now plays for the Vikings, said Urlacher used a profane version of the word "wimp" during the interview that had to be edited out.
go radio station WSCR-AM also reported that Urlacher had to be restrained from confronting Cutler during organized team activities.
"I wouldn't go face-to-face with Brian, anyway," Cutler said. "No, that's never happened. I've hung out with Brian away from the facility numerous times and we've always gotten along."
Urlacher, noting he was limited by a groin injury, denied the reports in an interview with the Chicago Tribune and did it again when he reported to camp.
"I didn't practice this summer, so I don't know how I would fight the guy if I didn't practice," Urlacher said. "We have no problems. I'm excited about football starting. I'm excited to have him as our quarterback."
Why would Wade say that?
"I don't know," Urlacher said. "Maybe he's jealous because we have a good quarterback now."
Cutler said the first he heard of any friction was when he got a call from Urlacher to clear the air. Urlacher, however, said he had already taken several calls from teammates wondering if the reports were true when Cutler phoned.
"He called me and I said, What's up (expletive), what are you doing?'" a grinning Urlacher said, uttering the same word he allegedly used with Wade. "It's so dumb to me that this even got to this point, but it did and then here we are."
better place after going 9-7 and missing the playoffs for the second straight year. They have a franchise quarterback for the first time in decades after acquiring Cutler in an offseason trade with Denver. But there are questions about his attitude following a fallout with Broncos management and new coach Josh McDaniels.
His critics include former Bears coach Mike Ditka and former Indianapolis and Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy, one of Smith's mentors. Smith, however, said Cutler has been a model teammate so far while denying any animosity with Urlacher.
"There's no issue with Jay and Brian, except Brian and Jay are both excited about being teammates for our club this year," coach Lovie Smith said. "No more than that. We can't spend a whole lot of time on something that isn't true. I have talked to the players. Whenever something comes out, you have to address it, but it's a non-issue."
In some ways, Cutler is getting a second chance in Chicago, an opportunity to repair his reputation.
Smith said another quarterback - Michael Vick - deserves one, although he doesn't see it happening with the Bears, who lack an experienced backup. The former Atlanta Falcons star, who served a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring, said Thursday he is getting close to signing with a pro football team.
"A second chance, like everyone in society who has paid their debt to society," Smith said. "He deserves a second chance. As far as we're concerned, we like this team that we have right now."
Particularly the new quarterback.
"Me and Brian have been on a good relationship since I've been here, and I expect it to continue that way," Cutler said.

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