KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The clock has not struck midnight yet for the Kansas City Royals to defend their World Series championship, but it is getting close.The Royals were not just swept in a four-game series by the Oakland Athletics, who are in last place in the American League West, but were embarrassed. They fell 14-5 Thursday and did not score a run until the ninth inning.They were outscored 43-12, the most runs they have allowed in a four-game series in Royals history. The previous high was 41 by the New York Yankees in 1998 and Minnesota Twins in 2006.Its been tough, said Christian Colon, who hit a three-run homer with two out in the ninth for his first career home run. Were not used to this, so its hard. Its hard to really enjoy this because you play to win the game. Thats what matters the most at the end of the day.The Royals chances to get back into postseason are rapidly fading with 16 games left.The Royals, who have lost eight of their past nine Kauffman Stadium games, continue this eight-game homestand with four games against the Chicago White Sox.The White Sox are coming off a 2-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians, who are running away with the American League Central. Jose Abreu homered for the White Sox, while Carlos Sanchez had a walk-off RBI-single.He (Abreu) started out a bit slow but when you look at the end of the year hes probably going to have numbers there as impressive as anybody in the league, White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. If he can get a few more homers and everything else, its historic stuff hes chasing (30 HR, 100 RBI).The White Sox will start All-Star left-hander Chris Sale in the series opener Friday. Sale, who leads the American League with a 3.03 ERA and five complete-games, lost 2-0 to the Royals on Sunday in Chicago.Sale is among the AL pitching leaders with 205 strikeouts, 15 victories, 201 2/3 innings, .220 opponents batting average, 2.55 road ERA and 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings.Sale usually has little difficulty with left-handed hitters, but Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer is 18-for-45, .400, off him. Hosmer is the only left-handed hitter with three home runs off Sale.Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar has a .354 average, 23-for-65, with one home run, off Sale. Royals designated hitter Kendrys Morales has only a .190 average in 21 at-bats off Sale, but two of his four hits are home runs.The Royals will start right-hander Ian Kennedy, who outdueled Sale Sunday, pitching six scoreless innings and allowing just one hit, a leadoff single to Adam Eaton, but worked around four walks, while striking out six.Kennedy is 5-0 with a 2.16 ERA, yielding 12 earned runs in 50 innings, since the beginning of August.Kennedy is 1-1 with a 4.00 ERA in three starts this season against the White Sox. He has a 2-1 record with a 3.38 ERA in his career against the White Sox.It seems unlikely Royals outfielder Lorenzo Cain will appear in the series as he continues to nurse a sore left wrist. He has played in only game this month and could be out for the remainder of the season. Shayne Corson Jersey . The Islanders dealt Thomas Vanek to the Montreal Canadiens after less than a year on Long Island. Meanwhile, the Oilers dealt long-time sniper Ales hemsky to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday for a fifth-round pick in 2014 and a third-rounder in 2015. Adam Oates Jersey . -- James Young couldnt wait to apply those tweaks to his jump shot, and the first one he made against UT Arlington told him it could be a good night. https://www.cheapoilers.com/ . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. 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. Ethan Moreau Jersey .Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres have recalled forward Kevin Porter and defenceman Chad Ruhwedel from the minors as part of a five-player roster shuffle made by the NHLs worst team. Edmonton Oilers Gear . The Swede became the first golfer to win the PGA Tours FedEx Cup and European Tours Race to Dubai in the same season. "It is still taking a little time to sink in what Ive achieved this week as was the case when I won the FedEx Cup but then it just kept getting better and better as the days went on and I am sure this will be the same," he said. Paddy Jackson impressed for Ulster as they beat the Scarlets 19-8 at Kingspan Stadium.?Les Kisss side led 11-0 at the break - through a try from Louis Ludik and two penalties from the returning Jackson -- but failed to score any points at all between the 18th and 70th minutes when Jacksons third penalty took the score to 14-3.Ulster -- hit by injuries to Stuart McCloskey and Luke Marshall -- had earlier failed to register on the scoreboard during Jake Balls 35th-minute sin-binning and only Iain Hendersons late try denied the Welsh region a losing bonus point after Will Boydes 75th-minute touchdown had narrowed the score to 14-8.It started badly for the visitors as Rhys Patchell was well wide with a miss-hit fourth-minute penalty attempt but Jackson made no mistake for Ulster with his first attempt six minutes later after some promising attacking down the left flank was illegally halted.Ulster stretched their lead just after the first quarter when Jackson nailed his second penalty after the Scarlets front row were penalised for collapsing a scrum. Then, just before the 20th minute, Ulster struck from deep after a clearance kick from Patchell was fielded by Craig Gilroy.The Ulster right winger threw the ball left to Charles Piutau and the home side worked the ball down the left with McCloskey putting Ludik clear to score in the corner.Jackson missed the difficult conversion and then the home sides scramble defence saved a score from Gareth Davies with another scrum penalty ensuing from the set-piece on Ulsters line. Gilroy then got clear on the right with only a great ccovering tackle from Liam Williams preventing a certain try.ddddddddddddThe Scarlets went down to 14 men with five minutes remaining in the first half when Ball was shown yellow for some illegal work at a ruck but, frustratingly for Ulster there were no further scores and Kisss men went off leading 11-0 at the break.Worryingly for Ulster, Ball then returned to the action without a point being scored against the visitors. Punishment duly came with Patchell getting the Welsh side off the mark in the 47th minute after Robbie Diack was penalised for blocking a quick tap penalty being taken by Gareth Davies.Ulster then turned the screw after a Gilroy take of a high ball but coughed up a penalty under the Scarlets sticks. This gave the Welsh new impetus and only a last-gasp interception from Piutau prevented a try for James Davies.This in turn led to Gilroy racing free down the wing and being taken down by Williams who was deemed not to have taken the Ulsterman late.The game then became disjointed with McCloskey and his replacement Luke Marshall going off injured but Ulster secured a kick-able penalty and with just 10 minutes on the clock Jackson slotted the crucial kick.The Scarlets finally put something together with replacement back-rower Boyde scuttling over in the 75th minute with Patchell hitting the upright with the conversion. But their losing bonus evaporated in the last minute when Henderson crashed over, Jackson missing the conversion. ' ' '
