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Why Kansas City Royals’ 11-2 loss to the Phillies packed an extra playoff punch

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Why Kansas City Royals’ 11-2 loss to the Phillies packed an extra playoff punch


It was a tough night at the office for the Kansas City Royals.

The Royals got a look at premier MLB ace Ranger Suarez on Saturday night at Kauffman Stadium. Suarez, who returned from the 15-day injured list after lower back tightness, didn’t miss a beat in guiding the Philadelphia Phillies to an 11-2 victory.

It was a night made worse by other results around the AL Central, with a month and change to go in the regular season.

First, for Saturday’s game, Suarez allowed one run in five innings. He picked up his 11th victory by limiting the Royals to four hits and striking out six batters.

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“He was tough,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “You know, he was locating like crazy. … Any time we were looking for a fastball, he threw a change, and vise-versa. You’ve got to tip your cap to how he pitched.”

The Phillies did their damage against Royals starter Brady Singer.

Catcher J.T. Realmuto belted a three-run homer in the sixth inning as Philadelphia took a four-run lead. It was his ninth home run.

Singer dealt with a lot of traffic on the basepaths. He allowed five runs and 11 hits in five innings. Phillies trio Trea Turner, Bryce Harper and Austin Hays recorded RBIs in the victory.

“I had to compete,” Singer said. “I had some traffic throughout the whole game, but I felt like I made some good pitches when I needed to. And, obviously, they capitalized on a few of those pitches.”

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Singer suffered his ninth loss. The Phillies collected 18 hits to even the three-game series.

In the eighth inning, Realmuto capped the victory with a second three-run homer. This time, he clobbered an 85.4 mph changeup off Royals reliever Chris Stratton.

Realmuto finished with a career-high seven RBIs.

“They beat us up pretty good,” Quatraro said. “But we did not do the things we can control as well as we can do them. Some of it is on us and some of it you’ve got to credit them.”

Royals designated hitter Freddy Fermin accounted for the lone offense. He hit an RBI single in the fifth inning and a sacrifice fly in the seventh.

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KC dropped to 72-57.

Missed previous Royals coverage?

Game 1: Royals begin difficult 20-game stretch with home win

Personal Best: Salvador Perez, Hunter Renfroe reach career milestones against Phillies

Here are more notables from Saturday’s game:

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Royals run themselves out of scoring chance

The Royals let a few opportunities slip against the Phillies.

In the third inning, outfielder Dairon Blanco got aboard with a leadoff walk and represented the second baserunner of the game. Kyle Isbel moved Blanco into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt.

However, Blanco wouldn’t advance further. As the lineup flipped over, third baseman Maikel Garcia hit a ground ball weakly back to Suarez. Blanco failed to advance on contact and remained at second.

The Royals now faced a two-out situation. Blanco still represented the tying run as KC star Bobby Witt Jr. stepped to the plate.

Witt wouldn’t get a chance to drive the runner in. Instead, Blanco attempted to steal third base and was thrown out to end the inning.

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“That’s completely on me,” Quatraro said. “I need to put the red light on there and I didn’t. We need to let Bobby hit there, but that’s my responsibility.”

KC defense faltered too …

Later, the Royals struggled in the field.

There was a misplay in the sixth inning where second baseman Michael Massey and right fielder Hunter Renfroe allowed a ball to drop between them.

“(Renfroe) and I were going at it and no one called it,” Massey said. “And then I called it late. Felt like I heard something out there and he didn’t end up calling it, actually. So that’s my fault. Got to do a better job listening for him.”

Later, Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott lined a single that took a funny hop in front of Massey. Both plays led to Realmuto’s home run.

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“That’s what good teams do right,” Massey said. “They take advantage of your mistakes and, you know, make you pay for it.”

Postseason update

The Royals lost ground in the American League Central on Saturday night.

Both the Cleveland Guardians (74-55) and Minnesota Twins (72-57) won their respective games. As a result, the Royals fell two games behind the Guardians for first place in the American League Central.

On Monday, the Royals and Guardians will begin a critical four-game series at Progressive Field. The Twins are now tied with the Royals in the divisional standings. Minnesota defeated the St. Louis Cardinals at home.

In the AL Wild Card picture, the Royals slid to the final playoff spot. They are 3.5 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox (67-61) after both teams lost on Saturday.

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What’s next on the KC Royals schedule?

The Royals finish their six-game homestand against the Phillies. KC ace Seth Lugo will start on Sunday afternoon.

Lugo is tied for the MLB lead with 14 wins this season. He owns a 3.04 ERA in 13 home starts at Kauffman Stadium.

The Phillies are expected to start left-hander Kolby Allard, who has a 3.46 ERA in three appearances (two starts) this year.



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Website and app for Kansas drivers has several updates

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Website and app for Kansas drivers has several updates


WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A website and app that assists Kansas drivers has received an upgrade.

On Monday, the Kansas Department of Transportation said KanDrive, which has served motorists in the state since 2009, has the following new features:

  • Ability to report incidents through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
  • Hands-free voice incident reporting through Apple CarPlay 
  • High wind/weather and slow-moving vehicle alerts
  • Expanded work zone updates  
  • Enhanced detour information  
  • Integration with Alexa-enabled devices 
  • Oversize truck location mapping (U.S. Highway 83 corridor only)  

KDOT said the features are available statewide and were developed as part of the U.S. Highway 83 Advanced Technology Project.

KanDrive provides real-time travel information such as road conditions, closures, construction updates, camera/video feeds and detour information. 

Download KanDrive from the Google Play or Apple App Store or visit the website.

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For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. To watch our shows live on our website, click here.



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Iowa State, Kansas State players vote to skip bowl games. Who could take their spots?

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Iowa State, Kansas State players vote to skip bowl games. Who could take their spots?


Iowa State and Kansas State players have voted against playing in bowl games this month, ending both teams’ seasons and opening the door for two 5-7 teams to earn spots.

The Iowa State athletic department announced Sunday morning that it had notified the Big 12 that the Cyclones (8-4) would not participate in a bowl game. Players met with athletic director Jamie Pollard on Sunday morning and voted against playing in a game “due to the lack of healthy players to safely practice and play,” the school said.

It’s a highly unusual move for an eight-win team, but it comes days after coach Matt Campbell left to take Penn State’s opening. He was replaced by Washington State’s Jimmy Rogers on Friday.

“The administrative staff and coaches respect and support the players’ decision,” Pollard said in a release announcing the decision. “Our student-athletes have had an incredible season and we are grateful for their leadership as we worked through this process with them today.”

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Iowa State led off the season with a trip to Dublin, Ireland to play Kansas State. That wasn’t a primary reason for either school declining its bowl opportunity, but it impacted fans’ willingness to travel.

Kansas State coach Chris Klieman announced his retirement Wednesday, and it was unclear who would coach the Wildcats (6-6) in a bowl game if they chose to attend one. A player vote was scheduled for Thursday, and the players opted out, the school announced Sunday morning.

“Following our recent coaching change and conversations with our player leadership and Commissioner Yormark, I determined that we will not accept a bowl invitation on Sunday,” Kansas State athletics director Gene Taylor said in a release announcing the decision. “This decision was not taken lightly, but with our coaching staff transition and several uncertainties regarding player availability, I felt it was not in our best interest to try to field a team that was not representative of Kansas State University. We applaud this group for fighting back from a 2-4 record to lead us to bowl eligibility yet again, and we are happy that our seniors were able to go out on top with a victory inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium.”

The Big 12 announced that it was issuing $500,000 fines to Iowa State and Kansas State, citing the conference’s contractual obligations with the bowls. The conference also said it considered the matter resolved and would not comment further.

With the Cyclones and Wildcats declining, the spots become open to teams with 5-7 records and the highest Academic Progress Report (APR) score that accepts them. That means Auburn and Florida State have first dibs, both with an APR score of 990 last year. Rice follows at 988.

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Auburn has a new head coach in Alex Golesh, but he retained interim head coach D.J. Durkin as defensive coordinator. Florida State did not have a head coaching change, but may have assistant changes. Moving the transfer portal back to Jan. 2 for schools that didn’t change head coaches provides more opportunities to keep a roster together, but schools also begin winter break soon.

Kansas State began the season ranked No. 17 in the AP Poll, the second-highest spot among Big 12 teams, but the Wildcats lost their opener against Iowa State in Ireland and never seemed to get right, finishing 6-6.

The Athletic projected Kansas State to the Independence Bowl against Louisiana Tech. Coincidentally, a year ago, Marshall backed out of the Independence Bowl after bowl games were announced, due to a head coaching change and roster exodus. The spot was filled by 5-7 Louisiana Tech.



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Nebraska volleyball vs Kansas State recap, stats and highlights

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Nebraska volleyball vs Kansas State recap, stats and highlights


Nebraska volleyball entered the second round of the NCAA tournament after sweeping Long Island on Friday. The Huskers faced the Kansas State Wildcats, who defeated San Diego in five sets yesterday.

Nebraska swept the Wildcats (25-17, 25-21, 25-16) despite offensively struggling at times against the Kansas State defense, posting 14 blocks and 32 digs. The Huskers finished with 43 kills off 99 attacks for a .253 hitting percentage. The Huskers also earned 48 digs and eight blocks to help hold Kansas State to .118 and 27 kills on 102 attacks.

Harper Murray and Andi Jackson co-led Nebraska in the sweep, both tallying 10 kills. Murray also earned six digs while Jackson posted a team-high three blocks. Taylor Landfair finished 8-of-18 on the night, while Virginia Adriano hit 7-of-12 with a service ace.

Rebekah Allick delivered six kills off 13 attacks, while Allie Sczech earned 2-of-4. Bergen Reilly tallied 34 set assists and a service ace. Laney Choboy and Olivia Mauch combined for 25 digs and four service aces.

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Nebraska now advances to the Sweet 16, where it’ll host Kansas. Start time is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2.

Match point

Nebraska punches its ticket to the Sweet Sixteen following another sweep.

Refusing to quit

Huskers dominating with the sweep in sight.

Nebraska is on a 7-1 run to expand its lead.

Huskers get the lead following multiple Kansas State errors.

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Kansas State once again opens up the set by taking the lead.

Set point

Though Kansas State brought it within one, Huskers take set two.

Nebraska gets back in the redzone with a four-point lead.

The Huskers take the lead, but Kansas State remains close behind.

Huskers and Wildcats continue trading blows.

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Kansas State takes the early lead in set two, but Nebraska is on a 4-1 run.

Nebraska gets the set win after holding Kansas State to a .088 attack percentage.

After Kansas State responded with a 6-1 run of its own, Huskers get four straight points.

Nebraska is currently on a 6-1 run to go up by seven.

Despite the Wildcats staying close behind, the Huskers remain out in front.

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Nebraska takes the lead in set one off four kills and a service ace.

Here’s how to watch Nebraska-Kansas State volleyball on Friday, including time, TV schedule and streaming information:

What channel is Nebraska volleyball vs. Kansas State on?

TV Channel: N/A

Livestream:ESPN+ (subscriber only)

Nebraska-Kansas State volleyball in the second round of the NCAA tournament can be seen on ESPN+. Huskers Radio Network will have audio coverage of all Nebraska matches on Huskers Radio Network affiliates, Huskers.com and the Huskers app. John Baylor and Lauren Cook West will be on the call. Streaming options for the game include ESPN+.

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Nebraska volleyball vs. Kansas State time today

  • Date: Saturday, Dec. 6
  • Start time: 7 p.m. CT

The second-round NCAA volleyball tournament contest between Nebraska and Kansas State starts at 7 p.m. CT from the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Nebraska volleyball 2025 schedule (30-0, 20-0)

Aug. 22 – vs. Pittsburgh – WIN 3-1 (25-22, 25-11, 20-25, 25-23)

Aug. 24 – vs. Stanford – WIN 3-0 (25-13, 25-19, 25-14)

Aug. 29 – at Lipscomb – WIN 3-0 (25-13, 25-21, 25-15)

Aug. 31 – vs Kentucky – WIN 3-2 (24-26, 20-25, 25-19, 25-23, 15-8)

Sept. 5 – vs. Wright State – WIN 3-0 (25-16, 25-16, 25-20)

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Sept. 7 – vs. California – WIN 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 25-12)

Sept. 12 – vs. Utah – WIN 3-1 (21-25, 25-8, 25-18, 25-13)

Sept. 13 – vs. Grand Canyon – WIN 3-0 (25-12, 25-23, 25-18)

Sept. 16 – at Creighton – WIN 3-2 (25-17, 21-25, 25-18, 24-26, 15-9)

Sept. 20 – vs. Arizona – WIN 3-0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-18)

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Sept. 24 – vs. Michigan – WIN 3-0 (25-6, 25-15, 25-13)

Sept. 27 – vs. Maryland – WIN 3-0 (25-14, 27-25, 25-14)

Oct. 3 – at Penn State – WIN 3-0 (25-6, 25-15, 25-13)

Oct. 4 – at Rutgers – WIN 3-0 (25-17, 25-15, 25-16)

Oct. 10 – vs. Washington – WIN 3-0 (25-14, 25-18, 25-16)

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Oct. 12 – at Purdue – WIN 3-0 (25-23, 25-16, 25-15)

Oct. 17 – at Michigan State – WIN 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 25-20)

Oct. 19 – at Michigan – WIN 3-0 (25-18, 25-13, 25-18)

Oct. 24 – vs. Northwestern – WIN 3-0 (25-17, 25-13, 25-17)

Oct. 25 – vs. Michigan State – WIN 3-0 (25-15, 25-15, 25-18)

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Oct. 31 – at Wisconsin – WIN 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-13)

Nov. 2 – vs. Oregon – WIN 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-12)

Nov. 6 – vs. Illinois – WIN 3-0 (25-11, 25-15, 25-14)

Nov. 8 – at Minnesota – WIN 3-0 (25-15, 25-21, 25-20)

Nov. 14 – at UCLA – WIN 3-1 (25-17, 25-23, 19-25, 25-15)

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Nov. 16 – at USC – WIN 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-20)

Nov. 20 – vs. Iowa – WIN 3-0 (25-15, 25-21, 25-18)

Nov. 22 – at Indiana – WIN 3-0 (25-19, 25-16, 25-22)

Nov. 28 – vs. Penn State – WIN 3-0 (25-14, 25-11, 25-14)

Nov. 29 – vs. Ohio State – WIN 3-0 (25-16, 25-13, 25-20)

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