Pirate Galaxy » they want to be.Where does the A-Le

DETROIT -- Prince Fielder went three weeks without a homer, and the Detroit Tigers kept right on rolling. Now that droughts over -- and Fielders team is sitting pretty in the AL Central. Fielders two-run shot in the first inning Thursday night sent the Tigers to a 4-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals. Andy Dirks added four hits for Detroit, which leads second-place Cleveland by 6 1/2 games in the division. "Prince produces runs. I dont care how he does it," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "Tonight happened to be by way of the home run, but hes a run producer, always has been. Its in the book and itll be in the book at the end of this year." Dirks had two doubles and two singles for the Tigers, who took the opener of this five-game series with third-place Kansas City. The Royals have lost three in a row after a 17-3 stretch that put them in contention for a post-season spot. Kansas City now trails Detroit by 8 1/2 games in the division. The Royals are 5 1/2 behind Oakland in the race for a wild card. Detroits Anibal Sanchez (11-7) allowed a run and seven hits in 7 1-3 innings. Bruce Rondon finished the eighth, and Joaquin Benoit pitched a hitless ninth for his 16th save in 16 chances. Jeremy Guthrie (12-9) allowed four runs and 13 hits in seven innings. Fielder went deep for the first time since July 24, belting a towering drive to right-centre to give Detroit a 2-1 lead. The Tigers scored two more runs in the fifth on RBI singles by Torii Hunter and Miguel Cabrera. Dirks, batting leadoff because Austin Jackson had the night off, scored twice. It was the second four-hit game of the season for Dirks, who is from Kansas and went to Wichita State. "It felt good. Its hard to explain -- its just one of those feel things," Dirks said. "I could feel the path of the bat as I was swinging. My timing was better and everything just clicks. Your legs work with your hands and different things." The Tigers won despite an atrocious night on the bases. Dirks led off the Detroit third with a double, and then was caught in a rundown when Hunter grounded to the mound. After Dirks was tagged out, the Royals got a double play because Hunter had turned too far around first. In the sixth, Brayan Pena took too much of a turn after hitting a single, and he too was caught off the bag. Kansas City, meanwhile, stole three bases, but the Royals couldnt break through against Sanchez after scoring a run in the first inning. "We had a good scouting report today," Kansas Citys Alex Gordon said. "When youre not hitting doubles and home runs, youve got to make something happen." Gordons RBI single made it 1-0, but Dirks singled to start the bottom of the first, and Fielder went deep for his 18th homer of the season. The Royals had a man on second in the second, a man on third in the fourth and then a man on second again in the fifth. But they were 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position. After a double by Dirks in the fifth, Detroit had men on second and third with one out. Hunter singled to make it 3-1, and Cabreras fly ball to centre dropped in front of Jarrod Dyson for another run. Cabrera, who has been bothered by hip and leg injuries lately, made a nice sliding catch in foul territory near third base on an eighth-inning popup by Gordon. "Hes obviously playing in some pain," Leyland said. "Just a gutty performance, day after day. You know, weve got a lot of guys that go out there all the time -- and I dont want to slight Miggy, because hes been going out there and playing. Theres not too many guys that could do what hes doing, under the circumstances, but weve got a lot of guys that go out there." NOTES: Emilio Bonifacio, acquired by Kansas City on Wednesday in a trade with Toronto, went 1 for 4 with a stolen base. ... A concession stand was closed after a small grease fire about three hours before the first pitch sent smoke high into the air behind the scoreboard in LF, but the situation was under control quickly and hardly anyone on the field at the time seemed to notice. ... Detroit and Kansas City play a doubleheader Friday. The Tigers send RHP Justin Verlander (12-8) to the mound in the opener against Royals LHP Danny Duffy (0-0). Detroit LHP Jose Alvarez (1-2) faces Kansas City RHP James Shields (7-8) in the nightcap.Kid Gleason Jersey . The Canadian squad, skipped by Jennifer Jones of Winnipeg, got on the board first with two in the second end, and followed that with two more apiece in the fourth and sixth ends. White Sox Jerseys 2020 . The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling "puts an end to my dreams of being a top player," the 27-year-old Troicki said in a statement. "I worked my entire life for it, and it has been taken away from me in one afternoon by a doctor I didnt know," said Troicki, whose ranking peaked at No. https://www.cheapwhitesox.com/1474e-george-kell-jersey-white-sox.html . -- Nate Robinson has played for seven teams, so beating one of them is no longer a rare occurrence. George Kell White Sox Jersey . But by the time the game started, the Toronto Raptors forward felt even worse. And, for three quarters, it showed as Gay shot a woeful three-for-13 from the field. Joe Crede White Sox Jersey . Jane Virtanen scored two, and Alex Roach and Elliott Peterson rounded out the offence for the Hitmen (40-15-6). Brady Brassart chipped in with three assists. Colton McCarthy scored twice, Brayden Point had a goal and two assists, and Jack Rodewald also scored for the Warriors (15-35-9), who were 2 for 5 on the power play.Australias Tim Cahill has rebuffed approaches to play in the A-League saying his home league lacked vision and the move could be a disaster for his career.The former Millwall, Everton and New York Red Bulls player was speaking after being dumped by Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua on Tuesday.Cahill, who will look to join another Chinese Super League club, also described Australian soccer as being in a bit of a rut and said there was nothing to show for the Socceroos three consecutive appearances at World Cups. A guest stint for anyone can only harm you, and coming back (to Australia) without any sort of plan and substance is always a recipe for disaster, the 36-year-old told News Corp Australia.Ive seen the record with short-term goals of going back to the A-League and the destruction that its had on top players careers who have come back to finish there. Cahill shoots for the Socceroos during a World Cup qualifier against Kyrgyzstan. The A-League has lured a handful of top foreign internationals throughout its 11 seasons, with former Italy and Juventus stalwart Alessandro del Piero, who joined Sydney FC for two seasons from 2012-14, the highest-profile signing.The league has a more blue-collar look in the current season after reported moves to lure Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba and Italy midfielder Andrea Pirlo came to nothing.Del Piero was one of the biggest things to ever happen to the game, but also the worst becaause it wasnt capitalised on, said Cahill, Australias top goal-scorer.ddddddddddddThen to have all these players that have been linked with the A-League - Andrea Pirlo, Frank Lampard - I dont think the talks even get to the table because theres no vision behind the talks.I just need vision, Ive never asked for anything but that. The only thing is, some peoples vision is not as big as mine and its tough, because it depends where they want to be.Where does the A-League want to be? Cahill celebrates after scoring Australias first World Cup qualifier goal against Bangladesh. Football Federation Australia Chief Executive David Gallop said the league had sounded out Cahill as soon as they found out he was on the market but said they were unable to meet his asking price.We have to live in the real world of our clubs finances, and the ability of our clubs to make decisions around investments in players, Gallop told broadcaster Fox Sports.I personally was in contact with him. He made it clear immediately that we couldnt meet his needs.Cahill was also critical that the Socceroos lacked a major naming sponsor nearly three years after Australian airline Qantas pulled out of a long association.Weve played in three World Cups and we dont really have anything to show for it, he said.Every time I go back its mayhem and you dont understand how that makes me feel, but at the moment the game is in a bit of a rut where its caught in a crossroads. ' ' '