ounces, who is able to sustain what they like to do the longest.In their one meeting this year, the Bulldogs were victorious by the slimmest of margins, when Jason Johannisen was able to kick truly

CLEVELAND - One win at a time, the Royals are scrapping their way toward the top in the AL Central. Pinch-runner Elliot Johnson scored from third base on a wild pitch by reliever Matt Albers in the ninth inning as Kansas City rallied for a 2-1 win over the Cleveland Indians on Monday night. Johnson, inserted after Billy Butler opened the ninth with a double, sprinted home and slid in safely after Albers pitch got under catcher Carlos Santana and went all the way to the backstop. With their 11th win in 13 games, the Royals, who were last in the division on June 5, moved past Cleveland into second place. "Were grinding out wins now, so Ill take it," said starter James Shields, who went six innings but got another hard-luck no-decision. "Were real resilient as a team. Even when things got rough, we never gave up. We believe in ourselves." Before going on this surge, the Royals lost 15 of 18 and at 23-32 manager Ned Yosts future was very much in doubt. But the Royals are rising quickly. "A win is a win," Butler said. "Weve been playing good baseball and were enjoying it. Were more confident now than we were when we started 17-10." Royals reliever Aaron Crow (3-2) struck out two after putting the potential go-ahead run at third in the eighth, and Greg Holland stranded the tying run at third in the ninth for his 15th save in 17 tries. Bryan Shaw (0-1) couldnt protect a 1-0 lead for Cleveland starter Carlos Carrasco, charged with just one run and four hits in 7 1-3 innings. Santana homered in the sixth off Shields, who remained winless since April 30 and has pitched much better than his 2-6 record. "He never gives in," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "He can throw any pitch in any count for a strike." The Indians were unable to get the big hit all night. Twice they loaded the bases against Shields, who both times struck out Jason Kipnis to end the threats. In the ninth, Cleveland got the tying run to third when Michael Bourn doubled and advanced on a wild pitch. But Holland struck out Mike Aviles and retired Kipnis on an easy grounder to second. The Royals scored one run in the eighth and ninth to eke out the win. "Its a W, man," Yost said. "Its important to get to .500, but now, its more important to move past that." With the score tied 1-all, Butler opened Kansas Citys ninth with a double off Shaw, who walked Lorenzo Cain and was pulled by Francona for left-hander Rich Hill. David Lough dropped a bunt toward third that Hill fielded before losing his balance and falling in the infield grass. Albers got ahead of pinch-hitter Miguel Tejada before uncorking a pitch that skipped to the padded backstop. It bounced back quickly to Santana, who flipped the ball to Albers covering the plate, but Johnson slid in just ahead of the tag. "I tried to block it," Santana said. "I think I was a little late putting the glove down." Blanked for nearly eight innings by Carrasco, the Royals tied it in the eighth on Eric Hosmers bloop RBI double. Chris Getz, twice robbed of hits earlier by left fielder Michael Brantley, singled and Alcides Escobar sacrificed. Francona came out and replaced Carrasco, who was making his first start since serving a seven-game suspension and remains in search of his first win since June 29, 2011. Rather than bring in struggling lefties Hill or Nick Hagadone to face left-handed hitters, Francona went with Shaw, who retired Alex Gordon on a weak popup before Hosmer dropped his hit over shortstop Aviles head and in front of Bourn in centre to tie it at 1. It didnt figure to be a pitchers duel with both starters coming in with blemished resumes. Shields hasnt won since April 30, and Carrasco has dropped his last seven decisions and was twice suspended since his last victory. Santana broke up the scoreless matchup by leading off the sixth with his 10th homer, a shot into the stands in right. The homer came on Shields first pitch of the inning and 101st of the night. Although he has given up more than three runs just once in 13 starts, Shields cant catch a break. The Royals are averaging 2.2 runs in his outings. Carrasco was pitching for the first time since serving a suspension for throwing at New Yorks Kevin Youkilis on April 9. In his previous outing, the right-hander was rocked for six runs and 10 hits in four innings by the Detroit Tigers, who didnt have to worry about Carrasco throwing inside because he rarely tried. However, Carrasco challenged the Royals on the inner half of the plate and retired the first 13 in order before Cain singled sharply to right. "That was what were hoping for," Francona said. NOTES: Shields has pitched at least six innings in 29 straight starts. ... There are 21 fathers of Royals players travelling with the team and they were all in the clubhouse following the game. ... The Royals entered the series with the ALs lowest ERA at 3.39. Kansas Citys bullpen came in with the best ERA (2.67) in the majors. ... There were 349 dogs in attendance as the Indians hosted "Puppypalooza." Blazers Jerseys China . -- Josh Sterk scored once and set up two more as the Oshawa Generals edged the visiting Belleville Bulls 3-2 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. Custom Blazers T-shirts . -- Linebacker Myles Jack ran for four touchdowns, defensive end Cassius Marsh caught a scoring pass, and No. http://www.customblazersjersey.com/ . James, who turned 29 on Monday, injured his groin Friday during the Heats overtime loss at Sacramento. He sat out the following game, a 108-107 win Saturday in Portland, before coming back to help send the Nuggets to their seventh consecutive loss. Cheap Custom Blazers Jersey . The phone hearing is scheduled for 4:30pm et/1:30pm pt. Winchester, who was not penalized for the hit, appeared to make contact with Kellys head early in the first period of Thursdays game in Boston. Custom Blazers Jersey China . Brazilian national coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has confirmed that the veteran goalkeeper is set to join Toronto on loan, saying it will help him be ready for the World Cup. Emotion must give way to action for the Western Bulldogs on Saturday, as they seek to win a second AFL premiership in their history by ensuring they are not blown away early by the famously ferocious starts of the Sydney Swans.Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge and acting captain Easton Wood both admitted they were trying to keep emotions and mental energy under control in the 24 hours before the clubs first grand final since 1961, mindful that the wave the club has ridden over the past three weeks must be sustained for another 120 minutes.So much has been written and said about Bulldogs dreams this week. The club president Peter Gordon once offered his fantasy of a premiership right down to the last detail, and the injured club captain Robert Murphy has also shared his visions of walking the premiership cup through the streets of Melbourne and back to Footscray for the first time since 1954.But Wood and Beveridge have been left to try to separate dream from reality, with the hard task of countering the Swans now at the forefront of their minds.I havent played the game in my head yet, Wood said before the grand final parade. I reckon if I had done that a few times, I would be too tired by the time I actually got there. Obviously there is massive excitement but you take each moment as it comes and soak it up when it is out there.Beveridge said he was seeking to have as quiet a night as possible before the game.I will steer clear of the alcohol but I will go home, just put some final things down in preparation for messaging tomorrow. Ill relax, Beveridge said. It has been a busy week as well off the field, not only for me, but for the people who support the players, so we will find some time to chill out, like the players will, and come in here tomorrow with a clear head.It is exciting that we can possibly put the second cup in the cabinet. There is a bit of room. But there is no weight there. It is more exciting.We are looking forward to that challenge and, if anything, we have got a couple of gorillas off our back, winning our first final together was a great milestone against the Eagles and the last two finals have been significant, but this is obviously extremely unique and we have got to keep it on an even keel emotionally, but there is no doubt it is exciting, the prospect of being able to take this [the cup] home.Clear heads will be of most importance in the early minutes after the opening bounce. Sydney have more or less decided their past two finals against Adelaide and Geelong with formidable bursts of ball-winning and scoring inside the first quarter. This is not only significant for the Swans, but it is also the way recent grand finals have largely been won. In each of the past three years, Hawthorn supporters were just about ready to celebrate their latest flag when the quarter-time siren blew.They get out of the gates quickly, no doubt, but we do too. We just dont kick goals, Beveridge quipped. We are a pretty strong starter .dddddddddddd.. but unfortunately we have ben a bit wasteful the last three games. I think both teams start well, but the Swans have had some really emphatic starts in recent times, but it would be pretty disappointing if you are in a grand final and you are not ready for that first bounce.I think both teams will come at each other pretty hard. That is the old throwaway but to the players credit, even though they have been wasteful, they dont lose their focus. We have had teams come at us and be up - the Hawks did that - but we have stayed composed enough, so if it happens again, we have just got to keep our heads and fight our way back into it.We always love to have a great start and be effective and efficient early, and that is the plan, but we have to pull it off. If we dont, we have to go to plan B.Sydney coach John Longmire is mentoring a team with much the better premiership pedigree. This is the Swans third grand final in five seasons, and finals experience has often been cited as a major asset. But Longmire is nothing if not thorough, and he was sure to guard against any notion that the Swans simply need to show up and point to their recent visits to the MCG on grand final day to overawe the Dogs.I dont subscribe to that, he said. I think once the ball bounces, it is about who executes their plan the best, for the longest. That is the challenge.Both teams go in with enormous faith with each others systems and both teams go in in really good form. We lost the first one and then won the last two and if you have a look at the Doggies finals form, to be able to beat West Coast over there and Hawthorn and GWS up there is outstanding.That recent form is what we look at. That carries more weight going into the game. In the end, it is about when the ball bounces, who is able to sustain what they like to do the longest.In their one meeting this year, the Bulldogs were victorious by the slimmest of margins, when Jason Johannisen was able to kick truly at the SCG to put the visitors in front with scarcely five seconds left on the clock. That victory and the manner of it will help sustain Beveridge and his players on Saturday, though he admitted to hoping not to be as nerve-wracked this time around.They havent been daunted by the challenge or the prospect of taking on genuinely the best teams in the competition, Beveridge said. As it turns out, we didnt beat Geelong this year, but they are no longer in it. I think the players feel good about the fact they have been able to beat 16 other sides and they know that they deserve their place tomorrow.But we saw what happened at the end of our game against the Swans ... and obviously John and I were on the edge of our seats in the box, but you hope if you can pull it off tomorrow, it is not as tight as that. ' ' '