Schwarzmarkt » sizeable team of five assistants -- that its impos

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Greg Holland faced a thorny situation in the ninth inning. A leadoff single by Nick Markakis and a run-scoring triple by Adam Jones had the tying run at third with nobody out. Holland, however, wiggled out of that jam to close out the Kansas City Royals 3-2 victory Tuesday night, snapping the Baltimore Orioles season-best, five-game winning streak. "They have a runner at third base and nobody out and I was completely comfortable," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "Holly did a phenomenal job in the ninth inning. He showed why hes an All-Star closer. I knew he had the stuff to get it done." Yost was probably more relaxed than Holland was with Chris Davis, J.J. Hardy and Henry Urrutia coming to the plate. "Comfortable as you can be with the tying run on third base and nobody out," Holland said. "I just stayed focused. Youre not going to it done all the time there." Davis, who leads the majors with 37 home runs and 97 RBIs, chased a pitch in the dirt to strike out. Holland retired Hardy and Urrutia on grounders to log his 25th save in 27 chances. "We had some opportunities at the end, but their closer is having a great year," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "When you have a chance against him you have to take advantage." Bruce Chen (4-0), who was making just his second start after replacing Luis Mendoza in the rotation, limited the Orioles to three hits and one run, retiring the final 10 batters he faced. The Orioles had bashed 45 hits in their previous three games before Chen and three Kansas City relievers shut them down. Chen, the Royals 2012 opening day starter, was relegated to the bullpen to start the season after Mendoza earned the final rotation spot in spring training. In two starts, Chen has yielded one run and four hits in 12 innings. "He keeps you off-balance and never gives in," Jones said. "Its a true testament to how hes maintained all these years in the majors. Hes not tricking you, but hes making his pitches. I was standing out in centerfield wondering how, how we only have three hits. He makes his pitches and youve got to respect that." Manny Machado homered with two outs in the third for the only run Chen permitted. The Royals went 2 for 15 with runners in scoring position, stranding 12 runners, including nine at second and third base. "We had numerous opportunities to break that game open," Yost said. They loaded the bases with none out in the first, but scored only one run when Billy Butler grounded into a double play. In the second, Chris Getzs one-out single scored David Lough. Mike Moutakas double into the right-field corner in the third scored Lorenzo Cain, who singled to lead off the inning. The Royals had runners at second and third with none out, but failed to pad their lead. Jason Hammel (7-7) took the loss, giving up 10 hits in six innings for the second straight start. After starting the season 7-2, Hammel is 0-5 with a 5.47 ERA in eight starts since his last victory on May 27 at Washington. "He aint giving in," Showalter said. "He just kept battling. He knows what he needs to do to help this club. "We were fortunate. They hit some balls hard at people and we made some plays. Jason kept battling. It was a professional outing. Well take the finished product." Notes: The Orioles obtained RHP Francisco Rodriguez from Milwaukee for minor league INF Nick Delmonico. Rodriguez is 1-1 with a 1.09 ERA and 10 saves with the Brewers and has 304 career saves. . Yost said RHP Wade Davis would remain in the rotation, but "he needs to get going and be productive." Davis has one win in his past 11 starts and is 0-4 with a 10.91 ERA in his past four starts. ... Orioles OF Nolan Reimould underwent season-ending spinal surgery in Clearwater, Fla. Reimould also had back surgery in June 2012. ... Getz started after missing the previous two games with a mild left knee sprain. China Shoes Outlet . Robredo, ranked No. 16, bounced back from an upset loss to Leonardo Mayer in the second round of the Royal Guard Open in Chile last week to down Carreno Busta in 1 hour, 25 minutes. On a day filled mostly with qualifying matches, fifth-seeded Marcel Granollers of Spain also entered the second with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 win over Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia, while Guido Pella of Argentina defeated Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 7-6 (6), 6-4 to advance. Fake China Shoes . 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. https://www.chinashoesshop.com/ . Bradwell was scheduled to become a free agent Tuesday. Born and raised in Toronto, Bradwell is entering his sixth CFL season, with all six played for his hometown Argonauts. China Shoes Jordans . LOUIS -- Heading into the final stretch of the season, the issues for the Chicago Bears banged-up defence only seem to be getting worse. China Shoes Wholesale . The catch: It needs a lot of money, and it needs it fast. CHASKA, Minn. -- Phil Mickelson has been giving the Ryder Cup a lot of thought lately.Probably way too much thought, though thats nothing new. Tough not to overthink things when youre always the smartest guy on the first tee.In Ryder Cups past, that might have signaled trouble for a U.S. team that has often lost because it struggles to find a mental edge. In the latest version that begins this week in Minnesota, it may not matter simply because theres such a talent gap between the two teams.The only real problem for Mickelson could be that hell be sharing the blame if the U.S. somehow kicks yet another one away at Hazeltine National Golf Club.Lefty finds himself in a dual role as both the elder statesman and a senior adviser to a U.S. team that has been on the losing side way too often recently in its matches with Europe. Its a position he seems to covet, and one that he arguably deserves after making 11 Ryder Cup teams in a row.Win, and it takes some of the sting out of what has been a less-than-stellar Ryder Cup career for Mickelson.Lose, and maybe its time to own up to the fact that trying to manufacture camaraderie among Americas golfing elite just doesnt work against a European team that always seems to find it on its own.I think its a great opportunity for us to do something special, Mickelson said Sunday. We have been given, the first time in 20 years that Ive been involved in the Ryder Cup, actual input, actual say, kind of ownership, if you will, of the Ryder Cup. And all the players feel like theyre involved and listened to. All the vice captains have great input.The question remains how that input will help players make putts. But Mickelson likes things better with the players somewhat in control.Mickelson and Tiger Woods were among 11 players, captains and PGA of America officials who were appointed to a Ryder Cup Task Force after the U.S. was thrashed by Europe two years ago in Scotland. In a desperate attempt to right the ship, they were charged with revamping anything and everything about how the U.S. prepares for the cup.The fact there was even a task force to begin with wasnt just because the U.S. team lost for the eighth time in the last 10 Cups. It was because Mickelson had enough of the high-handed way Tom Watson went about captaining the team in the lopsided win by the Europeans.ddddddddddddnfortunately, we have strayed from a winning formula in 2008 for the last three Ryder Cups, and we need to consider maybe getting back to that formula that helped us play our best, Mickelson said in a tense team press conference after the loss.That led to Mickelson having a big hand in bringing back Davis Love III as captain, despite the fact the U.S. collapsed in singles play to lose under his guidance four years ago in Chicago. It also led to a bizarre selection process -- mocked by the Europeans -- that culminated in the final pick being announced Sunday night on the eve of the weeks play.Indeed, this team seems to be as much Mickelsons as it is Loves. Hes been prominent in talking about how it was put together, even contradicting Love earlier this month about team plans.Mickelson and Love could be excused for not appearing to be on the same page. There are so many cooks on the American team -- including an assistant captain by the name of Tiger Woods, part of a sizeable team of five assistants -- that its impossible for everyone to match up their sound bits.Thats especially true after Love on Friday upped the pressure by declaring his squad the best golf team maybe ever assembled.That may or may not be true. The U.S. squad is supremely talented, and the Europeans have six players who have never been in a Ryder Cup before.But for the U.S. to win, Mickelson will have to do more than just help put pairings together. And he has a checkered past in the Ryder Cup, where he famously lost twice in pairing with Woods and is 16-19-6 overall.Hes been on 10 teams, and on the losing side on eight of them. For all his flag waving and ping pong playing in the team room, he hasnt come up big on the course, where it matters most.Mickelson has a chance to make up for that in a big way beginning Friday at Hazeltine. The U.S. desperately needs a win, and Mickelson almost as desperately needs one for his own validation.Its time for Mickelson to stop thinking, and begin playing.----Tim Dahlberg is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at tdahlberg(at)ap.org or http://twitter.com/timdahlberg ' ' '