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KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Joakim Soria blew another save and the Kansas City Royals chances to return to the postseason took another hit.Pinch hitter Yonder Alonso delivered a two-run double in the eighth inning and the Oakland Athletics rallied past Kansas City 5-4 Tuesday night.The defending World Series champion Royals dropped five games out of the wild-card race with only 18 games left.Thats a really hard situation to come in to, Alonso said. I think early on, I knew I was going to have an opportunity, a meaningful opportunity obviously, with the game on the line to come up with a big at-bat.Soria blew his seventh save chance in eight opportunities. He was summoned with two outs in the eighth and the Royals clinging to a 3-2 lead.On his second pitch, Soria gave up a double to Alonso over the head of center fielder Jarrod Dyson, scoring Brett Eibner and pinch runner Joey Wendle.Soria then yielded an RBI single to Marcus Semien.Its a difficult position when youre not used to that, said Soria, who has 203 career saves. This season has been really, really different to me. I guess in 10 years it can happen sometimes.Unfortunately for me and my team, it happened this year. They need me the most and Ive been having poor results, he said.Rookie Matthew Strahm (2-1), who gave up an infield single to Chad Pinder before Soria replaced him, took the loss.Royals manager Ned Yost said he did not to use Kelvin Herrera for a four-out save and Wade Davis was unavailable after throwing nearly 50 pitches in back-to-back saves Saturday and Sunday.I had confidence in Jack, Yost said. I thought it was a good situation for him. I didnt mind the matchup with Alonso. Jacks had two days off.Ultimately, its my plan. Im responsible for my plan. And that was my plan and it didnt work, he said.Will he continue to use Soria in those pressure situations?I dont make decisions after games like this, Yost said. I havent even thought about. Im not even going to speculate on what Im going to do, without thinking about it and sleeping on it.Jacks that guy right now that everybody is on. Jacks had some really good outings this year and hes had some poor outings. How do you determine from one day to the next if I put him out there if its going to be a good outing or a bad outing? It very easily could have been a good outing. It wasnt, he said.John Axford (6-4) pitched one inning. Ryan Madson balked home Dyson with two outs in the ninth before closing for his 30th save in 36 tries.Royals starter Danny Duffy, who has not won since Aug. 21, limited the As to three hits, but two were home runs, in 7 1/3 innings.Duffy gave up a home run to Khris Davis on his first pitch in the fifth. Davis has homered in back-to-back games and hiked his season total to 37, which is the most by an Athletics player since Frank Thomas hit 39 in 2006.Ryon Healy homered to lead off the eighth. After Duffy walked Eibner with one out, he was replaced by Strahm.Paulo Orlando hit a two-run single in the fourth to score Cheslor Cuthbert, who had doubled, and Alcides Escobar, who reached on Semiens error.Semien has committed 11 errors in the past 53 games and tops major league shortstops with 19 fielding miscues.Escobars two-out single in the sixth scored Salvador Perez and chased Jharel Cotton, who was making his second big league start since being acquired in an Aug. 1 trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers.Cotton allowed three runs, only one earned, in 5 2/3 innings, while walking one and striking out two.Im just going out there and pitching the way I know how to pitch, Cotton said. Im not trying to do anything special, just go out there and give my team a chance to win every time I get the ball.ROOKIES GALOREThe As started five rookies -- 2B Pinder, RF Eibner, 3B Healy, DH Renato Nunez and RHP Cotton -- matching a season high.FOOTBALL VISITAs manager Bob Melvin stopped by the Chiefs practice Tuesday. He is a friend of Chiefs coach Andy Reed. The managers cousin, Tom Melvin, coaches the Chiefs tight ends.TRAINERS ROOMRoyals: RHP Chien-Ming Wang (right biceps tendinitis) is eligible to come off the disabled list Wednesday. I dont think it will be tomorrow, but hes definitely making progress, Yost said. ... Perez returned to the lineup after missing the game Tuesday for the birth of his second son, Johan Salvador.UP NEXTAthletics: LHP Sean Manaea will make his first start since Aug. 29 when he left after 3 1/3 innings with strained left rhomboid muscles in the shoulder blade.Royals: RHP Yordano Ventura gave up a season-high 10 hits over seven innings in a loss Friday to the White Sox. Kenneth Faried Jersey . Brad Jacobs and his Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., team took control of the game early. Wilson Chandler Jersey . Bryzgalov stopped 25 shots on Saturday in the Oklahoma City Barons 4-1 victory over the Abbotsford Heat. The Oilers signed Bryzgalov to a one-year $2 million contract last Friday after shedding payroll by dealing defenceman Ladislav Smid to the Flames. https://www.netsrookiesshop.com/Henry-Ellenson-City-Edition-Jersey/ . Laudrup revealed Thursday he was notified of his dismissal in "the briefest of letters which gave no reasons why such hasty and final action was deemed necessary. Taurean Prince 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. Jarrett Allen Jersey . The catch: It needs a lot of money, and it needs it fast. VANCOUVER -- Tyler Benson did not want to be a special case. So the WHLs top 2013 bantam draft pick will wait a season before joining the Vancouver Giants on a permanent basis. Canadian major junior rules require a player to be at least 16 before joining a team in the WHL, QMJHL or OHL full-time. Exceptions are made in cases of players with rare talent after teams, in conjunction with parents, make special-status applications. "We didnt really think about it," said Benson, 15, who signed a WHL player contract with the Giants on Tuesday and was introduced to Vancouver media. "People asked me if I was (going to), but our family decided I need to still play midget and stay home for another year." Benson will play midget in his hometown of Edmonton next season. Former and current OHLers John Tavares, now an NHL most valuable player candidate with the New York Islanders, Connor McDavid and defenceman Sean Day have played in the league as 15-year-olds. In 2012-13, Benson broke an Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League single-season points record as he produced 57 goals and 89 assists in only 33 games with the South Side Athletic Clubs Southgate Lions in Edmonton. The Lions won Alberta and Western Canadian championships. He broke the AMBHL record for the most points in a season tallying 146 points (57 goals, 89 assists) in 33 games. He broke the previous mark of 131 points set by Portland Winter Hawks sniper Ty Rattie in 2007-08, when he was with a club based in Airdrie, Alta. The gaudy numbers surpassed had many observers wondering whether he would try to move up to major junior early. But Giants general manager Scott Bonner said Benson has made the right decision. "(Players) should stay at home at 15," said Bonner. "They dont have to rush here. Sixteen is more than young enough to play at our level. Theyre going to have a two (or) three-year window. In (Bensons) case, if he develops, hell be here for a couple seasons and then move on to pro." By staying home, Bonner added, Benson can possibly grow an inch or two, put on 10 pounds and "just be a kid." He can also benefit from playing for the South Side Athletic Club, a very good organization, in such events as the Macs major midget tournament in Calgary. "That midget year is a very influential year in your life," said Bonner, a former WHL player. "Id love to see him play if hes ready, but I dont make that decision," said Vancouver coach Don Hay. "Theres a lot of things that go into that decision." When Benson does join the Giantts, Bonner expects him to be a building block for a Giants squad that hopes to host the 2016 Memorial Cup, pending the result of its application to the WHL later this year.dddddddddddd "Ive watched him play probably close to 20 times this year, and he was consistent every game," said Bonner. "He works hard. Obviously, his stats speak for themselves, but his attitude is second to none." The GM likened Bensons hard, physical style to former Giant Brendan Gallagher, who excelled in his rookie season with the Montreal Canadiens and is in the running for NHL rookie of the year honours. "Obviously, (Gallagher) didnt have (Bensons) size," said Bonner. "But I found (Benson) played the game with a level of enthusiasm that was unmatched. And to break a guy like Ty Ratties longstanding record is impressive." Bonner said Benson will still play some games with the Giants this season. He is eligible to play at least five games during the regular season and can join the Giants full-time after his midget season concludes. The WHL club can also call him up if players are away at the world junior tournament, and those games will not count against the five-game limit. "Id like to play a few games," said Benson. "Its up to our owners and coaches, I guess." He will also attend Vancouvers training camp and play exhibition games. Bonner said coaches might regret the decision not to have him play the full-season, but the GM noted the careers of NHL stars like Jarome Iginla, Shane Doan, and Brendan Gallagher were not harmed by playing an extra year of midget. "In time, you get there," said Bonner. Meanwhile, the Giants announced that entertainment manager Bruce Allen has become a part owner. Allen represents such Canadian music stars as Bryan Adams, Martina McBride, Anne Murray, Jann Arden and Michael Buble, who is also a Giants minority owner. Allen has also organized a number of events. Majority owner Ron Toigo said the club will get Allen to assist with its bids to host 2016 Memorial Cup and a future world junior tournament. "Its all about entertainment, and theres no better guy in the entertainment business than Bruce Allen," said Toigo. Notes--The Giants other owners include hockey icons Gordie Howe and Pat Quinn, chartered accountant Sultan Thiara, and Lewis Buble, the pop singers father. ... Vancouvers other 2013 first-round choice, defenceman Matt Barberis of Surrey, B.C., and rearguard Ryely McKinstry of Calgary, a second-round choice, also signed WHL contracts Tuesday. ' ' '