Chelseas Premier League title prospects

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CHICAGO - Whether its through a wild card or the AL Central title, Lorenzo Cain doesnt care how the Kansas City Royals reach the playoffs.He just wants to get there.Eric Hosmer homered and drove in two runs, Cain had four hits and scored twice, and the Royals put themselves on the verge of a playoff spot with a 6-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night.One more win for Kansas City, or a loss by Seattle, will send the Royals to the post-season for the first time since George Brett led them to a World Series championship in 1985.Kansas City remained two games behind Detroit in the Central and moved one up on Oakland in the wild-card standings.We definitely want to win the division, but any way we can get in (the playoffs), well take it, Cain said.The Royals arent about to be picky considering how long its been and all the losing for the franchise along the way. They were September contenders last season for the first time in a decade on the way to 86 wins.Now they are right on the post-season doorstep, poised to barge in.I think this teams learned a lot, starter James Shields said. I think weve got a mix of good veterans in here to keep this team loose. Were really loose and having fun right now and thats what its all about.Hosmer had three hits, including an RBI single in the first and a tying solo homer off Jose Quintana in the sixth.The White Sox held retiring captain Paul Konerko out of the lineup, but he expects to start the final three games. He has been playing through a broken bone in his left hand and was a little sore after playing two of the previous three games in Detroit.The Royals went ahead after back-to-back singles by Cain and Hosmer put runners on first and third in the eighth.Jake Petricka relieved Quintana, and it looked as if the White Sox would get out of it when Billy Butler sent a grounder to shortstop.But second baseman Marcus Semien bounced the relay to first after catching the throw from Alexei Ramirez. That allowed Cain to score the go-ahead run, and Alex Gordon followed with an RBI single to make it 5-3.That made a winner of Kelvin Herrera (4-3), who worked a scoreless seventh after Shields went six innings.Wade Davis pitched the eighth and Greg Holland worked the ninth for his 45th save in 47 chances.Shields allowed three runs and five hits, including a two-run homer by Josh Phegley.Quintana (9-11) gave up five runs and 11 hits over 7 1-3 innings.He threw a good game, Chicago manager Robin Ventura said. We had a shot there to get out of it for him, and we didnt. Youve got to be able to do that.TRAINERS ROOM:Royals: INF Christian Colon (broken middle finger) played six innings and had two hits in his first rehab game in the Arizona instructional league, general manager Dayton Moore said. Moore had no comment when asked how Colons finger felt, and its not clear if he will be on the post-season roster.White Sox: White Sox OF Avisail Garcia left the game because of a stiff lower back. He lined out in the second inning and was replaced in right field by Moises Sierra before the top of the third. He is day to day, although Ventura expects him to sit out Saturday. ... 2B Carlos Sanchez was out of the lineup with his wife set to have a baby.UP NEXT:The Royals send RHP Jeremy Guthrie (12-11, 4.28 ERA) to the mound, hoping to wrap up a playoff berth. RHP Hector Noesi (8-10, 4.39) pitches for Chicago.NO MICKEY MOUSE OPERATIONThere was quite a scene in the visiting clubhouse before the game. Royals RHP Liam Hendricks was on all fours while leading the charge to capture a mouse hiding in one corner. He eventually trapped it in a box and took it to the bullpen for the game, with the players dubbing it the Rally Mouse.Hendricks hopes to find the same mouse a€” or another one a€” before Saturdays game and keep it in the bullpen.Whatever works, man, manager Ned Yost said. Reggie Jackson Athletics Jersey ." 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Yaya Toures seeming discontent Tuesday may complicate that, as does the little issue of Financial Fair Play. Yonder Alonso Jersey .A. Happs hold on a spot in the Blue Jays starting rotation is in question.LONDON -- After maintaining he was the "Happy One" during his Chelsea return, Jose Mourinhos combative side is back on display. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger called Mourinhos repeated attempts to downplay Chelseas Premier League title prospects a "fear to fail." At a news conference later Friday, Mourinho snapped back: "He is a specialist in failure. Im not." Wenger, who has been in charge at Arsenal since 1996, has not won a trophy since the 2005 FA Cup. Mourinho called himself the "Special One" at the start of his first spell with Chelsea, which ran from 2004-07, and he led the Blues to their first two English league titles since 1955. Before returning to the west London club last June, Mourinho won the Champions League with Inter Milan and the Spanish league with Real Madrid. "Iff supposedly (Wenger) is right and Im afraid to fail, its because I havent failed many times," Mourinho said.dddddddddddd "Maybe hes right. Maybe Im not used to failing. The reality is he is a specialist. "Eight years without a piece of silverware, thats failure ... if I dont win a trophy in four years, I dont want a new contract, even if the club wants to give me (one). Its as simple as that." Chelsea leads the Premier League with 12 matches remaining, one point ahead of Arsenal. "If we dont win a title in one year, is that a failure? Or if we dont win a title in two years, is that a failure?" Mourinho said. "I have lots of respect for (Wenger) and I think he is a great manager. But when he speaks about failure ... failure is not winning a title in seven or eight years." Wholesale NFL Jerseys ' ' '