embattled head coach a two-year contract extension on

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- It was a rough day for Danny Duffy. Fortunately for the Kansas City Royals, Will Smith was terrific. Smith replaced Duffy in the fourth inning and had a career-high eight strikeouts in a dominant relief performance, helping Kansas City beat the Seattle Mariners 3-1 on Monday. Smith (2-1) allowed one hit in 4 1-3 innings. He finished with the most strikeouts by a Royals reliever since Tom Gordon struck out eight over 4 2-3 innings against Detroit on July 9, 1993. "Will was phenomenal, outstanding, great," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "Man, what a job he did. It was evident from some of the swings they were taking they just had a real hard time picking up the ball. His pitches had action, deception and location." While Smith shined, Seattle ace Felix Hernandez lost his fourth consecutive start. The ace right-hander allowed three runs and six hits in 6 2-3 innings. Hernandez departed after his back cramped up while he was pitching to Alex Gordon. "The second pitch to Gordon I felt it cramping," Hernandez said. "Its just a cramp. Itll be OK." Mariners manager Eric Wedge said trainer Rick Griffin told him he did not think it was serious. Five of Smiths strikeouts took only three pitches. Kyle Seager, who had three of the Mariners seven hits, doubled off Smith with two out in the seventh, but it was a fly ball that centre fielder Jarrod Dyson lost in the sun. "The slider was working and the curveball, too," Smith said. "Its one of those days where everything was clicking. I just kept putting zeros up." Greg Holland pitched a one-hit ninth for his 37th save in 39 opportunities. The Royals scored two runs in the fifth to open a 3-1 lead. Dyson led off with an infield single and advanced to third on Alcides Escobars hit-and-run single to right. Dyson scored on a wild pitch, and Escobar came home Emilio Bonifacios sacrifice fly. "Speed can do a lot," Dyson said. Hernandez (12-9), who has a 7.84 ERA in his losing streak, struck out Mike Moustakas in the sixth to reach 200 strikeouts for the fifth straight season. Duffy, who had elbow surgery last year, departed after 3 2-3 innings and 91 pitches. He was charged with one run and five hits with four walks and four strikeouts. "I didnt have it today," Duffy said. Seattle got its run when Brad Miller drove in Abraham Almonte with a two-out triple in the fourth. The Royals tied it on consecutive singles by Eric Hosmer, Billy Butler and Moustakas in the bottom half. "It was tough luck," Hernandez said. "A lot of ground balls to the outfield, it happens. I commanded the fastball better." Duffy threw 68 pitches in the first three innings and stranded six runners. He struck out Kendrys Morales and Justin Smoak swinging to end the first with two runners on. Michael Saunders led off the second with a bunt single and Duffy walked Mike Zunino on nine pitches before retiring the next three batters. The Mariners went 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10 runners. NOTES: Zunino was activated from the disabled list after five rehab games with Triple-A Tacoma. He went on the disabled list July 26 with a broken left wrist. ... Carlos Pena, whom the Royals signed to a minor league contract last week, went 3 for 4 with a home run and four RBIs as Triple-A Omaha beat Round Rock to clinch the Pacific Coast League North Division championship. ... RHP Erasmo Ramirez will be added to the Mariners roster Tuesday and start against the Royals. This will be his 10th Seattle start this season and 17th career start. Kole Calhoun Jersey . The 36-year-old said a few months ago he would hang up his boots at the end of the season, but has since changed his mind. "Its a pity the season is ending now, as I am in good physical shape and enjoying myself," Di Natale said. Albert Pujols Jersey . The Maple Leafs handed their embattled head coach a two-year contract extension on Thursday, while at the same time announcing that assistants Dave Farrish, Greg Cronin and Scott Gordon will not be back. http://www.baseballangelslockroom.com/ . Peko, a fourth-round pick in 2006, started all 16 games and a playoff loss to San Diego last season. He was second on the line with 72 tackles and had a career-high three sacks. Mike Trout Jersey . Thats when the eight-time champion revealed that a painful back is slowing his serves -- and, all in all, giving him more trouble than his opponents so far. Shohei Ohtani Jersey . THE THUNDER & PACERS BENCHES: In a nutshell, not impressive at all.The Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres meet for the fifth and final time this regular season tonight when the Atlantic Division clubs clash at Air Canada Centre. You can watch the game live on TSN at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. The Leafs and Sabres have split the four previous meetings, with each club winning twice at home. The previous two encounters have both gone past regulation, with Buffalo recording an overtime victory on Nov. 29 nearly a month prior to Torontos 4-3 shootout triumph on Dec 27. Overall, the teams have split their past 20 meetings, with the Maple Leafs winning three in a row and nine of the last 11 played in Toronto. The Leafs are looking for a third straight victory tonight after holding off the Boston Bruins 4-3 on Tuesday. Tyler Bozak scored twice and added an assist, while Jonathan Bernier made 14 of his 38 saves in the third period. James van Riemsdyk had a goal and an assist, Jake Gardiner scored and Phil Kessel tallied three helpers as Toronto has won back-to-back contests following a four-game slide. "Well weve been giving a better effort thats for sure," said Toronto head coach Randy Carlyle. "Weve raised our compete level and were going to have to continue to do that to get points. Thats the most frustrating part for our hockey club has been that we havent been able to achieve that with any consistency. Thats frustrating for the coaching staff, thats for sure." Carlyle is likely to give James Reimer the start in net tonight. He is 1-0-1 against the Sabres this season, allowing five goals on 64 shots faced, and is 6-2-2 against them lifetime with a 3.27 goals against average. However, Jonathan Bernier picked up a victory for the Leafs and has started nine of the Leafs last ten games. Bernier is 1-1 against the SSabres this season, including a the shootout victory on December 27, when Bernier stopped all three shootout attempts he faced.dddddddddddd Kessel, van Riemsdyk and Nikolai Kulemin have all scored twice against the Sabres this season. Buffalo heads out on the road for a game after having an eight-game home point streak snapped last night in a 4-3 setback to the Philadelphia Flyers. The Sabres are just 4-14-2 on the road compared to 9-13-3 at home, but return to Buffalo for three in a row starting on Saturday. Tied at 1-1 going into the third period on Tuesday, the Sabres and Flyers engaged in a back-and-forth frame that featured five goals in total. The last went to Philadelphia as Vincent Lecavalier scored with 14.8 seconds left in regulation. Cody Hodgson, Matt DAgostini and Tyler Ennis tallied for the Sabres, who had been 6-0-2 in their previous eight at home and lost for the fourth time in the last six games overall. Steve Ott chipped in two assists in defeat, while backup Jhonas Enroth stopped 29 shots. It marked the first time that the Sabres scored more than two goals in a game the Enroth had started since Nov. 2 and he fell to 1-9-4 with a 2.57 GAA and .913 save percentage this season. "Hes been our best player when hes played. We just havent gotten him the goals," said DAgostini. Ryan Miller should get the start in net tonight for Buffalo and is 2-0-1 with a 1.95 GAA in three games against Toronto this season. Defenseman Tyler Myers is eligible to return to the Sabres lineup after serving a three-game suspension for a hit to the head of New Jerseys Dainius Zubrus on Jan. 4. Myers has four assists in four games versus the Leafs this season, while Matt Moulson has tallied a pair of goals and two assists. 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