Tuesday August 20th Local Sports
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — José Abreu hit a towering three-run homer in Chicago’s four-run second inning, helping Iván Nova and the White Sox beat the Minnesota Twins 6-4. Nova allowed 10 hits and two runs in 5 1/3 innings. Abreu connected for his 27th homer, driving a Kyle Gibson offering deep to the second deck above the bullpens in left-center field.
Minnesota returned home after a 5-1 road trip helped re-establish its control of the AL Central. But the loss to Chicago trimmed the Twins’ advantage in the division to two games over idle Cleveland.
Nova (9-9) allowed 10 hits and two runs in 5 1/3 innings, with both runs scoring among Minnesota’s first three batters of the game.
Nova improved to 5-0 with a 0.85 ERA in his last six starts. Alex Colomé worked a rocky ninth for his 24th save in 25 chances.
Jorge Polanco hit his 18th homer for Minnesota, which leads the league with 241 homers and has an extra-base hit in 79 straight games, the fourth-longest streak in team history.
Kyle Gibson (11-6) surrendered five runs in 6 2/3 innings to take the loss.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Twins slugger Nelson Cruz has been reinstated from the injured list after the minimum 10-day stay and will play through a ruptured tendon in his left wrist. Cruz ruptured the tendon on Aug. 8, and the Twins feared he would miss significant time. But the team later learned he could play with the injury, and he has told the team he is pain-free. The 39-year-old Cruz is hitting .294 with 32 homers and 76 RBIs.
MASON CITY — Mason City High’s new football coach is settling in to his new job as the season is about to get underway. Brandon Krusey says he’s very excited to get things started.
Krusey says part of the learning process for the Mohawk squad has been dealing with the language of his system.
Krusey says he’s happy with the number of athletes coming out for football in the sophomore, junior and senior classes.
Krusey came to Mason City from Davenport North. He has a career head coaching record of 84-70 with previous stops at North Tama, Grundy Center and Independence. Mason City will scrimmage Forest City as part of the Mohawk Fall Athletics Kickoff event this Friday night at 7 o’clock at Mohawk Field.
IOWA CITY — Iowa and Iowa State are both in the pre-season Associated Press college football poll released on Monday. Iowa is among seven Big Ten teams in the rankings, as the Hawkeyes are #20. The other Big Ten teams are Ohio State at #5, Michigan at #7, Penn State at #15, Michigan State at #18, Wisconsin at #19, and Nebraska at #24. Iowa State is right behind Iowa in the #21 position in the pre-season rankings. Two other Big 12 teams appear in the pre-season poll with Oklahoma #4 and Texas #10. Clemson is the top team in the pre-season rankings, with Alabama second and Georgia third. Find the full poll here.
AMES — Iowa State’s tight end position has developed into a major weapon and has given the Cyclones a more diverse offense. Junior Chase Allen and sophomore Charlie Kolar provide the Cyclones an opportunity to put multiple tight ends on the field.
Allen hopes to remain injury free this season. After earning second team All Big 12 honors in 2017 Allen missed five games due to injury last season after a fast start.
The Cyclones are 21st in the preseason Associated Press poll. It is their first appearance in the preseason survey in 41 years.
Iowa State opens the season August 31st hosting UNI.