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CHICAGO -- With just five wins in late July, the temptation is to think that James Shields is having an off year. Not true, said Kansas City manager Ned Yost. Shields tossed seven shutout innings on Friday night to lead the Royals to a 5-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox, and Yost believes that performance was right in line with the way the veteran right-hander has pitched this season. "Forget the record," Yost said. "The record doesnt tell a quarter of the story of the way hes pitched all year. Hes been really, really good. Hes an innings eater (and) he keeps us in the game every time. Weve just struggled to score runs for him. "But tonight was good that he got a W. He pitched great." Shields (5-7) allowed eight hits and walked two but faced only one real scoring threat, working out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth inning. He lowered his ERA to 3.09 and has been especially effective on the road, where he improved to 4-3 with a 2.50 ERA in 12 starts. Afterward, Shields preferred to talk about the team. The Royals (49-51) have won four straight and six of eight since the All-Star break. "I think were playing some decent baseball right now," Shields said. "I think theres always room to improve, but right now were on a little bit of a roll and its nice. I think were playing on all cylinders right now. Our defence has been playing amazing. Obviously, Lorenzo Cain made a couple of nice catches tonight and the pitchers are making pitches when they need to." Chicago starter Jose Quintana (5-3) also pitched well but allowed two runs on six hits in seven innings to pick up the loss. "Hes a good pitcher and its just one of those things where he doesnt get really what he deserves," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "He was sharp." Royals right-fielder David Lough led off the top of the third inning with a home run into the right-field bullpen to give the Royals a 1-0 lead. Thats where the score stayed until the seventh, when the Royals stretched the lead to 2-0 on a sacrifice fly by Miguel Tejada that scored Salvador Perez, who led off the inning with a double. The White Soxs best threat against Shields came in the sixth, when they loaded the bases with two outs. But catcher Josh Phegley grounded into a fielders choice to third base on the first pitch to end the inning. Shields showed his veteran savvy in working out of the jam. With Gordon Beckham at the plate with runners on second and third with two outs, Shields fed the White Sox second baseman a steady diet of breaking balls. Beckham was 0 for 2 to that point, but both outs were drives to deep centre. "Beckhams a pretty good hitter and hes got pretty good numbers against me," Shields said. "He hit the ball hard twice earlier in the game and I had the catcher right behind him. I felt like there was a base open and Im not going to give him too much to hit in that situation." Beckham walked to load the bases, but Shields got Phegley to ground out softly on a slider. The Sox finally got on the board in the eighth on a solo homer by Conor Gillaspie, but the Royals added three insurance runs in the ninth on run-scoring hits by Cain and Mike Moustakas, and a sacrifice fly by Lough. NOTES: White Sox RHP Jesse Crain, who has been on the disabled list since July 3 with a right shoulder strain, played catch on Thursday and said afterward, "It definitely wasnt better today." Crain, who has a 0.74 ERA in 38 appearances this season, said he will take four or five days off before throwing again next week. ... Although hes not ready to commit to it long-term, Royals manager Ned Yost said he will keep first baseman Eric Hosmer batting second for now. "Traditionally, a situational guy hits second," Yost said. The slugging Hosmer was hitting .321 with a .519 slugging percentage in July before Friday. ... Beckham was back in the lineup after missing five games with a strained left wrist, the same wrist he had surgery on earlier this season. "Theres some soreness but no pain, so its go time," he said. ... Royals RHP Wade Davis (4-9) faces LHP Chris Sale (6-9) Saturday night in the second game of the series. Under Armour Canada Sale . In taking its goal tally to 99 in all competitions already this season, City delivered another demonstration of its lethal firepower at Etihad Stadium to set up a fourth-round match at home to another second-tier team -- Watford. Cheap Shoes Canada . -- Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Alrdridge were again the go-to duo for the Trail Blazers against the Kings. http://www.discountunderarmourcanada.com/ .com) - The game was all punts and field goals before Kodi Whitfields catch. Under Armour Shoes Canada . Manuel was offered a position the day he was fired. He accepted earlier this week and the team made the announcement Friday. Under Armour Canada Outlet . -- Ty Montgomery had 290 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, and fifth-ranked Stanford held on to beat No. This is my house.With those words, Jarryd Hayne announced he was back.The Hayne Plane took full flight at Campbelltown Stadium on Saturday afternoon as he snapped a clutch field goal to seal a thrilling 19-18 NRL win over Wests Tigers.On a day of high drama in Sydneys southwest, which included James Tedesco suffering a suspected broken jaw, the cross-code superstar proved he was back to his brilliant best and ready to drag the Titans deep into September.The loss lifted the Titans back into the top eight while the Tigers season looks over, with the loss compounded by Tedescos injury which required him to be taken to hospital.The Tigers fought hard after Tedesco was assisted from the field, with David Nofoaluma crossing for two tries to even the scores up at 18-18 with 10 minutes remaining before Hayne broke the hearts of the 16,783 in attendance with eight seconds on the clock.After Titans halfback Ash Taylor and Wests Tigers playmaker Mitchell Moses both missed two field goal attempts, Hayne, in just his second game back in rugby league, kicked the winner.Actually, I was going to throw it to (Hayne) on the second (attempt) but he said to let Ash have another go, Titans co-captain Nathan Friend said.On the third one, he took iit and I think his words were this is my house.dddddddddddd Its good to have that confidence.The result left the Tigers in danger of losing touch with the top eight but coach Jason Taylor refused to concede Tedescos injury spelt the end of their season.The Tigers No.1 was taken from the field in the 59th minute after being collected high by Ryan James.The Campbelltown crowd were baying for James blood when he hit Jack Littlejohn high, however Moses missed the attempt at penalty goal - one of several chances the home side had to seal the match.They also had a right to feel dudded after Josh Aloiai was ruled to have lost the ball in his own half, however replays showed it was stripped by Josh Hoffman, and Anthony Don crossed the next set.Taylor refused to blame the referees for their loss.I dont know what you guys want me to say but it happens in every game, Taylor said.You just have to get over that stuff.The referees are human; theyre going to make mistakes. You just have to get on with it and we did.Well learn a lot from that - good thing we dont listen to you lot (the media) with all that stuff. ' ' '