KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Billy Butler is hot at the plate and Kansas City Royals are even hotter. Butler homered and drove in three runs and right fielder Nori Aoki threw out two runners in the same inning as the Royals beat the San Francisco Giants 4-2 Friday night for their fifth straight victory. The Royals, who have not been in the playoffs since winning the 1985 World Series, hold a half game lead for the second AL wild card. They have won 13 of 16. Butler, who is hitting .423 in the past seven games, homered with two out in the first off Madison Bumgarner (13-9). In the past 13 games, Butler has four home runs and 11 RBIs. "Those are feeling really good," Butler said. "Bumgarner is one of the best pitchers in the National League and in baseball in general. I just caught one out front. He battled all night, throwing a complete game. We capitalized on a few mistakes and got some runs across." Said Bumgarner of Butlers homer, "It just caught a bit too much of the middle of the plate. Hes a good hitter." Butler singled home the go-ahead run in the two-run sixth, which was aided by throwing errors on Giants infielders Michael Morse and Matt Duffy. Alex Gordon had an RBI single. "Morse had more time than he thought," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "Youd just like to get one out there. Duffy knew he came of the bag and was trying to get the out (at first)." The Giants scored twice in the third on Joaquin Arias double and Matt Duffys single. Aoki prevented a bigger inning, throwing out Hunter Pence at third and Arias at home. "You might get two in a game, but never two in an inning," Aoki said through a translator. The Giants out hit the Royals 12-7, but self-destructed with three errors and base running blunders. Bumgarner went the distance, allowing four runs on seven hits, while walking none and striking out five. His road scoreless streak was snapped at 17 innings. Jason Frasor (3-1), the second of five Royals pitchers, threw a spotless sixth, striking out two. Greg Holland pitched a flawless ninth for his American League-leading 33rd save in 35 opportunities. It was Hollands 100th career save. Penguins Jerseys 2020 . Kyrie Irving and the Cleveland Cavaliers were left fretting over an MRI on the stars left knee. Paul George scored 21 points, Roy Hibbert added 19 and the Pacers used a dominant fourth quarter to blow out the Cavaliers 91-76 on Tuesday The Pacers (25-5) have won eight in a row over Cleveland, their longest active streak against any opponent. Penguins Jerseys 2019 . No, the San Antonio star didnt announce retirement plans during an off day at the NBA Finals on Wednesday. https://www.cheappenguinsjersey.com/. 4 jersey of former defenseman Rob Blake this coming season. The ceremony will take place prior to the Kings January 17 game against Anaheim. Fake Penguins Jerseys .Commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday it is inevitable that the league will one day take after European sports and have sponsor names on team jerseys. 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But so many of the questions surrounding this version of the Leafs a€“ searching for just their second playoff berth in the past 10 seasons a€“ come down to Carlyle and his ability to adapt and affect change this season a€“ alongside a revamped coaching staff, no less. Will they possess the puck more? Can they defend better? Can they play the speedier style hes talked about implementing this fall? Can they find contributions from four lines? Can he get the group, ultimately, to buy into the product hes selling? The earliest indicators to those ongoing questions took their first form in the Leafs 4-3 season-opening loss to Montreal on Wednesday night. Save an unfortunate first goal from Max Pacioretty a€“ one that fooled Jonathan Bernier a€“ Toronto broke out with the start they were looking for. They were fast, on the attack and in control territorially after 20 minutes, ending up with a one-goal lead on markers from Nazem Kadri and Tyler Bozak. We started the way that we wanted to start the game a€“ the style of play that we want to play, said Dion Phaneuf afterward, his nearly 24 minutes leading the team. But then things went south in the middle period. Feet stopped moving, pucks were given away, speed dried up and the Canadiens held court in the Toronto zone for long stretches. It was akin to the teams many letdowns of last season. One spell saw the top line (which was probably its worst on this night) trapped in its own zone for more than a minute and a half, three shots from Montreals top line of Pacioretty, P.A. Parenteau and David Desharnais fired on Bernier. The Habs struck early in the period to even the score; Plekanec snuck in behind the pair of Morgan Rielly and Jake Gardiner and deposited the Habs second goal. I thought the second period we got back on our heels and we stood around and watched, said Carlyle. We didnt support the puck, we turned it over a€“ we were continually turning it over and Montreal took the game to us. The teams traded chances in the third, an even 20 minutes that saw the visitors laugh last on the second goal of the night from Plekanec, one that ricocheted off the skate of rookie Stuart Percy and into the goal behind Bernier. It was the capper of the Leafs first regulation loss on opening night since 2006. They had clipped the Canadiens in four straight season openers. For Carlyle, though, it was a generally positive start. Most notable was the balanced lineup. The Leafs were able to roll four lines deep into the third period of a close game, only one forward finishing with less than 10 minutes. His team, stylistically, also looked the part of a speedier, more aggressive unit. In terms of territorial control, too, the Leafs were just about equal with the Canadiens, felled in many ways by the off-night of their top line a€“ on the ice for two of the four Montreal goals a€“ so consistent a force last season. Toronto gave up a fair share of opportunities a€“ burned a couple times because of it a€“ but save for some wobbly, enduring points in the middle frame, they were also far from the mess of a year ago. Some good, some bad in the opener. Five Points 1. Rookies Both Brandon Kozun and Stuart Percy made themselves noticed early in their NHL debuts. The surprise hit of training camp, Kozuns first period attempt on Carey Price was redirected by Nazem Kadri for the Leafs first goal of the season. Late in that same period, it was Percy retrieving his own shoot-in on the power-play and then dishing to Tyler Bozak for the second goal. Of the two, it was the defenceman who made the bigger impression. A first round pick in 2011, Percy played more than 20 minutes alongside Roman Polak. He garnered first power-play duty alongside Phaneuf, killed penalties in tandem again wwith Polak and rarely looked rattled by the weight of his first NHL game.dddddddddddd I thought Stu had a heck of a hockey game, Carlyle said. He moved the puck effectively. Hes very, very calm with the puck. His night ended on the most unfortunate of terms. In attempting to connect with Alex Galchenyuk in front of the Toronto goal, Plekanec fired the puck off Percys skate and into the net with 43 seconds left on the clock. It was an unlucky moment hell surely never forget. Bernier made sure he knew it was luck and nothing more. Obviously its not his fault, said Bernier. He doesnt need to get down on himself after that. 2. Balance In Torontos season opener one year earlier, two forwards a€“ Carter Ashton and Colton Orr a€“ played fewer than four minutes, including just five shifts that amounted to two minutes and forty-seven seconds for Orr (who passed through waivers Monday and is now with the Marlies). Better balance was the idea when the Leafs stocked up the depths of their forward ranks in the summer and that balance was noticeable in the opener. All but one of the 12 forwards dressed garnered double-digit ice-time a€“ Matt Frattin just missing out with 9:24. 3. Philosophy Brendan Shanahans predecessor made no secret of what he wanted his teams to look like when he landed with the Leafs full of thunder in Nov. 2008. We require as a team proper levels of pugnacity, testosterone, and belligerence, Brian Burke said famously at the time. Thats how our teams play. Shanahan has kept bold statements of that kind to a minimum since he was named team president back in April, but allowed a peek into his philosophy on Wednesday afternoon. The puck is something we have to own a little bit more, said Shanahan. Thats the key to the hockey game. Both teams, whether theyre a big, tough, dump-and-chase team or a skilled, quick, puck-handling team, everybodys looking to control the puck, control the game. 4. Robidas Debut One hundred and sixty-three picks after the Ottawa Senators picked Bryan Berard first overall in 1995 did the Montreal Canadiens select Stephane Robidas out of nearby Sherbrooke, Quebec. Robidas was one of six players making their Leafs debut on Wednesday night. The 37-year-old donned an alternate letter in facing his former team, the groundwork for that decision laid during a summer meeting between player and team brass. In his role, we felt that he would be a guy that could provide leadership, not only to our younger players, but some of our older players, said Carlyle, prior to the game. He could share minutes and he could make a contribution, not [only] on the ice. And thats what hes done all his career. So we dont look at it that were asking him to do something hes not comfortable doing. Robidas logged 20 minutes in his debut. 5. Roster Evolution Just how different was the Leafs lineup from exactly one year earlier? Leafs Opening Night 2013-14 van Riemsdyk Bozak Kessel Lupul Kadri *Kulemin *Raymond *Bolland *Bodie *Ashton *McClement *Orr *Gunnarsson Phaneuf *Reimer Gardiner *Franson *Fraser *Ranger Leafs Opening Night 2014-15 van Riemsdyk Bozak Kessel Lupul Kadri *Kozun *Winnik *Holland *Frattin *Komarov *Santorelli *Clarkson Phaneuf *Robidas *Bernier Gardiner *Rielly *Percy *Polak *changes Stats Pack 57-58 a€“ Corsi, slightly favouring Montreal in Wednesdays opener. 20:21 a€“ Ice-time for Stuart Percy in his NHL debut. 11 a€“ Leafs forwards with at least 10 minutes on Wednesday. 7 a€“ Leafs opening night unbeaten streak (5-0-2) snapped with the 4-3 decision. Special Teams Capsule PP: 1-3 Season: 33% PK: 2-2 Season: 100% Quote of the Night Obviously its not his fault. I just gave him a tap on the back. He doesnt need to get down on himself after that. -Jonathan Bernier, on his message to Stuart Percy following Tomas Plekanecs game-winner. Up Next The Leafs host the Penguins at home on Saturday before visiting the Rangers in midtown Manhattan on Sunday. ' ' '