He pitched the last three innings in relief, allowing one run and four hits. | Forum

Raleigh, NC (Sports Network) - The Dallas Stars signed goaltender Dan Ellis to a two-year deal on Friday, bringing the veteran netminder back to the place where his NHL career began. Custom Jerseys China . The 33-year-old Ellis was a second-round pick by Dallas in 2000, but played just one NHL game during his time with the Stars. The deal to bring him back to Dallas is reportedly worth a total of $1.8 million according to ESPNs Pierre LeBrun. "Dan is a proven goaltender in this League and he will be a great complement to Kari Lehtonen," said Stars general manager Jim Nill. "Hes a true professional that will compete hard each and every day." Including the Stars, Ellis has played for five teams in his NHL career and is 78-65-17 with a 2.73 goals against average and a .908 save percentage in 184 games. He saw action in 19 games with Carolina in 2013 and went 6-8-2 with a 3.13 GAA. Custom Jerseys Adidas .J. -- Marshawn Lynch said Thursday it will be good to get back to football after the Seattle quiet talking running back wrapped up his final mandatory media session of Super Bowl week. Custom Jerseys Nike . PAUL, Minn. https://www.cheapcustomjerseysonline.com/ . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . DETROIT -- The Kansas City Royals began the game by hitting for the cycle as a team, then Whit Merrifield nearly did it by himself.Merrifield hit a triple as part of Kansas Citys four-run first inning, and he later added a single and a double in a 12-9 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday. The Royals hit four homers to drop the Tigers in the AL wild-card race -- and avoided elimination themselves.I havent played in the playoffs, but that was as close to a playoff atmosphere as Ive been a part of, said Merrifield, a rookie who made his debut for the defending World Series champions in May. (The Tigers are) fighting for a spot, and theyre going to give you your best shot, so youre going to have to play all 27 outs.Kansas City started the game with a single by Billy Burns, a triple by Merrifield and a double by Kendrys Morales before Salvador Perezs two-run homer made it 4-0. It was the first time the Royals first four hitters combined for a cycle since Sept. 30, 2006, also at Detroit.Tigers starter Matt Boyd (6-5) lasted only one more hitter after Perezs homer, giving up another hit before being pulled. The Tigers fell 1 1/2 games behind Baltimore for the second wild-card spot. The loss cut Clevelands magic number to clinch the AL Central to one -- the Indians start a four-game series in Detroit on Monday night.Boyd said he understood 100 percent why he was taken out so quickly.I might have been able to work myself through it, but the margin of error is zero right now, he said. Every run is important right now and so is every game.The Royals led 7-0 after Cheslor Cuthbert and Raul Mondesi hit consecutive homers in the third.Dillon Gee (8-9) got the win in relief, and Wade Davis pitched the ninth for his 26th save in 29 chances. Miguel Cabrera came up as the tying run but lined out to shallow left field to end it.Plate umpire Dan Iassogna ejected Cameron Maybin from the Detroit dugout during that final at-bat.Victor Martinez hit a grand slam for Detroit in the third to make it 7-4, and the Tigers loaded the bases again that inning, chasing starter Edinson Volquez in the process. Authentic Custom Jerseys. . But Andrew Romines bunt attempt with two outs was fielded easily by reliever Peter Moylan, and the force at home ended the inning.Detroit tried several former starters in long relief -- Anibal Sanchez, Shane Greene and Mike Pelfrey all pitched -- in an attempt to keep the game close, but the Royals kept adding runs. Alex Gordons two-run homer in the sixth made it 11-5.Kansas City let the Tigers creep back into it by the end. Justin Upton hit a solo homer in the seventh, and Detroit also scored two runs on wild pitches, the second of which made it 11-9 in the eighth.The Royals held on, though, and theres still a mathematical chance they can catch the Orioles.Maybin had four hits for the Tigers.VERSATILEMerrifield played first base for the first time this season. Hes also played second, third, left field and right field.Its always fun to switch up the angles for me, see the ball from a different perspective, he said. I got a couple balls. I didnt get to pick one.MARATHONSThe 3-hour, 51-minute game was Detroits longest nine-inning contest of the season. The Tigers played 3:50 against the Royals on Saturday.TRAINERS ROOMTigers: RHP Jordan Zimmermann, who has been dropped from the rotation as he struggles to come back from neck problems, pitched for the first time since Sept. 10. He pitched the last three innings in relief, allowing one run and four hits.UP NEXTRoyals: After an off day Monday, Kansas City starts RHP Ian Kennedy (11-10) against Minnesota RHP Jose Berrios (2-7) on Tuesday night.Tigers: Detroit sends RHP Buck Farmer (0-0) to the mound Monday against Cleveland RHP Corey Kluber (18-9).---Follow Noah Trister at www.Twitter.com/noahtrister ' ' '