KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Houston Astros got a good glimpse of what could happen if Chris Carter and George Springer are hitting well at the same time. Carter connected for two home runs, Springer set a rookie club record for homers in a month and the Astros beat the Kansas City Royals 9-3 Wednesday for their fifth straight win. The Astros have been waiting for Carter to take off after he hit 29 home runs last year. "This guy led our offence in home runs and RBIs last year. He had been hot and cold, but we all know when hes hot, he can carry a ballclub because weve seen him do it," Astros manager Bo Porter said. "We definitely would love to get him going. That would be an added boost to our team," he said. Carter, who had been benched the previous three games with a .192 batting average, homered to lead off the fifth. He hit a three-run homer in sixth off reliever Louis Coleman for his fourth career multihomer game and his first this season. "He sat for three days, worked extremely hard in the cage and watched a lot of video," Porter said. "He came in today with a good game plan and understanding the things in which hes worked on the last few days." "I always say this: Its good from a coaching standpoint you put in effort with a guy and the next time he gets in the lineup you see it pay off. Thats good for the player to see the immediate results of the work which hes putting in" he said. Springer homered off Danny Duffy (2-5) in the first for his ninth home run in May. Glenn Davis held the Astros rookie record with eight home runs in September 1985. Springer also walked twice and was hit by a pitch. "Our offence is better," Carter said. "Its been coming around really good. George has six home runs in six games. Im happy for him. I think we have something going here." The Astros, with the worst record in the AL, won three times in Kansas City for their first sweep of the season. Houstons winning streak is its longest since a six-game string that ended last June 3. The Royals have lost four in a row. "Its just a bad series, unfortunately, it happened at home," Royals designated hitter Billy Butler said. "Its a tough go right now." Carlos Corporan had three hits with a walk. He drove in a run as the Astros outscored the Royals 21-5 in the series. Jarred Cosart (4-4) gave up one earned run and four hits in five innings, but was pulled when his pitch count reached 95. "I chose a good day to go five and the offence scored nine runs," Cosart said. "I didnt have my best stuff. The offence came out scoring early. I felt pretty good out there. I had a couple of innings with high pitch counts. We have a five-game winning streak going. Weve got momentum. Were going back home to our own ballpark." Duffy allowed six runs on seven hits and five walks in four-plus innings. The first four Royals pitchers combined to walk 10, which was a season high. "He just didnt have anything going for him today," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "His fastball was down to 88-92 (mph) and we kept checking and asking if he was OK. He was fine, but he was going through a little dead arm. He was throwing hard, but it just wasnt coming out. We had to kind of ride it. We didnt have any bullpen help." Brett Hayes singled in the Kansas City fifth to snap an 0-for-27 skid to begin the season. He homered in the seventh, the Royals first home run in nine games. NOTES: Houston 2B Jose Altuve dropped Eric Hosmers popup to shallow right in the sixth inning for his first error of the season. That ended an Astros record of 88 errorless games by a second baseman. Altuve also had a single and tops the majors with 73 hits. ... Butler grounded out four times and is in a 2-for-22 funk, tumbling his average to .235 with one home run. ... Royals LF Alex Gordon batted third for the first time this season and extended his hitting streak to six games with a first-inning single. Reggie Lewis Celtics Jersey .com) - The Toronto Maple Leafs will try to play spoiler as the Los Angeles Kings will try to match their longest winning streak in over four years in Thursdays battle at Staples Center. Jayson Tatum Jersey http://www.authenticcelticsproshop.com/Paul-Pierce-Jersey/ .Y. -- Florida Panthers captain Ed Jovanovski finally has something to show for all the pain he went through in overcoming a string of injuries that kept him sidelined for much of the past two years. John Havlicek Celtics Jersey . The stress, the waiting, the whispers about whether he doped during his stellar cycling career, all of it ended when - after nearly two years - federal prosecutors closed an investigation of him last week without bringing any charges. 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But what he says, goes." Starting his second White Sox opener, Sale faces Nolasco in only the third time opening-day meeting between the teams and the first since 1993. After a lengthy and severe Chicago winter, Mondays forecast calls for partly sunny skies and a 65-degree temperature. The White Sox are coming off a 63-99 season, their poorest record since 1970. Their projected lineup features five players making their opening-day debuts, including Cuban slugger Jose Abreu, who signed a $68 million, six-year contract. "I dont really know where Im going to be hitting, but it doesnt matter," Abreu said through a translator. "To be honest with you, thats irrelevant. Im ready to hit wherever they put me. Im here to help the team." Minnesota (66-96) committed $73 million to sign Nolasco (13-11 for Miami and the Los Angeles Dodgers) and Phil Hughes in an effort to rebuild its pitching. "Its important to get off to a good start," Nolasco said. "I know theyve been struggling the last couple years, but weve been working hard as a staff trying to go out there do quick, efficient innings, get us back in the dugout and try to swing the bats." Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said Nolasco is ready for the season. "Rickys game on," he said. "Im not worried about him one bit. Hell go until he tells us hes tired. Hes very sure of what he needs to do to win." Despite snow piles and a frozen field earlier this month, Roger Bossards groundskeepers got the playing surface ready at U.S. Cellular Field. "Im impressed," Ventura said. "We thought thered be an iceberg out in left field with all the reports we got. ... But we knew Roger would pull it off this off." Eli Manning Youth Jersey . -- Hal Steinbrenner says Alex Rodriguez is "a great player" and "obviously an asset," but the New York Yankees managing general partner wouldnt discuss the third basemans possible return to the team following a season-long suspension. 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Drouin, from Corunna, Ont., bested his own record of 2.38 metres set in Aug. 2013 in Luzhuniki, Russia, at the World Championsships in Athletics.dddddddddddd. Erik Kynard and Dusty Jonas both cleared a 2.35-metre jump on Friday, but could not make it past the 2.38-metre jump. The Drake Relays are an annual track and field event held at Drake University. ' ' 'collected three doubles, two singles and Michael Bourn caught Detroit napping and stole third. The unexpected outburst began with a base-running blunder as Carlos Santana singled off Cabreras glove at first but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double. Nick Swisher doubled and Yan Gomes walked before Aviles lined his two-run double into the gap in left-centre. Bourn followed with a double off the wall in right to score Aviles and Clevelands leadoff hitter alertly swiped third without a throw. Asdrubal Cabreras RBI single made it 4-1 and brought Tigers pitching coach Jeff Jones out to visit Verlander, who dropped to 9-11 with a 5.36 ERA in his career at Cleveland. NOTES: Indians 2B Jason Kipnis will begin a rehab assignment Friday at Triple-A Columbus. Kipnis has been on the disabled list since May 2 with an oblique injury and the club would like to get him in a few games before hes activated. If all goes well, Kipnis will be back for Mondays series opener in Chicago. ... Brantley has hit safely in 17 consecutive home games, one shy of the ballpark record shared by Kenny Lofton (1996) and Roberto Alomar (2000). ' ' '