LOS ANGELES -- Yasiel Puig was scratched from the starting lineup after arriving late for the Los Angeles Dodgers home opener on Friday. Morgan Burnett Jersey . The rest of the team was already on the field stretching before batting practice while Puig was getting dressed in the clubhouse. He had been slated to start in right field for the afternoon game against the San Francisco Giants, who beat the Dodgers 8-4. "Im sincerely sorry," Puig said through a translator after the game, explaining that he didnt realize stretching and batting practice would be held so early with a 1 p.m. start. Puig said he apologized to manager Don Mattingly and his teammates, and they accepted. "They felt it was OK when I owned up to it and apologized," he said. "I felt bad I wasnt out there playing for all the fans." Instead, Matt Kemp replaced Puig in the lineup after manager Don Mattingly had earlier said Kemp wouldnt start. Kemp came off the disabled list on Friday after rehabilitating from left ankle and shoulder operations. He was limited to 279 games during the last two seasons because of injuries. Puig, last years runner-up for NL Rookie of the Year, was 5 for 20 through his first five games of the season. He wasnt used as a pinch-hitter because Mattingly said the situation didnt call for it. The Dodgers trailed 8-0 after two innings. Mattingly downplayed Puigs mistake. "He truly felt bad," the manager said. "You can tell by his body language; he doesnt hide things well." Mattingly said he thought not allowing Puig to play was more fitting punishment than fining him a couple hundred dollars. "He felt bad he wasnt here and I believe that," Mattingly said. "Hes a good kid. Does he have to grow up and get better? Yeah, but theres a lot of guys like that." It was the latest in a series of frustrations for the team involving Puig. Last week, Mattingly called a team meeting after the 23-year-old Cuban defector made two mistakes on the basepaths during the Dodgers opening two-game trip to Australia. The dynamic right fielder became an instant sensation last year when he made his big league debut in early June and helped lead the Dodgers from last to the NL West title. But Mattingly often was frustrated by Puigs decision-making in the field and on the bases. Puig twice was arrested for reckless driving last year, when his effort on the field also came into question at times. He went 5 for 22 (.227) with 10 strikeouts and committed defensive miscues against St. Louis in the NL championship series. He remains a fan favourite, but the Dodgers want to see Puig grow up, be consistent and show better judgment on and off the field. Catcher A.J. Ellis chalked Puigs mistake up to something that can happen to any player in the mix of day and night games. "Its one of these learning experiences," Ellis said. "Hes going to be fine. Im sure hell be very prompt and on time for the rest of his career, hopefully." Saturdays game against the Giants also starts at 1 p.m. "Ill be here early," Puig said. Mason Rudolph Steelers Jersey . Fourteen players were suspended last summer by Major League Baseball as part of the Biogenesis drug scandal, ranging from All-Stars to also-rans. Jon Bostic Jersey . -- Top-seed Shahar Peer and Canadian Eugenie Bouchard advanced to the second round of the inaugural WTA Citi Open. http://www.steelersauthoritystore.com/Authentic-Jon-Bostic-Steelers-Jersey/ . Alvarez hit his first career home run, pitched six innings and hurt his right hamstring while running the bases in the Miami Marlins 4-3 win over the Chicago Cubs. KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Detroit Tigers insisted that they werent trying to make a statement. They accomplished it anyway. Ian Kinsler hit a two-run homer, everyone in the Detroit starting lineup had a hit by the fourth inning and the Tigers pounded Jason Vargas and the second-place Kansas City Royals 10-1 on Friday night to add another game to their AL Central lead. The Tigers (85-68), who now lead the division by 1 1/2 games, have forged their advantage by dominating head-to-head matchups. They are 12-5 against the Royals his season. "We just went out there and did what were capable of doing," Tigers outfielder Torii Hunter said. "But there are no statements. Our intent is just to play the game." Justin Verlander (14-12) had all the support he needed by the end of the first inning, when the Tigers had shelled Vargas (11-10) for three runs on five hits. Detroit tacked on a run in the second, another in the fourth and then broke things open with a five-run fifth. Lost amid the offensive onslaught was a fine performance by Verlander, who had struggled his last three times out. The 2011 Cy Young winner allowed one run on seven hits in 7 1-3 innings. "He certainly seemed like he was up for this game," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "It was there up there with one of the best games hes had all season." Vargas allowed five runs on nine hits in 3 1-3, his shortest outing since April 16, 2013. "Its my responsibility to set the tone," he said. "They were hitting good pitches and I was leaving pitches up in the zone. I just wasnt able to put us in the right direction." Now, its up to the Royals to change course in a hurry. "Theres no carry-over," manager Ned Yost said. "They whipped us, they beat us, they spanked us, whatever you want to say. Well show up again tomorrow and be ready to play." Kansas City came into the weekend off a momentum-building win over the White Sox, and a day off Thursday allowed anticipation of the series to swell. Fans snatched up every last ticket, pounding the plastic "thundersticks" given away at the turnstiles as the Royals opened arguably their most important set of games since the 1985 World Series. It took about 15 minutes for silence to grip the ballpark. Kinsler led off the game with a single, and after Hunter flied out, the Tigers raapped out three straight hits to take the lead. James Washington Jersey. . Hunter got his hit the next inning, an RBI double, and James McCann became the last Detroit player in the starting lineup with a hit in the fourth. His single and ensuing stolen base were the first of McCanns career. Royals relievers Casey Coleman and Louis Coleman could do little to stop the bleeding as the Tigers pounded out 15 hits by the fifth inning. And those fans that had packed "the K" to see the first act of a pennant-chase drama? Many were already streaming for the exits. Kinsler paced the Tigers offence with three RBIs, and Eugenio Suarez added a pair. Everyone in the starting lineup but McCann, J.D. Martinez and Rajai Davis drove in a run. That included 35-year-old Victor Martinez, whose run-scoring single in the first inning gave him 100 RBIs to go with 31 home runs. The only players older than him to become first-time members of the 30-100 club have been Carlton Fisk (1985) and Edgar Martinez (2000). "Its nice," Martinez said, "but at the same time, I dont look at those numbers. Were in the middle of a race. Thats all that matters." BLOWOUTS AT THE K Detroit has outscored Kansas City 60-21 in eight games at Kauffman Stadium this season. "We love the backdrop," Hunter said. "We love the stadium." CHECK THE BOX SCORE With the game out of reach early, both managers substituted liberally, giving their stars a chance to rest with a noon first pitch on Saturday. They combined to use 31 position players. TRAINERS ROOM Tigers: C Alex Avila remains sidelined with concussion-like symptoms. He tried working out Friday but again felt dizzy. ... RHP Anibal Sanchez (strained chest muscle) had no issues after a bullpen session Thursday. He plans to throw a simulated game Sunday. Royals: LHP Tim Collins was recalled from Triple-A Omaha. The Royals considered bringing him back a few weeks ago, but Royals manager Ned Yost said a back injury kept him in the minors. ON DECK Tigers: RHP Max Scherzer (16-5) tries to beat Kansas City for the second time in less than two weeks. He allowed one run over 6 1-3 innings in a 4-2 victory on Sept. 9. Royals: RHP James Shields (14-7) beat Detroit at Comerica Park the following day, tossing seven shutout innings. He only allowed two hits and a walk in that game. Cheap Jerseys Store Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Camo China NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Store Cheap Authentic Jerseys Youth NFL Jerseys Cheap ' ' '