The Friday Night Lights camp is the biggest recruiting night of the summer for Urban Meyer and Ohio State, and Doug and I are wandering the stadium taking pictures, writing down notes and getting a sense for the scene. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Friday Night Lights camp is the biggest recruiting night of the summer for Urban Meyer and Ohio State, and Doug and I are wandering the stadium taking pictures, writing down notes and getting a sense of the scene. 

Keep checking back in this story as we upload photos, write tidbits and keep you updated with up-to-the-minute occurrences from Ohio Stadium. 

• First off, it's important to note that Ohio State picked up a verbal commitment from three-star tight Josh Moore of Olathe (Kansas) North. Moore is one of two tight ends in the 2015 recruiting class to keep an eye on Friday night. 

• The other is La Grange (Ohio) Keystone tight end C.J. Conrad, a four-star prospect whom Rivals.com rates the No. 7 tight end in the 2015 class. Conrad is committed to Kentucky, but there's a notion that the Buckeyes would also take him in this class along with Moore. Conrad is here for a reason. 

• The attention is all on four-star prospect Torrance Gibson of Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage. While participating in throwing drills, Gibson was situated right in front of Meyer. Ohio State's head coach was patting Gibson on the back and giving the quarterback personal instruction. He's probably the most important recruit in attendance. 

• Four-star linebacker Justin Hilliard of Cincinnati St. Xavier, the biggest name in Ohio State's recruiting class, said he was going to make a personal effort to recruit  

other top prospects. One of those prospects is Gibson, and you could see the two talking during a water break. It was clear Hilliard was trying to nudge Gibson to Ohio State. 

• While one set of recruits was working out under the stands, the other was working out on the field. And when it was time to switch, OSU strength coach Mickey Marotti was making sure everyone moved quickly from place to place. Check out the video on the right of the two workouts going on.

• Larry Johnson Sr. is usually rather soft-spoken, but Ohio State's defensive line coach just delivered a spirited speech to campers on the Block O at midfield. I could hear him screaming from my seat in the upper deck. 

• Ran into 2016 running back Elijah Holyfield walking into the stadium for the camp. Do you think he looks like his father (former heavyweight champion of the world Evander Holyfield)? 

• If you want to know the most influential prospects in attendance, I made two separate posts on it leading into today. Here is offense, here is defense. 

• To the right is a video of the first video they showed on the Jumbotron for Friday Night Lights. If you look at it, you can see the players working out. Typical pump-up video type of stuff. 

• Meyer is spending a lot of time with junior wide receiver Austin Mack of Fort Wayne (Ind.) Bishop Luers. The 6-foot-2, 185-pounder has scholarship offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and others. 

• Want some proof of Hilliard working on Gibson? How's this?

This dude can't stop smiling. [?] [?][?] [?] [?] [?] @quick_tg6 pic.twitter.com/Oyzg8jwpfy

— Justin Hilliard (@JHilliard47) July 26, 2014

• It wasn't just the players that were on display Friday night. The event also served as the debut for fans of the new permanent lighting at Ohio Stadium, which was completed this offseason.

• That didn't take long. Part of Marcus Hall's ejection at Michigan last season has already been included in a pump up video being shown at Ohio Stadium on Friday night celebrating the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry. Hall flipping off the crowd at Michigan wasn't shown, but his angry reaction to his initial ejection as he walked behind the bench was flashed for a second.

• Many current Ohio State players are on hand for Friday Night Lights. Among the Buckeyes roaming the sidelines is Braxton Miller.

• Ohio State added a second verbal commitment Friday night when Detroit Cass Tech defensive tackle Josh Alabi announced that he will be a Buckeye. He became the 14th player in the Class of 2015 for Ohio State.

Officially committed to the University of Ohio State [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] #BuckeyeNation #gobucks

— Joshua A. (@JoshAlabi) July 26, 2014

• Ohio State's quarterback of the future - 2017 commit Danny Clark of Massillon (Ohio) Washington - also in attendance. 

What the Indian need to do most of all to stay in the AL Central race is win. After that GM Chris Antonetti is exploring deals for a starting pitcher and an outfielder.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – For the Indians to stay in the AL Central race until the end of the season here's what they have to do -- win a lot more games then they're currently winning.

After that, they'd like to add a No.1 starter between now and the end of August, but that seems improbable at the moment.

If they can't do that, they've been talking to teams about acquiring an outfielder to help their sagging offense and protect them against left-handers. They've talked about acquiring starters and role players.

The kind of pitcher the Indians need, left-hander David Price, would cost them a lot – namely top prospect Francisco Lindor and they're unwilling to do that. The Indians already have a lot of middle-of-the-pack starters in Zach McAllister, T.J. House, Josh Tomlin and Danny Salazar. So there doesn't seem to be much point in adding guys like Minnesota's Kevin Correia (5-12, 4.76 ERA) or the Mets' Bartolo Colon (9-8, 4.03).

Correia is a free agent after this season. Colon will make $11 million next year.

With Corey Kluber at the top of the rotation followed by Trevor Bauer, that could carry them through a good chunk of what remains of the season. If Justin Masterson, making his second rehab start on Friday night at Class AAA Columbus, can stay healthy and put some quality starts together in the last two months of the season that would help even more.

If that doesn't happen, the free-agent-in-waiting could be traded before the end of August. Masterson has been drawing attention from other teams despite his poor performance to date.

Salazar is the wild card. Pitching coach Mickey Callaway was impressed with his start and win Tuesday against the Twins. It was Salazar's first start in the big leagues since May 15 and if he continues to pitch well the Indians could make a run.

If GM Chris Antonetti can't find a starter, he could add an outfielder. The move is motivated by center fielder Michael Bourn's lingering left hamstring problems, Ryan Raburn's .199 batting average and the offensive inconsistency of right fielder David Murphy.

Bourn is on the disabled list for the second time this season because of the hamstring. He is with the team in Kansas City, but just when he'll be ready to return to the lineup is hazy. Whenever that happens, he'll have to go on a rehab assignment before rejoining the Indians.

In the meantime, All-Star Michael Brantley has moved from left to center and has finally cooled at the plate. Raburn and recently-acquired Chris Dickerson have played left and Murphy is in right. The Indians signed Murphy to a two-year, $12 million free-agent deal over the winter, but after a good start, he's been mediocre.

It was rumored that the Indians were one of the teams talking to the Dodgers about Matt Kemp, who is unhappy over his playing time, but owned $107 million over the next five years. No way is he coming to Cleveland with that contract and there are questions about his defense.

MLBtraderumors.com listed several outfielders that could be dealt by the July 31^st non-waiver trade deadline. Among them are right-handed hitters Josh Willingham of the Twins, Marlon Byrd of the Phillies, Alex Rios of the Rangers, Chris Denorfia of the Padres and Dayan Viciedo of the White Sox.

The Indians need a right-handed hitter to help balance their lefty-heavy lineup and protect it against lefty relievers late in the game.

GM Chris Antonetti said recently that if he did make a trade, he would like to acquire a player who is signed through at least 2015. Willingham, Rios and Denorfia can be free agents after this season. Rios has a $13.5 million club option for 2015.

Byrd, 36, is signed through 2015. He'll make $8 million next year with a vesting option worth $8 million in 2016.

Viciedo, whose defense is suspect, won't be a free agent until 2018.

If the Indians don't make a move by July 31, they have until Aug. 31 to add or subtract from the roster, but all players involved must clear waivers first.

Three-star defensive tackle Joshua Alabi of Detroit Cass Tech committed to Ohio State at Friday Night Lights, choosing the Buckeyes over Michigan State, Wisconsin, Tennessee and Miami (Fla.).

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State got its second verbal commitment in the 2015 recruiting class during Friday Night Lights when three-star defensive tackle Joshua Alabi of Detroit Cass Tech pulled the trigger in favor of the Buckeyes. 

Rated by Rivals.com the No. 25 defensive tackle in the class, Alabi chose the Buckeyes over Michigan State, Wisconsin, Tennessee and Miami (Fla.). 

Officially committed to the University of Ohio State [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] #BuckeyeNation #gobucks

— Joshua A. (@JoshAlabi) July 26, 2014

The commitment isn't only big for Ohio State because it is adding another big body to the defensive line, but Urban Meyer has been trying to infiltrate Cass Tech, which was known as a Michigan pipeline not too long ago. 

But Ohio State landed top cornerback Damon Webb in the 2014 class from the Technicians and have become a major player in the Detroit-area high school. 

Check back with cleveland.com for more. 

Will Brian Hoyer be able to stave off hotshot rookie Johnny Manziel in Browns training camp? That's the plan.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Brian Hoyer will take the first-team reps in early in camp, is set to start the first preseason game, and is the early frontrunner to win the starting job.

Now, all he has to do is stave off the ultra-competitive, ultra-popular Johnny Football for the next few weeks and the job will be his.

"I feel the same way about it as I did when I left (after minicamp),'' Hoyer said after passing his conditioning test Friday night. "It's my job and until someone tells me otherwise. That's how I feel about it. I've worked hard to prepare myself for this training camp and now that we're here, I'm just excited to get going, to see some of the faces back in the locker room today. Obviously I was here with the early report group and we had two good days of good work and now it's time to really go. so I'm excited for tomorrow morning.''

Hoyer, who's been fully cleared for 11-on-11s, wasn't surprised to learn that  he'll be with the first-team offense during the early part of camp and that Johnny Manziel will be with the twos. Hoyer was limited in team drills during spring practices while recovering from his torn anterior cruciate ligament.

"I think that's kind of what I expected,'' said Hoyer. "Limitations in spring kind of held me back. Now it's time to go. I'm excited to be out there with those guys and really I just wanted to be in the huddle. I didn't care if it was the wrong play, a pass play, I just wanted to be in there with those guys and be a part of the team. That's what I missed most, so now to get that opportunity, especially with the guys that are going to be in that group, to get out and earn their respect and be the guy that leads them in the field."

But he's not reading anything into the depth chart at this point. Coach Mike Pettine has called it an "open competition'' but acknowledges it will be "very difficult'' for Johnny Manziel to come-from-behind to win the job.

"I expect to be the starting quarterback,'' Hoyer said. "It's not anything that changes my mentality. I always prepare like I am the starter whether or not I am. It's an opportunity to take advantage of the reps with the guys in the huddle."

Sure, the challenge of beating out the most popular athlete in the NFL today based on merchandise sales is exhilarating, but that's not what's motivating Hoyer.

"The pressure, you can thrive off of that,'' he said. "But the thing that motivates me most is to be the best quarterback for this team. Being a team player, you want the best people out there, whether that's me or Johnny. That will be determined in these next couple weeks. For me, I want the best quarterback to play. All you can ask for is the opportunity to be that guy. I just have to take advantage of the opportunity I have."

Hoyer, who went 3-0 last season before tearing the ligament Oct. 3 against the Bills, has no qualms about his 'best man win' philosophy.

"No, because I'm confident I'm that guy,'' said Hoyer. "But in the same sense I know if it comes down to the fact Johnny does beat me out, I will have given everything I can and he will have totally earned it. That's what you want. All I ask is the opportunity and a chance to earn the job, and that's what I've been given.  For me it's about going out every day and proving I can be that guy I believe I am."

Hoyer, the North Olmsted native and St. Ignatius grad, fulfilled a boyhood dream of playing for his hometown team last season, and isn't about to let the opportunity to slip away.

"I think obviously the competition will bring out the best player in me, but I also think the thing that drives me the most is my goal of being the starting quarterback for this team,'' he said. "So obviously there is a competition, but I think in the most part I'm competing with myself. That's the way I look at it, that's what drives me every day to be the best player that I can be and to have just a taste of it last year and then have it ripped away, it makes you realize how much you love the game and how much it means to you to have something taken away from you like that.

"Especially when you've waited for an opportunity for a long time. So it drove me for the past nine months and it will continue to drive me. But like I said, I think the thing that drives me most is my willingness to try to be the best and I strive for that every day.''

Hoyer isn't overly concerned about how much time he'll have with the starters heading into the season.

"Obviously it's important, but I look back to my time playing last year,'' he said. "I barely practiced with any of those guys. Really when it gets down to it, in a week when you're going over the game plan and you're going over the plays you're going to play, you get enough, but obviously the time you can get in offseason and OTAs and training camp it can definitely make a difference."

While Manziel is tackling his first NFL playbook, Hoyer is finding the scheme similar to the one he ran in New England for three seasons.

"I've been able to pick it up relatively quick,'' he said. "When you look at the system you can attack in so many ways--vertical passing game, short passing game, outside zone, inside zone, play action—it really puts all facets of offensive football out on the field and we have the guys to do it, there's no doubt about that. You look at Kyle (Shanahan's) history, he's had a team that led the league in rushing and had a team that led the league in passing and he's had some teams that have been very good in both. Being a balanced football team is probably the best thing you can do and I think we have the scheme and the players to do that."

Although Hoyer has the edge, Pettine has said the lead isn't insurmountable.

"[Hoyer] has an advantage because he got that head start in the spring,'' Pettine said. "I don't know if I would consider it an upset (if Manziel wins the job). I don't know how I would term it, but it's not going to be something where the decision comes down... For the coaches, it's easy where it's who gives us the best chance to win. I won't get into really how I'll characterize it if it happens."

He re-iterated that the job is there for Manziel to take.

"Absolutely, not just at quarterback, but a lot of other positions are open,'' he said. "A player comes in and they perform better than the guy that we have in place at the No. 1, then we'll go ahead and make a change. We will be a team where the best guys play. It's an easy question: who gives us the best chance to win? They'll play. Quarterback is no exception."

Pettine, who will name his starter by the third preseason game against the Rams Aug. 23, plans to roll out Hoyer first in Detroit Aug. 9.

"Barring unforeseen events, I would see Brian starting the preseason opener,'' Pettine said. "It's still a chunk of time, though, to get there, but I think it's safe to say that."

He stressed that performance when it counts is what will matter most.

"They can certainly take a lead, but it's hard (in) practice,'' he said. "You love for a guy to show up and be outstanding in practice, but it's got to carry over. We're all about Sundays. We'll put a little bit extra weight on the scrimmage (Aug. 2 at the University of Akron), and we'll certainly put extra weight on the preseason games."

He re-iterated that it will be very difficult for Manziel to overtake the seasoned veteran, one who learned from Tom Brady for three seasons in New England.

"I just think that given the circumstances with him being a rookie, it's difficult for a lot of rookies to come in and win a job when there's a guy that's ahead of them that the team has a good feeling about,'' said Pettine. "I made the comment that it's him against the playbook, but that's true of most rookies. We're very pleased with where he is with the playbook.

"He's probably ahead of where we figured he would be, but that's still a tough thing coming from a system where three words called the play. Now it's 10, 11, 12 words calling it, and then to be able to process all that information in a shorter period of time, that's really the challenge for somebody that's new, just getting used to the speed of the game. If we jump in a car and ride 200 miles an hour, we're probably going to drive off the road, but once you train to do it and you get used to it, everything slows down for you.''

With Hoyer, the Browns are eager to see how he operates the new offense in 11-o-11s for the time on Saturday.

Let the competition begin.

Join cleveland.com's Zack Meisel for a live in-game chat as the Indians take on the Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Get scoring updates and analysis as the Indians take on the Royals at Kauffman Stadium and chat with cleveland.com's Zack Meisel in the comments section.

Game 103: Indians (51-51) vs. Royals (51-50)

First pitch: 8:10 p.m. at Kauffman Stadium

TV/radio: STO; WTAM AM/1100, WMMS 100.7

It is time now for the games, for the metric that will decide the quarterback comeptition between Brian Hoyer and Johnny Manziel. It is absolutely refreshing in the grim business of pro football that Manziel sees this as "fun."

BEREA, Ohio –- His number was on many fans' chests and backs, his name on their lips as they called his name in a sing-song, "John-ny! John-ny!"  

Johnny Manziel took the field at 9:22 Saturday morning in the first public workout of the Browns' training camp. He was at least the shared center of the attention he seems to crave so much.

The rhythmic chant of "Brian Hoyer! Brian Hoyer" four minutes earlier had actually been louder, but merchandise-wise, expectation-wise and, after a spree of Johnny Football's non-football weekends, unwise-wise, this was Manziel's day to seize.

Fascination with the most publicized player in college football, a Heisman winner at Texas A&M as a freshman, a worthy contender in his second and last season, brought fans to the practice facility hours before the gates opened.

"I got here at 2:30 a.m.," said Steve Hodge, 52, of Westerville, a Columbus suburb. "I slept in a chair I brought with me."

Thus bivouacked, he did not move until he saw a skunk saunter by near dawn. "I didn't want to be called Stinky instead of Johnny," Manziel's alter ego said. "Then they opened the gates and I ran to get this spot."

Hodge was in the "pole position" in the standing-room-only, non-corporate area, situated closest to the media interview areas in the first of the eight rows of fans craning for a view of the field behind a fence. Sartorially, Hodge was sort of what Manziel has been behaviorally, an Instagram waiting to be posted.

Hodge had on a Notre Dame cap with glittery green dollar signs on it and an orange Browns shirt with more of the symbols of the money-counting gesture Manziel made famous. On his own back, Hodge bore a cardboard placard that read, "Manziel."

"It's a token of respect. I love Manziel. His heart is this big," said Hodge, his hands forming a circle that encompassed most of his chest.

The news on many weekends during OTAs and mini-camp were devoted to Manziel for what resembled road trips with Flounder, Boon, Pinto, Otter and the gang from "Animal House." Even owner Jimmy Haslam, whose truck stop company's trouble with federal investigators in the past year made Manziel's escapades look as inconsequential as they probably are, told the rookie quarterback to "tone it down."

Haslam advised that Manziel should work on handling himself like "LeBron, Derek Jeter and Peyton (Manning)."

After all this, at long last, it is time for the games that will be Manziel's proving ground.

The quarterback job is a fascinating race between Hoyer – the favorite son; the sentimental choice coming off an injury; the known and comfortable guy, who is projected to "just play within yourself and take what the defense gives you" – and Manziel – the celebrated prodigy; always ready for his selfie close-up; a swaggering Texan, heedless of containment when there is so much gratification around.

"I'm not out there to make spectacular plays or magical plays because that's not what you do in games," said Hoyer.

So often at Texas A&M, that was exactly what Manziel did, though.

Hoyer gives the Browns an established, professional base. The kid gives them Cirque du Manziel.

I watched Texas A&M play 2013 national runner-up Auburn on ESPN-U Friday night in a game the Aggies lost, 45-41. I saw imagination and improvisation; plays extended to the defensive breaking point; commitment to not run until the passing options had run out; accuracy so much more pronounced than Ohio State's Braxton Miller as to make any possible debate about the two seem silly; a player, in Manziel, who had the respected analyst and former Brown Gary Danielson pass out compliments as if they were candy and compare him to no less than Joe Montana.

This is the Manziel that made his own draft night "wreck this league" comment a possible prophecy and not an empty brag.

"At Texas A&M, I played with an extreme amount of passion, and I played with my heart on my sleeve, but more than anything, I had fun. I have fun playing this game," said Manziel. "I have fun going out on this field playing football. It's what I live for. It's what I do, same way off the field. Whether I'm playing golf, going out having a night life, whatever it is, I have a lot of fun. That's what my life is, and luckily for me I'm living out my dream of playing in the NFL having a ton of fun."

Someone, possibly a linebacker in the open field, will put some lumps on that concept. But for now, Manziel is learning other painful lessons.

"Age is not an excuse, but I need to mature and I have done some immature things. Moving forward, I'm going to try and mature and get better and handle myself better as a professional," he said.

He is simply an exuberant figure, outsized even though he is only 5-11. He is  guzzling, not sipping life, a Zorba the Greek holding a football, not a wineskin.

At times, even while thinking about what he would do on a play when it was Hoyer's snap, Manziel will spin a football in his hand, like a Harlem Globetrotter with a basketball, probably just because he can.

"Life is fun. Enjoy it while it's here," Manziel said.

Others can bring the skunk to the party. For now, enjoy the possibilities.

Assad was one of five local wrestlers to place in the freestyle competitions.

FARGO, N.D. - Brecksville wrestler Austin Assad was the only Ohio wrestler to claim a national title Saturday at the ASICS/Vaughan Junior Freestyle National Championships.

Assad won the 120-pound title with an 11-8 decision against Sean Russell of Georgia. Assad won four of his first six matches by technical fall, including a semifinal win against Hunter Marko of Wisconsin, a two-time freestyle champ.

An incoming senior, Assad is a three-time Ohio state placer, including two-time state runner-up. He finished third at 120 last season.

Junior National Freestyle Tournament: Assad wins.... Austin Assad is your 120 NATIONAL CHAMPION!!!

— BrecksvilleWrestling (@BrecksWrestling) July 26, 2014

Four local wrestlers placed in the Cadet freestyle tournament. Elyria's Kevin Vough, who won the Greco-Roman title last week, was third in freestyle at 285. Teammate Ben Darmstadt (160) was also third. Darmstadt was Division I state runner-up last season as a freshman while Vough, also a freshman, was third.

Also placing in the freestyle event were Austin Hiles of Brecksville (fifth at 145), and Garrett Lambert of Strongsville (sixth at 120). 

For complete Cadet and Junior Freestyle tournament results, visit trackwrestling.com.

Contact high school sports reporter Scott Patsko by email (spatsko@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@ScottPatsko). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam wants Johnny Manziel to stop making news off the field and to emulate superstars such as LeBron James and Tom Brady. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns owner Jimmy Haslam weighed in on Johnny Manziel's rock-star lifestyle for the first time Saturday and issued a stern warning to his rookie quarterback.

"I don't want to wear this subject out,'' Haslam said after the first training camp practice. "Johnny said it himself. He made some mistakes. We expect better from him. I'm sure he'll perform now. We're anxious to see what he can do on the field, which is what really counts."

Has Manziel learned his lesson about acting like a pro instead of livin' young and wild and free?

"We'll see,'' said Haslam.

Haslam, who watched every minute of practice on the first day of training camp Saturday, urged his young quarterback to emulate other superstars in the world of sports.

"I think the really great athletes make their news on the field, not off the field,'' said Haslam. "Hopefully, Johnny can look at guys like (Cavaliers F) LeBron (James) and (Patriots QB Tom) Brady and (Broncos QB) Peyton (Manning) and (Yankees SS Derek) Jeter and pattern himself after those guys who make their news on the field not off the field."

Manziel took the advice to heart.

"Those are two of the greatest athletes to play their respective sports in this country,'' Manziel said. "I'm sure they all made their mistakes at 21 years old, 20 years old, when they first came into the league. What I take away from that is you learn from the best and you learn how those guys have carried themselves, which is extremely well on and off the court. I think I absolutely agree with Mr. Haslam that I can learn from guys like that."

Haslam wouldn't say if he talked to Manziel himself, but acknowledged, "I think we're all on the same page with Johnny."

He indicated that the Browns are working with Manziel to give him the guidance he needs.

"We put tremendous emphasis on working with our players both on and off the field,'' he said.

Since the draft, Manziel has been photographed partying from coast-to-coast with the likes of wild-child Justin Bieber and hip-hop star Drake, and tightly rolling a $20 bill in the bathroom of a nightclub.

Sources told cleveland.com this week that the Browns were 'alarmed' by some of Manziel's off-the-field behavior, especially the bill-rolling photo. Manziel declined to explain what he was doing with the bill, saying he's discussed the matter with coach Mike Pettine and general manager Ray Farmer and that they're all good.

When informed that Haslam said 'we'll see' about Manziel learning his lesson, the rookie launched into a 400-word soliloquy about his philosophy on life, which is spelled F.U.N. 

"Here's the thing I want to say,'' he said, determined to set everyone straight on the topic once and for all. "The reason that I'm popular or the reason people follow me and there's been such a buzz around me is that when I went out on Saturdays at Texas A&M, I played with an extreme amount of passion and I played with my heart on my sleeve.

"But more than anything, I had fun. I have fun playing this game. I have fun going out on this field playing football. It's what I live for, it's what I  do. Same way off the field, whether I'm going out and playing golf or going out and having a night life, whatever it is, I have a lot of fun. That's what my life is and luckily for me, I'm living out my dream of playing in the NFL and having a ton of fun.

"My dream has come true and finally I got some time to get some down time and celebrate that with my family and friends. This is the greatest life that I could have ever imagined for me and I'm loving that. So will I continue to get better at being a professional and learn lessons about life? Of course.

"I'm 21 years old and age is not an excuse, but I need to mature and I have done some immature things but moving forward I'm going to try and mature and get better and handle myself better as a professional that's really all I can say about that.

"But my life is incredible. I'm blessed to be in this position and I'm going to have fun each and every day, whether it's practice, whether it's training camp, whether it's during the season and going out and playing the game, which will be even better or it's going out in the offseason and playing golf or hanging out with my family. Life's fun and enjoy it while it's here."

Haslam also spent time on the field chatting with first-team quarterback Brian Hoyer, with whom he's developed a good rapport.

"Brian's been around. He's a veteran. We've known him well. He handles himself extremely well,'' Haslam said. "Is there a better story? First of all, he's a hometown kid. He's coming off an injury. We all want him to do well. He's a quality guy and a class act, so we all want Brian to play well. We want Johnny to play well, and we want (Browns QBs) Tyler (Thigpen) and Connor (Shaw) to play well. It's an important position."

Hoyer appreciated the compliments from Haslam, but knows that nice guys don't always finish first.

"When it comes down to it, all that matter is what happens on the field,'' Hoyer said. "No one is going to cheer for a good guy if they're 4-12. It's good to know that people respect me and my character, but for me, when it comes down to it, it's all about what happens out on the field.''

Haslam also addressed another player making news off the field this offseason -- Josh Gordon, who worked largely with the second- and third-team offenses Saturday while he awaits his Aug. 1 appeal hearing on his drug suspension.

"First and foremost, we care about our players,'' said Haslam. "We want our players to take care of themselves and make good decisions. We're going to do everything we can to support him. At the same time, the players have to understand they're accountable to themselves, to their teammates, to the front office and to our fans. People have to understand that, and I'll leave it at that."

He echoed coach Mike Pettine's sentiments from earlier this week that the team won't cut Gordon.

In other Haslam news, he commented on Pilot Flying J striking a deal with federal prosecutors to pay a $92 million penalty and avoid criminal charges for defrauding trucking companies.

"This happened on April 15th last year,'' Haslam said. "We said on April 16th that clearly it looks like some people had made some mistakes in our company, and it cost all of us dearly. I think we also said we would, No. 1, cooperate with the government, which we've done and will continue to do; No. 2, put systems and processes in place where something like this could never happen again, we've done that; and No. 3, make things right with our customers and we've done that. We're glad to get this chapter behind us and move on."

He hopes Manziel can soon say the same thing.

"I didn't even know who he was until I got to Friday Night Lights," Moore said of Conrad. "But he was a cool kid. I wasn't trying to commit before him. I would have told him, 'Come on in with me.' "

COLUMBUS, Ohio – There was a tight end in attendance at Ohio State's Friday Night Lights Camp that was at the center of attention. An offer could mean another commitment in the Buckeyes' 2015 recruiting class. 

That tight end wasn't Josh Moore of Olathe (Kansas) North. 

So when Moore weaved through the stands on the west side of Ohio Stadium, he quietly posed for pictures for media members and nonchalantly walked down toward the field. 

Moore had already been committed to Ohio State for an hour. 

"I guess it was kind of low key," he told cleveland.com while chuckling. 

At the beginning of the day, La Grange (Ohio) Keystone tight end C.J. Conrad was the tight end everyone thought the Buckeyes could be close to adding. Though Conrad is committed to Kentucky, it was generally believed that he participated in Friday Night Lights to earn an Ohio State offer. 

But the camp ended with Moore in Ohio State's 2015 class and Conrad, a four-star prospect, leaving without an offer and without stopping to meet with the media. 

Moore, a three-star prospect, didn't even realize that he may have beaten Conrad into the Buckeyes' class. 

"I didn't even know who he was until I got to Friday Night Lights," Moore said of Conrad. "But he was a cool kid. I wasn't trying to commit before him. I would have told him, 'Come on in with me.' "

The truth is, Moore should have been at the center of attention from the beginning.

Unlike Conrad, Moore came to Friday Night Lights already with an Ohio State offer in hand. The Buckeyes were in his top six along with Kansas, Oklahoma, Florida State, Auburn and Missouri. 

Without telling anyone, Moore trimmed his list to Florida State and Ohio State. And without visiting the Seminoles, the 6-foot-5, 250-pound tight end pulled the trigger in favor of the Buckeyes. 

"Everything just felt right," Moore said. "And I wanted to make my decision pretty quickly because I wanted to be able to focus on my season and on my school. It feels really good to finally be committed." 

Adding Moore, Rivals.com's No. 5 overall player in Kansas, was big for the Buckeyes because they were in great need of an athlete, pass-catching tight end.

Ohio State missed out on their top target – five-star Michigan commit Chris Clark – but Moore feels as if he fills the need without the same ratings. 

Perhaps a little underrated? 

"Yeah, I feel that," Moore said. "But it means a lot that Ohio State had confidence in me and I am motived to prove that I am good. I just can't wait to get up there and show everyone what I can do." 

Join cleveland.com's Zack Meisel for a live in-game chat as the Indians take on the Royals.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Get scoring updates and analysis as the Indians take on the Royals at Kauffman Stadium and chat with cleveland.com's Zack Meisel in the comments section.

Game 104: Indians (51-52) vs. Royals (52-50)

First pitch: 7:10 p.m. at Kauffman Stadium

TV/radio: STO; WTAM AM/1100, WMMS 100.7

The Towson University product was one of the stars on training camp's opening day

BEREA, Ohio – The Brian Hoyer-Johnny Manziel battle is understandably dominating headlines. Although highly compelling, it might not be the most competitive fight in the Browns' backfield.

Ben Tate, a free-agent acquisition, expects to start at halfback. Rookie Terrance West is conceding nothing.

The rivalry's entertainment value was elevated again Saturday as West made a pair of dazzling one-handed catches and some shifty runs during the first day of training camp.

"No one has a spot right now on this roster," West said when asked about his competition with Tate. "That's why it's called camp – come out here and earn a spot. Only I can come out here and work hard and make it hard for the coaches to decide who to start on Sunday."

Tate, who spent the past three seasons behind Houston's Arian Foster, figured to be the feature back after signing a two-year, $6.2 million deal in March. He told reporters last month none of his competition "scares me. I'm just honest."

The 5-10, 225-pound West, who's as thick as Guinness stout, was asked about Tate's comments.

"It's just motivation," he said. "Everybody is supposed to feel like that. If you don't, you shouldn't be on this field. We'll see. Actions speak louder than words, so let's go."

West enjoyed a prolific small-college career at Towson University, where he ran for 2,509 yards and an outrageous 41 touchdowns last season. On camp's first day, however, he caught the attention of fans and coaches with several nice grabs. During one-on-one drills, West drew "ahs" with two one-handed snags.

"Each and every day I come to practice I have to put on a show," West said. "I have to show everybody in that building they can trust me on Sunday."

Browns coach Mike Pettine liked what he saw Saturday.

"I was a little shocked with Terrance today," the coach said. "I had to double check my roster card to make sure I was looking at the right number. He did some nice things in the one-on-one period. That's always a bonus, when you have a guy that's not just one dimensional."

Tate is a proven NFL back even as he waited his turn behind Foster on the Texans' depth chart. He's compiled 1,992 yards on 421 career carries. Tate got the first crack in 11-on-11 drills Saturday, but West also saw time with the first-team offense.  

"I think Ben is probably going to be a little bit ahead of him just naturally in the (pass) protection part of it, but Terrance isn't far behind," Pettine conceded.

Barring injury, Tate likely will start Sept. 7 in Pittsburgh. But as camp opens West appears a greater threat to Tate than Manziel does to Hoyer in the short term.

The crowd of 3,702 fans certainly showed its support for the rookie running back and he appreciated the applause. The Baltimore native is joined in camp by fellow Towson products Randall Harris (offensive lineman) and James Oboh (tight end).

"It was amazing because my other two teammates came out here and see all the fans it was like, 'Wow, we really made it -- we came a long way,'" he said. "All these fans, it was like playing in a game at Towson.

"(The fans) see something in me and I know I have something in me they see. They're excited and I'm excited, too."

He's also pleased to have questions concerning the Browns' conditioning test and his brief stay on the active/non-football injury list behind him. West said despite Wednesday's team report he did not fail the test.

"I actually passed," he said. "I felt as though they wanted to see if I could handle the pressure – do it again. If they told me (to do it) three times I would have done it."

Pettine's account is slightly different as you might suspect. He spoke to West on Wednesday night, Pettine said, adding there was a "misunderstanding on what passing the test was about." The coach said the rookie "crushed it" Thursday.

That description also applied to West's first day of practice.

Masterson will start for the Tribe against the Texas Rangers on Friday at Progressive Field. He'll assume the rotation spot previously held by Josh Tomlin, who was optioned to Triple-A on Saturday.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Terry Francona saw the pitching line. It read: 6 2/3 innings, five runs, four hits, six walks.

The Indians' skipper wanted more information. He wanted an explanation. He wanted a more in-tune perspective. So Francona talked to Justin Masterson, the author of that Friday night stat line, twice on Saturday in an attempt to better grasp where the right-hander felt on his progression back to the big leagues.

Masterson implored that he was ready to return to the big league club.

"He was pretty strong in his opinion that he was ready and that another [minor league start] wouldn't help him," Francona said. So, Masterson will start for the Tribe against the Texas Rangers on Friday at Progressive Field.

He'll assume the rotation spot previously held by Josh Tomlin, who was optioned to Triple-A on Saturday. Tomlin's demotion cleared an opening for Zach McAllister, who started Saturday night in Kansas City.

"[Masterson] was able to get stretched out and he actually feels pretty good about himself," Francona said.

As for the shaky pitching line? "He said he feels much better about attacking the strike zone," Francona said. "He said there were times he probably threw some pitches he probably wouldn't in a major league game, which is understandable. We just want to make sure he's ready to go, because when he comes back, he's back."

Francona said the team advised Masterson to treat his start for the Clippers on Friday as he would a playoff game, which would oppose the notion of throwing experimental pitches. Nonetheless, the Tribe just hopes Masterson reverts to his 2013 form. In 2014, the righty has posted a 4-6 record and 5.51 ERA in 19 outings, while averaging a tick more than five innings per start.

Getting closer: Asdrubal Cabrera pleaded with Francona to pencil him into Saturday's starting lineup, but the manager resisted the impulse. Francona said the shortstop, dealing with a balky lower back, will start on Sunday. Cabrera took batting practice with the team prior to Saturday's game.

Moose hunting: Mike Moustakas entered Saturday's action with a .316 batting average (12-for-38), six home runs and 12 RBIs against the Indians this season. Against the rest of the league, he was batting .181 (41-for-227) with seven homers and 28 RBIs. Francona said it "never fails" that every team in the league has a couple of guys who inexplicably crush a particular opponent's pitching staff.

"It seems like every time we make a mistake, he hits it into that bullpen," Francona said. "He's been a thorn in our side."

Reasons for the seasons: Nick Swisher entered Saturday's action 0-for-14 with seven strikeouts over his previous three games.

"Some of that might be the pitching we've seen," Francona said. "Sometimes you can feel good about yourself and come up empty. That's the way this league is."

Carlos Santana was 9-for-16 with three homers and two doubles over his last four games against that same pitching.

Corey Kluber is having a strong season on the mound, while stirring things up behind the scenes for the Indians.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Indians acquired right-hander Corey Kluber, 27, from San Diego on July 30, 2010 as part of a three-team trade with San Diego and St. Louis. Kluber came to Cleveland from the Padres, while the Indians sent Jake Westbrook to St. Louis.

Kluber is having a breakout season, 10-6 with a 2.77 ERA in 22 starts. He ranks third in the American League in strikeouts (162) and innings pitched (149 1/3).

Q. Almost every afternoon Cody Allen, John Axford and you kick a soccer ball around in the outfield. Did you ever play?

A.  "No, I never played, but it's fun to get out there and pretend we're half-coordinated enough to do it. I've noticed for me that it helps get my hips loose rather than going in the weight room and stretching.

"If you watch hockey players, they'll play soccer in the hallways before games."

Q. Your teammates always blame you when there is some clubhouse mischief afoot. Are you an instigator?

A. "I don't think any more so than anyone else. People just make a bigger deal out of it because everybody thinks I'm quiet. I don't think I do anything more than anyone else, people just notice it a little more.

"It's important to have fun. It's such a long year and we're with each other basically every day for about eight months. No one is off limits here and that's good."

Q. You spent the better part of five seasons in the minors. Did you ever envision having a season like this?

A. "I don't think I ever thought about having a such-and-such season. My goal was just to get to the majors. When you're in the minors, it just seems like that's so far away. I just tried to stay focused on getting here and when if I did to take advantage of my opportunity."

Q. What has changed with you as a pitcher over the last few years?

A. "I think a lot of it is mental stuff as far as confidence, learning about yourself as a pitcher, learning about the hitters in the league and recognizing what makes you successful and what doesn't.

"Part of it is continuing to feel comfortable with my delivery. Ruben (Niebla, minor league pitching coordinator) and I made some pretty drastic changes in 2011 when I was at Columbus. The further removed from you get from that, the more natural it feels."

Q. You're a fan of HBO's Game of Thrones. What was your reaction to "The Red Wedding" and what do you think will happen to Tyrion Lannister?

A. "I'm a big fan. My wife Amanda and I try to set aside sometime every Sunday after the girls go to sleep to watch. The Red Wedding was intense. I didn't see it coming. Lonnie Chisenhall has read all the books so he knew, but I had no idea.

"I would like to say Tyrion is going to make it, but they kill off every main character. You've got to put your money on that." 

Sending out a precocious freshman filly for her first thoroughbred stakes race can be nerve-wracking.

NORTH RANDALL, Ohio – Sending out a precocious freshman filly for her first thoroughbred stakes race can be nerve-wracking. When you have nine two-year-olds being loaded into the ThistleDown Racino starting gate, many suffering from the anxiety of being on the big stage for the first time, lots can go wrong.

Heat Transfer wasn't one of those skittish fillies on Saturday afternoon, matching Pyrite Blue Magic stride for stride down the home stretch in the 47^th running of the $50,000 Miss Ohio Stakes. Heat Transfer came out on top in the duel over 5½ furlongs, winning by a half-length in 1:07.68.

"She's a calm, classy young horse," said Victor McCormack, who was filling in for his son, Larry Rivelli, a top trainer at Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Ill. "Heat Transfer acts like a veteran six-year-old, not a two-year-old. She likes to be petted, and she wants to please."

Rivelli has a stable of about 70 thoroughbreds at Arlington Park. Heat Transfer was purchased as a yearling with one goal in mind.

"Larry really liked her looks and bought her because she was an Ohio-bred," said McCormack. "He races at Arlington, but wanted a horse that could dominate the Ohio circuit."

The daughter of Latent Heat has now made three starts, winning the last two after finishing third in her debut for owner Patricia's Hope LLC. She has won $54,000, and should return to Ohio for the $50,000 Tah Dah Stakes (Aug. 31) and rich $150,000 Juvenile Stakes (Oct. 11), both at Cincinnati's Belterra Park.

ThistleDown regular Jareth Loveberry got the call Saturday morning that he was needed to fill in aboard Heat Transfer for regular jockey E.T. Baird, a lucky assignment. Loveberry is leaving town next week to race at Remington Park in Oklahoma City.

"Coming out of the No. 7 slot, I had some traffic problems early," said Loveberry. "When we swung out in the final turn and started to head for home, Heat Transfer got some clean air and she had a lot left in her tank."

Pyrite Blue magic hung tough through the stretch, though, and looked like she might hang on to win the first race of her career. In the final yards, Heat Transfer showed why she was such a strong 1-2 favorite.

Heat Transfer returned $3., 2.60, 2.40. Pyrite Blue Magna returned $10.40, 8.60, with 14-1 Justalittlesmoke finishing third to return $6.20.

Racino rewards for horsemen: The purses have been increasing quickly at ThistleDown and Crafty Tigress, a familiar face in bottom level claiming races, came close to winning a $25,400 allowance race on Saturday for fillies and mares.

River City Girl ($8) went right to the lead from the outside post in the third race field of seven, set the pace and easily scored a 3¾-length victory. She clocked a 1:41.88 mile with Jeffrey Skerrett in the saddle. Sitting dead last at the half-mile mark, jockey Ricardo Mejias finally got Crafty Tigress rolling. She moved up to third at the top of the stretch and charged down the lane to finish second, five lengths in front of Monetary Reward.

Crafty Tigress, a seven-year-old chestnut mare, has been competing in $4,000 and $5,000 claiming races at ThistleDown over the last year. This year, Crafty Tigress won two of four starts before moving up to the rich allowance race. On Saturday's program, purses for the $4,000 claiming races ranged from $8,700 to $10,000, a huge jump from the pre-racino days.

Watch highlights from the first day of Cleveland Browns Training Camp including post practice interviews with Johnny Manziel and owner Jimmy Haslam. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns opened their training camp under new head coach Mike Pettine to a capacity crowd anxious to see the beginning of the quarterback competition between home town star Brian Hoyer and rookie Johnny Manziel. 

It was also fans first look at the offseason acquisitions that include free agents Nate Burleson, Andrew Hawkins, Miles Austin, Donte Whitner, Karlos Dansby and Ben Tate.  Fans also like what the saw in rookie running back Terrance West.

Hoyer, now cleared for all team drill after recovering from his torn ACL, played with the first-team while Manziel took all the snaps with the second-team.

Pettine has said that he plans on picking the starting quarterback before the third preseason game Aug. 23.

On Twitter: @CLEvideos

Mingo said he's stronger this season and has a better understanding of the mental preparation required at this level. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio – As Barkevious Mingo prepared to speak with reporters, he spotted a familiar face among the media members -- one who understands what it's like to underwhelm in your rookie season.

The Browns edge rusher smiled and applied a man hug to NFL Network analyst Willie McGinest, a three-time Super Bowl champion and former Browns outside linebacker. The two men met last year and have stayed in touch.

Browns fans can only hope Mingo's career arc follows the same track as McGinest's. The former New England standout started just seven games in his rookie season (1994) after being selected No. 4 overall from USC and transitioning from defensive end. He registered a combined 20.5 sacks over the next two years, earning his first Pro Bowl berth in 1996.  

"There's a big learning curve," said McGinest, who played for the Browns from 2006-08. "I did the same thing. Going into his second year hopefully he will settle into those things. He won't be thinking as much, he'll be able to react and play better.

"I think we're going to see a better year out of him."

Mingo enjoyed a productive first day of training camp Saturday, intercepting a Connor Shaw pass in drills and batting down a Brian Hoyer attempt during an 11-on-11 period. It's only one practice and the Browns don't don pads until Monday, but the No. 6 overall pick from a year ago was active and noticeable.

Coaches started him in every 11-on-11 session as he rotated with Paul Kruger and Jabaal Sheard. In the offseason, Mingo said he strengthened his lithe frame and gained more pass-coverage responsibilities in coach Mike Pettine's defense.

The former LSU defensive end is eager to show he's a better player than the one who recorded just five sacks and went long stretches without making an impact on games. After a promising start, he registered two sacks in the last 12 contests and played sparingly in the season finale at Pittsburgh.

Mingo said the biggest lesson learned from his rookie year is the amount of mental preparation required.

"We played complex defenses (at LSU) but you really have to be keyed in on your assignment and your alignment technique up here," he said.

McGinest said one of the biggest adjustments from defensive end to outside linebacker is "playing in space." Mingo notched sacks in each of his first three games relying heavily on his quickness. As the season unfurled, however, Mingo found it increasingly difficult to beat pass protection and pressure the passer.

Pettine and Browns defensive coordinator Jim O'Neil won praise in Buffalo last season for getting pass rushers into one-on-one matchups that they exploited. The Bills set a franchise record with 57 sacks and received terrific efforts from players like outside linebacker Jerry Hughes who had previously underachieved.

O'Neil lobbied the Bills' brain trust to draft Mingo, who went 10 spots before Buffalo chose quarterback E.J. Manuel. The defensive coordinator has challenged Mingo to improve his pass catching after dropping a series of potential interceptions in spring practice. His leaping pick Saturday sparked a body-bump celebration with fellow linebacker Eric Martin 

View full size Willie McGinest, an NFL Network analyst, played his final three seasons with the Browns from 2006-08.Associated Press 

Pettine is encouraged by what he sees in his second-year linebacker.

"You could tell that hopefully the switch has been flipped," Pettine said. "All signs are pointing that way. ... I just think his preparation, his willingness, talking to him about getting his weight up a little bit — it's not an easy transition for him.

"He's going from just two years (ago when he) was a defensive end who had his hand down all the time. His world was completely different than what we're asking from him now. He's out in space, much more involved in coverage. We'll still take advantage of his pass rush ability. As far as a true radical position change, it's right up there with him."

Pettine added that Mingo is playing at the highest weight in his career. The player, who dreads the topic, said only he's just shy of 240 pounds. He supposedly played at a similar weight a year ago.

Safety Donte Whitner loves Mingo's athleticism and attitude, but acknowledges, "we've just got to get him to Taco Bell after training camp practice to get a couple of pounds on him."

For now, the biggest weight Mingo carries is living up to his lofty draft status. McGinest was there once. Mingo hopes to get to the career apex McGinest reached.

Emerson Minch, 13, wins in Akron on Saturday. His sister, Maddie, won in 2012

AKRON, Ohio -- The exploits of the Minch family at the All-American Soap Box Derby began almost 40 years ago in hardly a spectacular fashion.

Greg Minch, then of Middleburg Heights, had a fascination with the gravity-propelled cars and entered races. In his second year, he won the Cleveland-area qualifying race, earning a lane in the Akron championships. He won one heat at Derby Downs, then was eliminated. That was 1978. He was done racing, but the derby was not done with him.

What has followed of late has been spectacular, punctuated by a series of close races on Saturday at the 77th annual running of the derby.

"I got a taste of it. I thought about it for 30 years," said the guy who went on to earn a degree in mechanical engineering -- a skill perfect for putting together  racing cars.

Minch kept his hunger for the derby concealed even from his wife, Jennine, whom he had dated in high school. But the craving emerged after they were married and  she broke the news that their first child was on the way.

"It will be seven years before we can race," Jennine remembers Greg proclaiming.

What was he talking about? Greg then revealed the pull of the Derby cars. That first child, Maddie, delivered the Minch family its first Derby title in 2012, at her third trip to the Akron championships.

Maddie, now 14, will be entering ninth grade at Strongsville High School in a few weeks. She is still age-eligible to race, but there is a problem. She has no car.

She learned of that hazard in the days leading to her title run. Winning cars are claimed by derby officials immediately and placed in their museum.

She told her dad, "If I win, I don't want to them to take my car."

They took it anyway. And dad, needing to equip the next two kids in line with cars and working as the manager of crankshaft machinery at the Ford Plant in Brook Park, has yet to help Maddie put together a new one.

Maddie dearly misses racing. "It's fun going to the races. It's a feeling you just get competing. It's different than anything I've ever done." She's a straight-A student, a viola player and dabbles in lacrosse.

On Saturday, Minch Racing -- it says so on their neon orange shirts -- had Maddie's brother Emerson, 13, in the Local Super Stock division.

Emerson watched Maddie win her crown. "I was really happy, but jealous, too," he said.

Emerson was pretty low-key before and after his first two runs, both of which ended about 30 seconds after they began in narrow victories -- a pattern that never did end.

It was Greg who showed emotion. He and his wife had both said that a first-round loss and elimination from the competition would be disappointing for everybody.

As he did for all the races, dad watched that first win unfold from the top of the Derby Downs hill. When it was over, you could see him shake off his nervousness. "You go through all this and lose the first race. It gets my voice quivering," he said with a quiver in his voice."

There was another reason he was relieved. Lanes for each race are predetermined. Emerson was slotted in Lane One of the three lane track in the first race, and pegged for Lane Three the rest of the day. From past efforts at the track, Emerson is comfortable there, and winners had been coming in from that post most of the morning.

Emerson really got into it after he eked out Race 3. He bolted from his car and into a nearby golf cart. He was all smiles. He knew he had qualified for a ride up the track with the rest of the field who were assured of a finish in the Top 9. He had been here before, finishing eighth in the rally category in 2010.

Race Four was slow to get off, allowing Greg to supply last-second advice to his racer: Keep your head down and don't let the car drift.

Emerson came from way back to take this one and earn a spot in the finals. Thank you Lane 3. Brother Logan, 9, and the next racer in the family, had noticed this quirk early in the day. Most drivers in that lane had dynamite finishing kicks.

Back at the top of hill, Emerson was pumped. "This might be the year," he said.

Maddie though so, too. "He's doing great. He doesn't look nervous. I think he can pull it off."

And it did. The final race may have even been closer than his others. The announcement of his victory was punctuated by shouts of joy from friends and family members gathered well beyond the finish line, where the cars come to a rest on level ground.

A hug came from Mom. Where was Dad? Turns out not far away, for he had sprinted down the hill that Emerson had ridden to his win. "You did it," Greg said as he wrapped Emerson in his arms.

After a victory dinner, the family headed back to Strongsville, bringing home another trophy and leaving behind another car.

The Indians are wilting in the Kansas City heat.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Indians are wilting in the Kansas City heat.

On Saturday, the Royals offered the Tribe a dose of deja vu. Billy Butler smacked a two-run blast into the left-field stands to propel Kansas City to a 7-5 win at Kauffman Stadium. The round-tripper, which capped the Royals' outburst of seven unanswered runs, marked the first baseman's second consecutive night with a decisive dinger.

Cleveland had jumped out to a 5-0 lead. Carlos Santana opened the second inning with a home run over the right-field fence. The Indians then plated four with two outs. The advantage quickly dissipated, however.

In his third outing since rejoining the Indians' rotation, Zach McAllister served up an RBI single to Alcides Escobar and a two-run triple to Nori Aoki in the fourth. In the ensuing at-bat, Aoki scored from third on a passed ball to tie the game.

Butler then took Nick Hagadone deep in the bottom of the fifth. One night earlier, he tagged John Axford for a game-winning, two-run homer.

The Indians were blanked after their second-inning eruption.

What it means
The Indians have now lost four straight games and six of seven since claiming the first three contests of the second half in Detroit. Cleveland (51-53) sits 2 1/2 games behind second-place Kansas City (53-50) in the American League Central. The Tribe will need a win on Sunday to avoid a four-game sweep.

El Oso
Santana continued his recent tear, as he produced a homer, walk and double in his first three trips to the plate. The first baseman slugged a pair of long balls in Friday's affair. During a span of six plate appearances -- his last three on Friday and his first three on Saturday -- Santana logged a 1.000 batting average, 1.000 on-base percentage and 3.500 slugging percentage. He has four homers in his last five games.

Rotating
McAllister tossed 81 pitches, 48 for strikes. He offered a steady diet of fastballs. He departed one batter into the fifth inning, as he allowed six runs (five earned) on eight hits and two walks. He fanned three.

Little guy
Jose Ramirez, in perhaps his final day of fill-in duty for Asdrubal Cabrera, singled twice and walked. He also struck out with two on and two out in the eighth inning. Cabrera is expected to return to the lineup on Sunday after missing the better part of the last week with a bothersome lower back.

What's to come
The Indians and Royals will reconvene at Kauffman Stadium on Sunday, as Danny Salazar (2-4, 5.12 ERA) will oppose Bruce Chen (2-2, 5.80 ERA). In his first start with the Tribe in two months, Salazar limited the Twins to one run on six hits and three walks over five innings on Tuesday. The Indians defeated Chen in Cleveland on April 24, when the southpaw surrendered five runs on six hits over 4 1/3 frames.

The Cleveland Gladiators move on to the Arena Football League playoffs after beating the Tampa Bay Storm on Saturday finishing the regular season with a 17-1 record.

NICK WILLIAMS
Special to the Plain Dealer

TAMPA, Florida – With a 56-49 win over the Tampa Bay Storm Saturday night, the Cleveland Gladiators officially finished with the best single-season record in franchise and Arena Football history, improving to 17-1 overall before a season-high announced crowd of 14,770 at Amalie Motor Oil Field.

With the win, the Gladiators, already the top seed in the American Conference, secured home field advantage throughout the 2014 playoffs, including ArenaBowl, should they reach the AFL championship. They also ended Tampa Bay's playoff hopes.

The Gladiators (17-1) will host Philadelphia (9-9) in the first round when the playoffs begin on Aug. 2. With Pittsburgh defeating Philadelphia, 64-34, earlier Saturday, the Storm needed a win to make the AFL playoffs as the fourth seed in the American Conference.

In a game the Gladiators never trailed, Shane Austin completed 24 of 32 passes for 273 yards and five touchdowns, giving him 99 touchdowns on the season. Austin's top target, Thyron Lewis, finished with 10 receptions for 119 yards and three touchdowns while Dominick Goodman caught seven passes for 82 yards.

Tampa Bay had an opportunity to tie or take the lead after an attempted onside kick following a 1-yard touchdown run by Storm quarterback Randy Hippeard with 51 seconds left, but it was recovered by Cleveland. A Tampa Bay penalty on a Cleveland field goal attempt with 16 seconds left nullified Aaron Pettrey's missed attempt from 18-yard out, and the Gladiators ran out the clock to end the game.

The Gladiators were perfect on third-down conversions, finishing 4 of 4, and were 8-of-8 in the red zone. The Gladiators were not, however, as efficient on defense, committing 12 penalties for 132 yards and allowing Tampa Bay to reach the red zone five times.

Hippeard led the Storm with 248 passing yards and four touchdowns, along with two rushing touchdowns. Joe Hills added 119 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

Cleveland held a 56-42 lead with just over four minutes left in the fourth quarter on a 4-yard pass from Austin to Lewis. The Gladiators gave themselves a short-lived cushion in the third quarter, scoring 14 unanswered points heading into the fourth on an 8-yard pass from Austin to Collin Taylor and a 2-yard rushing touchdown by Goodman, his second of the night.
 
The teams traded scores in the first half, playing to a tie four times until Cleveland took a 35-28 lead on a 1-yard touchdown pass from Austin to Lewis with seven seconds remaining in the first half.

The Summit County Fair's Buckeye Super Stakes started very early and ended quite late on Saturday night at Northfield Park, with a non-wagering three-year-old colt pace kicking off the traditional fair racing.

 

NORTHFIELD, Ohio – The Summit County Fair's Buckeye Super Stakes started very early and ended quite late on Saturday night at Northfield Park, with a non-wagering three-year-old colt pace kicking off the traditional fair racing.

Only three sophomore colt pacers were entered, and track officials had them line up behind the starting gate at 5:45 p.m., before the regular 15-race pari-mutuel program. Driver Robin Miller and Easter Bay clicked for a 1 ½-length victory, clocking a hot 1:55 mile.

Five hours and 11 races later, Soul Train ($30.20) pulled off the biggest upset of the night in the three-year-old colt trot after heavily favored Rompaway Galaxy went off stride early in the race. Soul Train and reinsman Ryan Stahl trotted a 1:58.4 mile for a half-length win in 1:58.4 with Count Full Mac second and Rompaway Galaxy recovering to finish third.

Hannah Forever ($3.60) was driven by Stahl to a 1:58.1 victory in the three-year-old filly pace. She was a neck winner over India, with Friskie's Angel third. In the sophomore filly trot, Mike Micallef won with Anniesbluejeanbaby (($3.80), scoring by almost two lengths over Dellou in 2:00.2. O I M Bad was third.

The two-year-old filly trotters were split into a pair of divisions. Heavily-favored Lisa Jane ($2.60), also driven by Stahl, won the first division over Dark Roast and Song Of The Valley by a half-length in 2:00.4. In the second division, Chip Girl ($3.60) won by 3 lengths in 2:04 in her first career start. It was Miller's second driving win, as Lofty Chip and Cece Chip followed Chip girl to the wire. The three fillies are all Chip Chip Hooray offspring.

Cooter Dunn ($3.20) was driven to his third straight win and fourth in five starts in the two-year-old colt trot, a 4 1/2-length victory in 2:04. Jojo's Journey was second, with My Friend Jim third.

Midnight In Autumn ($11) sparkled in the two-year-old filly pace, guided by Keith Kash Jr. to a 9¾-length victory in 2:04.2. Feeling Wild was second, followed by Ut Oh Spakiddio. Mantalic ($10.20) won easily in the freshman colt pace with owner-trainer Tom Marts Jr. in the sulky. The youngster nailed his third win in four career starts with a 61/4-length victory in 2:00.1 over Ranger returns and Nashville Bound.