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The Kansas City Royals acquired outfielder Norichika Aoki from Milwaukee to be their leadoff hitter Thursday, which also means the Brewers are likely to shift Ryan Braun to right field. Milwaukee received left-hander Will Smith, who spent most of the past couple seasons shuffling between Kansas City and Triple-A Omaha, and between the bullpen and the starting rotation. Royals general manager Dayton Moore on a conference call that he envisions Aoki batting at the top of the order, just as he did with the Brewers, which would allow Alex Gordon to slide down into an RBI-producing role. Aoki hit .286 with eight homers, 37 RBIs and 20 steals last season. Aoki, who turns 32 next month, also ranked second in the majors with 40 infield hits, and .339 against left-handed pitching, the best average by a left-handed hitter in the big leagues. He struck out just 40 times in 674 plate appearances. "We like his energy, we like his work ethic. Hes a pro," Moore said. "We had a chance to see him a lot in Japan coming up. ... Well see how it plays out." Aoki, who is in the last year of his contract, is due $1.25 million this season. He can also make up to $1,087,500 in performance bonuses based on starts and games played. The Royals already bolstered their rotation this off-season by agreeing to a four-year, $32 million deal with Jason Vargas. Now theyve acquired the leadoff hitter they have long coveted. Moore said hes still working on adding an impact bat, especially in the outfield. Veteran outfielder Carlos Beltran, who began his career with the Royals, spent time in Kansas City earlier this week. Hes reportedly seeking a three-year, $48 million deal. "Theyre far and few," Moore said. "That being said, thats an area were trying to pursue, but let me say this, we definitely feel all our offensive players are still improving. They have not reached their peak performance. Theyre going to continue to get better." By moving Aoki, the Brewers could head into next season with rookie Khris Davis in left field, Gold Glove-winner Carlos Gomez in centre and Braun in right. Braun is expected back after his season-ending, 65-game suspension for violating Major League Baseballs anti-drug agreement. Davis emerged down the stretch last season, filling in for Braun in left by hitting .279 with 11 homers. Brewers general manager Doug Melvin had said in late September there were discussions within the organization about whether to move Braun across the outfield. "The thinking is its a little easier to find left fielders than it is right fielders," Melvin said. "If youre trying to field right field with a platoon situation, then both guys have to be able to throw well. Both guys have to be good defenders." Melvin said hes been watching Smith for a couple years. He called Smith a "24-year-old, big, physical left-hander who we feel can be part of our staff." The Brewers finished last season with five right-handed starters, headlined by Yovani Gallardo and Kyle Lohse, and Smith gives them an option for a left-hander to slot into the rotation. He went 6-9 with a 5.32 ERA in 16 starts two years ago. Smith went 8-10 with a 4.76 ERA in 35 games, including 17 starts, during his time in Kansas City. He was 2-1 with a 3.24 ERA last year, with 43 strikeouts in 33 innings, pitching primarily in relief. Smith said Thursday that while he developed a slider to complement his fastball during relief work, "I am excited to get a shot back in the rotation." And yes, hes preparing to hear a fresh round of jokes from his new team about sharing the same name as the famous Hollywood actor. "I get them all the time," the easygoing Smith said in a conference call. "I think Im just learning to live with it ... Its all good." The Royals deep bullpen ultimately made Smith expendable. "I feel like our team is improved with the signing of Jason Vargas and the trade for Nori," Moore said, "knowing full well were going to have to continue to look for ways to improve if were going to win a world championship. I dont view this move as us being complete." Custom Dallas Mavericks Jersey .J. Hardy to avoid a three-game sweep after blowing a big early lead. Odour had a leadoff single in the seventh and scored the tiebreaking run with the help of two errors by Hardy as the Rangers went on to beat the Orioles 8-6 on Thursday night. Steve Nash Jersey . - A late-game interception by defensive back Malcolm Butler saved the Super Bowl for the New England Patriots. http://www.officialmavericksfanstore.com/kids-deandre-jordan-mavericks-jersey/ . The star receiver certainly isnt celebrating it with the Texans mired in a franchise-record 13-game skid. Luka Doncic Jersey . To get things started, heres a little photo tour to get you acquainted with all the main characters. Josh McRoberts Jersey . Kuznetsov, who was selected by the Capitals in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, has been playing for his hometown team Chelyabinsk Traktor of the KHL. PITTSBURGH -- Jean Machi has been playing professional baseball in the United States since 2002 when he pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies team in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League. Yet the beefy right-handed reliever, now with the San Francisco Giants, had never been asked to bunt until the 13th inning Monday night. Not only did he successfully execute get the bunt for a sacrifice, but caused Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Jared Hughes to rush a wide throw to first base. The error enabled Hunter Pence to score from second base and give the Giants an 11-10 victory. "I saw (Hughes) got a late break off the mound and slipped and I knew I had to run hard," Machi said through a translator. "I was excited because I did my job. They wanted me to move the runners up and I did that." San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said he was confident the 6-foot, 255-pound Machi could bunt despite the lack of experience. "Looks are deceiving in his case," Bochy said. "Hes a lot more athletic than he looks." San Francisco overcame a six-run deficit to run its winning streak to a season-best six games and also win for the 10th time in 11 games while sending the Pirates to their 18th loss in 23 games. Hughes (1-1) came on to start the 13th with the score tied at 10. With one out, he walked Pence and hit Juan Perez with a pitch to put runners on first and second base. Machi (5-0) then dropped down his bunt and wound up tied for the major league lead in victories with three starting pitchers: the Los Angeles Dodgers Zack Greinke, St. Louis Adam Wainwright and Torontos Mark Buehrle. Giants backup catcher Hector Sanchez had four hits and three RBIs, while Buster Posey, who got a day off from catching and played first base, had three hits, three runs scored and two RBIs. Pence finished with three hits and scored four times and Angel Pagan also had three of San Franciscos 20 hits. Michael Morse drove in two runs with a pair of doubless.dddddddddddd Posey forced extra innings when his RBI single in the ninth off Mark Melancon tied it at 10. Machi pitched two scoreless innings and Sergio Romo worked the 13th for his 10th save. "Its just one of 162 games and at the end of the day its about playing hard, playing to the end and never giving up," Pence said. The Pirates Andrew McCutchen had four hits and Pedro Alvarez homered and drove in four runs. Pittsburgh went ahead by six runs, 8-2, after scoring four times in the fifth inning but couldnt hold on. Pittsburgh starter Jeff Locke, recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis earlier in the day, allowed six runs in 5 1/3 innings. The Pirates needed a spot starter after their rotation was scrambled last week by back-to-back rainouts in Baltimore. Six Pirates relievers gave up four runs in 7 2/3 innings and Bryan Morris let all three inherited runners scored when he relieved Locke. "Well, it basically got to our location not being good," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said of his bullpens struggles. "We were up in the zone more than we normally are." San Franciscos Yusmeiro Petit allowed eight runs in 4 1-3 innings. He started in place of Matt Cain, who was placed on the disabled list Sunday with a cut on his right index finger. "I thought we were dead in the water," Bochy said. "It was one of the grittiest games Ive been a part of in this group." NOTES: Bochy is confident Cain will make his next scheduled start Saturday against the Dodgers at Los Angeles. ... San Francisco 1B Brandon Belt, who entered in a 2-for-29 slump, did not start but went 1-for-2 with a walk off the bench. ... Pittsburgh RHP Jason Grilli played catch for the second time in three days but there is no timetable for when the closer, who is on the DL with a strained left oblique, will be able to throw off a mound. ... The Pirates optioned RHP Casey Sadler to Indianapolis to open a roster spot for Locke. 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