the Twins said.Several Twins players wore green t-shirts with a yellow

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Five spots. Five plane tickets to Rio. Thats whats up for the taking at the U.S. Olympic gymnastics trials in San Jose this weekend. From afar, thats the story, the tension.But up close, the reality is far less dramatic.Entering this weekends competition, which began Friday night at the SAP Center in San Jose, California, and continues Sunday evening, four of those five spots were considered to be all but locked up by three-time world champion Simone Biles, 2012 Olympic floor champ Aly Raisman, reigning Olympic all-around champion Gabby Douglas and 16-year-old newcomer Laurie Hernandez.That leaves one spot for an athlete who can contribute a high-scoring bar routine -- the weakest event for the collective four women named above -- during the team competition in Rio. And because the team selection is based on the discretion of national team coordinator Martha Karolyi and a selection committee, a gymnast doesnt need to place in the top five at trials in order to make the team. Instead, the final decision is based on more intangible criteria that includes past results, consistency in practice, and how the athlete fits into the team dynamic.That fifth and final spot will likely go to one of two women: Madison Kocian of Plano, Texas, the 2015 co-world champion on bars, and Ashton Locklear, the bars champion at the 2016 Pacific Rim Championships and 2016 U.S. national champion in that event.At the start of Fridays competition, the potential for either gymnast to make the team seemed almost identical. Both women own recent titles on the apparatus at international competitions and consistently put up the highest scores on bars of any current American gymnasts. Either would give a strong U.S. team an even greater advantage to win gold in Rio.In San Jose, Locklear was the first of the two women to compete on bars, in the second rotation, and she made a strong statement to the selection committee that her name should be called Sunday night. Her score of 15.750, the best of the night until that point, was higher than her winning score at nationals in June, higher than her score at Pac Rims, and higher than Kocians winning score at the World Championships.Im really confident, Locklear said. Ive done so well at past competitions and won so many times, and I feel like Im building a good record for myself.If shes named to the team, Locklear would be the first Native American gymnast to compete for the U.S. at the Olympics. A member of the Lumbee Tribe, the largest in North Carolina, Locklear wears a Lumbee pin on the strap of her competition bag and carries a dream catcher with her that was given to her by a member of the tribe.Its a great feeling knowing theyre cheering for me back home, Locklear said. Its very unique and it means the world to me that I have their support.Locklears score set the bar in San Jose. But Kocian says she didnt notice.I didnt see [Locklears] score before I competed, Kocian said. I try to focus on myself. Thats all you can control. What she does doesnt affect what I can do. If I let my mind wander to anyone else, you dont have 100 percent focus on yourself, and thats when you start making mistakes.In the next rotation, as Locklear prepared to mount the balance beam, the only other event in which she competes, Kocian completed her bar routine and was also awarded 15.750. It was a tie. At least in the literal sense.The scores dont really matter to the selection committee right now, Kocian said. Its what you have been doing in practice throughout the week and your consistency. After tonight, my confidence has increased.Soon after the crowd celebrated Kocians score, Locklear fell from the beam.I dont think I fell once this week in training, so its frustrating coming into a competition like this and falling, Locklear said. I have to turn the page. Beam is not my specialty, and that is not what they are looking at me for. I showed them that I have a good bars routine, and Ive had good bars in the past. They know I have a good record.But so too, does Kocian, who backed up her impressive bar routine with solid performances in each of the other three rotations and finished sixth in the all-around. Kocian also competes a bar routine with a higher difficulty score than Locklears, which leaves more room for mistakes -- and for improvement.They tied on bars, but [Kocian] had some other routines that could be useful in a team situation, Karolyi said. Right now, she is placing well in my eyes.Still, Locklear believes if the selection committee focuses not on her fall on beam -- where she is unlikely to be asked to contribute in Rio -- but only on her strength and consistency on bars, she has a legitimate shot at the final spot.Its the little things, she says. There were a couple handstands I missed, and my dismount might have been a little low. I could have done better.As the Lumbee Tribe watches from North Carolina, shell have one final opportunity to do so on Sunday. Baltimore Orioles Shirts . Vettel, who has already clinched his fourth straight F1 title, enters the finale with a chance to equal Michael Schumachers 13 victories in a year and match the record of nine consecutive wins by Alberto Ascari in the 1952 and 1953 seasons. Orioles Jerseys 2020 .S District Court against Major League Baseball, the Office of the Commissioner and his own union, the MLBPA. https://www.cheaporioles.com/ .5 million, one-year contract on Friday. Hawkins, who turns 41 in December, will compete with Rex Brothers for the closers role at spring training. Wholesale Orioles Jerseys . Murray beat Sam Querrey 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-1, 6-3 to clinch Britains opening-round victory against the United States on Sunday at Petco Park. "Im proud of the way Im playing just now, because I had to do a lot of work to get back to where I want to be," Murray said after celebrating with his teammates on the red clay court in a temporary stadium in left field of the downtown home of baseballs San Diego Padres. Cheap Orioles Jerseys .com) - The game was all punts and field goals before Kodi Whitfields catch. MINNEAPOLIS -- The home runs keep coming for Brian Dozier. And so do the losses for the Minnesota Twins.Dozier hit his 39th homer of the season, tying him with Alfonso Soriano for most in a season by an American League second baseman, but the Kansas City Royals scored seven runs in the ninth inning to beat the Twins 10-3 on Tuesday night.Similar script, Twins manager Paul Molitor said. We made it interesting longer.Molitor was talking more about the struggles of an overworked bullpen, but he could have easily been referring to Doziers brilliance coming in vain. He has 25 home runs since the All-Star break. Three of those were hit as a DH, but his 22 as a second baseman surpassed Hall of Famer Joe Gordons 21 for the most ever by an American League second baseman. But the Twins are just 2-17 in their last 19 games and have sunk to the worst record in the majors.Dozier was gone by the time reporters entered the clubhouse after the game.Its kind of like a video game, Molitor said. Its impressive to watch.Kendrys Morales did Dozier one better, hitting two homers and driving in five runs for the Royals. His second of the game was a three-run blast in Kansas Citys seven-run ninth inning. Another former Twin, Drew Butera, broke open the 3-3 tie with a bases loaded single earlier in the ninth inning off Brandon Kintzler (0-2).They dont give you any chance, said Twins starter Ervin Santana, who gave up three runs and three hits in six innings. They fight every at-bat and they do a lot of damage.Dozier has homered in five straight games, tying him with Harmon Killebrew and Marty Cordova for the longest streak in Twins history.After going deep three times in a loss to the Royals on Monday night, Dozier led off the game on Tuesday with a 395-foot blast off Dillon Gee into the second deck in left field. It was Doziers 76th extra-base hit of the season, which already puts him in second place in Twins history, with Tony Olivas 84 in 1964 atop the list.Only Atlantas Davey Johnson (42) in 1973, Hornsby (42) in 1922 and Cubs great Ryne Sandberg (40) in 1990 have hit more in a homers season as second basemen.Trevor Plouffe and Eddie Rosario also homered for the Twins, who won for the third time in their last 19 games.ddddddddddddROSTER MOVESRoyals: Recalled INF Christian Colon and selected the contracts of OF Daniel Nava and RHP Kevin McCarthy from Triple-A Omaha. OF Reymond Fuentes and RHP Nick Tepesch were designated for assignment to make room.Twins: Recalled RHP Tyler Duffey, 1B Kennys Vargas and INF James Beresford from Triple-A Rochester. Molitor said Duffey would return to the starting rotation on Friday against Cleveland.BERESFORDS MOMENTBeresford was signed by the Twins as a 16-year-old out of Australia 12 years ago and appeared in 1,070 career games in the minor leagues before finally being called up on Tuesday. Phillies minor leaguer Christian Marrero (1,126) and Giants minor leaguer Juan Ciriaco (1,075) are the only active players who have played more minor league games without appearing in the big leagues, the Twins said.Several Twins players wore green t-shirts with a yellow kangaroo on it and four stars, one for each of Beresfords career homers. The kangaroo is swinging a newspaper, a playful jab at Beresfords lack of power.Today it changes everything. It changes my life, Beresford said. Id go through another 10 years (in the minors) just to spend another day like this.TRAINERS ROOMRoyals: OF Lorenzo Cain missed his sixth straight game because of left wrist inflammation. He is listed as day to day.Twins: Plouffe had to leave the game in the middle of an at-bat in the eighth inning with a left oblique strain. Plouffe left after falling behind 1-2 and was replaced by Vargas. ... LHP Tommy Milone (left biceps) and RHP Trevor May (back) threw simulated games on Tuesday. Molitor said both would likely be activated on Friday.UP NEXTThe Royals send LHP Danny Duffy (11-2, 3.13) to the mound to face Twins RHP Kyle Gibson (5-9, 5.31) in the series finale. Duffy has been dominant for most of the season, but has allowed at least eight hits in three straight starts. Gibson has been largely disappointing in his Twins career, but is 5-4 with a 3.10 ERA in 10 career starts against Kansas City. ' ' '