KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The two teams are a combined three games over .500, so to say the remaining three games of the series are crucial might be a bit of a stretch.The Seattle Mariners (43-43) and the Kansas City Royals (44-41) have three games remaining in a four-game series that will conclude the unofficial first half of the season. Both teams still feel there is plenty of time to get back into their respective division races.We have some good players, Seattle second baseman Robinson Cano said after his team gave up a three-run lead in the last two innings Thursday and lost 4-3 to the Royals. We will keep playing.You lose as a team and you win as a team. We dont want to blame anybody here.The Mariners and Royals are two of eight teams within 4 1/2 games of the American League wild-card lead. Just a few games past the midway point in the schedule is no time to put extra pressure on this series, according to Kansas City manager Ned Yost.Then again, Yost says he doesnt do that for any series.I dont know how many times I have to go over this, he said before the game. I dont feel (extra) urgency. The reason for that is that we feel urgency every day. We dont treat these situations with more urgency than any other situation. In a major league season, every game is important. Your mindset has to be that this is the most important game of the year. Tomorrow, thats going to be your mindset.Royals rookie second baseman Whit Merrifield added, I wouldnt say theres urgency, but its always important to put together good games and try to take the series. Going into the All-Star break it would be good to finish strong and build momentum. But I wouldnt say that its any more urgent than any other series.I dont know about it still being early, but theres a lot of baseball left. A lot of stuff can happen between now and September or October. There are lot of games to be played and a lot of ups and downs to come.Seattle has experienced ups and downs on the road. The Mariners started the season with a 19-8 road record, but they have now lost 15 of their last 17 away contests, including nine straight. Seattle is hitting the ball -- it has 129 home runs, the second-highest total in the majors. They Mariners also are pitching well, as they own the fourth-best ERA in the American League (3.94).Their defense has let them down. Seattle is tied with the Minnesota Twins for the worst fielding percentage in the league.The Royals problems are almost opposite. Kansas City is one of the better defensive teams, but it ranks last in the American League in home runs and RBI. The starting pitching also is struggling. Danny Duffys strong outing Thursday was just the teams 32nd quality start in 85 games.The Royals will throw inconsistent Yordano Ventura (6-6, 5.26 ERA) on Friday night. When hes on, hes on. When hes not, hes not.Recent back-to-back starts against the Tigers and the Cardinals showed his good and bad form. He went 6 1/3 scoreless innings vs. Detroit on June 17, giving up six hits with no walks and five strikeouts. He followed that outing by going 5 1/3 innings and allowing seven runs on seven hits with three walks and four strikeouts against St. Louis.Ventura is running into much of his troubles early in games. He has a 7.31 ERA in the first two innings but a 4.07 ERA from the third inning on.He will be looking for his first career win over the Mariners, as he is 0-3 with a 4.34 ERA in five starts. Ventura took a 6-0 loss at Seattle on April 30, when he allowed five runs in four-plus innings.The Mariners will counter with Hisashi Iwakuma, who has been improving as the season progresses. Iwakuma (8-6, 4.43 ERA) is 7-2 in his past nine starts. His ERA is still 4.47 in that span, but he has been able to keep his team in games.Iwakuma owns impressive career numbers against Kansas City: 3-0 with a 1.61 ERA four starts, though he hasnt faced the Royals this year. Fake China Shoes . Howard Ganz, an MLB lawyer, said in a letter to U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos that Rodriguezs claims do not come "remotely close" to what is needed to overturn an arbitration decision in federal court. Fake China Shoes . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from. https://www.chinashoesshop.com/ .2 billion agreement with Rogers Communications for the leagues broadcast and multimedia rights. China Shoes Jordans . After a replay, the winner will meet Sunderland in the quarterfinals. Sagbo did well to control Sone Alukos right cross and fire past Brighton goalkeeper Peter Brezovan. Aluko was making his first start in four months after recovering from an Achilles injury. China Shoes Jordans . Didier Drogba gave away the penalty that put Senegal one goal away from a major upset, but the veteran striker will get another chance -- probably his last -- at the World Cup after Salomon Kalous injury-time strike sealed the Ivorians place in Brazil next year.Saracens will face powerhouse Parisians Racing 92 in Saturdays European Champions Cup final on Saturday, live on Sky Sports 2 HD from 3.45pm. The Premiership champions travel to the Grand Stade de Lyon hoping to become the first team to win all of their pool matches and go on to lift the trophy.Saturdays final will be the sixth meeting between the sides. Racing won their first encounter but Sarries have won the last four, including a last-gasp 12-11 victory in Paris in last seasons quarter-finals. Will Saracens make it five in a row or will Racing emerge victorious in their first European final appearance?We examine five key talking points for the showpiece showdown.Get Carter Dan Carter talks tactics with Maxime Machenaud during Fridays captains run Leicester failed to keep their promise not to fixate on Dan Carter in their Champions Cup semi-final defeat to Racing 92. The Tigers duly went hunting the All Black World Cup winner, only to find the masterful fly-half always just out of reach.The temptation to go after the New Zealand great is overwhelming, but Saracens must not fall into the very same trap as Leicester. Carter ready for Farrell scrap All Blacks legend a big fan of Farrells competitive nature Carters ability to shape-shift around Racings full inside-back cordon leaves him almost impossible to pin down.Saracens must defend each circumstance on its own merits, rather than fret about Racings linchpin.Machenaud the mastermind Maxime Machenaud will marshal the Racing backline If Carter pulls the strings across the midfield, the man who generates the time and space for him to do just that is France scrum-half Maxime Machenaud.Les Bleus general knows just how to marshal a backline, but more than that, takes both pressure and focus off his half-back partner Carter. Pundit predictions Our panel of experts preview Saturdays Champions Cup final The further away from the breakdown that Saracens allow Machenaud to operate, the more havoc he will wreak. If Saracens shut him down at source, then they will have hit their first objective in the daunting battle to keep Carter quiet.Miserly defences Can Saracens unlock the Racing defence? Arguably Europes top two defences will collide in all their mean-spirited glory in Lyon this weekend.Saracens have long since been famed for their ability not just to shut out opponents, but also to wield their brutal defensive strategy as an attacking weapon all of its own. Former Saracens hard man Jacques Burger has a message for his wolf pack ahead of the Champions Cup final Racing have done likewise in their measured rise to prominence in the French Top 14.dddddddddddd Former Ireland fly-half Ronan OGara has whipped the Parisians into a formidable defensive unit this term, as finely evidenced in that semi-final victory over Leicester.International combo George Kruis and Maro Itoje have forged an impressive second row partnership at club and international level Maro Itoje was playing LV=Cup rugby just last season. His meteoric rise to Test prominence since, albeit despite missing out on the World Cup squad, has garnered as much attention in rugby circles as Leicester Citys smash-and-grab Premier League title drive.Itoje and George Kruis underscored everything industrious and intelligent about Englands Grand Slam Six Nations campaign. Now the Saracens team-mates have the chance for yet more glory on French soil after England swept the Grand Slam in Paris. Graham Simmons catches up with Saracens lock George Kruis ahead of the Champions Cup final The men in blacks finest can put another one over the French this weekend. The lock pairing have coped with every physical demand placed upon them so far this term, but will most likely face another step up on Saturday.Dangers out wide Juan Imhoffs pace will trouble the Saracens defence Racings former All Black wing Joe Rokocoko has packed more than most into his stellar rugby career, and at 32 the powerful finisher is still in fine fettle. Last year, he suffered relegation from the Top 14 with Bayonne, but now he is on the cusp of a remarkable trophy-winning return to the big time.Argentina flyer Juan Imhoff offers a constant menace on the other wing, with Brice Dulin also a dangerous counter-attacking option. Paths to the final How Racing 92 and Saracens reached Saturdays decider in Lyon As much as Saracens have expanded their own front-foot repertoire in recent times, Mark McCalls men must be on point at every turn to keep their French foes at bay.Watch Racing 92 v Saracens live on Sky Sports 2 HD on Saturday from 3.45pm. Catch the match for £6.99 with a NOW TV day pass Also See: Pundit predictions Team news: Brits starts at hooker Past Anglo-French finals WATCH: Paths to the final ' ' '