MLB ballparks are a friendly neighbor to the World Cup, bringing fans and soccer energy to the show

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — When St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol saw his team had an unusual Saturday off during the season, and in the middle of a series, he had one question: “Can I make it to the soccer game?”Not just any soccer game, a World Cup match.The international soccer tournament, held every four years, is ongoing at 16 sites in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Those include 11 markets that are also home to a combined 13 Major League Baseball teams.Kansas City, where the Cardinals open a three-game series Thursday, is hosting six World Cup matches at the NFL stadium in the same complex with the Royals' ballpark. The Cardinals and Royals will be off Saturday, when Ecuador plays Curaçao.“That is the goal, yes,” Marmol said when asked if he was going to that match.Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino and his wife, who played soccer at Old Dominion, plan to be there.“It’s strange, but it’s special circumstances,” Pasquantino said. “It’s awesome that Kansas City got