ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs believe Arrowhead Stadium remains structurally sound and prefer to renovate their famous facility in the coming years, even if the neighboring Royals go through with plans to build a new ballpark elsewhere.

The NFL franchise and its Major League Baseball counterpart have played at the Truman Sports Complex since the early 1970s, when Arrowhead opened just across the parking lot from Kauffman Stadium. Both have undergone massive renovations over the years, the most recent tying them to a new lease with Jackson County that expires in January 2031.

Yet the Royals have made it clear that they intend to build a new stadium, either in downtown Kansas City or neighboring Clay County, and that they are aiming for a spring vote to renew a sales tax that would help to fund the construction.

That leaves the Chiefs to decide whether they will pursue more renovations to Arrowhead Stadium or likewise build anew.

“If the Royals decide to stay in Jackson County, we’ve had discussions about how we do that together. And if they go, then that is a variable and we’ve got to be ready to either continue on that path or pivot,” Chiefs President Mark Donovan said Friday.

"Our team has done a really good job at just being ready. And I feel like we’re pretty well prepared for whatever happens.”

Donovan underscored the preference of chairman Clark Hunt to remain in Arrowhead Stadium, though. It was Hunt's father, Lamar Hunt, who founded the franchise and relocated it from Dallas to Kansas City for the 1963 season.

“We've gone through the process and made some progress there,” Donovan said on report day for Chiefs veterans for training camp. “There are still three viable options on the table that we've got to do the due diligence on: renovate-upgrade, build new on-site or build new somewhere else. All three of those options are still part of our dialogue. We've learned a lot in this process. The good news is we think the building itself is actually, structurally pretty sound. Which gives us the opportunity.”

“Having said that,” Donovan added, “we've learned it's going to take a significant annual investment to keep that building sound.”

While the Royals would use their share of a renewed tax to fund their new ballpark, the Chiefs would use their share not only for upgrades to Arrowhead Stadium but also to offset the annual upkeep that is certain to rise as the building ages.

Another complication for the Chiefs is the fact that they are due to host World Cup games at Arrowhead Stadium in 2026, and that means some costly alterations to the 51-year-old building over the next three years so that it meets FIFA standards.

“That would be really fast-forwarding everything to try to tie it all together,” Donovan admitted. “The question then becomes, ‘What are we going to do for the World Cup to be compliant to host that amazing event that potentially we could keep or benefit from or not have to redo?’ Versus, ‘We’ve got to make the building requirement-proof for World Cup, and we have to do that absolutely perfect, (but) we also have to play a football season pretty quickly after that, and we want our fans to have the best possible experience.’ So, we can’t really sacrifice the football experience because we did some things for the World Cup.”

While the futures of the Royals and Chiefs are closely linked, they differ in one very glaring way: on-field success.

The Royals began the day with the second-worst record in the majors — with little reason to hope for improvement — resulting in widespread fan apathy toward a $2 billion ballpark and mixed-use village at least partially funded by the public. Meanwhile, the Chiefs are coming off their third Super Bowl appearance in four years and just hoisted another Lombardi Trophy.

“Yeah, it's a special time to be a part of the Chiefs organization, right? It's a special time to be a Chiefs fan,” Donovan said. “It's also a really special time to be a part of this community. We're proud of being a part of this community and being a contributor to this community. Kansas City is on a really, really good trend when you look at what we’re doing.”

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs believe Arrowhead Stadium remains structurally sound and prefer to renovate their famous facility in the coming years, even if the neighboring Royals go through with plans to build a new ballpark elsewhere.The NFL franchise and its Major League Baseball counterpart have played at the Truman Sports Complex since the early 1970s, when Arrowhead opened just across the parking lot from Kauffman Stadium. Both have undergone massive renovations over the years, the most recent tying them to a new lease with Jackson County that expires in January 2031.Yet the Royals have made it clear that they intend to build a new stadium, either in downtown Kansas City or neighboring Clay County, and that they are aiming for a spring vote to renew a sales tax that would help to fund the construction.That leaves the Chiefs to decide whether they will pursue more renovations to Arrowhead Stadium or likewise build anew.“If the Royals decide to stay in Jackson County, we’ve had discussions about how we do that together. And if they go, then that is a variable and we’ve got to be ready to either continue on that path or pivot,” Chiefs President Mark Donovan said Friday."Our team has done a really good job at just being ready. And I feel like we’re pretty well prepared for whatever happens.”Donovan underscored the preference of chairman Clark Hunt to remain in Arrowhead Stadium, though. It was Hunt's father, Lamar Hunt, who founded the franchise and relocated it from Dallas to Kansas City for the 1963 season.“We've gone through the process and made some progress there,” Donovan said on report day for Chiefs veterans for training camp. “There are still three viable options on the table that we've got to do the due diligence on: renovate-upgrade, build new on-site or build new somewhere else. All three of those options are still part of our dialogue. We've learned a lot in this process. The good news is we think the building itself is actually, structurally pretty sound. Which gives us the opportunity.”“Having said that,” Donovan added, “we've learned it's going to take a significant annual investment to keep that building sound.”While the Royals would use their share of a renewed tax to fund their new ballpark, the Chiefs would use their share not only for upgrades to Arrowhead Stadium but also to offset the annual upkeep that is certain to rise as the building ages.Another complication for the Chiefs is the fact that they are due to host World Cup games at Arrowhead Stadium in 2026, and that means some costly alterations to the 51-year-old building over the next three years so that it meets FIFA standards.“That would be really fast-forwarding everything to try to tie it all together,” Donovan admitted. “The question then becomes, ‘What are we going to do for the World Cup to be compliant to host that amazing event that potentially we could keep or benefit from or not have to redo?’ Versus, ‘We’ve got to make the building requirement-proof for World Cup, and we have to do that absolutely perfect, (but) we also have to play a football season pretty quickly after that, and we want our fans to have the best possible experience.’ So, we can’t really sacrifice the football experience because we did some things for the World Cup.”While the futures of the Royals and Chiefs are closely linked, they differ in one very glaring way: on-field success.The Royals began the day with the second-worst record in the majors — with little reason to hope for improvement — resulting in widespread fan apathy toward a $2 billion ballpark and mixed-use village at least partially funded by the public. Meanwhile, the Chiefs are coming off their third Super Bowl appearance in four years and just hoisted another Lombardi Trophy.“Yeah, it's a special time to be a part of the Chiefs organization, right? It's a special time to be a Chiefs fan,” Donovan said. “It's also a really special time to be a part of this community. We're proud of being a part of this community and being a contributor to this community. Kansas City is on a really, really good trend when you look at what we’re doing.”

Chiefs keen to upgrade aging Arrowhead Stadium rather than building anew

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Big 12 Conference has announced the opponents for the upcoming 2023-24 men’s basketball season, which includes the four newest members of the conference.

Kansas, the defending Big 12 regular season champions, will host nine conference games at historic Allen Fieldhouse this year. Opponents were selected based on a combination of geography, historical results, and a poll of the coaches to best balance the schedule in terms of travel and competitive balance. A full Big 12 schedule will be released later.

Recently, the Big 12 added four new members to the conference for the upcoming season: BYU, UCF, Cincinnati and Houston. In previous years, each team within the conference competed with each other twice, once at home and once away. Teams will now play five Big 12 opponents twice, then play the other eight conference opponents once, for a total of 18 conference games.

The five schools Kansas will face off against at home and on the road are Baylor, Houston, Kansas State, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. In addition to these 10 matchups, KU will host BYU, Cincinnati, TCU and Texas at Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks will travel to UCF, Iowa State, Texas Tech and West Virginia for road contests.

Of the four new opponents, Kansas has previously played BYU, Cincinnati and Houston, but will go head-to-head with UCF for the first time in program history this season. The Jayhawks have faced BYU once, resulting in a 71-56 Kansas win on Nov. 26, 2019, in the Maui Invitational. Kansas is 5-2 all-time against Houston, most recently claiming a 95-78 victory on Nov. 20, 2001 in Lahaina, Hawai’i. Kansas trails Cincinnati 4-3 in the all-time series, despite winning the most recent matchup 72-65 on Dec. 4, 1996, in Chicago, Illinois.

Kansas returns three starters from last season in KJ Adams Jr., Dajuan Harris Jr. and Kevin McCullar Jr. Adams started all 36 games for the Jayhawks and was awarded Big 12 Most Improved Player and All-Big 12 Honorable Mention for the 2022-23 season. Harris, the 2023 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, averaged 6.2 assists and 2.2 steals per game for the Jayhawks last season and was also named to the Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team and Big 12 All-Defensive Team.

McCullar returns for his second season at Kansas and redshirt senior year in college after being named a Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalist last season. Averaging 10.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, McCullar earned Big 12 All-Defensive Team and All Big 12 Third Team selections.

The Jayhawks enter the 2023-24 season as reigning Big 12 regular season champions, having won 21 of the last 27 regular season titles, including 17 titles under head coach Bill Self.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689956749806.jpeg" alt="Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Big 12 Conference has announced the opponents for the upcoming 2023-24 men’s basketball season, which includes the four newest members of the conference.Kansas, the defending Big 12 regular season champions, will host nine conference games at historic Allen Fieldhouse this year. Opponents were selected based on a combination of geography, historical results, and a poll of the coaches to best balance the schedule in terms of travel and competitive balance. A full Big 12 schedule will be released later.Recently, the Big 12 added four new members to the conference for the upcoming season: BYU, UCF, Cincinnati and Houston. In previous years, each team within the conference competed with each other twice, once at home and once away. Teams will now play five Big 12 opponents twice, then play the other eight conference opponents once, for a total of 18 conference games.The five schools Kansas will face off against at home and on the road are Baylor, Houston, Kansas State, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. In addition to these 10 matchups, KU will host BYU, Cincinnati, TCU and Texas at Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks will travel to UCF, Iowa State, Texas Tech and West Virginia for road contests.Of the four new opponents, Kansas has previously played BYU, Cincinnati and Houston, but will go head-to-head with UCF for the first time in program history this season. The Jayhawks have faced BYU once, resulting in a 71-56 Kansas win on Nov. 26, 2019, in the Maui Invitational. Kansas is 5-2 all-time against Houston, most recently claiming a 95-78 victory on Nov. 20, 2001 in Lahaina, Hawai’i. Kansas trails Cincinnati 4-3 in the all-time series, despite winning the most recent matchup 72-65 on Dec. 4, 1996, in Chicago, Illinois.Kansas returns three starters from last season in KJ Adams Jr., Dajuan Harris Jr. and Kevin McCullar Jr. Adams started all 36 games for the Jayhawks and was awarded Big 12 Most Improved Player and All-Big 12 Honorable Mention for the 2022-23 season. Harris, the 2023 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, averaged 6.2 assists and 2.2 steals per game for the Jayhawks last season and was also named to the Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team and Big 12 All-Defensive Team.McCullar returns for his second season at Kansas and redshirt senior year in college after being named a Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalist last season. Averaging 10.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, McCullar earned Big 12 All-Defensive Team and All Big 12 Third Team selections.The Jayhawks enter the 2023-24 season as reigning Big 12 regular season champions, having won 21 of the last 27 regular season titles, including 17 titles under head coach Bill Self.

Conference Opponents for Men’s Hoops released

NEW YORK (AP) — Billy McKinney hit a three-run homer and made two key catches in center field as the New York Yankees got a much-needed win, beating the Kansas City Royals 5-4 on Friday night.

Franchy Cordero homered for the second straight game and Gleyber Torres also went deep for the Yankees, who stopped a four-game slide and won for only the third time in 12 games since July 4. Torres extended his hitting streak to 11 games.

The Yankees hit three homers for the fourth time since Aaron Judge tore a ligament in his right big toe crashing into the wall at Dodger Stadium on June 3. New York improved to 16-22 without the slugger, who took batting practice on the field before the victory.

New York right-hander Clarke Schmidt (6-6) was charged with three runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Michael Massey hit a three-run shot in the fourth for Kansas City and a solo shot in the eighth. It was his first career multihomer game.

Before the two big swings against New York, Massey’s previous homer was on May 29 at St. Louis.

McKinney’s two-out homer — a drive to the short porch in right field — lifted the Yankees to a 4-3 lead in the fourth inning. It was his fifth of the season.

“He’s done a really good job on both sides of the ball,” manager Aaron Boone said. “You can put him in all three positions out there in the outfield and he does a really good job there. He’s obviously hit some big homers for us.”

McKinney also robbed Kyle Isbel with a spectacular catch for the final out of the third. Isbel hit a sinking liner that sliced into left-center field, and McKinney completed a sliding grab in front of the warning track.

“I got a hold of it,” McKinney said. “It kind of kept falling away from me and I was glad I was able to make the sliding play.”

“I didn’t think he had a chance,” Schmidt added. “I thought it was a double for sure and he just closed on it really well.”

McKinney made his sixth start in center field this season because Harrison Bader was held out after bruising his ribs in Wednesday’s 7-3 loss at the Angels.

“That was impressive,” Schmidt said. “I didn’t know he was a center fielder. So I guess that’s his true position now.”

Schmidt was one strike away from ending the fourth but Massey hit a 2-2 pitch about halfway up the second deck in right to give the Royals a 3-1 lead.

In his fourth big league start, Kansas City rookie Alec Marsh (0-4) allowed five runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Wandy Peralta followed Schmidt and stranded two in the sixth before McKinney made a leaping catch on Drew Waters to open the seventh.

Clay Holmes got his 12th save when Waters was called out at third on a fielder’s choice after a crew chief review overturned the original call. Bobby Witt Jr. hit a grounder in the hole to shortstop Anthony Volpe, who quickly threw to DJ LeMahieu and third base umpire Jordan Baker immediately called Waters safe before replay showed the tag was made in time.

“That was an extremely heads-up play by Volpe to end the game,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said.

The Royals lost for the 11th time in 14 games. They dropped to 1-8 in their last nine games against the Yankees.

Slumping slugger Anthony Rizzo was among a few Yankees taking swings off a tee on the field in early batting practice with new hitting coach Sean Casey.

Rizzo, whose last homer was May 20 in Cincinnati, went 0 for 4 and is hitting .244.

Yankees: Judge will face Jonathan Loáisiga (right elbow inflammation) in a simulated game on Sunday. ... C&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yankees-trevino-wrist-injury-rortvedt-3debc8b0d9ba2b4b79aa237d1a76d60f">Jose Trevino</a>&nbsp;(right wrist tear) was placed on the injured list and will undergo surgery that likely will sideline him for the rest of the season.

New York RHP Gerrit Cole (9-2, 2.78 ERA) opposes Kansas City RHP Brady Singer (6-8, 5.70 ERA) on Saturday afternoon.

NEW YORK (AP) — Billy McKinney hit a three-run homer and made two key catches in center field as the New York Yankees got a much-needed win, beating the Kansas City Royals 5-4 on Friday night.Franchy Cordero homered for the second straight game and Gleyber Torres also went deep for the Yankees, who stopped a four-game slide and won for only the third time in 12 games since July 4. Torres extended his hitting streak to 11 games.The Yankees hit three homers for the fourth time since Aaron Judge tore a ligament in his right big toe crashing into the wall at Dodger Stadium on June 3. New York improved to 16-22 without the slugger, who took batting practice on the field before the victory.New York right-hander Clarke Schmidt (6-6) was charged with three runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings.Michael Massey hit a three-run shot in the fourth for Kansas City and a solo shot in the eighth. It was his first career multihomer game.Before the two big swings against New York, Massey’s previous homer was on May 29 at St. Louis.McKinney’s two-out homer — a drive to the short porch in right field — lifted the Yankees to a 4-3 lead in the fourth inning. It was his fifth of the season.“He’s done a really good job on both sides of the ball,” manager Aaron Boone said. “You can put him in all three positions out there in the outfield and he does a really good job there. He’s obviously hit some big homers for us.”McKinney also robbed Kyle Isbel with a spectacular catch for the final out of the third. Isbel hit a sinking liner that sliced into left-center field, and McKinney completed a sliding grab in front of the warning track.“I got a hold of it,” McKinney said. “It kind of kept falling away from me and I was glad I was able to make the sliding play.”“I didn’t think he had a chance,” Schmidt added. “I thought it was a double for sure and he just closed on it really well.”McKinney made his sixth start in center field this season because Harrison Bader was held out after bruising his ribs in Wednesday’s 7-3 loss at the Angels.“That was impressive,” Schmidt said. “I didn’t know he was a center fielder. So I guess that’s his true position now.”Schmidt was one strike away from ending the fourth but Massey hit a 2-2 pitch about halfway up the second deck in right to give the Royals a 3-1 lead.In his fourth big league start, Kansas City rookie Alec Marsh (0-4) allowed five runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings.Wandy Peralta followed Schmidt and stranded two in the sixth before McKinney made a leaping catch on Drew Waters to open the seventh.Clay Holmes got his 12th save when Waters was called out at third on a fielder’s choice after a crew chief review overturned the original call. Bobby Witt Jr. hit a grounder in the hole to shortstop Anthony Volpe, who quickly threw to DJ LeMahieu and third base umpire Jordan Baker immediately called Waters safe before replay showed the tag was made in time.“That was an extremely heads-up play by Volpe to end the game,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said.The Royals lost for the 11th time in 14 games. They dropped to 1-8 in their last nine games against the Yankees.EARLY WORKSlumping slugger Anthony Rizzo was among a few Yankees taking swings off a tee on the field in early batting practice with new hitting coach Sean Casey.Rizzo, whose last homer was May 20 in Cincinnati, went 0 for 4 and is hitting .244.TRAINER’S ROOMYankees: Judge will face Jonathan Loáisiga (right elbow inflammation) in a simulated game on Sunday. ... C&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yankees-trevino-wrist-injury-rortvedt-3debc8b0d9ba2b4b79aa237d1a76d60f">Jose Trevino</a>&nbsp;(right wrist tear) was placed on the injured list and will undergo surgery that likely will sideline him for the rest of the season.UP NEXTNew York RHP Gerrit Cole (9-2, 2.78 ERA) opposes Kansas City RHP Brady Singer (6-8, 5.70 ERA) on Saturday afternoon.

New York Yankees beat Kansas City Royals 5-4

NEW YORK (AP) — Billy McKinney hit a three-run homer and made two key catches in center field as the New York Yankees got a much-needed win, beating the Kansas City Royals 5-4. Franchy Cordero homered for the second straight game and Gleyber Torres also went deep for the Yankees, who stopped a four-game slide and won for only the third time in 12 games since July 4. Torres extended his hitting streak to 11 games. The Yankees hit three homers for the fourth time since Aaron Judge tore a ligament in his right big toe crashing into the wall at Dodger Stadium on June 3. New York improved to 16-22 without the slugger, who took batting practice on the field before the victory.

CHICAGO (AP) — Cody Bellinger hit a two-run homer, and the Chicago Cubs stopped St. Louis’ six-game win streak with a 4-3 victory over the Cardinals. Bellinger capped Chicago’s four-run third inning with a 400-foot drive to right against Jack Flaherty. He finished with three hits in another strong performance at the plate. Bellinger, a possible trade target ahead of the Aug. 1 deadline, is 10 for 20 in his last five games. All-Star left-hander Justin Steele struck out a season-high nine in 6 1/3 innings for Chicago, bouncing back from a lackluster performance against Boston.

MIAMI (AP) — Colorado Rockies starter Peter Lambert mostly lost the last three seasons due to Tommy John surgery. On Friday night, Lambert looked like the promising prospect he once was, pitching five shutout innings in the Rockies’ 6-1 victory over the Miami Marlins, who dropped their seventh straight since the All-Star break. Lambert (2-1) struck out three while giving up three hits and a walk, returning from a three-week stint in the minors aimed at converting him back into a starter after struggling as a reliever. The 26-year-old right-hander lowered his ERA from 6.28 to 5.49.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani’s future has been the talk of baseball all year long, and the forecast isn’t much clearer as the Los Angeles Angels reach the last 10 days before the MLB trade deadline. Ohtani is in the final year of his contract before unrestricted free agency, and the Angels must decide whether to trade their generational superstar for a probable motherlode or to risk the possibility of losing him for practically nothing in the winter. Ohtani said he has no assurances he won’t be traded, and he didn’t acknowledge any discussions about a contract extension.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs believe Arrowhead Stadium remains structurally sound and prefer to renovate their famous facility in the coming years. That preference, which was relayed by Chiefs president Mark Donovan, comes as the neighboring Royals appear set to build a new ballpark elsewhere. The teams have shared the Truman Sports Complex since the early 1970s, and their current lease that paid for massive renovations to both of their stadiums expires in January 2031. Also complicating the decision for the Chiefs is the fact that Arrowhead Stadium is due to host World Cup games in 2026.

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Sophia Smith scored twice for the United States in the opening half and the two-time defending champions kicked off the Women’s World Cup with a 3-0 victory over tournament first-timers Vietnam on Saturday. Lindsey Horan added a goal for the favored Americans, who have won four World Cups overall and are vying for an unprecedented three-peat at the tournament co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand. Vietnam drew comparisons to the Americans’ opponent in the 2019 World Cup opener, Thailand, which the U.S. thumped 13-0. But Vietnam was surprisingly resilient and kept the game as close as possible.

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Sophia Smith is among 14 players on the U.S. national team who are playing in their first Women’s World Cup. She made a splash with a pair of goals and an assist in the Americans’ 3-0 victory over Vietnam to open the tournament. Smith has had a quick rise on the international stage after missing out on the U.S. team for the Tokyo Olympics. She rebounded from the disappointment and was named last year's U.S. Soccer Player of the Year and the MVP of the National Women's Soccer League.

HOYLAKE, England (AP) — Brian Harman is in the hunt for his first major championship. He shot a 65 to match the lowest score in a British Open at Royal Liverpool. His 36-hole score of 132 matches the record of Tiger Woods in 2006 and Rory McIlroy in 2014. They both went on to win. Harman has a five-shot lead over Tommy Fleetwood going into the weekend. The forecast is for rain on Saturday. Sepp Straka was six behind. Rory McIlroy shot a 70 and was nine shots behind. It's only the second time after any round in a major that Harman has had the lead.

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers might be sticking around with the New York Jets a bit longer than many first thought. The 39-year-old quarterback has not committed to playing football beyond this season but he has strongly hinted several times his first season with the Jets won’t be his last. Rodgers reiterated that sentiment Friday during an appearance on the “DiPietro &amp; Rothenberg” show on ESPN Radio in New York when he said it would be a disservice to play just one year for the Jets after how much they gave up to acquire him. Coach Robert Saleh said it would be shocking if Rodgers doesn't play multiple seasons.

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Josh Harris and his ownership group offer Washington a chance at a fresh start. Few football towns have ever needed one more. It was a cathartic scene at FedEx Field on Friday when Harris was introduced as the Commanders' new owner. Afterward he took the stage at a pep rally, and fans started chanting, “Thank you Josh!” NFL owners approved the sale of the Commanders on Thursday to a group led by Harris. The once-proud franchise was one of the most dysfunctional in sports under owner Dan Snyder. Snyder and his wife, Tanya, issued a statement congratulating Harris and thanking fans.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689849434028.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Billy McKinney hit a three-run homer and made two key catches in center field as the New York Yankees got a much-needed win, beating the Kansas City Royals 5-4. Franchy Cordero homered for the second straight game and Gleyber Torres also went deep for the Yankees, who stopped a four-game slide and won for only the third time in 12 games since July 4. Torres extended his hitting streak to 11 games. The Yankees hit three homers for the fourth time since Aaron Judge tore a ligament in his right big toe crashing into the wall at Dodger Stadium on June 3. New York improved to 16-22 without the slugger, who took batting practice on the field before the victory.CHICAGO (AP) — Cody Bellinger hit a two-run homer, and the Chicago Cubs stopped St. Louis’ six-game win streak with a 4-3 victory over the Cardinals. Bellinger capped Chicago’s four-run third inning with a 400-foot drive to right against Jack Flaherty. He finished with three hits in another strong performance at the plate. Bellinger, a possible trade target ahead of the Aug. 1 deadline, is 10 for 20 in his last five games. All-Star left-hander Justin Steele struck out a season-high nine in 6 1/3 innings for Chicago, bouncing back from a lackluster performance against Boston.MIAMI (AP) — Colorado Rockies starter Peter Lambert mostly lost the last three seasons due to Tommy John surgery. On Friday night, Lambert looked like the promising prospect he once was, pitching five shutout innings in the Rockies’ 6-1 victory over the Miami Marlins, who dropped their seventh straight since the All-Star break. Lambert (2-1) struck out three while giving up three hits and a walk, returning from a three-week stint in the minors aimed at converting him back into a starter after struggling as a reliever. The 26-year-old right-hander lowered his ERA from 6.28 to 5.49.ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani’s future has been the talk of baseball all year long, and the forecast isn’t much clearer as the Los Angeles Angels reach the last 10 days before the MLB trade deadline. Ohtani is in the final year of his contract before unrestricted free agency, and the Angels must decide whether to trade their generational superstar for a probable motherlode or to risk the possibility of losing him for practically nothing in the winter. Ohtani said he has no assurances he won’t be traded, and he didn’t acknowledge any discussions about a contract extension.ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs believe Arrowhead Stadium remains structurally sound and prefer to renovate their famous facility in the coming years. That preference, which was relayed by Chiefs president Mark Donovan, comes as the neighboring Royals appear set to build a new ballpark elsewhere. The teams have shared the Truman Sports Complex since the early 1970s, and their current lease that paid for massive renovations to both of their stadiums expires in January 2031. Also complicating the decision for the Chiefs is the fact that Arrowhead Stadium is due to host World Cup games in 2026.AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Sophia Smith scored twice for the United States in the opening half and the two-time defending champions kicked off the Women’s World Cup with a 3-0 victory over tournament first-timers Vietnam on Saturday. Lindsey Horan added a goal for the favored Americans, who have won four World Cups overall and are vying for an unprecedented three-peat at the tournament co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand. Vietnam drew comparisons to the Americans’ opponent in the 2019 World Cup opener, Thailand, which the U.S. thumped 13-0. But Vietnam was surprisingly resilient and kept the game as close as possible.AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Sophia Smith is among 14 players on the U.S. national team who are playing in their first Women’s World Cup. She made a splash with a pair of goals and an assist in the Americans’ 3-0 victory over Vietnam to open the tournament. Smith has had a quick rise on the international stage after missing out on the U.S. team for the Tokyo Olympics. She rebounded from the disappointment and was named last year's U.S. Soccer Player of the Year and the MVP of the National Women's Soccer League.HOYLAKE, England (AP) — Brian Harman is in the hunt for his first major championship. He shot a 65 to match the lowest score in a British Open at Royal Liverpool. His 36-hole score of 132 matches the record of Tiger Woods in 2006 and Rory McIlroy in 2014. They both went on to win. Harman has a five-shot lead over Tommy Fleetwood going into the weekend. The forecast is for rain on Saturday. Sepp Straka was six behind. Rory McIlroy shot a 70 and was nine shots behind. It's only the second time after any round in a major that Harman has had the lead.FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers might be sticking around with the New York Jets a bit longer than many first thought. The 39-year-old quarterback has not committed to playing football beyond this season but he has strongly hinted several times his first season with the Jets won’t be his last. Rodgers reiterated that sentiment Friday during an appearance on the “DiPietro &amp; Rothenberg” show on ESPN Radio in New York when he said it would be a disservice to play just one year for the Jets after how much they gave up to acquire him. Coach Robert Saleh said it would be shocking if Rodgers doesn't play multiple seasons.LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Josh Harris and his ownership group offer Washington a chance at a fresh start. Few football towns have ever needed one more. It was a cathartic scene at FedEx Field on Friday when Harris was introduced as the Commanders' new owner. Afterward he took the stage at a pep rally, and fans started chanting, “Thank you Josh!” NFL owners approved the sale of the Commanders on Thursday to a group led by Harris. The once-proud franchise was one of the most dysfunctional in sports under owner Dan Snyder. Snyder and his wife, Tanya, issued a statement congratulating Harris and thanking fans.FRIDAY SCORESINTERLEAGUEN-Y Mets	at	Boston	2:10 p.m.	(Suspended)Final	San Diego	5	Detroit	4	Final	Cleveland	6	Philadelphia	5	Final	L.A. Dodgers	11	Texas	5	Final	L.A. Angels	8	Pittsburgh	5	AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	Tampa Bay	3	Baltimore	0	Final	N.Y. Yankees	5	Kansas City	4	Final	Minnesota	9	Chicago White Sox	4	Final	Houston	6	Oakland	4	Final	Seattle	3	Toronto	2	NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	Chicago Cubs	4	St. Louis	3	Final	Colorado	6	Miami	1	Final	Washington	5	San Francisco	3	Final	Cincinnati	9	Arizona	6	Final	Atlanta	6	Milwaukee	4

Saturday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Visits by new Big 12 opponents BYU and UCF, along with home-and-home matchups with Iowa State, Kansas, Oklahoma State and West Virginia, highlight Kansas State's home-and-away opponents for the 2023-24 Big 12 men's basketball season released Thursday afternoon (July 20).

Big 12 schools will continue to play an 18-game schedule with nine games at home and on the road as the league embarks on its new 14-team format in 2023-24.

Dates, tip-off teams and television information will be released at a later date.

In addition to its permanent home-and-home series with Kansas in the Dillons Sunflower Showdown, K-State will also play home-and-home series against BYU, Iowa State, Oklahoma State and West Virginia.

In all, the 9-game home Big 12 schedule will include visits by Baylor, BYU, UCF, Iowa State, Kansas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU and West Virginia. The Wildcats will make trips to BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas Tech and West Virginia.

Led by Naismith National Coach of the Year Jerome Tang, the Wildcats compiled a 26-10 record in 2022-23, which included a tie for third place in the Big 12 and the school's 13th trip to the Elite Eight. The 26 wins are the third-most in school history and the most since winning 27 in 2012-13.

- BYU will be making its first-ever visit to Bramlage Coliseum in 2024, while the Wildcats and Cougars will meet for the first time since the 2010 NCAA Tournament with the first regular-season matchup since 2002. Overall, the schools have met 7 times entering 2024.

-UCF will visit Bramlage Coliseum for just the second time and the first since 2003.

-K-State will travel to BYU (1973), Cincinnati (1968) and Houston (1974) all for the first time in more than 50 years. The Wildcats last met the Bearcats at the 2017 NCAA Tournament, while the schools last faced off in the regular season in 1968. The last meeting with Houston came in 1974.

-K-State and Kansas have played home-and-home every year since 1912 and have played at least once every year since 1907. It is the sixth-most played rivalry (299) in Division I men's basketball.

-K-State and ISU have met home-and-away every year since 1918 with the series dating to 1909.

-The series with OSU dates to 1922 while the schools have played home-and-home as Big Eight members (1959-96) and since 2010 when the Big 12 switched to a round-robin schedule.

-K-State and WVU have met home-and-home every year since 2013 when the Mountaineers entered the league.

All 14 Big 12 teams won at least 15 games in 2022-23 with half the league winning at least 20 games, including 30-game winners by Houston and Kansas. Eleven made the postseason a season ago, including NCAA Tournament appearances by Baylor, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, K-State, TCU, Texas and West Virginia.

The rest of the 2023-24 men's basketball schedule will be released as it becomes official.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689956431184.jpeg" alt="Kansas State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. – Visits by new Big 12 opponents BYU and UCF, along with home-and-home matchups with Iowa State, Kansas, Oklahoma State and West Virginia, highlight Kansas State's home-and-away opponents for the 2023-24 Big 12 men's basketball season released Thursday afternoon (July 20).Big 12 schools will continue to play an 18-game schedule with nine games at home and on the road as the league embarks on its new 14-team format in 2023-24.Dates, tip-off teams and television information will be released at a later date.In addition to its permanent home-and-home series with Kansas in the Dillons Sunflower Showdown, K-State will also play home-and-home series against BYU, Iowa State, Oklahoma State and West Virginia.In all, the 9-game home Big 12 schedule will include visits by Baylor, BYU, UCF, Iowa State, Kansas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU and West Virginia. The Wildcats will make trips to BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas Tech and West Virginia.Led by Naismith National Coach of the Year Jerome Tang, the Wildcats compiled a 26-10 record in 2022-23, which included a tie for third place in the Big 12 and the school's 13th trip to the Elite Eight. The 26 wins are the third-most in school history and the most since winning 27 in 2012-13.SCHEDULE NOTES- BYU will be making its first-ever visit to Bramlage Coliseum in 2024, while the Wildcats and Cougars will meet for the first time since the 2010 NCAA Tournament with the first regular-season matchup since 2002. Overall, the schools have met 7 times entering 2024.-UCF will visit Bramlage Coliseum for just the second time and the first since 2003.-K-State will travel to BYU (1973), Cincinnati (1968) and Houston (1974) all for the first time in more than 50 years. The Wildcats last met the Bearcats at the 2017 NCAA Tournament, while the schools last faced off in the regular season in 1968. The last meeting with Houston came in 1974.-K-State and Kansas have played home-and-home every year since 1912 and have played at least once every year since 1907. It is the sixth-most played rivalry (299) in Division I men's basketball.-K-State and ISU have met home-and-away every year since 1918 with the series dating to 1909.-The series with OSU dates to 1922 while the schools have played home-and-home as Big Eight members (1959-96) and since 2010 when the Big 12 switched to a round-robin schedule.-K-State and WVU have met home-and-home every year since 2013 when the Mountaineers entered the league.All 14 Big 12 teams won at least 15 games in 2022-23 with half the league winning at least 20 games, including 30-game winners by Houston and Kansas. Eleven made the postseason a season ago, including NCAA Tournament appearances by Baylor, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, K-State, TCU, Texas and West Virginia.The rest of the 2023-24 men's basketball schedule will be released as it becomes official.

Big 12 Announces K-State's 2023-24 Conference Opponents

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — Rashee Rice spent every morning this past summer huddling with Shane Buechele, the former Texas quarterback-turned-backup to Patrick Mahomes, trying to get a grasp on the telephone book-thick playbook of Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid.

Rice knows the Chiefs have high expectations for him after spending a second-round pick on him.

They're even higher given how much their rookies produced last season.

It's a good bet that, despite an MVP performance from Mahomes and more brilliance from Travis Kelce, Chris Jones and the rest of the Chiefs, they would not have hoisted another Lombardi Trophy last season without their group of first-year players.

Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, Joshua Williams and Bryan Cook became regular playmakers in the secondary. George Karlaftis was one of their most reliable edge rushers. Skyy Moore made some important catches and one hugely important punt return in the Super Bowl. And seventh-round pick Isiah Pacheco not only became the starting running back but a bona fide star.

“We really had to slam dunk this thing from start to finish, and it was one of those years a GM dreams of,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach acknowledged. “Just everything seemed like it would work out.”

Now it's up to Rice and the rest of a new rookie class to do the same thing.

So, the wide receiver toiled away over the summer in the hopes of stepping into an important role for the Chiefs, who watched JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman leave in free agency and will be counting on him to pick up much of the slack.

“Like I said, meeting with Shane during our break gave me a head start just because he's a quarterback, and he can’t really take a break,” Rice said. "Every day I’m going to be meeting with Shane in his dorm to go over plays before the next day.”

Rice isn't the only rookie carrying some great expectations this season.

Felix Anudike-Uzomah, the Chiefs' first-round pick, was always going to be in the spotlight given the fact that he grew up in suburban Kansas City and starred just down Interstate 70 at Kansas State.

But when the Chiefs lost Carlos Dunlap in free agency and released Frank Clark to create some much-needed salary cap space, it put some additional pressure on the gregarious and high-energy Anudike-Uzomah to produce in the same way that Karlaftis did as a rookie.

Anudike-Uzomah is already playing catch-up during training camp, which opened for rookies this week with the first full-squad workout scheduled for Sunday. He was coming off an injury and was limited during offseason work.

“It was very tough, especially since they drafted me to play me right away. They drafted me in the first round so all the coaches expected a lot out of me,” Anudike-Uzomah said following practice this week. “So it was very hard, very tough that I can’t do exactly what they want me to do right away. It was just a lot of mental reps, a lot of learning the playbook, a lot of knowing player technique even though I can’t do it on the field, I have to do it mentally.”

The urgency isn't quite so great for the rest of the Chiefs' rookie class.

They lost both of their starting offensive tackles in free agency, then filled the spots by signing veterans Jawaan Taylor and Donovan Smith. And that took some of the pressure off Wanya Morris, their third-round pick out of Oklahoma, though the hope is that he can develop into the swing tackle capable of playing both sides of the line if someone gets hurt.

Fourth-round pick Chamarri Conner and seven-rounder Nic Jones, meanwhile, can thank last year's superb rookie class that solidified the Kansas City defensive backfield for their ability to slowly get acclimated to the professional game.

All the rookies have had the undivided attention of the coaching staff until the veterans report Friday.

“I think it’s great for the young guys. I think it’s good for the older guys just to get tuned up, they know what it takes to get themselves ready for the season. This is a way to knock a little rust off,” Reid said, “but for the young guys I think it’s even more beneficial. And it’s also beneficial for the coaches to see the young guys and see what they can do."

NOTES: Pacheco said after Thursday's practice that he will be ready for the season opener. He missed most of the offseason program after repairing a broken hand and torn labrum, which he played with during the Super Bowl. “I’m feeling great right now,” said Pacheco, adding that his goal for this season is to eclipse 1,000 yards rushing.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — Rashee Rice spent every morning this past summer huddling with Shane Buechele, the former Texas quarterback-turned-backup to Patrick Mahomes, trying to get a grasp on the telephone book-thick playbook of Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid.Rice knows the Chiefs have high expectations for him after spending a second-round pick on him.They're even higher given how much their rookies produced last season.It's a good bet that, despite an MVP performance from Mahomes and more brilliance from Travis Kelce, Chris Jones and the rest of the Chiefs, they would not have hoisted another Lombardi Trophy last season without their group of first-year players.Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, Joshua Williams and Bryan Cook became regular playmakers in the secondary. George Karlaftis was one of their most reliable edge rushers. Skyy Moore made some important catches and one hugely important punt return in the Super Bowl. And seventh-round pick Isiah Pacheco not only became the starting running back but a bona fide star.“We really had to slam dunk this thing from start to finish, and it was one of those years a GM dreams of,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach acknowledged. “Just everything seemed like it would work out.”Now it's up to Rice and the rest of a new rookie class to do the same thing.So, the wide receiver toiled away over the summer in the hopes of stepping into an important role for the Chiefs, who watched JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman leave in free agency and will be counting on him to pick up much of the slack.“Like I said, meeting with Shane during our break gave me a head start just because he's a quarterback, and he can’t really take a break,” Rice said. "Every day I’m going to be meeting with Shane in his dorm to go over plays before the next day.”Rice isn't the only rookie carrying some great expectations this season.Felix Anudike-Uzomah, the Chiefs' first-round pick, was always going to be in the spotlight given the fact that he grew up in suburban Kansas City and starred just down Interstate 70 at Kansas State.But when the Chiefs lost Carlos Dunlap in free agency and released Frank Clark to create some much-needed salary cap space, it put some additional pressure on the gregarious and high-energy Anudike-Uzomah to produce in the same way that Karlaftis did as a rookie.Anudike-Uzomah is already playing catch-up during training camp, which opened for rookies this week with the first full-squad workout scheduled for Sunday. He was coming off an injury and was limited during offseason work.“It was very tough, especially since they drafted me to play me right away. They drafted me in the first round so all the coaches expected a lot out of me,” Anudike-Uzomah said following practice this week. “So it was very hard, very tough that I can’t do exactly what they want me to do right away. It was just a lot of mental reps, a lot of learning the playbook, a lot of knowing player technique even though I can’t do it on the field, I have to do it mentally.”The urgency isn't quite so great for the rest of the Chiefs' rookie class.They lost both of their starting offensive tackles in free agency, then filled the spots by signing veterans Jawaan Taylor and Donovan Smith. And that took some of the pressure off Wanya Morris, their third-round pick out of Oklahoma, though the hope is that he can develop into the swing tackle capable of playing both sides of the line if someone gets hurt.Fourth-round pick Chamarri Conner and seven-rounder Nic Jones, meanwhile, can thank last year's superb rookie class that solidified the Kansas City defensive backfield for their ability to slowly get acclimated to the professional game.All the rookies have had the undivided attention of the coaching staff until the veterans report Friday.“I think it’s great for the young guys. I think it’s good for the older guys just to get tuned up, they know what it takes to get themselves ready for the season. This is a way to knock a little rust off,” Reid said, “but for the young guys I think it’s even more beneficial. And it’s also beneficial for the coaches to see the young guys and see what they can do."NOTES: Pacheco said after Thursday's practice that he will be ready for the season opener. He missed most of the offseason program after repairing a broken hand and torn labrum, which he played with during the Super Bowl. “I’m feeling great right now,” said Pacheco, adding that his goal for this season is to eclipse 1,000 yards rushing.

Chiefs hope latest rookie class can produce the same way as last year's bunch

IRVING, Texas (AP) — Men's and women's basketball teams in the expanded Big 12 will still play 18 conference games each during the 2023-24 season.

The conference, which has 14 schools for the upcoming season before the departures of Oklahoma and Texas to the SEC next summer, released its basketball scheduling matrix on Thursday. Each team will play five Big 12 opponents twice (home and away), and once each against the remaining eight league foes — four at home, four on the road.

As a 10-team league since 2011-12, each team had played every other one twice — home and away — for an 18-game conference slate.

BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF officially became Big 12 members earlier this month.

The Big 12 revealed which opponents each team would play twice, then which they would play at home only and on the road only. The full schedule with dates will be released at a later date.

Conference officials said the opponents were selected based on a combination of geography, historical results and a poll of the coaches to best balance the schedule in terms of travel and competitiveness.

IRVING, Texas (AP) — Men's and women's basketball teams in the expanded Big 12 will still play 18 conference games each during the 2023-24 season.The conference, which has 14 schools for the upcoming season before the departures of Oklahoma and Texas to the SEC next summer, released its basketball scheduling matrix on Thursday. Each team will play five Big 12 opponents twice (home and away), and once each against the remaining eight league foes — four at home, four on the road.As a 10-team league since 2011-12, each team had played every other one twice — home and away — for an 18-game conference slate.BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF officially became Big 12 members earlier this month.The Big 12 revealed which opponents each team would play twice, then which they would play at home only and on the road only. The full schedule with dates will be released at a later date.Conference officials said the opponents were selected based on a combination of geography, historical results and a poll of the coaches to best balance the schedule in terms of travel and competitiveness.

No round-robin: Hoops teams in expanded Big 12 will still play 18 conference games

The Great Bend Braves jumped to a 4-0 lead over Marysville in the third inning, but were unable to hang on to that lead and lost to Post 163 9-5 in the winner's bracket championship game Thursday night in El Dorado.

The Braves took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, then extended the margin to 4-0 in the third, thanks to an inside the park home run by Trey Milsap who had 4-rbi's in the game.

Marysville however would respond, taking their first lead in the fifth to advance to Saturday's championship game where they will need to be beaten twice to keep them from winning the Class-A state title.

Great bend falls to the loser's bracket where they will play at 1:30 p.m. Friday afternoon against the winner of Pittsburg/El Dorado who play at 11:00 a.m. at McDonald Stadium. Today's survivor would then advance to Saturday to meet Marysville at 11 needing to beat Post 163 twice to win the championship.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689940559693.jpeg" alt="American Legion Class-A State Tournament El Dorado" />
 <figcaption>American Legion Class-A State Tournament El Dorado</figcaption>
 </figure>The Great Bend Braves jumped to a 4-0 lead over Marysville in the third inning, but were unable to hang on to that lead and lost to Post 163 9-5 in the winner's bracket championship game Thursday night in El Dorado.The Braves took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, then extended the margin to 4-0 in the third, thanks to an inside the park home run by Trey Milsap who had 4-rbi's in the game.Marysville however would respond, taking their first lead in the fifth to advance to Saturday's championship game where they will need to be beaten twice to keep them from winning the Class-A state title.Great bend falls to the loser's bracket where they will play at 1:30 p.m. Friday afternoon against the winner of Pittsburg/El Dorado who play at 11:00 a.m. at McDonald Stadium. Today's survivor would then advance to Saturday to meet Marysville at 11 needing to beat Post 163 twice to win the championship.

Braves fall to Marysville 9-5 at Legion State Tourney

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Michael Lorenzen knew there was no chance that Tigers manager A.J. Hinch was sending him out for the eighth inning Thursday, despite holding the lowly Royals to three hits in a seemingly effortless start.

Lorenzen tried to hide in the dugout anyway.

“I'm surprised he came in the (dugout) entrance he did. You could go down at the other end and find him and still take him out,” Hinch said with a smile afterward the 3-0 victory, which gave Detroit its fifth straight series win against its AL Central rival. “But it's fun to see him happy at the end of his outing because of the way he pitched.”

Lorenzen (5-6) stranded runners at the corners in the second and another at third in the fourth inning but otherwise went unchallenged while running his scoreless streak to 23 2/3 innings dating to June 30 at Colorado. The All-Star right-hander, who has made his disdain for day games well known, struck out three and walked one on a bright, sunny afternoon.

Tyler Holton worked a perfect eighth before Jason Foley handled the ninth for his fourth save.

“With the amount of strikes I've been throwing," Lorenzen said, “I know that teams are going to come out aggressive. And so if you just leverage that, you get some weak contact. A really good job by the defense.”

Spencer Torkelson, Andy Ibañez and Eric Haase drove in runs for Detroit, which took three of four from the Royals to improve to 7-3 against them this season. The teams still have three more to play at Comerica Park in September.

“Obviously coming out of the break, you never know quite how the guys are going to get back up and running,” Hinch said, “and we came out aggressively in Seattle. ... I think our guys in there understand that every day is really important coming out of the break.”

The Tigers scored twice off Zack Greinke (1-10) in the second before adding another run in the fifth, after the veteran right-hander had been removed from the game. Greinke allowed four hits in four innings in his first start since July 4, when the 39-year-old was diagnosed with shoulder tendinitis and landed on the injured list.

“We knew it wasn't going to be a deep outing,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “It looked like he struggled a bit with his command. He was around the zone plenty but probably a lower strike percentage than he's used to, or we're used to seeing.”

Greinke had been good the first time through a lineup this season, but he struggled against the bottom half on Thursday.

The trouble began in the second with Nick Maton's two-out single. Akil Baddoo followed with a walk and Ibañez gave Detroit the lead with a base hit. Haase followed with his run-scoring single to extend the Tigers' lead to 2-0.

Greinke got through the next two innings before Austin Cox replaced him.

Zach McKinstry's triple in the fifth led to another run when Torkelson lifted a sacrifice fly to left field.

Meanwhile, the Royals kept squandering their few scoring opportunities.

Drew Waters flied out to right field to leave runners on the corners in the second. Nick Pratto spiked his helmet after striking out to leave a runner on third in the fourth. And in the sixth inning, Kyle Isbel ripped a double down the right-field line but was easily thrown out by McKinstry while trying to stretch it into a triple.

“(Lorenzen) doesn't give up a lot," said Quatraro, whose team was shut out for the 12th time and held to four hits or fewer for the 20th this season. “You have to really maximize your chances and he didn't give us many.”

GOLD GLOVE? MORE LIKE MISSING GLOVE

Nick Wittgren had his glove knocked off his hand by Ibañez's line drive in the ninth. But the Royals reliever alertly pounced on the ball behind the mound and threw him out at first base in a bang-bang play that was confirmed by a review.

The Royals created space for Greinke on the roster by optioning right-hander Max Castillo to Triple-A Omaha. Castillo allowed just one hit over three scoreless innings Wednesday night in his only outing since being recalled last weekend.

Tigers RHP Reese Olson (1-3, 3.96 ERA) will start the opener of a three-game series against the Padres on Friday night. The Royals are headed to New York for three games against the Yankees, with RHP Alec Marsh (0-3, 5.40 ERA) starting the opener.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Michael Lorenzen knew there was no chance that Tigers manager A.J. Hinch was sending him out for the eighth inning Thursday, despite holding the lowly Royals to three hits in a seemingly effortless start.Lorenzen tried to hide in the dugout anyway.“I'm surprised he came in the (dugout) entrance he did. You could go down at the other end and find him and still take him out,” Hinch said with a smile afterward the 3-0 victory, which gave Detroit its fifth straight series win against its AL Central rival. “But it's fun to see him happy at the end of his outing because of the way he pitched.”Lorenzen (5-6) stranded runners at the corners in the second and another at third in the fourth inning but otherwise went unchallenged while running his scoreless streak to 23 2/3 innings dating to June 30 at Colorado. The All-Star right-hander, who has made his disdain for day games well known, struck out three and walked one on a bright, sunny afternoon.Tyler Holton worked a perfect eighth before Jason Foley handled the ninth for his fourth save.“With the amount of strikes I've been throwing," Lorenzen said, “I know that teams are going to come out aggressive. And so if you just leverage that, you get some weak contact. A really good job by the defense.”Spencer Torkelson, Andy Ibañez and Eric Haase drove in runs for Detroit, which took three of four from the Royals to improve to 7-3 against them this season. The teams still have three more to play at Comerica Park in September.“Obviously coming out of the break, you never know quite how the guys are going to get back up and running,” Hinch said, “and we came out aggressively in Seattle. ... I think our guys in there understand that every day is really important coming out of the break.”The Tigers scored twice off Zack Greinke (1-10) in the second before adding another run in the fifth, after the veteran right-hander had been removed from the game. Greinke allowed four hits in four innings in his first start since July 4, when the 39-year-old was diagnosed with shoulder tendinitis and landed on the injured list.“We knew it wasn't going to be a deep outing,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “It looked like he struggled a bit with his command. He was around the zone plenty but probably a lower strike percentage than he's used to, or we're used to seeing.”Greinke had been good the first time through a lineup this season, but he struggled against the bottom half on Thursday.The trouble began in the second with Nick Maton's two-out single. Akil Baddoo followed with a walk and Ibañez gave Detroit the lead with a base hit. Haase followed with his run-scoring single to extend the Tigers' lead to 2-0.Greinke got through the next two innings before Austin Cox replaced him.Zach McKinstry's triple in the fifth led to another run when Torkelson lifted a sacrifice fly to left field.Meanwhile, the Royals kept squandering their few scoring opportunities.Drew Waters flied out to right field to leave runners on the corners in the second. Nick Pratto spiked his helmet after striking out to leave a runner on third in the fourth. And in the sixth inning, Kyle Isbel ripped a double down the right-field line but was easily thrown out by McKinstry while trying to stretch it into a triple.“(Lorenzen) doesn't give up a lot," said Quatraro, whose team was shut out for the 12th time and held to four hits or fewer for the 20th this season. “You have to really maximize your chances and he didn't give us many.”GOLD GLOVE? MORE LIKE MISSING GLOVENick Wittgren had his glove knocked off his hand by Ibañez's line drive in the ninth. But the Royals reliever alertly pounced on the ball behind the mound and threw him out at first base in a bang-bang play that was confirmed by a review.ROSTER MOVESThe Royals created space for Greinke on the roster by optioning right-hander Max Castillo to Triple-A Omaha. Castillo allowed just one hit over three scoreless innings Wednesday night in his only outing since being recalled last weekend.UP NEXTTigers RHP Reese Olson (1-3, 3.96 ERA) will start the opener of a three-game series against the Padres on Friday night. The Royals are headed to New York for three games against the Yankees, with RHP Alec Marsh (0-3, 5.40 ERA) starting the opener.

Detroit Tigers beat Kansas City Royals 3-0

KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — Michael Lorenzen threw seven innings of three-hit ball to
help the Tigers beat the Royals 3-0. Lorenzen ran his scoreless
streak to 23 2/3 innings dating to June 30 at Colorado. The All-Star
right-hander stranded runners at the corners in the second and
another at third base in the fourth. Tyler Holton worked a perfect
eighth for Detroit before Jason Foley handled the ninth inning for
his fourth save. Zack Greinke took the loss for Kansas City, allowing
two runs over four innings in his first start since landing on the
injured list with shoulder tendinitis. The Tigers have won five
straight series against the Royals, and they are 7-3 against their AL
Central rivals this season.

CHICAGO (AP) —
Jordan Walker and Paul DeJong each hit a two-run homer, and the St.
Louis Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 7-2 for their sixth straight
victory. Nolan Arenado drove in two runs and Steven Matz pitched five
effective innings as St. Louis won for the the ninth time in 11 games
overall. Paul Goldschmidt had two hits and scored two runs. Marcus
Stroman pitched just 3 2/3 innings in possibly his final home start
for the Cubs. The right-hander was charged with five runs — four
earned — and seven hits. He struck out four and walked four.

SEATTLE (AP) —
Seattle Mariners outfielder Jarred Kelenic was placed on the 10-day
injured list with a broken bone in his left foot after kicking a
water cooler following a ninth-inning strikeout the night before.
Kelenic was apologetic fighting through tears for letting his
emotions get out of hand and expressing his frustration in a way that
led to an injury. Kelenic says he made a mistake and feels awful for
letting his teammates down. There was no timeframe on when Kelenic
may return but surgery is not expected. Kelenic is in his third
season with the Mariners and showed significant improvement. He’s
hitting .252 with 11 homers and 45 RBIs in 90 games.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP)
— The Chiefs probably would have not won the Super Bowl last season
without some spectacular play from their rookie class. Four defensive
backs carved out crucial roles, George Karlaftis was one of their
best pass rushers, Skyy Moore had a big punt return in the Super Bowl
and seventh-round pick Isiah Pacheco became the starting running
back. Now, the pressure is on for this year's group of first-year
players to produce. That class is headlined by defensive end Felix
Anudike-Uzomah, who grew up in suburban Kansas City and played at
Kansas State, and wide receiver Rashee Rice, who already has caught
Patrick Mahomes' eye.

IRVING, Texas (AP) —
Men’s and women’s basketball teams in the expanded Big 12 will
still play 18 conference games each during the 2023-24 season. The
conference will have 14 schools for the upcoming season before the
departures of Oklahoma and Texas to the SEC next summer. Each team
will play five Big 12 opponents twice. Along with those home-and-away
matchups, teams will play each of the remaining eight league foes
once — four at home, and four on the road. As a 10-team league
since 2011-12, the 18-game conference slate had each team playing
each other home and away.

HOYLAKE, England
(AP) — Brian Harman is quickly setting the new target at the
British Open. The American opened with a 67. And now he has run off
three straight birdies starting on the second hole. That puts Harman
at 7-under par. Harman has never won a major. He once had the 54-hole
lead at the U.S. Open at Erin Hills in 2017. Adrian Otaegui of Spain
made all pars on the front nine and was at 4 under among those
playing in the chilly breeze and occasional light rain. Rory McIlroy
has just now teed off after opening at 71.

AUCKLAND, New
Zealand (AP) — The United States begins its journey to a record
third consecutive Women’s World Cup title with the same confidence
it had in winning the last two tournaments. The top-ranked Americans
open play against Vietnam, which is no doubt considering the U.S. a
daunting challenge in its World Cup debut. The teams meet on Saturday
in Auckland at Eden Park. As opponents, the Vietnamese are similar to
Thailand, which the Americans thumped 13-0 in the opener at the World
Cup four years ago in France.

UNDATED (AP) — A
bipartisan group of senators is proposing new oversight of college
sports and the NCAA. A bill being worked would pre-empt state laws
and create national regulations for name, image and likeness
compensation for players. It would also establish an entity to
oversee enforcement of those rules, and fund long-term health care
for athletes. Democratic Senators Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut
and Cory Booker of New Jersey along with Republican Jerry Moran of
Kansas have previously introduced separate college sports bills.

FUKUOKA, Japan (AP)
— American freestyler Katie Ledecky has never gone home with
anything other than a gold or silver medal in the Olympics or world
championships dating from the 2012 London Games. But it might happen
Sunday in the women’s 400-meter freestyle on the opening night in
the pool of the World Aquatics Championships. This is perhaps the
most anticipated race of the entire eight-day program in Japan.
Ledecky is up against two younger stars. There is 16-year-old Summer
McIntosh. She is a Canadian who holds the world record at 400. And
22-year-old Ariarne Titmus. She is an Australian who is a former
world-record holder. Ledecky also held the record.

BLOOMINGTON, Minn.
(AP) — NFL owners have unanimously approved the sale of the
Washington Commanders from Dan Snyder to a group led by Josh Harris.
The deal is for a North American professional sports record of $6.05
billion. Snyder was also fined $60 million after the completion of an
NFL-sponsored investigation into workplace culture and business
dealings. Harris' group also includes basketball Hall of Famer Magic
Johnson, Washington-area businessman Mitchell Rales and partner David
Blitzer. Blitzer co-owns with Harris the NBA's 76ers and NHL's
Devils. Snyder had owned the club since 1999 and long insisted amid
mounting criticism and pressure he would never sell.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689849434028.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — Michael Lorenzen threw seven innings of three-hit ball to
help the Tigers beat the Royals 3-0. Lorenzen ran his scoreless
streak to 23 2/3 innings dating to June 30 at Colorado. The All-Star
right-hander stranded runners at the corners in the second and
another at third base in the fourth. Tyler Holton worked a perfect
eighth for Detroit before Jason Foley handled the ninth inning for
his fourth save. Zack Greinke took the loss for Kansas City, allowing
two runs over four innings in his first start since landing on the
injured list with shoulder tendinitis. The Tigers have won five
straight series against the Royals, and they are 7-3 against their AL
Central rivals this season.CHICAGO (AP) —
Jordan Walker and Paul DeJong each hit a two-run homer, and the St.
Louis Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 7-2 for their sixth straight
victory. Nolan Arenado drove in two runs and Steven Matz pitched five
effective innings as St. Louis won for the the ninth time in 11 games
overall. Paul Goldschmidt had two hits and scored two runs. Marcus
Stroman pitched just 3 2/3 innings in possibly his final home start
for the Cubs. The right-hander was charged with five runs — four
earned — and seven hits. He struck out four and walked four.SEATTLE (AP) —
Seattle Mariners outfielder Jarred Kelenic was placed on the 10-day
injured list with a broken bone in his left foot after kicking a
water cooler following a ninth-inning strikeout the night before.
Kelenic was apologetic fighting through tears for letting his
emotions get out of hand and expressing his frustration in a way that
led to an injury. Kelenic says he made a mistake and feels awful for
letting his teammates down. There was no timeframe on when Kelenic
may return but surgery is not expected. Kelenic is in his third
season with the Mariners and showed significant improvement. He’s
hitting .252 with 11 homers and 45 RBIs in 90 games.ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP)
— The Chiefs probably would have not won the Super Bowl last season
without some spectacular play from their rookie class. Four defensive
backs carved out crucial roles, George Karlaftis was one of their
best pass rushers, Skyy Moore had a big punt return in the Super Bowl
and seventh-round pick Isiah Pacheco became the starting running
back. Now, the pressure is on for this year's group of first-year
players to produce. That class is headlined by defensive end Felix
Anudike-Uzomah, who grew up in suburban Kansas City and played at
Kansas State, and wide receiver Rashee Rice, who already has caught
Patrick Mahomes' eye.IRVING, Texas (AP) —
Men’s and women’s basketball teams in the expanded Big 12 will
still play 18 conference games each during the 2023-24 season. The
conference will have 14 schools for the upcoming season before the
departures of Oklahoma and Texas to the SEC next summer. Each team
will play five Big 12 opponents twice. Along with those home-and-away
matchups, teams will play each of the remaining eight league foes
once — four at home, and four on the road. As a 10-team league
since 2011-12, the 18-game conference slate had each team playing
each other home and away.HOYLAKE, England
(AP) — Brian Harman is quickly setting the new target at the
British Open. The American opened with a 67. And now he has run off
three straight birdies starting on the second hole. That puts Harman
at 7-under par. Harman has never won a major. He once had the 54-hole
lead at the U.S. Open at Erin Hills in 2017. Adrian Otaegui of Spain
made all pars on the front nine and was at 4 under among those
playing in the chilly breeze and occasional light rain. Rory McIlroy
has just now teed off after opening at 71.AUCKLAND, New
Zealand (AP) — The United States begins its journey to a record
third consecutive Women’s World Cup title with the same confidence
it had in winning the last two tournaments. The top-ranked Americans
open play against Vietnam, which is no doubt considering the U.S. a
daunting challenge in its World Cup debut. The teams meet on Saturday
in Auckland at Eden Park. As opponents, the Vietnamese are similar to
Thailand, which the Americans thumped 13-0 in the opener at the World
Cup four years ago in France.UNDATED (AP) — A
bipartisan group of senators is proposing new oversight of college
sports and the NCAA. A bill being worked would pre-empt state laws
and create national regulations for name, image and likeness
compensation for players. It would also establish an entity to
oversee enforcement of those rules, and fund long-term health care
for athletes. Democratic Senators Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut
and Cory Booker of New Jersey along with Republican Jerry Moran of
Kansas have previously introduced separate college sports bills.FUKUOKA, Japan (AP)
— American freestyler Katie Ledecky has never gone home with
anything other than a gold or silver medal in the Olympics or world
championships dating from the 2012 London Games. But it might happen
Sunday in the women’s 400-meter freestyle on the opening night in
the pool of the World Aquatics Championships. This is perhaps the
most anticipated race of the entire eight-day program in Japan.
Ledecky is up against two younger stars. There is 16-year-old Summer
McIntosh. She is a Canadian who holds the world record at 400. And
22-year-old Ariarne Titmus. She is an Australian who is a former
world-record holder. Ledecky also held the record.BLOOMINGTON, Minn.
(AP) — NFL owners have unanimously approved the sale of the
Washington Commanders from Dan Snyder to a group led by Josh Harris.
The deal is for a North American professional sports record of $6.05
billion. Snyder was also fined $60 million after the completion of an
NFL-sponsored investigation into workplace culture and business
dealings. Harris' group also includes basketball Hall of Famer Magic
Johnson, Washington-area businessman Mitchell Rales and partner David
Blitzer. Blitzer co-owns with Harris the NBA's 76ers and NHL's
Devils. Snyder had owned the club since 1999 and long insisted amid
mounting criticism and pressure he would never sell.THURSDAY SCORESINTERLEAGUEFinal	Chicago White
Sox	6	N.Y. Mets	2	Final	Toronto	4	San
Diego	0	AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	Detroit	3	Kansas
City	0	Final	Seattle	5	Minnesota	0	Final	Baltimore	4	Tampa
Bay	3	Final	Houston	3	Oakland	1	NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	Atlanta	7	Arizona	5	Final	Cincinnati	5	San
Francisco	1	Final	Milwaukee	4	Philadelphia	0	Final	St.
Louis	7	Chicago Cubs	2

Friday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

Great Bend Post El Dorado - Kale Kern singled home what proved to be the winning run in the top of the 6th inning Thursday, and the Great Bend Braves would hold on for an 8-7 victory over Pittsburg at the American Legion Class-A State Tournament. The win moves the Braves in Thursday night's winner's bracket final against the winner of El Dorado and Marysville who are playing Thursday afternoon.

Kern had a huge day with two hits, a single, and bases clearing double in the fifth that that gave the Braves their first lead of the game. Pittsburg tied the game in the bottom half of the inning setting up Kern for more heroics in the sixth.

Great Bend had 12 hits include two each by Kern, Jaxon Wondra, Ian Premer, and Wednesday's hero Colin Saffa.

Trey Milsap started on the mound and went five-innings before Peyton Oelger came on to pitch the final two frames to pick up the win.

The winner's bracket final is scheduled to start at 8:30 p.m. Thursday night.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689877615646.jpeg" alt="Braves play&nbsp; at 8:30 pm Thursday in winner's bracket final" />
 <figcaption>Braves play&nbsp; at 8:30 pm Thursday in winner's bracket final</figcaption>
 </figure>Great Bend Post El Dorado - Kale Kern singled home what proved to be the winning run in the top of the 6th inning Thursday, and the Great Bend Braves would hold on for an 8-7 victory over Pittsburg at the American Legion Class-A State Tournament. The win moves the Braves in Thursday night's winner's bracket final against the winner of El Dorado and Marysville who are playing Thursday afternoon.Kern had a huge day with two hits, a single, and bases clearing double in the fifth that that gave the Braves their first lead of the game. Pittsburg tied the game in the bottom half of the inning setting up Kern for more heroics in the sixth.Great Bend had 12 hits include two each by Kern, Jaxon Wondra, Ian Premer, and Wednesday's hero Colin Saffa.Trey Milsap started on the mound and went five-innings before Peyton Oelger came on to pitch the final two frames to pick up the win.The winner's bracket final is scheduled to start at 8:30 p.m. Thursday night.

Braves rally to beat Pittsburg 8-7 at Class-A State Tourney

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals put left-hander Daniel Lynch on the injured list with a strained shoulder and recalled reliever Austin Cox from Triple-A Omaha before their game Wednesday night against the Detroit Tigers.

Lynch, one of the Royals' bright young starters, missed the first two months of the season with a similar strain. He was on a hot streak before the All-Star break, allowing three runs or fewer in four straight starts, but Lynch experienced a dip in velocity while going six inning on July 7 in Cleveland and it continued during Tuesday night's start against Detroit.

Lynch earned the win, but allowed five runs over five innings against the Tigers.

The Royals plan to keep Lynch throwing side sessions on the injured list with the expectation that he will rejoin the club in two weeks. In the meantime, they have Zack Greinke ready to return from the list Thursday and take Lynch's spot in the rotation.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals put left-hander Daniel Lynch on the injured list with a strained shoulder and recalled reliever Austin Cox from Triple-A Omaha before their game Wednesday night against the Detroit Tigers.Lynch, one of the Royals' bright young starters, missed the first two months of the season with a similar strain. He was on a hot streak before the All-Star break, allowing three runs or fewer in four straight starts, but Lynch experienced a dip in velocity while going six inning on July 7 in Cleveland and it continued during Tuesday night's start against Detroit.Lynch earned the win, but allowed five runs over five innings against the Tigers.The Royals plan to keep Lynch throwing side sessions on the injured list with the expectation that he will rejoin the club in two weeks. In the meantime, they have Zack Greinke ready to return from the list Thursday and take Lynch's spot in the rotation.

Royals place left-hander Daniel Lynch on injured list with shoulder strain

The Great Bend Recreation Commission announced their 2023 youth baseball and softball champions.

Sox (3rd-4th&nbsp;Grade) Champions Team: Lady Panthers Head Coach: Craig Robinson Record: (7-1) Roster: MacKenzie Anthony, Yaneli Peregrino, Kimberly Enriquez, Chloe Coleman, Eliana Shelton, Leightinn Stroh, Melanie Bouse, Ellie Bretz, Natalie Crathorne, La'Nya Johnson, Kimber Gibson

Shortstop (5th-7th Grade) Champions Team: Lady Panthers Head Coach: Candace Tomlin Record: (8-0) Roster: Kinzlie Becker, Sophia Chambers, Aileen Escobedo, Chloe Torres, Taycee Gray, Bierly Gallegos, Azul Guyton, Brylee Snyder, Giselle Leyva, Persepheni Peschka, Jenna Sandberg

Midget (3rd-4th&nbsp;Grade) Champions Team: Storm Chasers Head Coach: Rob Bauer Record: (7-1) Roster: Brock Bauer, Graham Hiss, Jeremiah Mulneiz, Eli Rugan, Rylee Dietz, Jaxton Leiker, Cale Gibson, Kavyn Mercer, Hunter Duryee, Luke Gottschalk, Brennan Kelty, Jayden Pohlman, Christian Thomas, Jonathan Dewey

Mickey Mantle (5th-7th Grade) Champions Team: Panthers Head Coach:&nbsp;Mike Keeley Record: (7-1) Roster: Damon Decker, Patrick Lane, Kaleb Urban, Miles Anthony, Luke Beck, Finn Anderson, Jamison Stoney, Easton Smith, Matthew Anthony, Kamren Brown, Tyler Pelster

The Great Bend Recreation Commission announced their 2023 youth baseball and softball champions.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689775992576.jpeg" alt="Lady Panthers" />
 <figcaption>Lady Panthers</figcaption>
 </figure>Sox (3rd-4th&nbsp;Grade) Champions Team: Lady Panthers Head Coach: Craig Robinson Record: (7-1) Roster: MacKenzie Anthony, Yaneli Peregrino, Kimberly Enriquez, Chloe Coleman, Eliana Shelton, Leightinn Stroh, Melanie Bouse, Ellie Bretz, Natalie Crathorne, La'Nya Johnson, Kimber Gibson<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689776035152.jpeg" alt="Lady Panthers" />
 <figcaption>Lady Panthers</figcaption>
 </figure>Shortstop (5th-7th Grade) Champions Team: Lady Panthers Head Coach: Candace Tomlin Record: (8-0) Roster: Kinzlie Becker, Sophia Chambers, Aileen Escobedo, Chloe Torres, Taycee Gray, Bierly Gallegos, Azul Guyton, Brylee Snyder, Giselle Leyva, Persepheni Peschka, Jenna Sandberg<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689775981081.jpeg" alt="Storm Chasers" />
 <figcaption>Storm Chasers</figcaption>
 </figure>Midget (3rd-4th&nbsp;Grade) Champions Team: Storm Chasers Head Coach: Rob Bauer Record: (7-1) Roster: Brock Bauer, Graham Hiss, Jeremiah Mulneiz, Eli Rugan, Rylee Dietz, Jaxton Leiker, Cale Gibson, Kavyn Mercer, Hunter Duryee, Luke Gottschalk, Brennan Kelty, Jayden Pohlman, Christian Thomas, Jonathan Dewey<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689775971305.jpeg" alt="Panthers" />
 <figcaption>Panthers</figcaption>
 </figure>Mickey Mantle (5th-7th Grade) Champions Team: Panthers Head Coach:&nbsp;Mike Keeley Record: (7-1) Roster: Damon Decker, Patrick Lane, Kaleb Urban, Miles Anthony, Luke Beck, Finn Anderson, Jamison Stoney, Easton Smith, Matthew Anthony, Kamren Brown, Tyler Pelster

Great Bend Rec 2023 youth baseball & softball champions

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Eduardo Rodriguez made a spectacular start for the Detroit Tigers against the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night.

Pretty good audition for a bunch of contenders in need of pitching, too.

Rodriguez allowed two runs and four hits over seven dominant innings in what could be one of his final starts for the Tigers as the trade deadline approaches, helping them to a 3-2 victory that wasn't decided until the end of a nervy night inning.

Rodriguez (6-5) needed just 37 pitches to cut through the Kansas City lineup once, and the left-hander still had not allowed a hit until Matt Duffy's one-out single in the fifth. Rodriguez wound up striking out seven without allowing a walk.

“Eddie is always good,” said the Tigers' Riley Greene. “He's my teammate and that's all I can really say about that.”

Jason Foley worked the eighth for Detroit before Alex Lange ran into trouble closing things out.

He began by plunking Salvador Perez, bounced by to get pinch hitter Nicky Lopez to ground into a double play, then walked Michael Massey. Drew Waters followed with a sharp single that looked as if it might score the tying run, but Royals third base coach Vance Wilson threw up the stop sign, leaving them with runners on the corners and two outs.

Lange proceeded to strike out Kyle Isbel and finish off his 16th save.

Javier Baez homered and Miguel Cabrera and Kerry Carpenter also drove runs for Detroit, which struggled to solve Ryan Yarbrough until the lanky Royals left-hander experienced some cramping in his hamstring with two outs in the sixth inning.

Yarbrough (2-5) allowed three runs on six hits and a walk before departing.

“He just had a mild cramp but when he tried to throw a practice pitch,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said, “it cramped again.”

The Tigers jumped ahead on Baez's solo shot in the second, his seventh of the year, and for a while it looked as if that might be enough. Rodriguez leaned on his fastball and cutter, along with an occasional changeup, to keep Kansas City guessing until Duffy finally delivered his single in the fifth inning.

Massey followed with a tying double down the right-field line. And after Waters grounded out, Isbel added an RBI double to give Kansas City a 2-1 lead — and leave Rodriguez slapping his glove in frustration.

“He's our guy. He accepts that responsibility,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “He stayed in there for us.”

It paid off when Yarbrough and the Royals bullpen gave the lead right back.

The Tigers had pulled even again in the sixth on Carpenter's single when Yarbrough — who missed 55 games this season with head fractures from a line drive — began to cramp. He was checked on by the Kansas City training staff and threw one warm-up pitch before departing, and Carlos Hernandez proceeded to walk Baez before Cabrera's single put Detroit ahead for good.

“If there's one person that you get to put up to the plate with someone throwing a hundred," Greene said, “it's got to be Miggy.”

Royals: Perez was back in the lineup after missing a couple of starts with a left hamstring strain. “Everything is good,” Quatraro said, “just don't look for him to score from first or anything.”

Royals LHP Daniel Lynch went on the injured list with a shoulder strain and reliever Austin Cox recalled from Triple-A Omaha to take his place. Lynch experienced a dip in velocity before the All-Star break and it was still there during his start Tuesday night, so the Royals decided to give him a rest. They hope Lynch is back as soon as he is eligible.

Cabrera, who is retiring after this season, was honored by the Royals during his final scheduled visit to Kauffman Stadium. Perez and Hall of Famer George Brett helped to present a $10,000 check to Cabrera's foundation along with a framed crown-and-photo montage, which honored the triple crown that Cabrera clinched in Kansas City on Oct. 4, 2012.

Royals RHP Zack Greinke is expected to come off the IL to start the series finale against Detroit on Thursday. The 39-year-old Greinke (1-9, 5.44) has been out since leaving his start July 4 against Minnesota with right shoulder discomfort. The Tigers will counter with RHP Michael Lorenzen (4-6, 3.75).

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Eduardo Rodriguez made a spectacular start for the Detroit Tigers against the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night.Pretty good audition for a bunch of contenders in need of pitching, too.Rodriguez allowed two runs and four hits over seven dominant innings in what could be one of his final starts for the Tigers as the trade deadline approaches, helping them to a 3-2 victory that wasn't decided until the end of a nervy night inning.Rodriguez (6-5) needed just 37 pitches to cut through the Kansas City lineup once, and the left-hander still had not allowed a hit until Matt Duffy's one-out single in the fifth. Rodriguez wound up striking out seven without allowing a walk.“Eddie is always good,” said the Tigers' Riley Greene. “He's my teammate and that's all I can really say about that.”Jason Foley worked the eighth for Detroit before Alex Lange ran into trouble closing things out.He began by plunking Salvador Perez, bounced by to get pinch hitter Nicky Lopez to ground into a double play, then walked Michael Massey. Drew Waters followed with a sharp single that looked as if it might score the tying run, but Royals third base coach Vance Wilson threw up the stop sign, leaving them with runners on the corners and two outs.Lange proceeded to strike out Kyle Isbel and finish off his 16th save.Javier Baez homered and Miguel Cabrera and Kerry Carpenter also drove runs for Detroit, which struggled to solve Ryan Yarbrough until the lanky Royals left-hander experienced some cramping in his hamstring with two outs in the sixth inning.Yarbrough (2-5) allowed three runs on six hits and a walk before departing.“He just had a mild cramp but when he tried to throw a practice pitch,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said, “it cramped again.”The Tigers jumped ahead on Baez's solo shot in the second, his seventh of the year, and for a while it looked as if that might be enough. Rodriguez leaned on his fastball and cutter, along with an occasional changeup, to keep Kansas City guessing until Duffy finally delivered his single in the fifth inning.Massey followed with a tying double down the right-field line. And after Waters grounded out, Isbel added an RBI double to give Kansas City a 2-1 lead — and leave Rodriguez slapping his glove in frustration.“He's our guy. He accepts that responsibility,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “He stayed in there for us.”It paid off when Yarbrough and the Royals bullpen gave the lead right back.The Tigers had pulled even again in the sixth on Carpenter's single when Yarbrough — who missed 55 games this season with head fractures from a line drive — began to cramp. He was checked on by the Kansas City training staff and threw one warm-up pitch before departing, and Carlos Hernandez proceeded to walk Baez before Cabrera's single put Detroit ahead for good.“If there's one person that you get to put up to the plate with someone throwing a hundred," Greene said, “it's got to be Miggy.”TRAINER'S ROOMRoyals: Perez was back in the lineup after missing a couple of starts with a left hamstring strain. “Everything is good,” Quatraro said, “just don't look for him to score from first or anything.”INJURED LISTRoyals LHP Daniel Lynch went on the injured list with a shoulder strain and reliever Austin Cox recalled from Triple-A Omaha to take his place. Lynch experienced a dip in velocity before the All-Star break and it was still there during his start Tuesday night, so the Royals decided to give him a rest. They hope Lynch is back as soon as he is eligible.MIGGY'S FAREWELLCabrera, who is retiring after this season, was honored by the Royals during his final scheduled visit to Kauffman Stadium. Perez and Hall of Famer George Brett helped to present a $10,000 check to Cabrera's foundation along with a framed crown-and-photo montage, which honored the triple crown that Cabrera clinched in Kansas City on Oct. 4, 2012.UP NEXTRoyals RHP Zack Greinke is expected to come off the IL to start the series finale against Detroit on Thursday. The 39-year-old Greinke (1-9, 5.44) has been out since leaving his start July 4 against Minnesota with right shoulder discomfort. The Tigers will counter with RHP Michael Lorenzen (4-6, 3.75).

Eduardo Rodriguez pitches Detroit Tigers to 3-2 win over Kansas City Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — Eduardo Rodriguez allowed two runs and four hits over seven
dominant innings, and Miguel Cabrera drove in the go-ahead run, as
the Detroit Tigers held on for a 3-2 victory over the Kansas City
Royals on Wednesday night. Jason Foley worked the eighth before Alex
Lange finished up the ninth for his 16th save. He left runners on the
corners by striking out Kyle Isbel. Ryan Yarbrough took the loss for
Kansas City. He pitched well before leaving with two outs in the
sixth inning with a cramp in his hamstring. Yarbrough allowed three
runs on six hits and a walk.

ST. LOUIS (AP) —
Nolan Gorman hit a three-run homer and had four RBIs to help the St.
Louis Cardinals beat the Mami Marlins 6-4 for just their second
series sweep this season. Nolan Arenado’s RBI single and Gorman’s
19th homer built a 4-0 lead in the first off NL Cy Young Award winner
Sandy Alcantara, and the Marlins’ losing streak reached a
season-high six. St. Louis had just one previous sweep this season,
from May 12-14 at Boston. The Cardinals have won a season-high five
in a row, moving ahead of Pittsburgh and out of the NL Central
cellar.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP)
— If anyone didn’t think the New York Yankees are frustrated over
their latest struggles, Carlos Rodón and Tommy Kahnle visibly
displayed it on Wednesday. Rodón sarcastically blew a kiss while
walking to the dugout after the second inning and Kahnle took out his
frustrations on a cooling fan in the dugout during the Yankees’ 7-3
loss to the Los Angeles Angels. The loss marked the first time in 14
years the Yankees were swept in a three-game series by the Angels and
completed a 1-5 road trip that saw them drop to last place in the AL
East. They have dropped four straight and nine of their last 11 after
winning seven of their previous 10.

DENVER (AP) —
Brandon Bielak pitched one-hit ball into the sixth inning, and the
Houston Astros beat the Colorado Rockies 4-1 on Wednesday. Chas
McCormick homered for Houston, which split the two-game series with
Colorado. Bielak struck out four and walked three in 5 2/3 innings.
Phil Maton, Rafael Montero, Ryne Stanek and Ryan Pressly then
combined for 3 1/3 innings of one-hit relief. Bielak’s scoreless
outing was the longest by a Houston pitcher at Coors Field since Roy
Oswalt threw a one-hit shutout on Sept. 6, 2008. C.J. Cron spoiled
the shutout bid with a home run off Pressly in the ninth.

FLORHAM PARK, N.J.
(AP) — Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets reported for training
camp Wednesday with massive expectations and plenty of cameras
watching their every move. They’ve got Super Bowl goals and are the
subject of this year’s “Hard Knocks” series, adding to what was
already expected to be a summer in the spotlight. Cornerback D.J.
Reed said the energy feels different from last year and there's more
excitement. Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams said Rodgers brings a
spark to everyone. The Jets are trying to end a 12-year postseason
drought that is the longest active skid in the NFL.

LAS VEGAS (AP) —
Mountain West Commissioner Gloria Nevarez has announced that San
Diego State will remain in the conference, at least for now. The
Aztecs will get the $6.6 million that was withheld after they
initially informed the conference of their intention to leave. San
Diego State is responsible for paying the conference’s legal fees
associated with the matter. Nevarez knows this could be a temporary
arrangement. She acknowledged the Aztecs could still leave at some
point should the Pac-12 or Big 12 come calling. They are committed
for the next two years.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689849434028.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — Eduardo Rodriguez allowed two runs and four hits over seven
dominant innings, and Miguel Cabrera drove in the go-ahead run, as
the Detroit Tigers held on for a 3-2 victory over the Kansas City
Royals on Wednesday night. Jason Foley worked the eighth before Alex
Lange finished up the ninth for his 16th save. He left runners on the
corners by striking out Kyle Isbel. Ryan Yarbrough took the loss for
Kansas City. He pitched well before leaving with two outs in the
sixth inning with a cramp in his hamstring. Yarbrough allowed three
runs on six hits and a walk.ST. LOUIS (AP) —
Nolan Gorman hit a three-run homer and had four RBIs to help the St.
Louis Cardinals beat the Mami Marlins 6-4 for just their second
series sweep this season. Nolan Arenado’s RBI single and Gorman’s
19th homer built a 4-0 lead in the first off NL Cy Young Award winner
Sandy Alcantara, and the Marlins’ losing streak reached a
season-high six. St. Louis had just one previous sweep this season,
from May 12-14 at Boston. The Cardinals have won a season-high five
in a row, moving ahead of Pittsburgh and out of the NL Central
cellar.ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP)
— If anyone didn’t think the New York Yankees are frustrated over
their latest struggles, Carlos Rodón and Tommy Kahnle visibly
displayed it on Wednesday. Rodón sarcastically blew a kiss while
walking to the dugout after the second inning and Kahnle took out his
frustrations on a cooling fan in the dugout during the Yankees’ 7-3
loss to the Los Angeles Angels. The loss marked the first time in 14
years the Yankees were swept in a three-game series by the Angels and
completed a 1-5 road trip that saw them drop to last place in the AL
East. They have dropped four straight and nine of their last 11 after
winning seven of their previous 10.DENVER (AP) —
Brandon Bielak pitched one-hit ball into the sixth inning, and the
Houston Astros beat the Colorado Rockies 4-1 on Wednesday. Chas
McCormick homered for Houston, which split the two-game series with
Colorado. Bielak struck out four and walked three in 5 2/3 innings.
Phil Maton, Rafael Montero, Ryne Stanek and Ryan Pressly then
combined for 3 1/3 innings of one-hit relief. Bielak’s scoreless
outing was the longest by a Houston pitcher at Coors Field since Roy
Oswalt threw a one-hit shutout on Sept. 6, 2008. C.J. Cron spoiled
the shutout bid with a home run off Pressly in the ninth.FLORHAM PARK, N.J.
(AP) — Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets reported for training
camp Wednesday with massive expectations and plenty of cameras
watching their every move. They’ve got Super Bowl goals and are the
subject of this year’s “Hard Knocks” series, adding to what was
already expected to be a summer in the spotlight. Cornerback D.J.
Reed said the energy feels different from last year and there's more
excitement. Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams said Rodgers brings a
spark to everyone. The Jets are trying to end a 12-year postseason
drought that is the longest active skid in the NFL.LAS VEGAS (AP) —
Mountain West Commissioner Gloria Nevarez has announced that San
Diego State will remain in the conference, at least for now. The
Aztecs will get the $6.6 million that was withheld after they
initially informed the conference of their intention to leave. San
Diego State is responsible for paying the conference’s legal fees
associated with the matter. Nevarez knows this could be a temporary
arrangement. She acknowledged the Aztecs could still leave at some
point should the Pac-12 or Big 12 come calling. They are committed
for the next two years.HOYLAKE, England
(AP) — Cameron Smith has started his title defense at the British
Open and is chasing a South African amateur holding an unlikely lead
at Royal Liverpool. Smith is looking to do what no player has
achieved since Padraig Harrington in 2008 and lift the claret jug in
successive years. The Australian opened with a birdie at the first
after a putt from about eight feet. Christo Lamprecht reached the
back nine at 3 under. He is a two-time All-American from Georgia Tech
who qualified by winning the British Amateur at the nearby Hillside
links. He made three birdies in a four-hole stretch from No. 3.CHICAGO (AP) —
Allegations of hazing in Northwestern’s athletic programs have
broadened. Attorneys say male and female athletes reported misconduct
within two other sports and suggested sexual abuse and racial
discrimination within the football program was so rampant coaches
knew about it. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump says he and other
attorneys have received disturbing details from former baseball and
softball players, in addition to growing complaints of abuse in the
football program. Black football players appear to have faced an
additional layer of abuse. A lawsuit filed Tuesday accuses fired
football coach Pat Fitzgerald of enabling a culture of racism,
including forcing players of color to cut their hair and behave
differently to be more in line with the “Wildcat Way.”WEDNESDAY SCORESINTERLEAGUEFinal	Pittsburgh	7	Cleveland	5	Final	Baltimore	8	L.A.
Dodgers	5	Final	Houston	4	Colorado	1	Final	N.Y.
Mets	5	Chicago White Sox	1	Final	San
Diego	2	Toronto	0	AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	Texas	5	Tampa
Bay	1	Final	Oakland	6	Boston	5	Final	L.A.
Angels	7	N.Y. Yankees	3	Final	Detroit	3	Kansas
City	2	Final	Minnesota	6	Seattle	3	NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	St.
Louis	6	Miami	4	Final	Cincinnati	3	San
Francisco	2	Final	Milwaukee	5	Philadelphia	3	Final	Arizona	5	Atlanta	3	Final	Chicago
Cubs	8	Washington	3