KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) —&nbsp;José Ramirez daringly stole home for the go-ahead run in the 10th inning, but the Kansas City Royals rebounded to beat the Cleveland Guardians 4-3 Thursday on pinch-hitter Freddy Fermin’s two-run double in the bottom half.

Even with the win, the Royals reached the season’s midpoint at 23-58, the worst first-half record in team history.

Cleveland manager Terry Francona was in attendance but was not in uniform as an on-going precaution against health concerns. Bench coach DeMarlo Hale managed the Guardians.

Ramirez started the 10th on second base as the automatic runner and advanced on Josh Naylor’s groundout. Josh Bell struck out and with an 0-2 count on Andrés Giménez and left-hander Aroldis Chapman (4-2) working from the stretch, Ramirez took five small steps toward the plate and burst home.

Ramirez noticed third baseman Maikel Garcia playing behind the base and told third base coach Mike Sarbaugh “I’m going to try to steal home.”

“There were two outs, so I decided to take a chance,” Ramirez said.

He slid headfirst and with his body to the infield side of the line, slapped his right hand on the plate as catcher Salvador Perez gloved the high sinker and lunged forward. Umpire Jeremy Riggs called Ramirez out, but the call was reversed in a video review.

“Just instincts. That’s why he’s a great player.” Hale said. “He’s not afraid to play the game with his instincts. He’d seen an advantage and he took it. He felt he could make it and he did. Great slide.”

Cleveland had not stolen homer since Leonys Martin on June 15, 2019.

“He’s amazing,” Guardians starter Shane Bieber said. “We rely upon him in so many different ways, for him to come up again in another different type of way to do it. It was too bad we couldn’t end up on top after that, because we’d like that to be the marquee play of the game, but he provides those all the time.”

Nicky Lopez singled off Emmanuel Clase (1-5) leading off the bottom of the 10th, moving automatic runner Kyle Isbel to third.

“Whenever I get in the box it’s ‘how can I get on first base’,” Lopez said. “I take a lot of pride in getting on base, so I was trying to do something.”

Drew Waters took a called third strike, bringing up the pitcher’s spot in the order created when designated Bobby Witt Jr. replaced Garcia at shortstop on the ninth inning. Fermin lined a pitch into the left-field corner, easily scoring Isbel and allowing Lopez to score standing up.

“I’ve faced him before,” Fermin said. “Just ready for the cutter and the slider, looking for something up and made a good swing.”

Clase blew a save for the sixth time in 30 chances.

Cleveland built a 2-0 lead in the fifth on Ramirez’s sacrifice fly and Bell’s two-out RBI single. Kansas City tied the score in the eighth on Edward Olivares’ sacrifice fly and Nick Pratto’s two-out, run-scoring single against Trevor Stephan.

Bieber faced two batters over the minimum, working around leadoff doubles in the second and third innings. He allowed just the two hits in six shutout innings and struck out eight, one on Waters’ pitch-clock violation that ended the fifth.

“It was a grind,” Bieber said. “To be honest, it was one of those games that I look forward to, dealing with adversity.”

Royals starter Zack Greinke surrendered 11 hits and two walks, but limited the Guardians to two runs over six innings while stranding eight baserunners. He is 0-4 in 10 starts since beating Baltimore on May 3.

“Mainly just three extra outs on the bases, which helped,” Greinke said. “They win a lot of games doing that. It just kind of worked out good for us today.”

Naylor had two of the Guardian’s 13 hits and is hitting .398 (43 for 108) in his last 26 games.

“We left a lot of men on,” Hale said. “We did have our opportunities. It hurts to lose this kind of game with the pitching performance we got from Bieber.”

Guardians LHP Logan Allen was optioned to Triple-A Columbus and RHP Michael Kelly recalled from Columbus.

RHP Cal Quantrill (2-4, 5.61 ERA) will be activated from the 10-day IL (right shoulder inflammation) to start at the Chicago Cubs on Friday.

Dodgers RHP Bobby Miller (3-1, 4.13) will oppose Royals RHP Jordan Lyles (1-11, 6.68) in Friday’s series opener.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) —&nbsp;José Ramirez daringly stole home for the go-ahead run in the 10th inning, but the Kansas City Royals rebounded to beat the Cleveland Guardians 4-3 Thursday on pinch-hitter Freddy Fermin’s two-run double in the bottom half.Even with the win, the Royals reached the season’s midpoint at 23-58, the worst first-half record in team history.Cleveland manager Terry Francona was in attendance but was not in uniform as an on-going precaution against health concerns. Bench coach DeMarlo Hale managed the Guardians.Ramirez started the 10th on second base as the automatic runner and advanced on Josh Naylor’s groundout. Josh Bell struck out and with an 0-2 count on Andrés Giménez and left-hander Aroldis Chapman (4-2) working from the stretch, Ramirez took five small steps toward the plate and burst home.Ramirez noticed third baseman Maikel Garcia playing behind the base and told third base coach Mike Sarbaugh “I’m going to try to steal home.”Sarbaugh told him to go for it.“There were two outs, so I decided to take a chance,” Ramirez said.He slid headfirst and with his body to the infield side of the line, slapped his right hand on the plate as catcher Salvador Perez gloved the high sinker and lunged forward. Umpire Jeremy Riggs called Ramirez out, but the call was reversed in a video review.“Just instincts. That’s why he’s a great player.” Hale said. “He’s not afraid to play the game with his instincts. He’d seen an advantage and he took it. He felt he could make it and he did. Great slide.”Cleveland had not stolen homer since Leonys Martin on June 15, 2019.“He’s amazing,” Guardians starter Shane Bieber said. “We rely upon him in so many different ways, for him to come up again in another different type of way to do it. It was too bad we couldn’t end up on top after that, because we’d like that to be the marquee play of the game, but he provides those all the time.”Nicky Lopez singled off Emmanuel Clase (1-5) leading off the bottom of the 10th, moving automatic runner Kyle Isbel to third.“Whenever I get in the box it’s ‘how can I get on first base’,” Lopez said. “I take a lot of pride in getting on base, so I was trying to do something.”Drew Waters took a called third strike, bringing up the pitcher’s spot in the order created when designated Bobby Witt Jr. replaced Garcia at shortstop on the ninth inning. Fermin lined a pitch into the left-field corner, easily scoring Isbel and allowing Lopez to score standing up.“I’ve faced him before,” Fermin said. “Just ready for the cutter and the slider, looking for something up and made a good swing.”Clase blew a save for the sixth time in 30 chances.Cleveland built a 2-0 lead in the fifth on Ramirez’s sacrifice fly and Bell’s two-out RBI single. Kansas City tied the score in the eighth on Edward Olivares’ sacrifice fly and Nick Pratto’s two-out, run-scoring single against Trevor Stephan.Bieber faced two batters over the minimum, working around leadoff doubles in the second and third innings. He allowed just the two hits in six shutout innings and struck out eight, one on Waters’ pitch-clock violation that ended the fifth.“It was a grind,” Bieber said. “To be honest, it was one of those games that I look forward to, dealing with adversity.”Royals starter Zack Greinke surrendered 11 hits and two walks, but limited the Guardians to two runs over six innings while stranding eight baserunners. He is 0-4 in 10 starts since beating Baltimore on May 3.“Mainly just three extra outs on the bases, which helped,” Greinke said. “They win a lot of games doing that. It just kind of worked out good for us today.”Naylor had two of the Guardian’s 13 hits and is hitting .398 (43 for 108) in his last 26 games.“We left a lot of men on,” Hale said. “We did have our opportunities. It hurts to lose this kind of game with the pitching performance we got from Bieber.”TRANSACTIONSGuardians LHP Logan Allen was optioned to Triple-A Columbus and RHP Michael Kelly recalled from Columbus.UP NEXTRHP Cal Quantrill (2-4, 5.61 ERA) will be activated from the 10-day IL (right shoulder inflammation) to start at the Chicago Cubs on Friday.Dodgers RHP Bobby Miller (3-1, 4.13) will oppose Royals RHP Jordan Lyles (1-11, 6.68) in Friday’s series opener.

Fermin's double in 10th lifts Royals over Guardians 4-3

By STEVE MEGARGEE AP Sports Writer

The AL Central-leading Cleveland Guardians have been below .500 since late April. The Cincinnati Reds top the NL Central standings while on an 86-win pace.

Welcome to life in baseball’s two weakest divisions, where even the best teams struggle to win more games than they lose.

Cleveland (39-40) overtook the Minnesota Twins (40-42) in the AL Central standings on Wednesday, but the Guardians would be dead last if they played in the AL East. This is the first time in 15 years that an entire division has been below .500 this late in a season.

“You know, I’ve been in a lot of different scenarios," said Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, whose team is 34-45 but only five games off the AL Central lead. "This is a little bit unique to the Central right now. But a lot of baseball left to play for a lot of teams, but certainly weird.”

It’s not much better in the NL Central, though Cincinnati (43-38) has come on strong lately thanks to an exciting rookie class headed by sensational shortstop Elly De La Cruz. The Reds were in last place just over a month ago but now lead the division by a half-game over the Milwaukee Brewers (42-38) after winning 14 of their last 17.

These aren't new struggles either — neither Central division has produced a pennant winner since the Chicago Cubs beat Cleveland in the 2016 World Series.

The way Central division clubs have managed their budgets, it’s no surprise they've lagged behind their East and West counterparts.

No team from either group ranked among the top 12 major league payrolls on opening day this season, but five of them fell in the bottom 10 — Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Kansas City and Milwaukee. No Central team has cracked the top 5 since the Cubs during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

Six of baseball's 10 smallest markets come from the Centrals, according to Nielsen, and only Chicago cracks the top 10. Not that small-market clubs can't spend big — San Diego's TV market is comparable to Kansas City, yet the Padres ranked third among opening day payrolls as they try to keep pace with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

No such behemoth in the Midwest has been forcing Central teams to invest and keep pace.

It's shown in the results. No team from either Central division has even reached the League Championship Series since the 2019 St. Louis Cardinals.

But the gap separating the Central from the East and West is even larger than usual this year.

Part of the reason is a change by MLB to balance the schedule, forcing Central teams to play East and West foes more often. The 2023 schedule includes 52 games against division opponents, down from 76 in previous seasons.

It’s also noteworthy that the defending AL Central and NL Central champions got off to slow starts.

One year after going 93-69 to win the NL Central, the Cardinals are last in the division with a 33-46 mark. St. Louis’ team ERA has soared from 3.79 in 2022 to 4.46 this year.

“We do believe we have a chance at this,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “But in reality, if we’re talking about (making it) sustainable, we’re going to have to pitch better and we’re going to have to continue to do what we do offensively.”

Cleveland fell below .500 on April 29 and has had a losing record since, though it hasn’t stopped the Guardians from grabbing the AL Central lead. The .423 combined winning percentage for AL Central teams is on pace to the be worst ever for any major league division, surpassing the AL Central's .436 mark in 2018.

According to Sportradar, the last time an entire division was below .500 this late in the season was the NL West on July 24, 2008. The Los Angeles Dodgers won the NL West that year with an 84-78 record.

The Guardians’ issues have centered on a light-hitting offense and injuries in its rotation. The Guardians are leaning on three rookies — including top prospect Gavin Williams — as starters.

Both the Cardinals and Guardians will try to repeat the late surges they made a year ago.

The Cardinals trailed the Brewers by four games on July 30 before going 40-21 down the stretch. The Guardians were under .500 as late as July 13 but went 49-26 the rest of the way — including 16-4 in their last 20 games — to run away with the AL Central by 11 games.

Guardians general manager Mike Chernoff believes that experience can help this year’s squad.

“This is a team that I think is dying to be in situations like this,” Chernoff said, “and thankfully with where our division is, we’ve been able to put ourselves in a place where we can continue to compete."

If nobody makes a similar run this year, the AL Central could make some unfortunate history.

The worst record ever owned by a division champion was 82-80 by the 2005 San Diego Padres.

The .423 combined win percentage for AL Central teams is on pace to the be worst ever for any major league division. The AL Central already holds that record with its .436 combined winning percentage in 2018.

If nothing else, the unsettled nature of the races gives just about every Central division team a reason to believe. Only 5 1/2 games separate the top four teams in the AL Central. The top four teams in the NL Central are within five games of one another, and the last-place Cardinals are only nine back.

Central division teams in both leagues can also take comfort in knowing regular-season records don’t mean much as long as you make the playoffs.

The Atlanta Braves won the 2021 World Series and the Philadelphia Phillies captured the 2022 NL pennant after compiling fewer than 90 regular-season victories. Why couldn’t a Central team follow a similar path?

“I think we’ve seen over the last four or five years, plenty of teams with deep runs and championships that weren’t necessarily favorites heading into the playoffs or with the highest win total in the regular season,” Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner said.

By STEVE MEGARGEE AP Sports WriterThe AL Central-leading Cleveland Guardians have been below .500 since late April. The Cincinnati Reds top the NL Central standings while on an 86-win pace.Welcome to life in baseball’s two weakest divisions, where even the best teams struggle to win more games than they lose.Cleveland (39-40) overtook the Minnesota Twins (40-42) in the AL Central standings on Wednesday, but the Guardians would be dead last if they played in the AL East. This is the first time in 15 years that an entire division has been below .500 this late in a season.“You know, I’ve been in a lot of different scenarios," said Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, whose team is 34-45 but only five games off the AL Central lead. "This is a little bit unique to the Central right now. But a lot of baseball left to play for a lot of teams, but certainly weird.”It’s not much better in the NL Central, though Cincinnati (43-38) has come on strong lately thanks to an exciting rookie class headed by sensational shortstop Elly De La Cruz. The Reds were in last place just over a month ago but now lead the division by a half-game over the Milwaukee Brewers (42-38) after winning 14 of their last 17.These aren't new struggles either — neither Central division has produced a pennant winner since the Chicago Cubs beat Cleveland in the 2016 World Series.The way Central division clubs have managed their budgets, it’s no surprise they've lagged behind their East and West counterparts.No team from either group ranked among the top 12 major league payrolls on opening day this season, but five of them fell in the bottom 10 — Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Kansas City and Milwaukee. No Central team has cracked the top 5 since the Cubs during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.Six of baseball's 10 smallest markets come from the Centrals, according to Nielsen, and only Chicago cracks the top 10. Not that small-market clubs can't spend big — San Diego's TV market is comparable to Kansas City, yet the Padres ranked third among opening day payrolls as they try to keep pace with the Los Angeles Dodgers.No such behemoth in the Midwest has been forcing Central teams to invest and keep pace.It's shown in the results. No team from either Central division has even reached the League Championship Series since the 2019 St. Louis Cardinals.But the gap separating the Central from the East and West is even larger than usual this year.Part of the reason is a change by MLB to balance the schedule, forcing Central teams to play East and West foes more often. The 2023 schedule includes 52 games against division opponents, down from 76 in previous seasons.It’s also noteworthy that the defending AL Central and NL Central champions got off to slow starts.One year after going 93-69 to win the NL Central, the Cardinals are last in the division with a 33-46 mark. St. Louis’ team ERA has soared from 3.79 in 2022 to 4.46 this year.“We do believe we have a chance at this,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “But in reality, if we’re talking about (making it) sustainable, we’re going to have to pitch better and we’re going to have to continue to do what we do offensively.”Cleveland fell below .500 on April 29 and has had a losing record since, though it hasn’t stopped the Guardians from grabbing the AL Central lead. The .423 combined winning percentage for AL Central teams is on pace to the be worst ever for any major league division, surpassing the AL Central's .436 mark in 2018.According to Sportradar, the last time an entire division was below .500 this late in the season was the NL West on July 24, 2008. The Los Angeles Dodgers won the NL West that year with an 84-78 record.The Guardians’ issues have centered on a light-hitting offense and injuries in its rotation. The Guardians are leaning on three rookies — including top prospect Gavin Williams — as starters.Both the Cardinals and Guardians will try to repeat the late surges they made a year ago.The Cardinals trailed the Brewers by four games on July 30 before going 40-21 down the stretch. The Guardians were under .500 as late as July 13 but went 49-26 the rest of the way — including 16-4 in their last 20 games — to run away with the AL Central by 11 games.Guardians general manager Mike Chernoff believes that experience can help this year’s squad.“This is a team that I think is dying to be in situations like this,” Chernoff said, “and thankfully with where our division is, we’ve been able to put ourselves in a place where we can continue to compete."If nobody makes a similar run this year, the AL Central could make some unfortunate history.The worst record ever owned by a division champion was 82-80 by the 2005 San Diego Padres.The .423 combined win percentage for AL Central teams is on pace to the be worst ever for any major league division. The AL Central already holds that record with its .436 combined winning percentage in 2018.If nothing else, the unsettled nature of the races gives just about every Central division team a reason to believe. Only 5 1/2 games separate the top four teams in the AL Central. The top four teams in the NL Central are within five games of one another, and the last-place Cardinals are only nine back.Central division teams in both leagues can also take comfort in knowing regular-season records don’t mean much as long as you make the playoffs.The Atlanta Braves won the 2021 World Series and the Philadelphia Phillies captured the 2022 NL pennant after compiling fewer than 90 regular-season victories. Why couldn’t a Central team follow a similar path?“I think we’ve seen over the last four or five years, plenty of teams with deep runs and championships that weren’t necessarily favorites heading into the playoffs or with the highest win total in the regular season,” Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner said.

With small markets and small payrolls, the AL and NL Centrals are lagging again

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals hope to settle on the location for a new ballpark by the end of the summer, and owner John Sherman said Thursday that he envisions the club playing in a new stadium by the 2027 or 2028 season.

The long-preferred site is near downtown Kansas City, where the park would be the centerpiece of a redevelopment project that links the eastern part of the metro to the vibrant area near T-Mobile Center. The location would keep the club in Jackson County, though far from the current Kauffman Stadium, and continue a trend of using sports to spearhead urban renewal.

But complicating matters has been a competing bid from Clay County, which sits across the Missouri River from downtown Kansas City. There is more space available for a ballpark village, much like the entertainment district that has sprung up around Truist Park in Atlanta, and that could help the small-market organization generate much-needed long-term revenue.

“We've always said ‘downtown or near downtown,'” said Sherman, who purchased the club in November 2019 from the late David Glass. “It's a highly motivated and creative bunch (in Clay County), but we've been partners with Jackson County and in Kansas City for 52 years. We value that relationship. We want them to give us their best shot, and we're going to give them our best shot to do it there. But I think we should be clear that there is certainly an alternative to that area.”

The decision, like most when it comes to building stadiums, could come down to finances.

The Royals have shared the Truman Sports Complex with the Kansas City Chiefs dating to the construction of both Kauffman Stadium and Arrowhead Stadium. Part of the current lease agreement calls for a 3/8-cent sales tax that goes toward the upkeep of both facilities, and that in turn has allowed each to far outlive other stadiums built during the same era.

Sherman said the Royals want that sales tax to continue — it would likely be on the ballot in the spring — with the roughly $350 million that it produces in public funding shifted toward the construction of a new stadium.

“Ownership will take the rest,” Sherman said. “It's a $2 billion project, probably more when you think of infrastructure.”

The Royals also have been in constant communication with the Chiefs, who are going through their own rounds of feasibility studies for Arrowhead Stadium. Like the Royals, their lease expires in 2030-31, and the Chiefs are trying to decide whether the stadium can undergo additional renovations or whether an entirely new stadium should be built.

The Royals quickly dismissed more renovations to Kauffman Stadium, where the concrete is beginning to show irreparable. It remains widely regarded as one of the most picturesque in baseball, but it also has grown antiquated when it comes to premium offerings that generate the sort of revenue that is necessary for teams to compete these days.

“We knew when we bought this team we were approaching the end of a lease with Jackson County. We knew we were in an aging building,” Sherman said. “This is the most important thing we'll have the opportunity to do while we have the privilege of being stewards of this franchise. This will be the largest private-public partnership in the history of Kansas City. It has a massive and immediate community impact, and economic impact. That's why we have a great sense of urgency of getting on with it.”

Sherman did acknowledge the awkward timing of the project. The Royals are languishing in last place in the AL Central, and are having one of the worst seasons in franchise history, which makes asking for public money a difficult proposition.

But he also doesn't want the Royals to follow in the footsteps of the Athletics, who called Kansas City home before their move to Oakland. The A's tried for decades to get a new ballpark built in the Bay Area, but they are now going through the relocation application process with MLB that could result in the team building a new ballpark in Las Vegas.

“I have about 30 letters on my desk asking to vote ‘no’ on the transfer of the A's to Las Vegas. That's a process that drug on a long time, and people waited,” Sherman said. “We're at warp speed compared to how long these complicated projects usually take. We are down to two sites. We're going to be ready to have that down to one by the end of the summer.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals hope to settle on the location for a new ballpark by the end of the summer, and owner John Sherman said Thursday that he envisions the club playing in a new stadium by the 2027 or 2028 season.The long-preferred site is near downtown Kansas City, where the park would be the centerpiece of a redevelopment project that links the eastern part of the metro to the vibrant area near T-Mobile Center. The location would keep the club in Jackson County, though far from the current Kauffman Stadium, and continue a trend of using sports to spearhead urban renewal.But complicating matters has been a competing bid from Clay County, which sits across the Missouri River from downtown Kansas City. There is more space available for a ballpark village, much like the entertainment district that has sprung up around Truist Park in Atlanta, and that could help the small-market organization generate much-needed long-term revenue.“We've always said ‘downtown or near downtown,'” said Sherman, who purchased the club in November 2019 from the late David Glass. “It's a highly motivated and creative bunch (in Clay County), but we've been partners with Jackson County and in Kansas City for 52 years. We value that relationship. We want them to give us their best shot, and we're going to give them our best shot to do it there. But I think we should be clear that there is certainly an alternative to that area.”The decision, like most when it comes to building stadiums, could come down to finances.The Royals have shared the Truman Sports Complex with the Kansas City Chiefs dating to the construction of both Kauffman Stadium and Arrowhead Stadium. Part of the current lease agreement calls for a 3/8-cent sales tax that goes toward the upkeep of both facilities, and that in turn has allowed each to far outlive other stadiums built during the same era.Sherman said the Royals want that sales tax to continue — it would likely be on the ballot in the spring — with the roughly $350 million that it produces in public funding shifted toward the construction of a new stadium.“Ownership will take the rest,” Sherman said. “It's a $2 billion project, probably more when you think of infrastructure.”The Royals also have been in constant communication with the Chiefs, who are going through their own rounds of feasibility studies for Arrowhead Stadium. Like the Royals, their lease expires in 2030-31, and the Chiefs are trying to decide whether the stadium can undergo additional renovations or whether an entirely new stadium should be built.The Royals quickly dismissed more renovations to Kauffman Stadium, where the concrete is beginning to show irreparable. It remains widely regarded as one of the most picturesque in baseball, but it also has grown antiquated when it comes to premium offerings that generate the sort of revenue that is necessary for teams to compete these days.“We knew when we bought this team we were approaching the end of a lease with Jackson County. We knew we were in an aging building,” Sherman said. “This is the most important thing we'll have the opportunity to do while we have the privilege of being stewards of this franchise. This will be the largest private-public partnership in the history of Kansas City. It has a massive and immediate community impact, and economic impact. That's why we have a great sense of urgency of getting on with it.”Sherman did acknowledge the awkward timing of the project. The Royals are languishing in last place in the AL Central, and are having one of the worst seasons in franchise history, which makes asking for public money a difficult proposition.But he also doesn't want the Royals to follow in the footsteps of the Athletics, who called Kansas City home before their move to Oakland. The A's tried for decades to get a new ballpark built in the Bay Area, but they are now going through the relocation application process with MLB that could result in the team building a new ballpark in Las Vegas.“I have about 30 letters on my desk asking to vote ‘no’ on the transfer of the A's to Las Vegas. That's a process that drug on a long time, and people waited,” Sherman said. “We're at warp speed compared to how long these complicated projects usually take. We are down to two sites. We're going to be ready to have that down to one by the end of the summer.”

Royals owner John Sherman envisions new stadium by 2027 or 2028 season

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — José Ramírez hit his fifth career grand slam and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Kansas City Royals 14-1 on Wednesday night, moving into first place in the AL Central despite a losing record.

Ramírez lined a first-pitch cutter from Austin Cox into the left-field bullpen after Cox opened the third by allowing a single and two walks.

“He’s been one of the best hitters in the game for a number of years,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “The grand slam didn’t even seem like that bad of a pitch.”

“José stole the show, got us on the board early,” Josh Bell said. “A grand slam like that takes the pressure off and allows us to relax in the box. He’s an incredible player, makes the adjustments.”

Ramírez added an RBI double in the seventh and is hitting .411 (30 for 73) with 14 extra-base hits in his last 18 games.

Cleveland has won seven of nine to surpass Minnesota (40-42) in the division standings.

“We kind of expected this, day one of camp,” Bell said. “But we still have a ton of season left to play. We’ve got to take care of every last ballgame. We plan to do that.”

Bell’s two-run homer, a 464-foot drive into the right-field fountains, gave Cleveland a 6-0 lead in the fifth.

“It was cool to not hit a ball 4 feet in front of home," Bell said. "Hopefully, there will be more like that.”

Bell added a two-run double in the sixth as the Guardians batted around against James McArthur, a 26-year-old right-hander who made his major league debut.

Cleveland (39-40) played its second straight game without manager Terry Francona, who was hospitalized overnight and told by doctors to rest when he felt lightheaded before Tuesday’s game.

Bo Naylor connected for his first major league home run, a two-run line drive to left-center in the seven-run sixth, the Guardians’ biggest inning this season. He had a career-high three hits.

Nick Sandlin (4-3), the first of four relievers, got four outs. Starter Logan Allen worked out of several jams, allowing six runners over 3 2/3 innings.

“I thought his stuff was working really well,” Naylor said of Allen, who threw 98 pitches. “The pitch count got a little up. Great stuff. He competed in every situation he was a part of.”

Making his first major league start, Cox (0-1) allowed his first runs after 12 1/3 scoreless innings of relief to begin his career. He surrendered four runs, four hits and four walks in 3 2/3 innings with two strikeouts.

“He was throwing the ball fine,” Quatraro said. “His command was a little erratic. He struggled to sustain the velocity in the heat. His pitch count got up there a little bit. They made him work hard there in the second and third. His stuff was fine. He just lost the zone a little bit.”

First baseman Matt Duffy pitched a scoreless ninth for the Royals, who have lost 10 of their last 12 series, with two splits.

Royals: 2B Nicky Lopez left after being hit by a pitch on his right hand.

With the Guardians seeking a three-game sweep, Shane Bieber (5-5, 3.69 ERA) will oppose Kansas City’s Zach Greinke (1-8, 5.31) on Thursday.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — José Ramírez hit his fifth career grand slam and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Kansas City Royals 14-1 on Wednesday night, moving into first place in the AL Central despite a losing record.Ramírez lined a first-pitch cutter from Austin Cox into the left-field bullpen after Cox opened the third by allowing a single and two walks.“He’s been one of the best hitters in the game for a number of years,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “The grand slam didn’t even seem like that bad of a pitch.”Ramírez has 13 homers this season.“José stole the show, got us on the board early,” Josh Bell said. “A grand slam like that takes the pressure off and allows us to relax in the box. He’s an incredible player, makes the adjustments.”Ramírez added an RBI double in the seventh and is hitting .411 (30 for 73) with 14 extra-base hits in his last 18 games.Cleveland has won seven of nine to surpass Minnesota (40-42) in the division standings.“We kind of expected this, day one of camp,” Bell said. “But we still have a ton of season left to play. We’ve got to take care of every last ballgame. We plan to do that.”Bell’s two-run homer, a 464-foot drive into the right-field fountains, gave Cleveland a 6-0 lead in the fifth.“It was cool to not hit a ball 4 feet in front of home," Bell said. "Hopefully, there will be more like that.”Bell added a two-run double in the sixth as the Guardians batted around against James McArthur, a 26-year-old right-hander who made his major league debut.Cleveland (39-40) played its second straight game without manager Terry Francona, who was hospitalized overnight and told by doctors to rest when he felt lightheaded before Tuesday’s game.Bo Naylor connected for his first major league home run, a two-run line drive to left-center in the seven-run sixth, the Guardians’ biggest inning this season. He had a career-high three hits.Nick Sandlin (4-3), the first of four relievers, got four outs. Starter Logan Allen worked out of several jams, allowing six runners over 3 2/3 innings.“I thought his stuff was working really well,” Naylor said of Allen, who threw 98 pitches. “The pitch count got a little up. Great stuff. He competed in every situation he was a part of.”Making his first major league start, Cox (0-1) allowed his first runs after 12 1/3 scoreless innings of relief to begin his career. He surrendered four runs, four hits and four walks in 3 2/3 innings with two strikeouts.“He was throwing the ball fine,” Quatraro said. “His command was a little erratic. He struggled to sustain the velocity in the heat. His pitch count got up there a little bit. They made him work hard there in the second and third. His stuff was fine. He just lost the zone a little bit.”First baseman Matt Duffy pitched a scoreless ninth for the Royals, who have lost 10 of their last 12 series, with two splits.TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals: 2B Nicky Lopez left after being hit by a pitch on his right hand.UP NEXTWith the Guardians seeking a three-game sweep, Shane Bieber (5-5, 3.69 ERA) will oppose Kansas City’s Zach Greinke (1-8, 5.31) on Thursday.

Guardians beat Royals 14-1, move into 1st in AL Central

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang has promoted Anthony Winchester to an on-court role as the Special Assistant to the Head Coach, it was announced Tuesday morning (June 27).

The former Western Kentucky standout came to K-State in April 2023 as the Director of Video Operations, helping a Wildcat team picked 10th in the preseason Big 12 poll to a 26-10 overall record, a tie for third place in the Big 12 and a spot in the Elite Eight in 2022-23.

"A-Dub is just a sharp, sharp guy," said Tang of Winchester during his most recent media Zoom. "The success that he has had as a player, his demeanor, how he delivers the message and how he sees the game a little bit differently from his experiences make him the total package. He really connects with people, loves the players and cares about the game. He'll go as far as he wants to go and do anything he wants to do in the game of basketball."

Winchester, along with Chief of Staff Marco Borne, will now serve in on-court coaching roles after the NCAA passed legislation allowing two extra on-court coaches in men's and women's basketball in 2023-24. Unlike Tang, associate head coach Ulric Maligi and assistant coaches Jareem Dowling and Rodney Perry, they will not be able to recruit off campus.

"I'm truly blessed," said Tang. "We have such a talented staff. They say in college basketball that your head coach and assistants one through three are pretty equal, it's the guys underneath that people don't see that really make the difference. We have some dudes underneath that could be elsewhere on the floor, coaching and doing other things, but they're willing to be here and be a part of this program and play a significant role in what we do."

An 8-year pro in Spain and Puerto Rico (2006-08 and 2010-16) after his Hall of Fame career as a Hilltopper (2002-06), Winchester came to K-State after spending the 2021-22 season as an assistant coach at Southern Miss for head coach Jay Ladner, who was selected as the Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year in 2022-23.

The 2021-22 season was Winchester's first as an assistant coach, as he made a second stint at USM after serving as the video coordinator for one season in 2019-20. In between his two stints with the Golden Eagles, he served as the Director of Basketball Operations at Pacific for longtime NBA player and current Georgia Tech head coach Damon Stoudamire in 2020-21.

After a stint playing professionally in Spain and Puerto Rico, Winchester returned to the bench as a graduate assistant at Loyola Marymount for head coach Mike Dunlap in 2018-19.

Winchester got his start in coaching at his alma mater Western Kentucky, first as a graduate intern in 2008-09 followed by a stint as Director of Operations in 2009-10 working for head coach Ken McDonald. The Hilltoppers combined for 46 wins those two seasons, including a 25-win season in 2008-09 which was highlighted by a Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship and trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Winchester played professionally for 8 years for clubs in both Spain and Puerto Rico between 2006-08 and 2010-16. He twice was named Rookie of the Month while playing for Caja Rural Melilla in Spain's 2nd Division in 2006-07, while he was selected to the LEB Gold First Team in 2012 and LEB Gold Player of the Year in 2013 while playing for Leche Rio Breogan Lugo in Spain's 2nd Division. He also spent time playing in Puerto Rico, twice earning Player of the Week honors in 2014. He concluded his playing career in 2016 after playing in Spain's 1st Division, ACB, which is known as the second-best professional league in the world behind the NBA.

Winchester enjoyed a memorable career at Western Kentucky playing for head coaches Dennis Felton and Darrin Horn from 2002-06, cumulating with his recognition to the school's 15-member Centennial Team in 2006 and the WKU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019. He helped WKU to 84 wins, three postseason appearances (1 NCAA Tournament, 2 NITs), one Sun Belt Tournament Championship (2003) and two SBC Division titles (2003, 2006).

Winchester scored 1,732 points in his four-year career (2002-06) for the Hilltoppers, which ranks 10th on the school's all-time list, while leading the team in scoring as a junior (18.2 ppg.) in 2004-05 and senior (18.6 ppg.) in 2005-06. As a senior, he was selected as an AP honorable mention All-American, a Mid-Major All-American by CollegeInsider.com and FOXSports.com and the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year after finishing second in the league in scoring (18.6 ppg.). He was twice named First Team All-Sun Belt (2005, 2006), while he was the league's Freshman of the Year in 2002-03.

Winchester was also a standout player at Austin High School in Austin, Indiana, where he scored 2,256 career points to rank 21st all-time in Indiana prep history. He finished as the runner-up to Indiana Mr. Basketball after averaging 34.7 points and 13.5 rebounds per game as a senior in 2001-02.

Winchester earned a bachelor's degree in sociology/criminology from Western Kentucky in 2006.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687974087524.jpeg" alt="Kansas State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang has promoted Anthony Winchester to an on-court role as the Special Assistant to the Head Coach, it was announced Tuesday morning (June 27).The former Western Kentucky standout came to K-State in April 2023 as the Director of Video Operations, helping a Wildcat team picked 10th in the preseason Big 12 poll to a 26-10 overall record, a tie for third place in the Big 12 and a spot in the Elite Eight in 2022-23."A-Dub is just a sharp, sharp guy," said Tang of Winchester during his most recent media Zoom. "The success that he has had as a player, his demeanor, how he delivers the message and how he sees the game a little bit differently from his experiences make him the total package. He really connects with people, loves the players and cares about the game. He'll go as far as he wants to go and do anything he wants to do in the game of basketball."Winchester, along with Chief of Staff Marco Borne, will now serve in on-court coaching roles after the NCAA passed legislation allowing two extra on-court coaches in men's and women's basketball in 2023-24. Unlike Tang, associate head coach Ulric Maligi and assistant coaches Jareem Dowling and Rodney Perry, they will not be able to recruit off campus."I'm truly blessed," said Tang. "We have such a talented staff. They say in college basketball that your head coach and assistants one through three are pretty equal, it's the guys underneath that people don't see that really make the difference. We have some dudes underneath that could be elsewhere on the floor, coaching and doing other things, but they're willing to be here and be a part of this program and play a significant role in what we do."An 8-year pro in Spain and Puerto Rico (2006-08 and 2010-16) after his Hall of Fame career as a Hilltopper (2002-06), Winchester came to K-State after spending the 2021-22 season as an assistant coach at Southern Miss for head coach Jay Ladner, who was selected as the Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year in 2022-23.The 2021-22 season was Winchester's first as an assistant coach, as he made a second stint at USM after serving as the video coordinator for one season in 2019-20. In between his two stints with the Golden Eagles, he served as the Director of Basketball Operations at Pacific for longtime NBA player and current Georgia Tech head coach Damon Stoudamire in 2020-21.After a stint playing professionally in Spain and Puerto Rico, Winchester returned to the bench as a graduate assistant at Loyola Marymount for head coach Mike Dunlap in 2018-19.Winchester got his start in coaching at his alma mater Western Kentucky, first as a graduate intern in 2008-09 followed by a stint as Director of Operations in 2009-10 working for head coach Ken McDonald. The Hilltoppers combined for 46 wins those two seasons, including a 25-win season in 2008-09 which was highlighted by a Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship and trip to the NCAA Tournament.Winchester played professionally for 8 years for clubs in both Spain and Puerto Rico between 2006-08 and 2010-16. He twice was named Rookie of the Month while playing for Caja Rural Melilla in Spain's 2nd Division in 2006-07, while he was selected to the LEB Gold First Team in 2012 and LEB Gold Player of the Year in 2013 while playing for Leche Rio Breogan Lugo in Spain's 2nd Division. He also spent time playing in Puerto Rico, twice earning Player of the Week honors in 2014. He concluded his playing career in 2016 after playing in Spain's 1st Division, ACB, which is known as the second-best professional league in the world behind the NBA.Winchester enjoyed a memorable career at Western Kentucky playing for head coaches Dennis Felton and Darrin Horn from 2002-06, cumulating with his recognition to the school's 15-member Centennial Team in 2006 and the WKU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019. He helped WKU to 84 wins, three postseason appearances (1 NCAA Tournament, 2 NITs), one Sun Belt Tournament Championship (2003) and two SBC Division titles (2003, 2006).Winchester scored 1,732 points in his four-year career (2002-06) for the Hilltoppers, which ranks 10th on the school's all-time list, while leading the team in scoring as a junior (18.2 ppg.) in 2004-05 and senior (18.6 ppg.) in 2005-06. As a senior, he was selected as an AP honorable mention All-American, a Mid-Major All-American by CollegeInsider.com and FOXSports.com and the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year after finishing second in the league in scoring (18.6 ppg.). He was twice named First Team All-Sun Belt (2005, 2006), while he was the league's Freshman of the Year in 2002-03.Winchester was also a standout player at Austin High School in Austin, Indiana, where he scored 2,256 career points to rank 21st all-time in Indiana prep history. He finished as the runner-up to Indiana Mr. Basketball after averaging 34.7 points and 13.5 rebounds per game as a senior in 2001-02.Winchester earned a bachelor's degree in sociology/criminology from Western Kentucky in 2006.

Winchester Promoted to Special Assistant to Head Coach

The Kansas State High School Activities Association Executive Board approved several items during the June meeting. Starting in 2024, State Football will be held at three locations with three games taking place at each site. State soccer and wrestling will also see changes coming in the near future. The board also finalized the SB 113 Policy for home school and non-public school student participation.

Though the locations are to be determined at a later date, State Football for 2024 will be held November 29th and 30th with one game on Friday and two games on Saturday at each location.

“The KSHSAA is at a point where we want to look at what combining sites in a few of our championships would look like. We believe it can add to the student and fan experience,” said Executive Director Bill Faflick. “Kansas has a rich tradition of great community support where we host championships. We do not anticipate that changing, it will just look slightly different depending on the year and selection of hosts.”

The&nbsp;soccer&nbsp;postseason will under go some adjustments as well. All championships will be played at one site starting in the fall of 2024. Adjustment to soccer postseason are:

-Seeding Criteria Remains the Same (East #1-4 &amp; West #1-4)

- Play on Monday (Boys SCW 18 &amp; Girls SCW 47)

- Seeding criteria remains the same (East #1 vs. West #2 &amp; West #1 vs. East #2)

- Play on Wednesday (Boys SCW 18 &amp; Girls SCW 47)

- Play on Saturday (Boys SCW 18 &amp; Girls SCW 47)

Wrestling&nbsp;will also see changes for this school year. Following the previously release change to 4A and 3-1A boys and girls wrestling in Salina, 6A and 5A will follow the same three day format at Hartman Arena. With the approved alterations the State Wrestling Championships will take place February 22, 23 and 24, 2024. The Executive Board also approved the Optimal Performance Calculator (OPC) for use starting this school year. Full details on the state schedule and the OPC use will be sent to school leaders at a later date.

Another approved change coming this school year deals with regional dates for&nbsp;baseball&nbsp;at the 3A and 2-1A level. In an effort to help with pitcher availability, the regional seeding date has been moved up to the Saturday of&nbsp; SCW 44 to allow for the first round games of regionals to be played on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday of SCW 45. The second round (semifinals and finals) will take place Monday or Wednesday of&nbsp; SCW 46.

Basketball&nbsp;and&nbsp;volleyball&nbsp;postseason formats were discussed and tabled for further discussion.

Based upon the inclusion of non-public school student eligibility in the state budget bill, multiple rule modifications are necessary to adhere to House Sub for SB 113 from this year’s legislative session. The new policy language will be distributed to school leaders and posted on the KSHSAA website later this summer.

Full details on the above items along with other action from the June KSHSAA Executive Board meeting will be distributed with the minutes in July.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605332834699.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas State High School Activities Association Executive Board approved several items during the June meeting. Starting in 2024, State Football will be held at three locations with three games taking place at each site. State soccer and wrestling will also see changes coming in the near future. The board also finalized the SB 113 Policy for home school and non-public school student participation.Though the locations are to be determined at a later date, State Football for 2024 will be held November 29th and 30th with one game on Friday and two games on Saturday at each location.“The KSHSAA is at a point where we want to look at what combining sites in a few of our championships would look like. We believe it can add to the student and fan experience,” said Executive Director Bill Faflick. “Kansas has a rich tradition of great community support where we host championships. We do not anticipate that changing, it will just look slightly different depending on the year and selection of hosts.”The&nbsp;soccer&nbsp;postseason will under go some adjustments as well. All championships will be played at one site starting in the fall of 2024. Adjustment to soccer postseason are:Quarterfinals:-Seeding Criteria Remains the Same (East #1-4 &amp; West #1-4)- Higher seeds host- Play on Monday (Boys SCW 18 &amp; Girls SCW 47)- Postponement/Make-Up Date = TuesdaySemifinals:- Seeding criteria remains the same (East #1 vs. West #2 &amp; West #1 vs. East #2)- Higher seeds host- Play on Wednesday (Boys SCW 18 &amp; Girls SCW 47)- Postponement/Make-Up Date = ThursdayConsolation and Championship Finals:- All classes played at one location- Play on Saturday (Boys SCW 18 &amp; Girls SCW 47)Wrestling&nbsp;will also see changes for this school year. Following the previously release change to 4A and 3-1A boys and girls wrestling in Salina, 6A and 5A will follow the same three day format at Hartman Arena. With the approved alterations the State Wrestling Championships will take place February 22, 23 and 24, 2024. The Executive Board also approved the Optimal Performance Calculator (OPC) for use starting this school year. Full details on the state schedule and the OPC use will be sent to school leaders at a later date.Another approved change coming this school year deals with regional dates for&nbsp;baseball&nbsp;at the 3A and 2-1A level. In an effort to help with pitcher availability, the regional seeding date has been moved up to the Saturday of&nbsp; SCW 44 to allow for the first round games of regionals to be played on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday of SCW 45. The second round (semifinals and finals) will take place Monday or Wednesday of&nbsp; SCW 46.Basketball&nbsp;and&nbsp;volleyball&nbsp;postseason formats were discussed and tabled for further discussion.Based upon the inclusion of non-public school student eligibility in the state budget bill, multiple rule modifications are necessary to adhere to House Sub for SB 113 from this year’s legislative session. The new policy language will be distributed to school leaders and posted on the KSHSAA website later this summer.Full details on the above items along with other action from the June KSHSAA Executive Board meeting will be distributed with the minutes in July.

KSHSAA changes state football to 3 sites starting in 2024

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Gavin Williams held Kansas City to one hit through seven innings in his second major league start, Will Brennan hit a two-run double in the ninth inning, and the Cleveland Guardians rallied past the Royals 2-1 on Tuesday night.

Kansas City had broken a scoreless tie in the eighth on a comebacker by Nicky Lopez against Trevor Stephan (4-3), who threw wildly to the plate while trying to cut down pinch-runner Dairon Blanco.

Emmanuel Clase worked around another error in the ninth to complete the two-hitter and earn his 24th save.

Guardians manager Terry Francona missed the game, with bench coach DeMarlo Hale filling in. Francona, who missed significant time in 2020 and 2021 with medical issues, felt ill earlier Tuesday and was hospitalized overnight for observation.

“I found out right before the game,” Hale said. “He said, ‘Get in here, I’m not feeling too well.’ It was so close (to game time), I didn’t get to ask him what’s going on.”

Williams, Cleveland’s top pitching prospect, was superb after his slightly shaky debut last week, when he gave up four runs in 5 2/3 innings against Oakland.

“Definitely more comfortable this time,” Williams agreed.

He struck out six, walked one and needed only 92 pitches to get through seven innings. He faced his only real trouble in the third and retired Bobby Witt Jr. on a lineout with two runners on.

“Today he was a little more relaxed,” catcher Bo Naylor said. “He settled in very easily and just pitched with his stuff.”

Williams became the second pitcher in franchise history with a one-hit outing of seven innings or more during his first two appearances.

“He was commanding the fastball so well,” Naylor said. “The sky’s the limit for him when he’s doing that. He really showed us what he’s made of.”

Josh Naylor led off the ninth with a single against Royals closer Scott Barlow (2-4), Andrés Giménez drew a one-out walk and Brennan grounded his third hit of the game into the right-field corner to score them both.

“Honestly, I don’t think you could have written it up any better,” Brennan said. “I got put in the right situation and got a pitch to hit. As a competitor that’s the best thing you can ask for.”

The Kansas City-area native is batting .373 (31 for 83) over his last 23 games.

“Give them credit,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “They put the ball in play and that’s what they do, they make something happen.”

Barlow blew his second save of the season.

Royals starter Brady Singer gave up four singles over six innings. He allowed just two runners past first base.

“I thought he was tremendous,” Quatraro said. “He started working both sides of the plate. He was really efficient.”

The Guardians have played in a major league-most 34 one-run games, going 16-18.

Kansas City was shut out for the 10th time and fell to 22-57, its worst record in franchise history at this point in the season.

Royals C Salvador Perez was out of the lineup after having an eye procedure Monday.

Kansas City reinstated OF Kyle Isbel (left hamstring strain) from the 10-day injured list and optioned OF Nate Eaton to Triple-A Omaha.

LHP Logan Allen (3-2, 3.68 ERA) starts for Cleveland as the series continues on Wednesday. Kansas City had not announced a starter.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Gavin Williams held Kansas City to one hit through seven innings in his second major league start, Will Brennan hit a two-run double in the ninth inning, and the Cleveland Guardians rallied past the Royals 2-1 on Tuesday night.Kansas City had broken a scoreless tie in the eighth on a comebacker by Nicky Lopez against Trevor Stephan (4-3), who threw wildly to the plate while trying to cut down pinch-runner Dairon Blanco.Emmanuel Clase worked around another error in the ninth to complete the two-hitter and earn his 24th save.Guardians manager Terry Francona missed the game, with bench coach DeMarlo Hale filling in. Francona, who missed significant time in 2020 and 2021 with medical issues, felt ill earlier Tuesday and was hospitalized overnight for observation.“I found out right before the game,” Hale said. “He said, ‘Get in here, I’m not feeling too well.’ It was so close (to game time), I didn’t get to ask him what’s going on.”Williams, Cleveland’s top pitching prospect, was superb after his slightly shaky debut last week, when he gave up four runs in 5 2/3 innings against Oakland.“Definitely more comfortable this time,” Williams agreed.He struck out six, walked one and needed only 92 pitches to get through seven innings. He faced his only real trouble in the third and retired Bobby Witt Jr. on a lineout with two runners on.“Today he was a little more relaxed,” catcher Bo Naylor said. “He settled in very easily and just pitched with his stuff.”Williams became the second pitcher in franchise history with a one-hit outing of seven innings or more during his first two appearances.“He was commanding the fastball so well,” Naylor said. “The sky’s the limit for him when he’s doing that. He really showed us what he’s made of.”Josh Naylor led off the ninth with a single against Royals closer Scott Barlow (2-4), Andrés Giménez drew a one-out walk and Brennan grounded his third hit of the game into the right-field corner to score them both.“Honestly, I don’t think you could have written it up any better,” Brennan said. “I got put in the right situation and got a pitch to hit. As a competitor that’s the best thing you can ask for.”The Kansas City-area native is batting .373 (31 for 83) over his last 23 games.“Give them credit,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “They put the ball in play and that’s what they do, they make something happen.”Barlow blew his second save of the season.Royals starter Brady Singer gave up four singles over six innings. He allowed just two runners past first base.“I thought he was tremendous,” Quatraro said. “He started working both sides of the plate. He was really efficient.”The Guardians have played in a major league-most 34 one-run games, going 16-18.Kansas City was shut out for the 10th time and fell to 22-57, its worst record in franchise history at this point in the season.TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals C Salvador Perez was out of the lineup after having an eye procedure Monday.TRANSACTIONSKansas City reinstated OF Kyle Isbel (left hamstring strain) from the 10-day injured list and optioned OF Nate Eaton to Triple-A Omaha.UP NEXTLHP Logan Allen (3-2, 3.68 ERA) starts for Cleveland as the series continues on Wednesday. Kansas City had not announced a starter.

Guardians rally to beat Royals in 9th on Brennan's double

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — LSU went from its low point of the season to the ultimate high in a span of 24 hours.

A day after it gave up the most runs ever in a College World Series game, LSU cranked up its offense and won its first national title since 2009 with an 18-4 victory over Florida on Monday night in the third and deciding game of the finals.

LSU (54-17) staved off elimination three times in bracket play and bounced back from the humiliating 24-4 loss in Game 2 to claim its seventh championship, second to Southern California’s 12.

“We got punched in the mouth yesterday,” Tigers star Dylan Crews said. “That’s the beauty of baseball. You wake up in the morning and do it all over again. We woke up today and you could see on everybody's faces that we were ready to go. Nobody in the country was going to beat us today.”

The Tigers wiped out an early 2-0 deficit with a six-run second inning against Jac Caglianone (7-4). The runs kept coming until they finished with the most in a title game since USC's 21-14 win over Arizona State in 1998. The 14-run margin was the largest ever in a final. Their 24 hits were most in a CWS game.

“It wasn't our day, all the way around,” Gators catcher BT Riopelle said.

Thatcher Hurd (8-3) gave up Wyatt Langford's two-run homer in the first and then allowed no hits or runs while retiring 18 of the next 21 batters. Riley Cooper took over to start the seventh and gave up Ty Evans' CWS-record fifth homer, and Gavin Guidry finished the combined five-hitter.

Cade Beloso said Johnson’s message to the team in the morning meeting was simple.

“It was, ‘One game for the national championship. Are you in?’ Everybody was, ‘Yeah, let’s go.’ You can’t let baseball get to you," Beloso said. "The game is brutal sometimes. You have to show up and play the next day.”

There was speculation after Sunday's blowout loss about the Tigers bringing back ace Paul Skenes for a third start in Omaha. He threw a combined 243 pitches over 15 2/3 innings in two spectacular appearances, and he would have been working on three days' rest.

It turned out Skenes was able to watch from the dugout in the comfort of his sneakers while LSU poured on the runs and Hatcher kept dealing. Skenes headed to the bullpen to do some stretching and throwing in the seventh inning. He went back to the dugout after the eighth and stayed there until he and teammates rushed the mound when Guidry struck out Colby Halter to end it.

Skenes was named the Most Outstanding Player of the CWS.

The overwhelmingly partisan LSU crowd included Kim Mulkey, coach of the national champion women's basketball team and the mother of Kramer Robertson, who played shortstop on the 2017 team that lost to Florida in the CWS finals.

The Tigers had been pointing toward a title run since their first team meeting last August. Coach Jay Johnson brought back the Southeastern Conference player of the year in Crews and the rest of the core of the2022 lineup.

Three key transfers took LSU to a higher level. Skenes was the first college pitcher in 12 years with 200 strikeouts and could be the No. 1 pick in the amateur draft. Tommy White hit 24 homers and drove in a nation-leading 105 runs. Hurd was solid as a starter and reliever and matched his longest outing of the year in the title game.

“Right people, right place, right time,” Johnson said. “This is the way it was supposed to go.”

LSU joined Mississippi, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt in a line of four straight national champions from the SEC.

“Oh my gosh, this is what I dreamed of since I was a freshman, holding this trophy,” Crews said. “We're champions, baby, bringing it back to LSU. It’s been a long journey for us. We dealt with a lot of stuff. Just to finally say we’re national champions ... I cannot wait to put another flag over the field. It’s going to be awesome.”

Florida (54-17) won the SEC regular-season title, was the No. 2 national seed and set school records for wins and home runs — the Gators hit 17 of the 35 homers by all teams in the CWS. But the Gators were unable to carry over the momentum from their record-setting production Sunday.

“I thought our team was in a really good place,” Florida coach Kevin O'Sullivan said. “I thought BP was good. They were loose. Put two on the board the bottom half of the first. I thought the dugout was electric. And then all of a sudden we had four walks and I think two hit-by pitches ... and then we had to go to the ’pen earlier than we wanted to.”

Caglianone, Florida's two-way star, struggled with his command for a second straight start and was done on the mound after 1 1/3 innings. He remained in the game as the designated hitter.

LSU got on the board when Jordan Thompson, who had been 1 for his last 30, singled in a run. It was tied after Caglianone hit Cade Beloso — his fifth hit batter in his 5 2/3 CWS innings — and a walk to Crews put LSU in front. Cade Fisher relieved and gave up a couple RBI singles and a sacrifice fly.

Josh Pearson's fourth homer of the season highlighted the Tigers' four-run fourth inning.

The only down note for LSU was an injury to catcher Alex Milazzo, who landed awkwardly on his left leg when he had to hurdle Riopelle as he crossed home plate in the fourth inning.

That didn't stop Milazzo from celebrating. A teammate gave him a piggyback ride to the mound for the ceremonial dogpile.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — LSU went from its low point of the season to the ultimate high in a span of 24 hours.A day after it gave up the most runs ever in a College World Series game, LSU cranked up its offense and won its first national title since 2009 with an 18-4 victory over Florida on Monday night in the third and deciding game of the finals.LSU (54-17) staved off elimination three times in bracket play and bounced back from the humiliating 24-4 loss in Game 2 to claim its seventh championship, second to Southern California’s 12.“We got punched in the mouth yesterday,” Tigers star Dylan Crews said. “That’s the beauty of baseball. You wake up in the morning and do it all over again. We woke up today and you could see on everybody's faces that we were ready to go. Nobody in the country was going to beat us today.”The Tigers wiped out an early 2-0 deficit with a six-run second inning against Jac Caglianone (7-4). The runs kept coming until they finished with the most in a title game since USC's 21-14 win over Arizona State in 1998. The 14-run margin was the largest ever in a final. Their 24 hits were most in a CWS game.“It wasn't our day, all the way around,” Gators catcher BT Riopelle said.Thatcher Hurd (8-3) gave up Wyatt Langford's two-run homer in the first and then allowed no hits or runs while retiring 18 of the next 21 batters. Riley Cooper took over to start the seventh and gave up Ty Evans' CWS-record fifth homer, and Gavin Guidry finished the combined five-hitter.Cade Beloso said Johnson’s message to the team in the morning meeting was simple.“It was, ‘One game for the national championship. Are you in?’ Everybody was, ‘Yeah, let’s go.’ You can’t let baseball get to you," Beloso said. "The game is brutal sometimes. You have to show up and play the next day.”There was speculation after Sunday's blowout loss about the Tigers bringing back ace Paul Skenes for a third start in Omaha. He threw a combined 243 pitches over 15 2/3 innings in two spectacular appearances, and he would have been working on three days' rest.It turned out Skenes was able to watch from the dugout in the comfort of his sneakers while LSU poured on the runs and Hatcher kept dealing. Skenes headed to the bullpen to do some stretching and throwing in the seventh inning. He went back to the dugout after the eighth and stayed there until he and teammates rushed the mound when Guidry struck out Colby Halter to end it.Skenes was named the Most Outstanding Player of the CWS.The overwhelmingly partisan LSU crowd included Kim Mulkey, coach of the national champion women's basketball team and the mother of Kramer Robertson, who played shortstop on the 2017 team that lost to Florida in the CWS finals.The Tigers had been pointing toward a title run since their first team meeting last August. Coach Jay Johnson brought back the Southeastern Conference player of the year in Crews and the rest of the core of the2022 lineup.Three key transfers took LSU to a higher level. Skenes was the first college pitcher in 12 years with 200 strikeouts and could be the No. 1 pick in the amateur draft. Tommy White hit 24 homers and drove in a nation-leading 105 runs. Hurd was solid as a starter and reliever and matched his longest outing of the year in the title game.“Right people, right place, right time,” Johnson said. “This is the way it was supposed to go.”LSU joined Mississippi, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt in a line of four straight national champions from the SEC.“Oh my gosh, this is what I dreamed of since I was a freshman, holding this trophy,” Crews said. “We're champions, baby, bringing it back to LSU. It’s been a long journey for us. We dealt with a lot of stuff. Just to finally say we’re national champions ... I cannot wait to put another flag over the field. It’s going to be awesome.”Florida (54-17) won the SEC regular-season title, was the No. 2 national seed and set school records for wins and home runs — the Gators hit 17 of the 35 homers by all teams in the CWS. But the Gators were unable to carry over the momentum from their record-setting production Sunday.“I thought our team was in a really good place,” Florida coach Kevin O'Sullivan said. “I thought BP was good. They were loose. Put two on the board the bottom half of the first. I thought the dugout was electric. And then all of a sudden we had four walks and I think two hit-by pitches ... and then we had to go to the ’pen earlier than we wanted to.”Caglianone, Florida's two-way star, struggled with his command for a second straight start and was done on the mound after 1 1/3 innings. He remained in the game as the designated hitter.LSU got on the board when Jordan Thompson, who had been 1 for his last 30, singled in a run. It was tied after Caglianone hit Cade Beloso — his fifth hit batter in his 5 2/3 CWS innings — and a walk to Crews put LSU in front. Cade Fisher relieved and gave up a couple RBI singles and a sacrifice fly.Josh Pearson's fourth homer of the season highlighted the Tigers' four-run fourth inning.The only down note for LSU was an injury to catcher Alex Milazzo, who landed awkwardly on his left leg when he had to hurdle Riopelle as he crossed home plate in the fourth inning.That didn't stop Milazzo from celebrating. A teammate gave him a piggyback ride to the mound for the ceremonial dogpile.

LSU wins 1st College World Series title since 2009, beating Florida 18-4

The Kansas City
Royals begin a three-game series at home against the Cleveland
Guardians on Tuesday.

Cleveland Guardians
(37-40, second in the AL Central) vs. Kansas City Royals (22-56,
fifth in the AL Central)

Kansas City,
Missouri; Tuesday, 8:10 p.m. EDT

PITCHING
PROBABLES: Guardians: Gavin Williams (0-0, 6.35 ERA, 1.24 WHIP,
four strikeouts); Royals: Brady Singer (4-7, 6.34 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 67
strikeouts)

FANDUEL
SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Guardians -143, Royals +122; over/under is 9
runs

BOTTOM LINE:
The Kansas City Royals host the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday to
start a three-game series.

Kansas City has a
22-56 record overall and a 10-28 record at home. The Royals have gone
6-11 in games when they hit two or more home runs.

Cleveland has a
37-40 record overall and a 17-21 record in road games. The Guardians
have the seventh-ranked team batting average in the AL at .246.

Tuesday's game is
the first meeting between these teams this season.

Bobby Witt Jr. has
12 doubles, four triples, 12 home runs and 38 RBI for the Royals.
Drew Waters is 8-for-35 with a double, two home runs and five RBI
over the last 10 games.

Jose Ramirez leads
Cleveland with 12 home runs while slugging .510. Josh Naylor is
14-for-44 with two home runs and nine RBI over the past 10 games.

Royals: 4-6,
.245 batting average, 5.34 ERA, outscored by 15 runs

Guardians:
6-4, .282 batting average, 4.10 ERA, outscored opponents by six runs

Royals: Matt
Beaty: 7-Day IL (concussion protocol), Michael Massey: 10-Day IL
(hand), Vinnie Pasquantino: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Josh Staumont:
15-Day IL (neck), Amir Garrett: 15-Day IL (elbow), Josh Taylor:
15-Day IL (shoulder), Brad Keller: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Ryan
Yarbrough: 60-Day IL (head), Kyle Isbel: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Kris
Bubic: 60-Day IL (flexor), Diego Hernandez: 60-Day IL (shoulder),
Jake Brentz: 60-Day IL (elbow), Angel Zerpa: 60-Day IL (shoulder)

Guardians:
Triston McKenzie: 15-Day IL (elbow), Peyton Battenfield: 60-Day IL
(shoulder), Cal Quantrill: 15-Day IL (shoulder)

The Kansas City
Royals begin a three-game series at home against the Cleveland
Guardians on Tuesday.Cleveland Guardians
(37-40, second in the AL Central) vs. Kansas City Royals (22-56,
fifth in the AL Central)Kansas City,
Missouri; Tuesday, 8:10 p.m. EDTPITCHING
PROBABLES: Guardians: Gavin Williams (0-0, 6.35 ERA, 1.24 WHIP,
four strikeouts); Royals: Brady Singer (4-7, 6.34 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 67
strikeouts)FANDUEL
SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Guardians -143, Royals +122; over/under is 9
runsBOTTOM LINE:
The Kansas City Royals host the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday to
start a three-game series.Kansas City has a
22-56 record overall and a 10-28 record at home. The Royals have gone
6-11 in games when they hit two or more home runs.Cleveland has a
37-40 record overall and a 17-21 record in road games. The Guardians
have the seventh-ranked team batting average in the AL at .246.Tuesday's game is
the first meeting between these teams this season.TOP PERFORMERS:
Bobby Witt Jr. has
12 doubles, four triples, 12 home runs and 38 RBI for the Royals.
Drew Waters is 8-for-35 with a double, two home runs and five RBI
over the last 10 games.Jose Ramirez leads
Cleveland with 12 home runs while slugging .510. Josh Naylor is
14-for-44 with two home runs and nine RBI over the past 10 games.LAST 10 GAMES:
Royals: 4-6,
.245 batting average, 5.34 ERA, outscored by 15 runsGuardians:
6-4, .282 batting average, 4.10 ERA, outscored opponents by six runsINJURIES: 
Royals: Matt
Beaty: 7-Day IL (concussion protocol), Michael Massey: 10-Day IL
(hand), Vinnie Pasquantino: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Josh Staumont:
15-Day IL (neck), Amir Garrett: 15-Day IL (elbow), Josh Taylor:
15-Day IL (shoulder), Brad Keller: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Ryan
Yarbrough: 60-Day IL (head), Kyle Isbel: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Kris
Bubic: 60-Day IL (flexor), Diego Hernandez: 60-Day IL (shoulder),
Jake Brentz: 60-Day IL (elbow), Angel Zerpa: 60-Day IL (shoulder)Guardians:
Triston McKenzie: 15-Day IL (elbow), Peyton Battenfield: 60-Day IL
(shoulder), Cal Quantrill: 15-Day IL (shoulder)

Royals host the Guardians to start 3-game series

Two top 16
selections highlighted four Big 12 players chosen in the 2023 NBA
Draft conducted at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Kansas’ Gradey
Dick was the first Conference player selected at No. 13 by the
Toronto Raptors. Baylor’s Keyonte George followed at No. 16 chosen
by the Utah Jazz. The Big 12 had consecutive picks in the second
round as Kansas State’s Keyontae Johnson went to the Oklahoma City
Thunder at No. 50 and KU’s Jalen Wilson was selected at No. 51 by
the Brooklyn Nets.

This year's draft
marked the 26th time in 27 seasons for the Big 12 to produce
first-round picks. It’s the 18th consecutive year that at least one
Big 12 standout has been taken in the NBA Draft lottery as one of the
top 14 choices. Dick is the 19th KU lottery selection.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687794924629.png" alt="Big12sports.com" />
 <figcaption>Big12sports.com</figcaption>
 </figure>Two top 16
selections highlighted four Big 12 players chosen in the 2023 NBA
Draft conducted at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.Kansas’ Gradey
Dick was the first Conference player selected at No. 13 by the
Toronto Raptors. Baylor’s Keyonte George followed at No. 16 chosen
by the Utah Jazz. The Big 12 had consecutive picks in the second
round as Kansas State’s Keyontae Johnson went to the Oklahoma City
Thunder at No. 50 and KU’s Jalen Wilson was selected at No. 51 by
the Brooklyn Nets.This year's draft
marked the 26th time in 27 seasons for the Big 12 to produce
first-round picks. It’s the 18th consecutive year that at least one
Big 12 standout has been taken in the NBA Draft lottery as one of the
top 14 choices. Dick is the 19th KU lottery selection.Overall, 92 Big 12
players have been chosen in the past 16 drafts. A total of 139
Conference players have been selected since the first league season
in 1996-97.Kansas has totaled
38 draft picks since the Big 12 began play, more than any other
league school. Texas is next with 23 draftees, followed by Iowa State
with 14 and Baylor with 13. Oklahoma and Oklahoma State have 10 each.
Texas Tech (7), Kansas State (4), West Virginia (2) and TCU (1) round
out the Big 12 team draft totals.Three players from
incoming Big 12 institutions were drafted in the first round.
Houston’s Jarace Walker was selected at No. 8 by the Houston
Rockets while UCF’s Taylor Hendricks followed at No. 9 by the Utah
Jazz. UH’s Marcus Sasser was the No. 25 pick and went to the
Detroit Pistons in a trade.Big 12 Selections
in the 2023 NBA DraftRound 113. Gradey Dick
(Kansas), Toronto Raptors16. Keyonte George
(Baylor), Utah JazzRound 250. Keyontae Johnson
(K-State), Oklahoma City Thunder51. Jalen Wilson
(Kansas), Brooklyn NetsIncoming Schools’
Draft PicksRound 18. Jarace Walker
(Houston), Houston Rockets9. Taylor Hendricks
(UCF), Utah Jazz25. Marcus Sasser
(Houston), Detroit Pistons