BALTIMORE (AP) — Kyle Bradish gave up one run and two hits in 6 2/3 innings, Pete Alonso hit a two-run homer, and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Kansas City Royals 6-1. Bradish (6-9) did not give up a hit until had Jac Caglianone hit a leadoff single in the seventh inning to break up the no-hitter bid. He struck out five and walked two. Coby Mayo, Taylor Ward and Gunnar Henderson also hit home runs for Baltimore, which has won three-straight games for the eighth time this season. Salvador Perez plated the Royals’ only run in the seventh with a sacrifice fly.
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Lars Nootbaar hit a three-run home run and scored a run, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a 4-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves. Matthew Liberatore (5-6) allowed four hits over six scoreless innings, striking out six on 71 pitches. A double play helped him escape a sixth-inning jam with runners on first and third. Riley O’Brien earned his 24th save in 28 chances. Reynaldo Lopez (4-2) made his fourth start since rejoining Atlanta’s rotation on June 26. He allowed four runs and five hits.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Julián Alvarez has sent Argentina into the World Cup semifinals with a stunning long-range strike in extra time against Switzerland. His goal in the 112th minute broke a 1-all tie, and Lautaro Martinez added another goal in the final seconds to wrap up the 3-1 win. Alexis Mac Allister scored earlier off a corner kick from Lionel Messi, helping Argentina advance to play England on Wednesday in Atlanta. The game took a controversial turn in the second half, when a yellow card for Leandro Paredes was overturned by video and a Swiss player sent off instead. They had to play the rest of the way with only 10 players.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Jude Bellingham scored in extra time to lift England past Norway 2-1 and into the World Cup semifinals for the first time since 2018. Bellingham’s shot in the 93rd was his second of the game. The Real Madrid star is now tied with England teammate Harry Kane with six goals in this tournament. England, winner of the 1966 World Cup and facing pressure to return to the title match, is now one win away from getting there. It will face Argentina in the semifinals.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Chicago White Sox selected UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky with the first pick of the MLB amateur draft. Cholowsky was a Golden Spikes finalist at UCLA and had a 1.088 OPS with 21 homers and 60 RBIs in his junior season. He was the Big Ten Player of the Year. Tampa Bay selected Texas high school shortstop Grady Emerson with the second pick and Minnesota took Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey third.
AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State athletics director Jamie Pollard says he plans to retire next summer after a 22-year run leading the school’s sports programs. Pollard is the nation’s longest-tenured active Power 4 athletics director. He expects to step down on June 30, 2027. The school says it will begin a national search for Pollard’s successor in the fall. Iowa State has won 24 Big 12 team titles in eight different sports during Pollard’s tenure. The Cyclones have also had 24 NCAA individual champions during his tenure.
CINCINNATI (AP) — An Ohio judge has granted a preliminary injunction for 24 men’s and women’s college basketball players suing the NCAA to be eligible, claiming the new age-based model unfairly shuts them out of further competition. Judge Christopher Wagner said Thursday the NCAA eligibility rules have been applied in an arbitrary and capricious manner. Wagner’s ruling allows the athletes in the lawsuit an opportunity to enter the transfer portal. He scheduled a conference for Aug. 4 to prepare for a trial. Downton has filed similar lawsuits against the NCAA on behalf of nearly 30 men’s and women’s basketball players.
SATURDAY SCORES
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INTERLEAGUE
Final Cleveland 4 Miami 1
Final N.Y. Yankees 4 Washington 2
Final Boston 4 N.Y. Mets 0
Final Philadelphia 4 Detroit 2
Final San Diego 8 Toronto 7
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final Chicago White Sox 1 Athletics 0
Final Minnesota 5 L.A. Angels 3
Final Tampa Bay 6 Seattle 1
Final Baltimore 6 Kansas City 1
Final Houston 9 Texas 3
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Pittsburgh 7 Milwaukee 6
Final San Francisco 4 Colorado 2
Final Pittsburgh 3 Milwaukee 2
Final St. Louis 4 Atlanta 1
Final Chicago Cubs 5 Cincinnati 3
Final Arizona 9 L.A. Dodgers 2