ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Top prospect Jac Caglianone went deep twice for his first two homers in the majors, and the Kansas City Royals finished their first three-game sweep at Texas since 2003 with a 4-1 win over the Rangers. Vinnie Pasquantino added a two-run shot. Michael Wacha held the Rangers hitless until Wyatt Langford’s one-out single in the sixth. Wacha was the third Kansas City starter to win for the first time in June as part of the sweep. The Royals were coming off a 0-6 homestand that matched their longest losing streak of the season.
CHICAGO (AP) — Nolan Arenado hit his 350th homer in the third inning and drove in the go-ahead run in the 10th to help the St. Louis Cardinals beat Chicago 8-6 on Thursday night to sweep a doubleheader and hand the White Sox their eighth straight loss. Rookie Andre Granillo, who got the final out in the seventh for his first career victory in the first game, pitched a scoreless 10th for his first save in his fourth appearance. JoJo Romero (3-3) worked a scoreless ninth for the victory. Arenado hit the milestone homer following a three-run shot by Alec Burleson in the third and finished 3 for 5. He’s the seventh player with 350 homers and 10-plus Gold Gloves.
DETROIT (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Dennis Santana was involved in an altercation with a fan who ‘crossed the line’ during the second game of Thursday’s doubleheader with the Detroit Tigers and at one point was seen leaping and swiping at the person. Santana declined to disclose what the fan said. In videos posted to social media, Santana can be seen pointing out the fan to a police officer before jumping and swinging at the person who is in the front row above the Pittsburgh bullpen at Comerica Park. Santana was escorted away by Pirates bullpen personnel and held back by a teammate.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Coastal Carolina has won 26 straight games and is in the finals of the College World Series. Gary Gilmore said he has had no second thoughts about retiring after last season even though the Chanticleers are on this sensational run. The 67-year-old Gilmore attended no Coastal Carolina games this season until the Chanticleers’ first two in the CWS last weekend. He sat in the stands at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha. He and his family will be back when the best-of-three finals against LSU start Saturday.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Andy Reid expects to have wide receiver Rashee Rice and first-round draft pick Josh Simmons fully available when the Kansas City Chiefs report to training camp at Missouri Western State University the last full week of July. Rice is coming off a torn ACL that limited him to four games last season, while Simmons tore his patellar tendon last season at Ohio State. That likely caused the left tackle's draft stock to fall to where the Chiefs could pick him No. 32 overall. The Chiefs hope that a healthy Rice and Simmons, combined with the return of Travis Kelce, can help their offense take a big step forward after a subpar last season.
UNDATED (AP) — College sports was once rooted in tradition, school pride and loyalty, but those expectations are changing in a landscape where athletes have won the ability to transfer season to season, year to year. Some are painted as disloyal or selfish. Athletes like Hailey Van Lith and Ray Davis don’t see it that way. Both played at three schools on their way to the pros, Van Lith in the WNBA and Davis in the NFL. They said decisions are not always about money and noted that coaches and other team staff can also leave for new opportunities.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Obi Toppin scored 20 points, Andrew Nembhard added 17 and the resilient Indiana Pacers sent the NBA Finals to a winner-take-all Game 7 by rolling past the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-91 on Thursday night. Pascal Siakam had 16 points and 13 rebounds for Indiana, while Tyrese Haliburton — playing through a strained calf — scored 14 points for the Pacers, who started slowly and then turned things into a blowout. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 points for the Thunder, who pulled their starters after getting down by 30 going into the fourth. Jalen Williams added 16. Game 7, the first one in the NBA Finals since 2016, will be Sunday night in Oklahoma City.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Rays pitcher Hunter Bigge was carted off the field in a frightening scene and taken to a hospital after getting struck in the face by a foul ball lined into the Tampa Bay dugout Thursday night. Bigge was placed on a backboard and gave a thumbs up before being driven by ambulance to a nearby hospital for tests. He never lost consciousness and was able to converse with first responders, Rays manager Kevin Cash said. In the top of the seventh inning, Baltimore catcher Adley Rutschman sharply pulled a pitch into the Tampa Bay dugout on the first base side and the ball hit Bigge, a 27-year-old right-hander currently on the injured list. Emergency medical personnel quickly arrived to attend to Bigge.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Defender Chris Richards scored with a flick of the ball off a second-half free kick to lift the United States to a 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia, sending the Americans on to the CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinals. Richards tracked the ball as it flew into the box on a curving free kick from Sebastian Berhalter in the 62nd minute to tap the ball with his left foot past Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Nawaf Al Aquidi. The win and the 1-1 draw between Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti in Group D’s other match Thursday in Houston, clinched a knockout berth for the Americans.
CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler hits a lot of great shots. Rarely does he hit one he considers close to perfect. Such was the case in the opening round of the Travelers Championship. It was a 3-iron to 10 feet for eagle on his way to a 62. That's his lowest round at the TPC River Highlands. And he shares the lead with Austin Eckroat. They were two shots ahead of a group that includes Rory McIlroy and Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley. It was a nice break from the brutal week at Oakmont for most. U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun shot 73.
UNDATED (AP) — Varsity Spirit is starting a professional cheerleading league promising to pay athletes. The Pro Cheer League joins a crowded niche sports market that already includes softball, volleyball, 3-x-3 basketball, lacrosse, indoor football and more clamoring for both fans’ attention and their dollars. This new league is billed as the first professional cheerleading league for athletes 18 and older to give cheerleaders the chance to keep competing after college. Bill Seely is the president of Varsity Spirit in Memphis, Tennessee. He sees plenty of opportunity for all these sports to succeed. This cheer league’s advantage comes from the sport’s growth since the 1970s.
STRONGSVILLE, Ohio (AP) — Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders has been ticketed for speeding twice this month in Ohio. Sanders was accused of driving a Dodge TRX pickup truck 101 mph (163 kilometers per hour) on a suburban Cleveland interstate earlier this week. The Strongsville Police Department stopped Sanders at about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday in a 60 mph (97 kilometers per hour) zone on Interstate 71 near the Ohio Turnpike, according to a report provided to local media. That ticket came after he was stopped by the Ohio State Patrol on June 5 in Brunswick Hills, Ohio. Sanders was pulled over for going 91 mph (147 kilometers per hour) in a 65 mph (105 kilometer) zone, Ohio State Patrol told WKBN-TV.
THURSDAY SCORES
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INTERLEAGUE
Final Detroit 9 Pittsburgh 2
Final Minnesota 12 Cincinnati 5
Final St. Louis 5 Chicago White Sox 4
Final Arizona 9 Toronto 5
Final San Francisco 2 Cleveland 1
Final St. Louis 8 Chicago White Sox 6
Final Pittsburgh 8 Detroit 4
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final N.Y. Yankees 7 L.A. Angels 3
Final Kansas City 4 Texas 1
Final Baltimore 4 Tampa Bay 1
Final Athletics 6 Houston 4
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Washington 4 Colorado 3
Final Milwaukee 8 Chicago Cubs 7
Final Philadelphia 2 Miami 1
Final Atlanta 7 N.Y. Mets 1
Final San Diego 5 L.A. Dodgers 3
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS
Final Indiana 108 Oklahoma City 91