KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez highlighted a five-run, two-out rally with a go-ahead double in the eighth inning, and the Royals went on to beat the Marlins 5-1 on Wednesday. The Royals had been shut down by Valente Bellozo, making his big league debut, and the Miami bullpen until that point. Perez got his timely hit off Huascar Brazoban after a double by Bobby Witt Jr. and Vinnie Pasquantino's tying single. Angel Zerpa (1-0) got the final two outs of the eighth for Kansas City in relief of Brady Singer, who allowed an RBI single to Vidal Bruján in the second but little else of 7 1/3 innings. James McArthur handled the ninth to wrap up the win.
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Matthew Liberatore pitched six shutout innings in a spot start and Alec Burleson hit a go-ahead, two-run double to lead the St. Louis Cardinals over the Atlanta Braves 4-1 Wednesday for a day-night doubleheader split. Jarred Kelenic had three hits, including his eighth home run, and three RBIs as the Braves won the opener 6-2. Kelenic was 6 for 9 with four RBIs in the doubleheader and is hitting .362 with four homers and 10 RBIs since being moved to the leadoff spot in the batting order. Liberatore gave up two hits and struck out eight in his fifth start.
CHICAGO (AP) — Shohei Ohtani is rolling along for the Los Angeles Dodgers at the moment. When it comes to the Home Run Derby, well, stay tuned. Ohtani hit a leadoff drive against the Chicago White Sox for the second straight night, extending his RBI streak to a franchise-record 10 games. The two-time AL MVP is batting .310 with 11 homers, 23 RBIs and 24 runs in 23 games this month. Ohtani’s latest tear has him contemplating another try at the Derby on July 15 as part of the All-Star festivities at Globe Life Field in Texas. Ohtani says he has to talk to “a lot of people” before deciding on the marquee event.
NEW YORK (AP) — Francisco Alvarez went 3 for 3 with a homer and three RBIs, Tyrone Taylor added a three-run drive and the surging New York Mets routed the Yankees 12-2 for a two-game Subway Series sweep. Harrison Bader also went deep and delivered an RBI double for the Mets, who chased Luis Gil in the fifth inning. They pounded Yankees pitching for seven homers and 21 runs over two nights at Citi Field. With their 15th victory in 19 games, the Mets climbed back to .500 for the first time since May 9. The struggling Yankees, who lead the AL East, have lost four consecutive series and eight of 10 games overall. Following an 87-minute rain delay, Aaron Judge launched a two-run homer with the Yankees trailing 7-0 in the sixth.
NEW YORK (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks took Zaccharie Risacher with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft on Wednesday night, the second straight year a player from France was the first player selected. Risacher doesn’t come with the enormous height or hype of Victor Wembanyama, the towering center who went to San Antonio last year and went on to win the Rookie of the Year award. But the Hawks saw him as the best choice in what has been viewed as a draft absent of elite talent. This is the first time that the draft has gone consecutive years without the No. 1 pick being someone who played at an American college.
NEW YORK (AP) — The players selected in the first round of the NBA draft. French teenager Zaccharie Risacher goes first overall to the Atlanta Hawks, followed by another French teen in 7-footer Alex Sarr to Washington at No. 2. They were the first of three Frenchmen in the top 10 and four in the first round. Charlotte took Tidjane Salaun at No. 6 overall while Pacome Dadiet went at No. 25 to New York. Two-time reigning national champion UConn had guard Stephon Castle go fourth to San Antonio and big man Donovan Clingan go seventh to Portland. Kentucky also had two top-10 picks.
NEW YORK (AP) — A person with knowledge of the details says OG Anunoby will stay with the New York Knicks on a five-year contract worth more than $210 million. Keeping the swingman was a priority for the Knicks after they flourished when Anunoby was in the lineup after arriving in December in a trade with Toronto. The deal was first reported by ESPN, which said Anunoby’s deal would be worth $212.5 million. The person confirmed the details to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contract is not yet official. The Knicks went 20-3 with Anunoby in the lineup in the regular season.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — USA Gymnastics believes it is building momentum toward a better future as the 2024 Olympics near. The organization has undergone a massive overhaul in the last six years in the wake of the Larry Nassar scandal. President Li Li Leung and her team have placed an emphasis on transparency and support in hoping to re-establish trust in athletes, coaches and gym owners alike. Superstar Simone Biles says the leadership at USA Gymnastics has changed because “they've done the work” to make the organization a better place. The organization will be in the spotlight this weekend at the U.S. Olympic trials.
UNDATED (AP) — U.S. national team forward Alex Morgan has been left off coach Emma Hayes’ roster for the Paris Olympics. Morgan was the most notable absence on the 18-player list. The 34-year-old Morgan is a three-time Olympian but missed more than a month with the San Diego Wave after injuring her left ankle on April 19. She had since returned. Morgan also was named to the squad Hayes assembled for a pair of U.S. friendlies against South Korea earlier this month. Morgan has 123 goals in 224 appearances with the national team. Hayes says “there is no denying that it was an extremely competitive process.”
WEDNESDAY SCORES
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INTERLEAGUE
Final Philadelphia 6 Detroit 2
Final Kansas City 5 Miami 1
Final Houston 7 Colorado 1
Final Milwaukee 6 Texas 5
Final L.A. Dodgers 4 Chicago White Sox 0
Final N.Y. Mets 12 N.Y. Yankees 2
Final Minnesota 8 Arizona 3
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final Seattle 5 Tampa Bay 2
Final L.A. Angels 5 Oakland 2
Final Baltimore 4 Cleveland 2
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Pittsburgh 6 Cincinnati 1
Final Atlanta 6 St. Louis 2
Final San Diego 8 Washington 5
Final St. Louis 4 Atlanta 1