KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kyle Isbel hit a pivotal three-run double and Vinnie Pasquantino homered as the Kansas City Royals beat Atlanta 9-6 on Tuesday night after Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. exited&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/braves-acuna-jr-injury-ea24ba20c3d1664ba44337fadf4217c1">with tightness in his right Achilles tendon.</a>

Seth Lugo (8-5) won his first start since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-seth-lugo-extension-dc4a058fb1eb5c167e719a246baee7bf">agreeing Monday to a $46 million, two-year contract</a>&nbsp;for 2026 and ’27. Pasquantino finished with three hits and two RBIs.

Bobby Witt Jr. also drove in two runs for the Royals, and Jonathan India had a two-run double.

Marcell Ozuna homered and knocked in three for Atlanta, and Austin Riley also went deep. But right-hander Erick Fedde (3-11) fell behind 4-0 after two innings in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/atlanta-braves-grant-holmes-9f9e3897c5ddc25bed63368154a7483c">his Braves debut.</a>

Acuña left in the sixth inning after chasing down a ball in right field. He will be placed on the 10-day injured list, the Braves said.

Pasquantino hit a solo homer in the first, and Isbel gave Kansas City a 7-3 lead with his bases-clearing double in the sixth. Witt added a run-scoring single and Pasquantino an RBI double to make it 9-3.

Lugo took a shutout into the sixth, but got only two more outs. He was charged with three runs and seven hits while striking out five and walking four.

Carlos Estévez, the fifth Royals reliever, got three outs for his 28th save.

With the bases loaded and two outs in the sixth, Hunter Harvey retired Jurickson Profar on a flyball to preserve a 4-3 lead for the Royals before they scored five times in the bottom half.

The Royals have scored at least five runs in seven of their last 11 games, something they accomplished only 21 times prior to the All-Star break.

The Braves will send LHP Joey Wentz (2-2, 5.76 ERA) to the mound on Wednesday. The Royals hadn't announced a scheduled starter.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753845105172.jpeg" alt="Photo Kansas City Royals" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Royals</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kyle Isbel hit a pivotal three-run double and Vinnie Pasquantino homered as the Kansas City Royals beat Atlanta 9-6 on Tuesday night after Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. exited&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/braves-acuna-jr-injury-ea24ba20c3d1664ba44337fadf4217c1">with tightness in his right Achilles tendon.</a>Seth Lugo (8-5) won his first start since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-seth-lugo-extension-dc4a058fb1eb5c167e719a246baee7bf">agreeing Monday to a $46 million, two-year contract</a>&nbsp;for 2026 and ’27. Pasquantino finished with three hits and two RBIs.Bobby Witt Jr. also drove in two runs for the Royals, and Jonathan India had a two-run double.Marcell Ozuna homered and knocked in three for Atlanta, and Austin Riley also went deep. But right-hander Erick Fedde (3-11) fell behind 4-0 after two innings in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/atlanta-braves-grant-holmes-9f9e3897c5ddc25bed63368154a7483c">his Braves debut.</a>Michael Harris II had three hits.Acuña left in the sixth inning after chasing down a ball in right field. He will be placed on the 10-day injured list, the Braves said.Pasquantino hit a solo homer in the first, and Isbel gave Kansas City a 7-3 lead with his bases-clearing double in the sixth. Witt added a run-scoring single and Pasquantino an RBI double to make it 9-3.Lugo took a shutout into the sixth, but got only two more outs. He was charged with three runs and seven hits while striking out five and walking four.Carlos Estévez, the fifth Royals reliever, got three outs for his 28th save.<h2>Key moment</h2>With the bases loaded and two outs in the sixth, Hunter Harvey retired Jurickson Profar on a flyball to preserve a 4-3 lead for the Royals before they scored five times in the bottom half.<h2>Key stat</h2>The Royals have scored at least five runs in seven of their last 11 games, something they accomplished only 21 times prior to the All-Star break.<h2>Up next</h2>The Braves will send LHP Joey Wentz (2-2, 5.76 ERA) to the mound on Wednesday. The Royals hadn't announced a scheduled starter.

⚾Isbel and Pasquantino power Royals to win over Braves 

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kstatesports.com/watch/search?Archive=24345&amp;type=Archive">Watch Coach Klieman’s Press Conference</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kstatesports.com/podcasts/chris-klieman-press-conference-july-28-2025/4943">Listen to Coach Klieman’s Press Conference</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://we.tl/t-zgepE2DOaz">Media Download</a>

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman&nbsp;met with members of the media on Monday inside the Vanier Family Football Complex after the Wildcats’ first full week of preseason camp. Links to video and audio of Klieman’s press conference – which was streamed live on ESPN+ – are above. A transcript of Klieman’s opening statement is below.

“Okay, good afternoon. It’s good to see everybody again. It's been a while, unless I saw you at Big 12 Media Days. This is a first for me – it’s July 28, and we just finished practice No. 5. So, it is upon us, and we are rolling. This is the second full week of fall camp. We're in a spell right now – everybody in the country is right now with the heat. We're trying to go as early in the morning as we can, getting our work done and trying to keep our kids hydrated and as safe as we can. So, it will be a heavy day tomorrow, and then we have an off day. Then I think maybe the weather even lessens a little bit. But, we've had good work so far.

“Before we get into questions, let me update you on George Fitzpatrick. Everybody had heard he had a medical incident the last week of the summer. He's doing much better. He's back in Manhattan. He's been into the facility a handful of times. Really, guys, it's just a day-by-day basis with George. We don't really have a timetable, but he's doing a lot better. So, I don't have a lot of other information that I'm able to share on that other than he's doing well and back in Manhattan.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753798147237.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure><a target="_blank" href="https://www.kstatesports.com/watch/search?Archive=24345&amp;type=Archive">Watch Coach Klieman’s Press Conference</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kstatesports.com/podcasts/chris-klieman-press-conference-july-28-2025/4943">Listen to Coach Klieman’s Press Conference</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://we.tl/t-zgepE2DOaz">Media Download</a>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman&nbsp;met with members of the media on Monday inside the Vanier Family Football Complex after the Wildcats’ first full week of preseason camp. Links to video and audio of Klieman’s press conference – which was streamed live on ESPN+ – are above. A transcript of Klieman’s opening statement is below.CHRIS KLIEMAN, HEAD COACHOpening Statement…“Okay, good afternoon. It’s good to see everybody again. It's been a while, unless I saw you at Big 12 Media Days. This is a first for me – it’s July 28, and we just finished practice No. 5. So, it is upon us, and we are rolling. This is the second full week of fall camp. We're in a spell right now – everybody in the country is right now with the heat. We're trying to go as early in the morning as we can, getting our work done and trying to keep our kids hydrated and as safe as we can. So, it will be a heavy day tomorrow, and then we have an off day. Then I think maybe the weather even lessens a little bit. But, we've had good work so far.“Before we get into questions, let me update you on George Fitzpatrick. Everybody had heard he had a medical incident the last week of the summer. He's doing much better. He's back in Manhattan. He's been into the facility a handful of times. Really, guys, it's just a day-by-day basis with George. We don't really have a timetable, but he's doing a lot better. So, I don't have a lot of other information that I'm able to share on that other than he's doing well and back in Manhattan.”– k-statesports.com –

FB: K-State’s Klieman Holds Initial Preseason Camp Press Conference

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ronald Acuña Jr., Marcell Ozuna and Austin Riley homered as the Atlanta Braves snapped a five-game losing streak with a 10-7 victory over the Kansas City Royals, who equaled a club record by walking 14 batters Monday night.

It was the fourth time the Royals walked 14 and the first since 2006.

Acuña hit a two-run homer, his 14th, in the third and an inning later Ozuna added another two-run shot, also his 14th. Riley hit a solo homer, his 15th, in the seventh — and his three-run double in the eighth made it 9-3.

Spencer Strider (5-8) pitched five innings, giving up two runs on seven hits and two walks with three strikeouts. Raisel Iglesias squelched a Royals rally in the ninth for his 12th save.

Six of Kansas City's walks were issued by Rich Hill (0-2), who went four innings and gave up four runs and four hits. It was the second start of 2025 for the 45-year-old Hill after making his season debut with the Royals last Tuesday. It was also Hill’s 250th career start and 388th appearance in his 21st season.

Randal Grichuk hit his eighth homer, his first with the Royals since being acquired from Arizona on Saturday. Bobby Witt Jr. hit two doubles and leads the majors with 36. Maikel Garcia had two doubles among his three hits.

Royals catcher Salvador Perez was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-royals-salvador-perez-9a119dc57d34070ee0714048fff93a6b">hit on the left elbow by a pitch</a>&nbsp;in the third and later left the game with a bruise.

After the Royals scored two runs with none out in the ninth, Iglesias came in and gave up a sacrifice fly before securing the victory.

The Braves had nine hits, six for extra bases.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ronald Acuña Jr., Marcell Ozuna and Austin Riley homered as the Atlanta Braves snapped a five-game losing streak with a 10-7 victory over the Kansas City Royals, who equaled a club record by walking 14 batters Monday night.It was the fourth time the Royals walked 14 and the first since 2006.Acuña hit a two-run homer, his 14th, in the third and an inning later Ozuna added another two-run shot, also his 14th. Riley hit a solo homer, his 15th, in the seventh — and his three-run double in the eighth made it 9-3.Spencer Strider (5-8) pitched five innings, giving up two runs on seven hits and two walks with three strikeouts. Raisel Iglesias squelched a Royals rally in the ninth for his 12th save.Six of Kansas City's walks were issued by Rich Hill (0-2), who went four innings and gave up four runs and four hits. It was the second start of 2025 for the 45-year-old Hill after making his season debut with the Royals last Tuesday. It was also Hill’s 250th career start and 388th appearance in his 21st season.Randal Grichuk hit his eighth homer, his first with the Royals since being acquired from Arizona on Saturday. Bobby Witt Jr. hit two doubles and leads the majors with 36. Maikel Garcia had two doubles among his three hits.Royals catcher Salvador Perez was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-royals-salvador-perez-9a119dc57d34070ee0714048fff93a6b">hit on the left elbow by a pitch</a>&nbsp;in the third and later left the game with a bruise.<h2>Key moment</h2>After the Royals scored two runs with none out in the ninth, Iglesias came in and gave up a sacrifice fly before securing the victory.<h2>Key stat</h2>The Braves had nine hits, six for extra bases.<h2>Up next</h2>

⚾Acuña, Ozuna and Riley homer as Braves beat the Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Noah Cameron escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first before tossing five innings of three-hit ball, Maikel Garcia homered for the second time in three games, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Cleveland Guardians 4-1 on Sunday.

Garcia finished with two RBIs, and Vinnie Pasquantino and Luke Maile also drove in runs, while the Kansas City bullpen allowed only Gabriel Arias' homer amid four hits over the final four innings.

Carlos Estévez worked around a leadoff double in the ninth for his 27th save.

Cameron (5-4) was stingy after the first, when Steven Kwan, Angel Martínez and José Ramírez began the game by loading the bases with nobody out. Cameron rebounded to retire David Fry, Carlos Santana and Arias, then allowed only two baserunners in the next four innings. He also struck out six in another dominant performance.

The 26-year-old left-hander from nearby St. Joseph, Missouri, lowered his ERA to 2.44 and has not lost a game since June 27.

Joey Cantillo (2-1) lasted only four innings for Cleveland on a hot, humid day in Kansas City. He allowed three runs and three hits and four walks while striking out four in his fifth start since joining the Guardians' rotation.

Cantillo had twice faced Kansas City in relief this season, retiring all six he faced and striking out four of them.

The fruitless first proved to be pivotal for Cleveland, when Fry flied out to right, Santana struck out and Arias grounded out to end the inning. Kansas City proceeded to coax across two runs in the bottom half and never trailed.

The Royals won despite going 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position.

The Guardians return home to face Colorado on Monday night with RHP Slade Cecconi (5-4, 3.76 ERA) starting the opener. The Royals welcome the Braves on Monday night with LHP Rich Hill (0-1, 1.80) on the mound first for the three-game series.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753651898491.jpeg" alt="St. Joseph's Noah Cameron continued to make a strong case for an AL Rookie of the Year bid with another strong performance as the Royals clinched the series over the Guardians-Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>St. Joseph's Noah Cameron continued to make a strong case for an AL Rookie of the Year bid with another strong performance as the Royals clinched the series over the Guardians-Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Noah Cameron escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first before tossing five innings of three-hit ball, Maikel Garcia homered for the second time in three games, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Cleveland Guardians 4-1 on Sunday.Garcia finished with two RBIs, and Vinnie Pasquantino and Luke Maile also drove in runs, while the Kansas City bullpen allowed only Gabriel Arias' homer amid four hits over the final four innings.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753654434475.png" alt="Photo Kansas City Royals" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Royals</figcaption>
 </figure>Carlos Estévez worked around a leadoff double in the ninth for his 27th save.Cameron (5-4) was stingy after the first, when Steven Kwan, Angel Martínez and José Ramírez began the game by loading the bases with nobody out. Cameron rebounded to retire David Fry, Carlos Santana and Arias, then allowed only two baserunners in the next four innings. He also struck out six in another dominant performance.The 26-year-old left-hander from nearby St. Joseph, Missouri, lowered his ERA to 2.44 and has not lost a game since June 27.Joey Cantillo (2-1) lasted only four innings for Cleveland on a hot, humid day in Kansas City. He allowed three runs and three hits and four walks while striking out four in his fifth start since joining the Guardians' rotation.Cantillo had twice faced Kansas City in relief this season, retiring all six he faced and striking out four of them.<h2>Key moment</h2>The fruitless first proved to be pivotal for Cleveland, when Fry flied out to right, Santana struck out and Arias grounded out to end the inning. Kansas City proceeded to coax across two runs in the bottom half and never trailed.<h2>Key stat</h2>The Royals won despite going 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position.<h2>Up next</h2>The Guardians return home to face Colorado on Monday night with RHP Slade Cecconi (5-4, 3.76 ERA) starting the opener. The Royals welcome the Braves on Monday night with LHP Rich Hill (0-1, 1.80) on the mound first for the three-game series.

⚾Maikel Garcia homers to lead the Royals over Guardians

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals placed All-Star left-hander Kris Bubic on the 15-day injured list with a rotator cuff strain and outfielder Jac Caglianone on the 10-day IL with a strained left hamstring amid a series of moves before their series finale against Cleveland on Sunday.

The Royals also welcomed outfielder Randal Grichuk, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-diamondbacks-trade-87f6f60e37cd00beaeb9c3924e2c922b">acquired on Saturday night</a>&nbsp;in a deal that shipped reliever Andrew Hoffmann to Arizona, and recalled right-handed reliever Jonathan Bowlan from Triple-A Omaha to help the bullpen.

Bubic walked the first four batters he faced and only managed to last 2 2/3 innings&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/guardians-royals-score-e9dff49ae08ba862a081e7ebbf3ba835">against the Guardians on Saturday</a>, when he started the second game of a split doubleheader. He needed 42 pitches to get through the first inning, and he wound up allowing four runs and three hits in his shortest start since Sept. 18, 2022, at Boston.

“He’s getting some further testing and then we’ll talk to the doc here and see what we got,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said.

Bubic said he’s experienced some shoulder soreness for much of the season, but he’s been able to pitch through it at a break-through level. Even with the rocky start Saturday, he has a 2.55 ERA — the fifth-best mark in the American League.

“I mean, you see how he’s performed,” Quatraro said. “Most pitchers when they go out there, they feel something almost every time. The severity of it and his ability to continue to deal with it has been manageable, by his own admission. ... And it’s gotten to the point where, you know, he doesn’t, and we don’t feel like it’s best for him to keep fighting through it.”

The Royals rotation has suddenly thinned considerably. Left-hander Cole Ragans remains on the IL with a strained rotator cuff and is not expected back until late August, and right-hander Michael Lorenzen is progressing from his strained left oblique but may need to make a rehab start before he returns to the Royals sometime in August.

The Royals already have had to plug one spot with 45-year-old Rich Hill, who pitched well in his debut for them this past week.

Caglianone, the Royals’ 22-year-old power-hitter, felt tightness in his hamstring while running down a double into the gap in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader. Then he felt the twinge again while running to first on a groundout later the inning.

The timing of the injury could have been worse: The Royals had been working on a deal to land Grichuk, who nearly signed with them in the offseason but will now help them primarily against left-handed hitting for the rest of the season.

“You’ve seen our outfield had gotten very heavily left-handed. Something we thought we needed to add was a right-handed bat,” said Quatraro, whose team began the day 51-54 and 4 1/2 games back in the AL wild-card race.

Grichuk was 0 for 2 on Saturday night in Pittsburgh, flying out in the second inning and the fourth, when he was told by the Diamondbacks that he had been traded. He hugged several teammates in the dugout and then headed out, catching a flight first thing Sunday so that he could be in Kansas City in time for the series finale against the Guardians.

He was put in the starting lineup right away, batting sixth and playing right field.

“When they called they said, ‘If you’re willing to be here to play, you know, we want you in the starting lineup,’” Grichuk said, “and yeah, I want to play. That’s kind of my M.O. And so I said, ‘Let’s do it. We’ll make it happen, even if it’s crazy travel.’”

The one hang-up was Grichuk’s number: He’s always worn 15 and that number was taken by backup catcher Luke Maile. But it turns out the two knew each other from their days together in Toronto, so a quick text message smoothed things out. Maile took No. 17 and gave his old buddy No. 15 — “We’ll work something out,” Grichuk said of potential compensation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1748859163449.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Kris Bubic throws to a Detroit Tigers batter during the first inning of a baseball game in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, June 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Kris Bubic throws to a Detroit Tigers batter during the first inning of a baseball game in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, June 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals placed All-Star left-hander Kris Bubic on the 15-day injured list with a rotator cuff strain and outfielder Jac Caglianone on the 10-day IL with a strained left hamstring amid a series of moves before their series finale against Cleveland on Sunday.The Royals also welcomed outfielder Randal Grichuk, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-diamondbacks-trade-87f6f60e37cd00beaeb9c3924e2c922b">acquired on Saturday night</a>&nbsp;in a deal that shipped reliever Andrew Hoffmann to Arizona, and recalled right-handed reliever Jonathan Bowlan from Triple-A Omaha to help the bullpen.Bubic walked the first four batters he faced and only managed to last 2 2/3 innings&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/guardians-royals-score-e9dff49ae08ba862a081e7ebbf3ba835">against the Guardians on Saturday</a>, when he started the second game of a split doubleheader. He needed 42 pitches to get through the first inning, and he wound up allowing four runs and three hits in his shortest start since Sept. 18, 2022, at Boston.“He’s getting some further testing and then we’ll talk to the doc here and see what we got,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said.Bubic said he’s experienced some shoulder soreness for much of the season, but he’s been able to pitch through it at a break-through level. Even with the rocky start Saturday, he has a 2.55 ERA — the fifth-best mark in the American League.“I mean, you see how he’s performed,” Quatraro said. “Most pitchers when they go out there, they feel something almost every time. The severity of it and his ability to continue to deal with it has been manageable, by his own admission. ... And it’s gotten to the point where, you know, he doesn’t, and we don’t feel like it’s best for him to keep fighting through it.”The Royals rotation has suddenly thinned considerably. Left-hander Cole Ragans remains on the IL with a strained rotator cuff and is not expected back until late August, and right-hander Michael Lorenzen is progressing from his strained left oblique but may need to make a rehab start before he returns to the Royals sometime in August.The Royals already have had to plug one spot with 45-year-old Rich Hill, who pitched well in his debut for them this past week.Caglianone, the Royals’ 22-year-old power-hitter, felt tightness in his hamstring while running down a double into the gap in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader. Then he felt the twinge again while running to first on a groundout later the inning.The timing of the injury could have been worse: The Royals had been working on a deal to land Grichuk, who nearly signed with them in the offseason but will now help them primarily against left-handed hitting for the rest of the season.“You’ve seen our outfield had gotten very heavily left-handed. Something we thought we needed to add was a right-handed bat,” said Quatraro, whose team began the day 51-54 and 4 1/2 games back in the AL wild-card race.Grichuk was 0 for 2 on Saturday night in Pittsburgh, flying out in the second inning and the fourth, when he was told by the Diamondbacks that he had been traded. He hugged several teammates in the dugout and then headed out, catching a flight first thing Sunday so that he could be in Kansas City in time for the series finale against the Guardians.He was put in the starting lineup right away, batting sixth and playing right field.“When they called they said, ‘If you’re willing to be here to play, you know, we want you in the starting lineup,’” Grichuk said, “and yeah, I want to play. That’s kind of my M.O. And so I said, ‘Let’s do it. We’ll make it happen, even if it’s crazy travel.’”The one hang-up was Grichuk’s number: He’s always worn 15 and that number was taken by backup catcher Luke Maile. But it turns out the two knew each other from their days together in Toronto, so a quick text message smoothed things out. Maile took No. 17 and gave his old buddy No. 15 — “We’ll work something out,” Grichuk said of potential compensation.

⚾ Royals put Kris Bubic, Jac Caglianone on IL; newly acquired Randal Grichuk into starting lineup

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Steven Kwan hit a two-run home run, Tanner Bibee struck out eight in five innings, and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Kansas City Royals 6-4 on Saturday night to earn a doubleheader split.

Kansas City&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cleveland-guardians-kansas-city-royals-score-bc3d30f7d34788831c14afe7331d699f">won the first game 5-3</a>&nbsp;with a walk-off homer in the 10th inning. The Guardians have not swept the Royals in a doubleheader since April 24, 2008.

Kwan's 431-foot home run into the right field fountains of Kauffman Stadium gave the Guardians a 6-2 lead.

The Guardians drew four straight walks in the first with Carlos Santana drawing the RBI walk to give Cleveland a 1-0 lead. Johnathan Rodríguez extended the lead with a two-run double in the first. Daniel Schneemann hit a sacrifice fly RBI in the third.

Bobby Witt Jr. and Freddy Fermin each hit two-run home runs for Kansas City.

Bibee (7-9) allowed four runs on seven hits for his third straight win. After taking the loss in game one, Emmanuel Clase earned his 24th save of the season.

Kris Bubic (8-7) gave up four runs on three hits in 2 2/3 innings of work with four walks and one strikeout. Bubic got off to a slow start, throwing 42 pitches in the first inning. The four walks matched a season-high.

Jac Caglianone exited game one on Saturday with left groin tightness and was moved to the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain.

Kwan's home run was the spark the Guardians needed to get the win. Since July 7, Cleveland has homered in 14 of 16 games.

Santana drew his 133rd career walk against the Royals, which tied Rickey Henderson for most career walks vs. Kansas City.

LHP Joey Cantillo (2-0, 3.91 ERA) will start the series finale for Cleveland. LHP Noah Cameron (4-4, 2.61) is slated to take the mound for Kansas City.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Steven Kwan hit a two-run home run, Tanner Bibee struck out eight in five innings, and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Kansas City Royals 6-4 on Saturday night to earn a doubleheader split.Kansas City&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cleveland-guardians-kansas-city-royals-score-bc3d30f7d34788831c14afe7331d699f">won the first game 5-3</a>&nbsp;with a walk-off homer in the 10th inning. The Guardians have not swept the Royals in a doubleheader since April 24, 2008.Kwan's 431-foot home run into the right field fountains of Kauffman Stadium gave the Guardians a 6-2 lead.The Guardians drew four straight walks in the first with Carlos Santana drawing the RBI walk to give Cleveland a 1-0 lead. Johnathan Rodríguez extended the lead with a two-run double in the first. Daniel Schneemann hit a sacrifice fly RBI in the third.Bobby Witt Jr. and Freddy Fermin each hit two-run home runs for Kansas City.Bibee (7-9) allowed four runs on seven hits for his third straight win. After taking the loss in game one, Emmanuel Clase earned his 24th save of the season.Kris Bubic (8-7) gave up four runs on three hits in 2 2/3 innings of work with four walks and one strikeout. Bubic got off to a slow start, throwing 42 pitches in the first inning. The four walks matched a season-high.Jac Caglianone exited game one on Saturday with left groin tightness and was moved to the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain.<h2>Key moment</h2>Kwan's home run was the spark the Guardians needed to get the win. Since July 7, Cleveland has homered in 14 of 16 games.<h2>Key stat</h2>Santana drew his 133rd career walk against the Royals, which tied Rickey Henderson for most career walks vs. Kansas City.<h2>Up next</h2>LHP Joey Cantillo (2-0, 3.91 ERA) will start the series finale for Cleveland. LHP Noah Cameron (4-4, 2.61) is slated to take the mound for Kansas City.

⚾ Kwan's homer lifts Guardians over Royals and doubleheader split

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jonathan India hit a three-run home run in the 10th inning to send the Kansas City Royals past the Cleveland Guardians 5-3 on Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader.

Trailing 3-2, John Rave and Luke Maile walked to lead off the 10th off Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase (5-3).

Automatic runner Tyler Tolbert was picked off second base after Rave's walk. India's 413-foot drive to left center won it for the Royals. It was India’s fifth homer of the season.

Kyle Manzardo's bases-loaded RBI single in the top of the 10th gave the Guardians a 3-2 lead.

Steven Cruz (3-1) earned the win for Kansas City.

Maikel Garcia went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run, triple and a walk. Salvador Perez had a two-hit game with a double. Garcia's two-run homer in the fourth inning gave the Royals a 2-0 lead. It was his ninth homer of the season.

Bo Naylor drove in both of the runs for the Guardians with a sac fly in the fifth and an RBI double in the seventh.

Kansas City's Michael Wacha pitched 5 1-3 innings of one-run ball, allowing three hits with five strikeouts and one walk.

Gavin Williams gave up two runs and five hits in six innings with three strikeouts and two walks for the Royals.

The series opener on Friday game was postponed because of weather, which set up a split doubleheader on Saturday.

Missed opportunities in the later innings cost the Guardians. With two on and one out in the seventh, Brayan Rocchio attempted to score from first on Naylor’s RBI double, but was thrown out at home. Cleveland had runners on first and second with one out in the ninth and had the bases loaded in the 10th, but only scored once. The Guardians went 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position and left 10 runners on base.

Jac Caglianone (left hamstring tightness) left the game in the top of the third inning after grounding into a double play in the bottom of the second.

This was the first matchup for between the AL Central foes since April 13. For the Royals, it was the first divisional game since June 8.

RHP Tanner Bibee (6-9, 4.27 ERA) will start for Cleveland in the second game. LHP Kris Bubic (8-6, 2.38) will counter for Kansas City.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753569070739.png" alt="Photo Kansas City Royals" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Royals</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jonathan India hit a three-run home run in the 10th inning to send the Kansas City Royals past the Cleveland Guardians 5-3 on Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader.Trailing 3-2, John Rave and Luke Maile walked to lead off the 10th off Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase (5-3).Automatic runner Tyler Tolbert was picked off second base after Rave's walk. India's 413-foot drive to left center won it for the Royals. It was India’s fifth homer of the season.Kyle Manzardo's bases-loaded RBI single in the top of the 10th gave the Guardians a 3-2 lead.Steven Cruz (3-1) earned the win for Kansas City.Maikel Garcia went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run, triple and a walk. Salvador Perez had a two-hit game with a double. Garcia's two-run homer in the fourth inning gave the Royals a 2-0 lead. It was his ninth homer of the season.Bo Naylor drove in both of the runs for the Guardians with a sac fly in the fifth and an RBI double in the seventh.Kansas City's Michael Wacha pitched 5 1-3 innings of one-run ball, allowing three hits with five strikeouts and one walk.Gavin Williams gave up two runs and five hits in six innings with three strikeouts and two walks for the Royals.The series opener on Friday game was postponed because of weather, which set up a split doubleheader on Saturday.<h2>Key moment</h2>Missed opportunities in the later innings cost the Guardians. With two on and one out in the seventh, Brayan Rocchio attempted to score from first on Naylor’s RBI double, but was thrown out at home. Cleveland had runners on first and second with one out in the ninth and had the bases loaded in the 10th, but only scored once. The Guardians went 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position and left 10 runners on base.<h2>Trainer’s room</h2>Jac Caglianone (left hamstring tightness) left the game in the top of the third inning after grounding into a double play in the bottom of the second.<h2>Key stats</h2>This was the first matchup for between the AL Central foes since April 13. For the Royals, it was the first divisional game since June 8.<h2>Up next</h2>RHP Tanner Bibee (6-9, 4.27 ERA) will start for Cleveland in the second game. LHP Kris Bubic (8-6, 2.38) will counter for Kansas City.___

⚾ Royals rally past Guardians in 10 innings in first game of doubleheader

The 2025 regular season for the Junction City Brigade wrapped up last weekend, and the Junction City Brigade finished in second place in the Jayhawk Collegiate League. By finishing in the top three, the Brigade qualified for the National Baseball Congress (NBC) World Series.

Junction City lost their first two games of the season and then held steady, staying right about .500 into late June. On June 25, the Brigade had a record of 10-9. After that, they ended the regular season winning 15 of their final 17 games and finished 25-11. (Junction City only finished behind the Hutchinson Monarchs, who went 25-7).

Junction City will now play in the postseason at the NBC World Series this weekend. This is the first year for the Brigade in the Jayhawk Collegiate League, so it is also the first year they have qualified for the NBC World Series.

In a radio interview with 107.9 FM / 1420 AM KJCK Radio, General Manager of the Brigade, Cecil Aska, expressed excitement about playing in the postseason tournament. "This is a brand new experience for us," Aska said. "The main thing I want our guys to do is stay in the right frame of mind and represent our community and the Junction City Brigade, and help put us on the map."

Micah Cannon, the head coach of the Brigade, in his first year coaching the team, is appreciative of the opportunity, but also wants his team to realize more work is still to be done. "I just keep challenging our guys," Cannon said. "I don't care if we are playing the Yankees or the Bad News Bears, I challenge them to compete the same way."

The NBC World Series, which is in its 91st&nbsp;year, is held in Wichita and played at Eck Stadium, the home of the Wichita State Shockers baseball team. 16 teams make it into the NBC, and they are from all across the country. 16 teams are split into four different pools, and three teams from each pool advance into bracket play, which begins next week. The World Series began on Thursday, July 24, and goes through Saturday, August 2.

Junction City will play three games in pool play. Their pool play schedule is posted below.

Game 1 - Junction City Brigade vs. TPA Texas - Saturday @ Noon

Game 2 - Junction City Brigade vs. GPS Legends - Sunday @ 3:00 p.m.

Game 3 - Junction City Brigade vs. Alaska Goldpanners - Tuesday @ 6:00 p.m.

For more information on the schedule, tickets or the NBC World Series, check out their website <a href="https://nbcbaseball.com/">here.</a>

You can follow the Junction City Brigade facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JCBrigade/">here.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753503269776.jpeg" alt="(Photo - Junction City Brigade Facebook Page)" />
 <figcaption>(Photo - Junction City Brigade Facebook Page)</figcaption>
 </figure>By Anthony GorgesJC PostThe 2025 regular season for the Junction City Brigade wrapped up last weekend, and the Junction City Brigade finished in second place in the Jayhawk Collegiate League. By finishing in the top three, the Brigade qualified for the National Baseball Congress (NBC) World Series.Junction City lost their first two games of the season and then held steady, staying right about .500 into late June. On June 25, the Brigade had a record of 10-9. After that, they ended the regular season winning 15 of their final 17 games and finished 25-11. (Junction City only finished behind the Hutchinson Monarchs, who went 25-7).Junction City will now play in the postseason at the NBC World Series this weekend. This is the first year for the Brigade in the Jayhawk Collegiate League, so it is also the first year they have qualified for the NBC World Series.In a radio interview with 107.9 FM / 1420 AM KJCK Radio, General Manager of the Brigade, Cecil Aska, expressed excitement about playing in the postseason tournament. "This is a brand new experience for us," Aska said. "The main thing I want our guys to do is stay in the right frame of mind and represent our community and the Junction City Brigade, and help put us on the map."Micah Cannon, the head coach of the Brigade, in his first year coaching the team, is appreciative of the opportunity, but also wants his team to realize more work is still to be done. "I just keep challenging our guys," Cannon said. "I don't care if we are playing the Yankees or the Bad News Bears, I challenge them to compete the same way."The NBC World Series, which is in its 91st&nbsp;year, is held in Wichita and played at Eck Stadium, the home of the Wichita State Shockers baseball team. 16 teams make it into the NBC, and they are from all across the country. 16 teams are split into four different pools, and three teams from each pool advance into bracket play, which begins next week. The World Series began on Thursday, July 24, and goes through Saturday, August 2.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753503663335.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Junction City will play three games in pool play. Their pool play schedule is posted below. Game 1 - Junction City Brigade vs. TPA Texas - Saturday @ NoonGame 2 - Junction City Brigade vs. GPS Legends - Sunday @ 3:00 p.m.Game 3 - Junction City Brigade vs. Alaska Goldpanners - Tuesday @ 6:00 p.m.For more information on the schedule, tickets or the NBC World Series, check out their website <a href="https://nbcbaseball.com/">here.</a>You can follow the Junction City Brigade facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JCBrigade/">here.</a>

Postseason Play begins this Weekend for the Junction City Brigade

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Thursday signed an executive order mandating that federal authorities clarify whether college athletes can be considered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-lawsuit-settlement-c5e0cea45fd210cc935cff992ab16f25">employees of the schools</a>&nbsp;they play for in an attempt to create clearer national standards in the NCAA’s name, image and likeness era.

Trump directed the secretary of labor and the National Labor Relations Board to clarify the status of collegiate athletes through guidance or rules “that will maximize the educational benefits and opportunities provided by higher education institutions through athletics.”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/07/saving-college-sports/" target="_blank">The order</a>&nbsp;does not provide or suggest specifics on the controversial topic of college athlete employment.

The move comes after months of speculation about whether Trump will establish a college sports commission to tackle some of the thorny issues facing what is now a multibillion-dollar industry. He instead issued an order intended to add some controls to “an out-of-control, rudderless system in which competing university donors engage in bidding wars for the best players, who can change teams each season.”

“Absent guardrails to stop the madness and ensure a reasonable, balanced use of resources across collegiate athletic programs that preserves their educational and developmental benefits, many college sports will soon cease to exist,” Trump’s order says. “It is common sense that college sports are not, and should not be, professional sports, and my administration will take action accordingly.”

There has been a dramatic increase in money flowing into and around college athletics and a sense of chaos. Key court victories won by athletes angry that they were barred for decades from earning income based on their celebrity and from sharing in the billions of revenue they helped generate have gutted the amateurism model long at the heart of college sports.

Facing a growing number of state laws undercutting its authority, the NCAA in July 2021 cleared the way for athletes to cash in with NIL deals with brands and sponsors — deals now worth millions. That came mere days after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-sports-basketball-football-college-basketball-mens-college-basketball-417874bc33f0a791458bb4ad8d414305">9-0 decision</a>&nbsp;from the Supreme Court that found the NCAA cannot impose caps on education-related benefits schools provide to their athletes because such limits violate antitrust law.

The NCAA’s embrace of NIL deals set the stage for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-house-settlement-aa3169056e8194aeebf34495641bce0b">another massive change</a>&nbsp;that took effect July 1: The ability of schools to begin paying millions of dollars to their own athletes, up to $20.5 million per school over the next year. The $2.8 billion&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-settlement-b6ff58d62f93359789dde1626f827bf1">House settlement</a>&nbsp;shifts even more power to athletes, who have also won the ability to transfer from school to school without waiting to play.

At Big Ten Conference football media days in Las Vegas, Purdue coach Barry Odom was asked about the Trump order.

“We’ve gotten to the point where government is involved. Obviously, there’s belief it needs to be involved,” he said. “We’ll get it all worked out. The game’s been around for a hundred years and it’s going to be around 100 more.”

The NCAA has been lobbying for several years for limited antitrust protection to keep some kind of control over this new landscape — and avoid more crippling lawsuits — but a handful of bills have gone nowhere in Congress. Trump’s order makes no mention of that, nor does it refer to any of the current&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/olympics-ncaa-sports-congress-59d5ed03574fbe1c22063d0d9496eb35">bills in Congress</a>&nbsp;aimed at addressing issues in college sports.

orking with student-athletes, a bipartisan coalition in Congress and the Trump administration,” said Baker, while the conferences said it was important to pass a law with national standards for athletes’ NIL rights as soon as possible.

The 1,100 universities that comprise the NCAA have insisted for decades that athletes are students who cannot be considered anything like a school employee. Still, some coaches have recently suggested&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-settlement-tennessee-athlete-bargaining-e6b2c2b30a693a1313d1f04be8d304e9">collective bargaining</a>&nbsp;as a potential solution to the chaos they see.

It is a complicated topic: Universities would become responsible for paying wages, benefits, and workers’ compensation and schools and conferences have insisted they will fight any such move in court. While private institutions fall under the National Labor Relations Board, public universities must follow labor laws that vary from state to state and it’s worth noting that virtually every state in the South has “right to work” laws that present challenges for unions.

— Calls for adding or at least preserving athletic scholarships and roster spots for non-revenue sports, which are those outside football and basketball. The House settlement allows for unlimited scholarships but does impose roster limits, leading to a complicated set of decisions for each program at each school that include potential concerns about Title IX equity rules. Trump said “opportunities for scholarships and collegiate athletic competition in women’s and non-revenue sports must be preserved and, where possible, expanded.”

— Asks the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission to “preserve college athletics through litigation” and other actions to protect the rights and interests of athletes — a stance that could influence&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-zakai-zeigler-lawsuit-pistons-323876e4b82844a68da27362a1d102da">ongoing lawsuits</a>&nbsp;filed by athletes over eligibility and other issues.

— Directs White House staff to work with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee to protect the collegiate pipeline&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-settlement-olympic-sports-98e974041f0af901b047d69672ad3176">feeding Team USA.</a>&nbsp;College sports programs produce around three-quarters of U.S. Olympians at a typical Summer Games, but some are on uncertain footing as schools begin sharing revenue with athletes and the lion’s share going to football and basketball.

AP National Writer Eddie Pells contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732431241743.jpeg" alt="File Photo courtesy of K State Football on X" />
 <figcaption>File Photo courtesy of K State Football on X</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Thursday signed an executive order mandating that federal authorities clarify whether college athletes can be considered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-lawsuit-settlement-c5e0cea45fd210cc935cff992ab16f25">employees of the schools</a>&nbsp;they play for in an attempt to create clearer national standards in the NCAA’s name, image and likeness era.Trump directed the secretary of labor and the National Labor Relations Board to clarify the status of collegiate athletes through guidance or rules “that will maximize the educational benefits and opportunities provided by higher education institutions through athletics.”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/07/saving-college-sports/" target="_blank">The order</a>&nbsp;does not provide or suggest specifics on the controversial topic of college athlete employment.The move comes after months of speculation about whether Trump will establish a college sports commission to tackle some of the thorny issues facing what is now a multibillion-dollar industry. He instead issued an order intended to add some controls to “an out-of-control, rudderless system in which competing university donors engage in bidding wars for the best players, who can change teams each season.”“Absent guardrails to stop the madness and ensure a reasonable, balanced use of resources across collegiate athletic programs that preserves their educational and developmental benefits, many college sports will soon cease to exist,” Trump’s order says. “It is common sense that college sports are not, and should not be, professional sports, and my administration will take action accordingly.”There has been a dramatic increase in money flowing into and around college athletics and a sense of chaos. Key court victories won by athletes angry that they were barred for decades from earning income based on their celebrity and from sharing in the billions of revenue they helped generate have gutted the amateurism model long at the heart of college sports.Facing a growing number of state laws undercutting its authority, the NCAA in July 2021 cleared the way for athletes to cash in with NIL deals with brands and sponsors — deals now worth millions. That came mere days after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-sports-basketball-football-college-basketball-mens-college-basketball-417874bc33f0a791458bb4ad8d414305">9-0 decision</a>&nbsp;from the Supreme Court that found the NCAA cannot impose caps on education-related benefits schools provide to their athletes because such limits violate antitrust law.The NCAA’s embrace of NIL deals set the stage for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-house-settlement-aa3169056e8194aeebf34495641bce0b">another massive change</a>&nbsp;that took effect July 1: The ability of schools to begin paying millions of dollars to their own athletes, up to $20.5 million per school over the next year. The $2.8 billion&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-settlement-b6ff58d62f93359789dde1626f827bf1">House settlement</a>&nbsp;shifts even more power to athletes, who have also won the ability to transfer from school to school without waiting to play.At Big Ten Conference football media days in Las Vegas, Purdue coach Barry Odom was asked about the Trump order.“We’ve gotten to the point where government is involved. Obviously, there’s belief it needs to be involved,” he said. “We’ll get it all worked out. The game’s been around for a hundred years and it’s going to be around 100 more.”The NCAA has been lobbying for several years for limited antitrust protection to keep some kind of control over this new landscape — and avoid more crippling lawsuits — but a handful of bills have gone nowhere in Congress. Trump’s order makes no mention of that, nor does it refer to any of the current&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/olympics-ncaa-sports-congress-59d5ed03574fbe1c22063d0d9496eb35">bills in Congress</a>&nbsp;aimed at addressing issues in college sports.orking with student-athletes, a bipartisan coalition in Congress and the Trump administration,” said Baker, while the conferences said it was important to pass a law with national standards for athletes’ NIL rights as soon as possible.The 1,100 universities that comprise the NCAA have insisted for decades that athletes are students who cannot be considered anything like a school employee. Still, some coaches have recently suggested&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-settlement-tennessee-athlete-bargaining-e6b2c2b30a693a1313d1f04be8d304e9">collective bargaining</a>&nbsp;as a potential solution to the chaos they see.It is a complicated topic: Universities would become responsible for paying wages, benefits, and workers’ compensation and schools and conferences have insisted they will fight any such move in court. While private institutions fall under the National Labor Relations Board, public universities must follow labor laws that vary from state to state and it’s worth noting that virtually every state in the South has “right to work” laws that present challenges for unions.Trump’s order also:— Calls for adding or at least preserving athletic scholarships and roster spots for non-revenue sports, which are those outside football and basketball. The House settlement allows for unlimited scholarships but does impose roster limits, leading to a complicated set of decisions for each program at each school that include potential concerns about Title IX equity rules. Trump said “opportunities for scholarships and collegiate athletic competition in women’s and non-revenue sports must be preserved and, where possible, expanded.”— Asks the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission to “preserve college athletics through litigation” and other actions to protect the rights and interests of athletes — a stance that could influence&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-zakai-zeigler-lawsuit-pistons-323876e4b82844a68da27362a1d102da">ongoing lawsuits</a>&nbsp;filed by athletes over eligibility and other issues.— Directs White House staff to work with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee to protect the collegiate pipeline&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-settlement-olympic-sports-98e974041f0af901b047d69672ad3176">feeding Team USA.</a>&nbsp;College sports programs produce around three-quarters of U.S. Olympians at a typical Summer Games, but some are on uncertain footing as schools begin sharing revenue with athletes and the lion’s share going to football and basketball.___AP National Writer Eddie Pells contributed.

Trump signs order to clarify college athletes' employment status amid NIL chaos

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas basketball coach Bill Self had two stents inserted into his heart to treat blocked arteries Thursday at Lawrence Memorial Hospital after he felt “felt unwell and experienced some concerning symptoms.”

“The procedure went very well, and he is expected to make a full recovery,” the Kansas athletic department said in a statement. "He is in good spirits and expects to be released from the hospital soon.”

The 62-year-old Self directed the final practice of the summer session Thursday morning as he prepares for his 23rd seasons as head coach of the Jayhawks. He missed the 2023 Big 12 and NCAA tournaments because of a heart condition, getting a standard catheterization and having two stents inserted to help treat blocked arteries.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681311280126.jpeg" alt="Bill Self-Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Bill Self-Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas basketball coach Bill Self had two stents inserted into his heart to treat blocked arteries Thursday at Lawrence Memorial Hospital after he felt “felt unwell and experienced some concerning symptoms.”“The procedure went very well, and he is expected to make a full recovery,” the Kansas athletic department said in a statement. "He is in good spirits and expects to be released from the hospital soon.”The 62-year-old Self directed the final practice of the summer session Thursday morning as he prepares for his 23rd seasons as head coach of the Jayhawks. He missed the 2023 Big 12 and NCAA tournaments because of a heart condition, getting a standard catheterization and having two stents inserted to help treat blocked arteries.

KU basketball coach Bill Self has stents inserted to treat blocked arteries

CHICAGO (AP) — Vinnie Pasquantino hit two of Kansas City’s four two-run homers and doubled on a 3-for-4 afternoon, leading the Royals past the Chicago Cubs 8-4 on Wednesday.

Salvador Perez and rookie Tyler Tolbert also went deep as the Royals took two of three games from the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Tolbert’s homer was his first in the majors.

Matt Shaw and Pete Crow-Armstrong hit solo shots for Chicago, which entered tied with Milwaukee for first place in the NL Central and the best record in the majors.

Pasquantino’s pair of 400-foot-plus drives gave him two multi-homer games this season, three for his career and upped his season total to 17. He entered with just one hit in his previous 16 at-bats.

Seth Lugo (7-5) tossed six innings, allowing two runs on four hits. The right-hander stuck out six and walked two before three relievers wrapped up the win.

The 35-year-old Perez has five homers in his last five games and cracked three in the series to give him a team leading 18.

Chicago's Colin Rea (8-4) was tagged with six runs, five earned, on six hits in five innings, ending his four-start winning streak.

Pasquantino drove his second homer off Rea’s full-count down-the-middle curve in the fifth to up the Royals lead to 6-2. Tolbert put it out of reach in the sixth, making it 8-2 with a drive off reliever Drew Pomeranz.

Tolbert left the game in the bottom of the eighth.

Rea had allowed only five runs over 23 2/3 innings in his four previous starts for an ERA of 1.90.

Royals RHP Michael Wacha (4-9, 3.62 ERA) faces Guardians RHP Gavin Williams (6-4, 3.54) on Friday in Kansas City.

Cubs LHP Shota Imanaga (7-3, 2.40) starts Friday at Rate Field against the White Sox, who send RHP Adrian Houser (5-2, 1.89) to the mound.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753305143425.jpeg" alt="Photo Kansas City Royals" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Royals</figcaption>
 </figure>CHICAGO (AP) — Vinnie Pasquantino hit two of Kansas City’s four two-run homers and doubled on a 3-for-4 afternoon, leading the Royals past the Chicago Cubs 8-4 on Wednesday.Salvador Perez and rookie Tyler Tolbert also went deep as the Royals took two of three games from the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Tolbert’s homer was his first in the majors.Matt Shaw and Pete Crow-Armstrong hit solo shots for Chicago, which entered tied with Milwaukee for first place in the NL Central and the best record in the majors.Pasquantino’s pair of 400-foot-plus drives gave him two multi-homer games this season, three for his career and upped his season total to 17. He entered with just one hit in his previous 16 at-bats.Seth Lugo (7-5) tossed six innings, allowing two runs on four hits. The right-hander stuck out six and walked two before three relievers wrapped up the win.The 35-year-old Perez has five homers in his last five games and cracked three in the series to give him a team leading 18.Chicago's Colin Rea (8-4) was tagged with six runs, five earned, on six hits in five innings, ending his four-start winning streak.<h2>Key moment</h2>Pasquantino drove his second homer off Rea’s full-count down-the-middle curve in the fifth to up the Royals lead to 6-2. Tolbert put it out of reach in the sixth, making it 8-2 with a drive off reliever Drew Pomeranz.Tolbert left the game in the bottom of the eighth.<h2>Key stat</h2>Rea had allowed only five runs over 23 2/3 innings in his four previous starts for an ERA of 1.90.<h2>Up next</h2>Royals RHP Michael Wacha (4-9, 3.62 ERA) faces Guardians RHP Gavin Williams (6-4, 3.54) on Friday in Kansas City.Cubs LHP Shota Imanaga (7-3, 2.40) starts Friday at Rate Field against the White Sox, who send RHP Adrian Houser (5-2, 1.89) to the mound.

⚾ Pasquantino hits two homers as Royals top the Cubs

CHICAGO (AP) — Matthew Boyd pitched seven crisp innings for his 11th win, and the Chicago Cubs spoiled Rich Hill’s return to the majors with a 6-0 win over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.

Nico Hoerner, Dansby Swanson and Matt Shaw each had two hits as Chicago ended a two-game slide. Shaw, Hoerner, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Seiya Suzuki and Carson Kelly had RBIs.

Boyd (11-3) gave up four hits, struck out six and walked one in winning his fifth straight start. The left-hander retired the first eight Royals batters and didn't allow a hit until Nick Loftin led off the fifth with a line single.

Caleb Thielbar followed with a perfect eighth and Daniel Palencia worked around two singles in the ninth to complete a six-hitter.

Hill (0-1)&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-cubs-rich-hill-oldest-e09c2d43a7a83309e1cf9696c3e80d71">became the oldest active player in baseball</a>&nbsp;after the Royals selected the 45-year-old from Triple-A Omaha. He allowed three runs — one earned — and six hits in five innings. The left-hander threw 90 pitches (55 strikes), walking two and striking out one.

It was the debut of Hill's 21st season in the majors and his first with Kansas City. The Royals are his 14th major league team, matching Edwin Jackson’s record.

Hill and the Royals fell behind 2-0 in the second when the Royals committed two errors, botching potential double plays. Crow-Armstrong doubled in a run off Hill in the fifth.

The Cubs put the game away with three runs in the seventh off Jonathan Bowlan.

After Loftin singled in the fifth, the Royals loaded the bases with one out on Freddy Fermin’s bloop and John Rave’s bunt single. Swanson snared Kyle Isbel’s broken-bat liner at shortstop, then dived to tag out Fermin before he could get back to second for an inning-ending double play.

The Cubs stole six bases in the game, including four off Hill. That included a double-steal by Justin Turner and Shaw in the second, Chicago scored its final run with on double-steal with Kyle Tucker stealing home and Suzuzki second base in the seventh.

Royals RHP Seth Lugo (6-5, 2.94 ERA) will face Cubs RHP Colin Rea (8-3, 3.80) on Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753237083056.png" alt="Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Rich Hill throws against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Tuesday, July 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Rich Hill throws against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Tuesday, July 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)</figcaption>
 </figure>CHICAGO (AP) — Matthew Boyd pitched seven crisp innings for his 11th win, and the Chicago Cubs spoiled Rich Hill’s return to the majors with a 6-0 win over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.Nico Hoerner, Dansby Swanson and Matt Shaw each had two hits as Chicago ended a two-game slide. Shaw, Hoerner, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Seiya Suzuki and Carson Kelly had RBIs.Boyd (11-3) gave up four hits, struck out six and walked one in winning his fifth straight start. The left-hander retired the first eight Royals batters and didn't allow a hit until Nick Loftin led off the fifth with a line single.Caleb Thielbar followed with a perfect eighth and Daniel Palencia worked around two singles in the ninth to complete a six-hitter.Hill (0-1)&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-cubs-rich-hill-oldest-e09c2d43a7a83309e1cf9696c3e80d71">became the oldest active player in baseball</a>&nbsp;after the Royals selected the 45-year-old from Triple-A Omaha. He allowed three runs — one earned — and six hits in five innings. The left-hander threw 90 pitches (55 strikes), walking two and striking out one.It was the debut of Hill's 21st season in the majors and his first with Kansas City. The Royals are his 14th major league team, matching Edwin Jackson’s record.Hill and the Royals fell behind 2-0 in the second when the Royals committed two errors, botching potential double plays. Crow-Armstrong doubled in a run off Hill in the fifth.The Cubs put the game away with three runs in the seventh off Jonathan Bowlan.<h2>Key moment</h2>After Loftin singled in the fifth, the Royals loaded the bases with one out on Freddy Fermin’s bloop and John Rave’s bunt single. Swanson snared Kyle Isbel’s broken-bat liner at shortstop, then dived to tag out Fermin before he could get back to second for an inning-ending double play.<h2>Key stat</h2>The Cubs stole six bases in the game, including four off Hill. That included a double-steal by Justin Turner and Shaw in the second, Chicago scored its final run with on double-steal with Kyle Tucker stealing home and Suzuzki second base in the seventh.<h2>Up next</h2>Royals RHP Seth Lugo (6-5, 2.94 ERA) will face Cubs RHP Colin Rea (8-3, 3.80) on Wednesday.

⚾ Matthew Boyd sharp for 11th win, Cubs blank Royals and Rich Hill 

CHICAGO (AP) — Salvador Perez homered twice and drove in four runs, Jac Caglianone and John Rave added solo shots and the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago Cubs 12-4 on Monday night.

Chicago’s Matt Shaw and Carson Kelly went deep off Noah Cameron (4-4) in the second, but the rookie lefthander was in control for most of the first six innings. He allowed all four Cubs runs and seven hits while striking out six to help the Royals win their second straight.

Ben Brown (4-7), recalled earlier in the day from Triple-A Iowa, replaced opener Ryan Brasier in the second and gave up six earned runs and seven hits while striking out four over the next four innings. Caglianone had a solo shot off Brown in the second and Perez added a two-run homer in the fourth.

Kansas City got RBI hits from Jonathan India and Bobby Witt Jr. to start a four-run fifth. The two scored on a throwing error and wild pitch, respectively.

Rave homered in the seventh off Chris Flexen, who gave up Perez’s two-run shot in a four-run eighth that ensured the Cubs’ second straight loss. Relievers John Schreiber and Andrew Hoffman kept Chicago scoreless, and Witt and Rave each finished with a pair of RBIs.

Shaw drove in three runs for the Cubs, who gave All-Star centerfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong the night off due to knee soreness.

Witt made the most of his at-bat in the fifth inning. He drove in Kyle Isbel with a single to put the Royals in front for good, stole second and went to third on Kelly’s errant pickoff throw, then scored on Brown’s wild pitch for the final run of the inning.

The top third of the Cubs’ order — Nico Hoerner, Kyle Tucker and Seiya Suzuki — was a combined 0 for 11.

Cubs LHP Matthew Boyd (10-3, 2.34 ERA) makes his first post-All Star break appearance Tuesday. Kansas City has not named a starter.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753154061646.jpeg" alt="Photo Kansas City Royals" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Royals</figcaption>
 </figure>CHICAGO (AP) — Salvador Perez homered twice and drove in four runs, Jac Caglianone and John Rave added solo shots and the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago Cubs 12-4 on Monday night.Chicago’s Matt Shaw and Carson Kelly went deep off Noah Cameron (4-4) in the second, but the rookie lefthander was in control for most of the first six innings. He allowed all four Cubs runs and seven hits while striking out six to help the Royals win their second straight.Ben Brown (4-7), recalled earlier in the day from Triple-A Iowa, replaced opener Ryan Brasier in the second and gave up six earned runs and seven hits while striking out four over the next four innings. Caglianone had a solo shot off Brown in the second and Perez added a two-run homer in the fourth.Kansas City got RBI hits from Jonathan India and Bobby Witt Jr. to start a four-run fifth. The two scored on a throwing error and wild pitch, respectively.Rave homered in the seventh off Chris Flexen, who gave up Perez’s two-run shot in a four-run eighth that ensured the Cubs’ second straight loss. Relievers John Schreiber and Andrew Hoffman kept Chicago scoreless, and Witt and Rave each finished with a pair of RBIs.Shaw drove in three runs for the Cubs, who gave All-Star centerfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong the night off due to knee soreness.<h2>Key moment</h2>Witt made the most of his at-bat in the fifth inning. He drove in Kyle Isbel with a single to put the Royals in front for good, stole second and went to third on Kelly’s errant pickoff throw, then scored on Brown’s wild pitch for the final run of the inning.<h2>Key stat</h2>The top third of the Cubs’ order — Nico Hoerner, Kyle Tucker and Seiya Suzuki — was a combined 0 for 11.Up nextCubs LHP Matthew Boyd (10-3, 2.34 ERA) makes his first post-All Star break appearance Tuesday. Kansas City has not named a starter.

⚾ Perez, Caglianone and Rave homers power Royals over the Cubs

MIAMI (AP) — Kris Bubic pitched five shutout innings, Salvador Perez homered and doubled and the Kansas City Royals beat Miami 7-4 on Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep and end the Marlins' winning streak at four.

Bubic (8-6) gave up three hits and a walk. Andrew Hoffmann came on in the ninth and gave up four runs — none earned — in two-thirds of an inning before Carlos Estévez got the final out for his 26th save.

Perez hit his 15th homer of the season in the eighth.

Kansas City took a 3-0 lead in the fourth, and made it 6-0 in the fifth.

In the fourth, Bobby Witt Jr. scored on Maikel Garcia's sacrifice fly, Perez hit a ground-rule double and Jac Caglianone followed with a two-run double off starter Janson Junk (4-2). In the fifth, Jonathan India had a two-run double and Vinnie Pasquantino added an RBI sacrifice fly.

Xavier Edwards and Agustín Ramírez each had two RBIs for Miami.

After India popped out to open the fourth, Witt hit his major league-leading 33 double of the season and moved to third on a single by Pasquantino to spark Kansas City's three-run fourth inning.

The Royals, who went into the game with the fourth-most doubles (172) in the major leagues behind the Boston Red Sox (202), Arizona Diamondbacks (178) and New York Yankees (175), had five doubles by five players.

Miami's Eury Pérez (3-2, 3.18 ERA) was scheduled to start Monday night at home against San Diego. Noah Cameron (3-4, 2.31) was set to start for Kansas City on Monday night in Chicago against the Cubs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753051874824.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez (13) gestures as he scores after hitting a solo home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Sunday, July 20, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez (13) gestures as he scores after hitting a solo home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Sunday, July 20, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)</figcaption>
 </figure>MIAMI (AP) — Kris Bubic pitched five shutout innings, Salvador Perez homered and doubled and the Kansas City Royals beat Miami 7-4 on Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep and end the Marlins' winning streak at four.Bubic (8-6) gave up three hits and a walk. Andrew Hoffmann came on in the ninth and gave up four runs — none earned — in two-thirds of an inning before Carlos Estévez got the final out for his 26th save.Perez hit his 15th homer of the season in the eighth.Kansas City took a 3-0 lead in the fourth, and made it 6-0 in the fifth.In the fourth, Bobby Witt Jr. scored on Maikel Garcia's sacrifice fly, Perez hit a ground-rule double and Jac Caglianone followed with a two-run double off starter Janson Junk (4-2). In the fifth, Jonathan India had a two-run double and Vinnie Pasquantino added an RBI sacrifice fly.Xavier Edwards and Agustín Ramírez each had two RBIs for Miami.<h2>Key moment</h2>After India popped out to open the fourth, Witt hit his major league-leading 33 double of the season and moved to third on a single by Pasquantino to spark Kansas City's three-run fourth inning.<h2>Key stat</h2>The Royals, who went into the game with the fourth-most doubles (172) in the major leagues behind the Boston Red Sox (202), Arizona Diamondbacks (178) and New York Yankees (175), had five doubles by five players.<h2>Up next</h2>Miami's Eury Pérez (3-2, 3.18 ERA) was scheduled to start Monday night at home against San Diego. Noah Cameron (3-4, 2.31) was set to start for Kansas City on Monday night in Chicago against the Cubs.

⚾ Bubic pitches 5 scoreless innings, Perez homers to help the Royals beat the Marlins

Rain moved through the area on Friday night, but the Junction City Rodeo went on as planned. Despite the muddy arena, a large crowd was in attendance for the first of two nights at the 31st annual Junction City Rodeo.

The rodeo once again begins tonight at 8:00 p.m. at the Geary County 4-H Fairgrounds Arena. Tickets can be purchased at the gate for $10.00 for adults, $5.00 for kids 6-12, and children five and under are admitted free.

** Photos by Adam Cooke - Geary County CVB Marketing Specialist

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752945899370.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By Anthony GorgesJC PostRain moved through the area on Friday night, but the Junction City Rodeo went on as planned. Despite the muddy arena, a large crowd was in attendance for the first of two nights at the 31st annual Junction City Rodeo.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752945960488.jpeg" alt="Mutton Bustin" />
 <figcaption>Mutton Bustin</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752945995675.jpeg" alt="Mini Bull Riding" />
 <figcaption>Mini Bull Riding</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752946021326.jpeg" alt="Boot scramble" />
 <figcaption>Boot scramble</figcaption>
 </figure>The rodeo once again begins tonight at 8:00 p.m. at the Geary County 4-H Fairgrounds Arena. Tickets can be purchased at the gate for $10.00 for adults, $5.00 for kids 6-12, and children five and under are admitted free.** Photos by Adam Cooke - Geary County CVB Marketing Specialist

Rodeo time in Junction City

McKenzie Jackson, an 11-year-old Junction City girl, has quite a story. She is a stellar baseball player who is on her way to Nevada to play in a National baseball tournament for girls.

Jackson fell in love with the game of baseball at a young age. She began playing at the age of four years old after watching her brother and sister play. This season, she played locally for the 13U Vikings (red team), and they played their games at North Park. Currently, McKenzie and her dad, Jeff Jackson, are on their way to Sparks, Nevada, for the Baseball for All Girls National Tournament. At this tournament, McKenzie will play for the 10U Florida Bolts, the defending champions of the tournament.

“I am super excited to go,” McKenzie Jackson said. “I am excited to play with all girls and get to experience something most people don’t get to experience.”

The tournament games begin on Monday, July 21, and go through Thursday, July 24.

Amanda Jackson, McKenzies mother, said there have been some naysayers about McKenzie's choice to play baseball rather than softball. “I am going to support her in whatever route she chooses to go,” Amanda Jackson said. “Being a veteran, facing the adversity I’ve faced as a female, I’ve instilled in McKenzie, put your mind to it, and you can do it. I’ll support you.”

On the baseball diamond, McKenzie plays all over the field. She said she can play pitcher, catcher, shortstop, first base, second base, third base, and center field. She also said she bats at the top of the order on her local team. McKenzie said she’s ready for the tournament and “excited to prove that girls can do things too.”

The drive to Sparks, Nevada, is 22 hours. Jeff and McKenzie left Junction City on Thursday and should arrive Saturday evening. On Sunday, McKenzie will meet the team, and there will also be the opening ceremonies prior to the games beginning on Monday.

Jeff Jackson, McKenzie's dad, said that they fundraised for the trip and McKenzie received a lot of support. “It has been a whirlwind,” Jeff said. They did coin drop events at Freedom Fest and at a Junction City Brigade game this summer to help offset travel costs and the cost of uniforms.

McKenzie is excited to showcase her skills at the Baseball For All Girls National Tournament and plans to keep playing baseball moving forward.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752942813882.jpeg" alt="McKenzie Jackson" />
 <figcaption>McKenzie Jackson</figcaption>
 </figure>By Anthony GorgesJC PostMcKenzie Jackson, an 11-year-old Junction City girl, has quite a story. She is a stellar baseball player who is on her way to Nevada to play in a National baseball tournament for girls.Jackson fell in love with the game of baseball at a young age. She began playing at the age of four years old after watching her brother and sister play. This season, she played locally for the 13U Vikings (red team), and they played their games at North Park. Currently, McKenzie and her dad, Jeff Jackson, are on their way to Sparks, Nevada, for the Baseball for All Girls National Tournament. At this tournament, McKenzie will play for the 10U Florida Bolts, the defending champions of the tournament.“I am super excited to go,” McKenzie Jackson said. “I am excited to play with all girls and get to experience something most people don’t get to experience.”The tournament games begin on Monday, July 21, and go through Thursday, July 24.Amanda Jackson, McKenzies mother, said there have been some naysayers about McKenzie's choice to play baseball rather than softball. “I am going to support her in whatever route she chooses to go,” Amanda Jackson said. “Being a veteran, facing the adversity I’ve faced as a female, I’ve instilled in McKenzie, put your mind to it, and you can do it. I’ll support you.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752942782300.jpeg" alt="McKenzie on the pitchers mound." />
 <figcaption>McKenzie on the pitchers mound.</figcaption>
 </figure>On the baseball diamond, McKenzie plays all over the field. She said she can play pitcher, catcher, shortstop, first base, second base, third base, and center field. She also said she bats at the top of the order on her local team. McKenzie said she’s ready for the tournament and “excited to prove that girls can do things too.”The drive to Sparks, Nevada, is 22 hours. Jeff and McKenzie left Junction City on Thursday and should arrive Saturday evening. On Sunday, McKenzie will meet the team, and there will also be the opening ceremonies prior to the games beginning on Monday.Jeff Jackson, McKenzie's dad, said that they fundraised for the trip and McKenzie received a lot of support. “It has been a whirlwind,” Jeff said. They did coin drop events at Freedom Fest and at a Junction City Brigade game this summer to help offset travel costs and the cost of uniforms.McKenzie is excited to showcase her skills at the Baseball For All Girls National Tournament and plans to keep playing baseball moving forward.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752942798573.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Junction City girl is headed to the Baseball for All Girls National Tournament

ATLANTA (AP) — Kyle Schwarber was nervous.

He had played in Game 7 of the World Series, homered for the United States in the World Baseball Classic.

But he had never walked up to the plate in an All-Star Game swing-off.

“That’s kind of like the baseball version of a shootout,” he said after homering on all three of his swings, going down to his left knee on the final one, to overcome a two-homer deficit. That held up when Jonathan Aranda fell short on the American League’s final three swings, giving the National League a 4-3 swing-off win after a 6-6 tie Tuesday night in which it wasted a six-run, seventh-inning lead.

Schwarber earned the MVP award, going 0 for 2 with a walk as the NL won for the second time in its last 12 tries. He became the first non-pitcher MVP without a hit.

“It will be interesting to see where that goes,” said AL manager Aaron Boone of the New York Yankees. “There’s probably a world where you could see that in the future, where maybe it’s in some regular season mix. I wouldn’t be surprised if people start talking about it like that.”

Concerned about running out of pitchers in an era where no All-Star throws more than one inning,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-sports-new-york-mets-brian-snitker-38d3dc0ea869992ebcab83a4ef4c960b">Major League Baseball and the players’ association made the change in 2022</a>.

In baseball’s equivalent of soccer’s penalty-kicks shootout, the game was decided by having three batters from each league take three swings each off coaches.

Boone picked Brent Rooker, Randy Arozarena and Aranda on Monday, and Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts picked Eugenio Suárez, Schwarber and Pete Alonso for the NL. Because&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eugenio-suarez-allstar-game-3a86937e6a6e74ade4399711717f1f9b">Suárez was hit</a>&nbsp;on the left hand by a fastball in the eighth inning, the NL turned to its alternate, Kyle Stowers.

Players from both teams stood outside their dugouts, some already in street clothes, jumping and shouting after each long ball from their side. Yankees coach Travis Chapman threw to the AL batters and Dodgers coach Dino Ebel to the NL hitters.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752638555921.png" alt="Philadelphia Phillies Kyle Schwarber celebrates after winning the tiebreaker at the MLB baseball All-Star game between the American League and National League, Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)" />
 <figcaption>Philadelphia Phillies Kyle Schwarber celebrates after winning the tiebreaker at the MLB baseball All-Star game between the American League and National League, Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)</figcaption>
 </figure>ATLANTA (AP) — Kyle Schwarber was nervous.He had played in Game 7 of the World Series, homered for the United States in the World Baseball Classic.But he had never walked up to the plate in an All-Star Game swing-off.No one had.“That’s kind of like the baseball version of a shootout,” he said after homering on all three of his swings, going down to his left knee on the final one, to overcome a two-homer deficit. That held up when Jonathan Aranda fell short on the American League’s final three swings, giving the National League a 4-3 swing-off win after a 6-6 tie Tuesday night in which it wasted a six-run, seventh-inning lead.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FPhillies%2Fvideos%2F1417266409542562%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Schwarber earned the MVP award, going 0 for 2 with a walk as the NL won for the second time in its last 12 tries. He became the first non-pitcher MVP without a hit.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FPhillies%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02XNpxrnGZ7iF5FMjnbLHBLNaARVvie18rfnjxQ4RMwadDvabWET3tRafAFsRC3nwul&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="590" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>“It will be interesting to see where that goes,” said AL manager Aaron Boone of the New York Yankees. “There’s probably a world where you could see that in the future, where maybe it’s in some regular season mix. I wouldn’t be surprised if people start talking about it like that.”Concerned about running out of pitchers in an era where no All-Star throws more than one inning,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-sports-new-york-mets-brian-snitker-38d3dc0ea869992ebcab83a4ef4c960b">Major League Baseball and the players’ association made the change in 2022</a>.In baseball’s equivalent of soccer’s penalty-kicks shootout, the game was decided by having three batters from each league take three swings each off coaches.Boone picked Brent Rooker, Randy Arozarena and Aranda on Monday, and Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts picked Eugenio Suárez, Schwarber and Pete Alonso for the NL. Because&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eugenio-suarez-allstar-game-3a86937e6a6e74ade4399711717f1f9b">Suárez was hit</a>&nbsp;on the left hand by a fastball in the eighth inning, the NL turned to its alternate, Kyle Stowers.Players from both teams stood outside their dugouts, some already in street clothes, jumping and shouting after each long ball from their side. Yankees coach Travis Chapman threw to the AL batters and Dodgers coach Dino Ebel to the NL hitters.Rooker put the AL ahead by homering on his last two swings, and Stowers hit one. Randy Arozarena boosted the AL lead to 3-1.Ebel had thrown BP to Schwarber two years ago at the WBC.“He asked me right before, he was like, where do you want it?” Schwarber recalled “I’m like, just middle. And he’s like, `I gotcha.’”He took two pitches and deposited the third just over the center-field fence. Schwarber took another, then hit a 461-foot drive over the right-center bullpen. After letting two more go by, he dropped to a knee while pulling the third, craned his neck and held his bat it the air as the ball landed in the fourth row of the Chop House seats.“I didn’t hit it, obviously, my best, but I was thinking I got enough of it,” Schwarber said. “And I was just kind of down there, hoping, saying: go, go, go. And it went. And it was awesome.”Aranda followed with a fly well short of the center-field warning track, drove a pitch about a foot shy of the top of the right-field wall and hit an opposite-field pop that dropped in medium left.Alonso, a two-time Home Run Derby champion, didn’t have to bat and patted Schwarber on the head as fireworks went off at Truist Field.“I felt like a closer like a closer going into a game,” Alonso said, “and then it’s like, wait, the guy in the field got a double play to end the inning. You’re not going in.”<h2>What was the score?</h2>MLB, after consulting with the Elias Sports Bureau,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-college-football-soccer-sports-baseball-3e3fc1fa9ba55a1ec4e563353e69db56">said in 2022</a>&nbsp;that All-Star Games ending in a swing-off would be listed as tied, with a notation of the game being decided in a swing-off. MLB’s official postgame notes listed Tuesday’s outcome as a 7-6 NL victory.<h2>In earlier action</h2>Ketel Marte’s two-run double in the first had put the NL ahead, and Alonso’s three-run homer off Kris Bubic and Corbin Carroll’s solo shot against Casey Mize opened a 6-0 lead in the sixth.The AL comeback began when Rooker hit a three-run pinch homer against Randy Rodríguez in a four-run seventh that included Bobby Witt Jr.’s RBI groundout. Robert Suarez allowed consecutive doubles to Byron Buxton and Witt with one out in ninth, and Steven Kwan’s infield hit on a three-hopper to third off Edwin Díaz drove in the tying run.<h2>Heat on the mound</h2>Paul Skenes, the first pitcher to start the All-Star Game each of his first two seasons, reached 100 mph on four pitches in a perfect first. Jacob Misiorowski,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/misiorowski-allstar-game-534280740b0ceafc9dcc10c011df6cbb">a controversial inclusion</a>&nbsp;after pitching in just five major league games in his rookie season, fired nine pitches of 100 mph or more in a one-hit eighth 34 days after his major league debut. The 23-year-old righty, added to the NL roster by baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred, reached 102.3 mph. There were 21 pitches of 100 mph or more, down from a record 23 last year.<h2>Robot umpire debuts</h2>Four of five challenges were successful in the first use of the robot umpire in the All-Star Game<h2>Styling</h2><a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-allstar-game-uniforms-8f3891854c6aab41e02a8a08c4263ea2">Teams were back in their regular-season club jerseys</a>&nbsp;— whites for the NL, mostly grays for the AL — after four years of special All-Star uniforms that were much criticized. The AL leads 48-45 with two ties.