1st Infantry Division / Fort Riley release

FORT RILEY, Kansas – Following the Army's directive, Fort Riley is concluding operations of the Commanding General's Mounted Color Guard to align more resources with warfighting capability and readiness.

Fort Riley officials confirmed&nbsp; that they will work diligently to find suitable homes for the horses and will keep the community informed throughout this transition. This change does not impact the 1st Infantry Division's ("Big Red One") core priorities: building warfighting readiness, caring for Soldiers, civilians, and families, adapting formations to win, and developing inspirational leaders. 

In their announcement Fort Riley said that they remain committed to strengthening partnerships and engaging with surrounding communities.

Big Red One Commanding Generals Mounted Color Guard Concluding Operations

RILEY COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 10:30p.m. Tuesday in Riley County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Toyota Avalon driven by Penny M.&nbsp;Peterson, 61, Junction City, was eastbound on Kansas 18 at South 5th Street.&nbsp; The Toyota struck a pedestrian identified as Manuel&nbsp;Fischer, 30, Manhattan, who entered the roadway from the north walking southbound.&nbsp;

EMS transported Fischer to Stomont Vail in Topeka. Peterson was not injured and properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Manhattan man injured after struck by a car

The Kansas Highway Patrol released its Independence Day Holiday Activity Report.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The reporting period started at 6 p.m. on Thursday July 3 to 11:59 p.m. on Sunday July 6.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Kansas Highway Patrol worked two non-DUI related fatal crashes which resulted in two non-DUI related fatalities. Information on the fatal crashes can be found on the Kansas Highway Patrol&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.gov/khp-crashlogs/">crash log</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

KHP releases Independence Day Holiday activity report 

Geary USD 475 Board of Education dealt with a number of topics during their meeting Monday night.

--They agreed to purchase a black chain link fence to put around the Al Simpler Stadium field. There is artificial turf and a running track at that location. The cost of the fence totals $61,155 and it replaces an older fence.

--For budget purposes the Board agreed to a revenue neutral rate of not higher than 43.525 mills.

--The BOE approved the District handbooks on second reading.

--Turnover is down in USD 475 this summer. The District will only have about 80 new staff members, down considerably from recent years.

BOE news notes

Freedom Run Press Release - 2025 division race finishers announced 

Junction City, Kansas: The 49th Annual Freedom Run brought over 460 registered runners to Junction City, marking a record-breaking year for participation in the event's storied history. Race organizers celebrated this milestone achievement alongside the honoring of the 2025 Freedom Runners: Junction City High School and Chapman High School's state-qualifying Cross Country teams.

This year's event also marked a significant milestone as the 10K race received its first official certification, adding prestige and accuracy to the longer distance competition.

Over 100 committed community volunteers and support from local agencies made the race possible. JC Fire Dept., Geary County Fire Dept., JC Police Dept., Ft Riley Police Dept., Geary County Sheriff Dept., JC Parks &amp; Rec, JC Public Works, Grandview Fire Dept. and Kaw Valley Engineering were all on board to make the event a success.

The comprehensive volunteer support, from traffic management to hydration stations, kept runners safe and hydrated throughout the course, allowing participants to fully enjoy this cherished Independence Day tradition. 

The record-breaking participation demonstrates the continued growth and community support for this Independence Day tradition that brings together competitive athletes and recreational runners alike. 

Top three finishers for each race:

1 Mile: 1st - Isaiah Byers (5:48) 2nd - Rosie Spreer (5:56) 3rd - Joey Cruz (6:04)

5K: 1st - Ryan Stade (15:53) 2nd - Ambrose Childs (17:00) 3rd - Riley Delorenzo (17:28)

10K: 1st - Joe Moore (33:07) 2nd - Drew Elliott (34:44) 3rd - Anthony Testa (37:31)

To find all race results visit: <a href="https://www.athlinks.com/event/33905/results/Event/1105995/Result">https://www.athlinks.com/event/33905/results/Event/1105995/Result</a>

Check out and follow the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092584437390">Freedom Run - Junction City Facebook page</a> to view photos from the race and to stay up-to-date on future race announcements. For any additional questions, email the Freedom Run committee at jcfreedomrun@gmail.com.

49th Annual Freedom Run Results in Record-Breaking Community Success 

Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.

Bonds have been posted. Photos are unavailable.

Jacoby Green, Failure to appear, arrested 06/27

Austin Edge, Operate a motor vehicle without the proper classification of license; Flee or attempt to elude, Five or more moving violations, arrested 06/28

Michael Alday, Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, arrested 06/28

Jonathan Almeida, DUI-Liquor/Drugs, arrested 06/28

Travis Golden, Driving while suspended; Possession of firearm while under the influence of alcohol or drugs; Driving under the influence drugs/alcohol; Flee or attempt to elude, Five or more moving violations; Criminal deprivation of property, arrested 06/28

Gwyn Muto, Driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol, arrested 06/28

Laura Wood, Transporting an open container; Driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol, arrested 06/29

Chrystal Gibson, Failure to appear, arrested 06/29

David Wright, Outside warrant, arrested 06/29

Lavonia Morgan, Driving while license canceled, Suspended, or revoked, arrested 06/29

Khassie Morris, Outside warrant, arrested 06/30

James Floyd, Failure to appear, arrested 06/30

Michael Wilhite, Failure to appear, arrested 06/30

Michael Waslyk, Theft; Pocket picking, arrested 07/01

Jeremiah Warren, Failure to appear, arrested 07/01

AAmir Kairson, Failure to appear, arrested 07/01

Lailant Telor, Unlawful restraint, arrested 07/02

Elmer Rubelsi Hidalgo Lopez, Operate a motor vehicle without a valid license, arrested 07/02

Robert Dunem, DUI-Liquor or drugs; Prohibiting drug paraphernalia; Possession of marijuana, arrested 07/03

Trey Campbell, Violate offender registration act, arrested 07/03

Beayahn Carrillo, Failure to appear, arrested 07/03

Jose Osorio Granadeno, Domestic battery; Unlawful restraint, arrested 07/03

Kaionia Channell, Domestic battery; Criminal deprivation of property, arrested 07/03

Donekka Williams, Failure to appear (Two counts), arrested 07/03

Herbert Fisher, Domestic battery; Criminal trespass, arrested 07/03

Alfonzo Littleton, Operate vehicle without registration or expired tag; Ignition interlock device, Operate a car without a required device, arrested 07/04

Tyler Harris, Transporting of alcoholic beverage; DUI-Liquor or drugs; Prohibiting drug paraphernalia; Possession of marijuana, arrested 07/04

Ashley Flores-Ruiz, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body; Possession of marijuana, arrested 07/04

Carmen Ferreira,&nbsp;Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body; Possession of marijuana, arrested 07/04

Tynez Jackson,&nbsp;Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body; Possession of marijuana, arrested 07/04

Candi Blay, Domestic battery; Criminal restraint, arrested 07/04

Amy Woods, Aggravated domestic battery; Impede breath, Blocking nose/mouth of family/dating relationship, arrested 07/04

Skylar Chambers, Criminal deprivation of property, arrested 07/05

Christopher Sanford, Transporting open container of alcohol; Minor in possession/consumption of alcoholic beverage; DUI-Liquor/Drugs, arrested 07/05

Tatyana Jenkins, Domestic battery, arrested 07/05

Cierra Rice, Interference with LEO; Conceal/alter/destroy evidence; Ignition interlock device; Operate a car without a required device; Driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol, arrested 07/05

Aaron Wells, DUI-Liquor or drugs; Driver's license without valid DL, arrested 07/05

Asia Holden, Domestic battery, arrested 07/05

Richard Gentry, Outside warrant, arrested 07/05

Bernard Fritzson, Battery; Knowing/recklessly causing bodily harm, arrested 07/05

Patrick Grove, Resisting arrest; Unlawful restraint; Domestic battery, arrested 07/05

Brandon Rodriguez, DUI-Liquor or drugs; Driver's license without valid DL, arrested 07/06

Caleb Corrales, Driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol, arrested 07/06

Dylan Rogers, Domestic battery, arrested 07/06

Kerrigan Luna, Domestic battery, arrested 07/06

Cody Sharp, Failure to appear, arrested 07/07

Travis Calloway, Domestic battery, arrested 07/07

Geary County Booking Photos June 28-July 8

Geary County Finance Director Tami Robison has received the Government Finance Officers Association Outstanding Public Service Award.&nbsp; It was presented&nbsp;at the Government Finance Officer Association conference in Washington DC last week.&nbsp;Robison was the only person from Kansas to receive the honor.

Commissioner Trish Giordano nominated Robison, who joined Geary County in April 2021 as its first Finance Director, a newly established position. Tasked with building her role and department from the ground up, she immediately addressed significant inefficiencies and a lack of checks and balances within the county’s $40 million budget. In just three years, Robison has transformed the county’s financial landscape. She has worked closely with department heads to develop detailed line-item budgets, identifying inefficiencies and cost-saving opportunities.

Giordano noted that under Robison's leadership, the County Commission consolidated numerous levied funds into two, increasing flexibility in meeting county needs. She also introduced a simplified, transparent budget format that allows the public to clearly see how tax dollars are allocated. 

Thanks to the improvements, Geary County has been able to conduct and implement a wage study with full compression, ensuring fair employee compensation and aiding in staff recruitment and retention, secure a $30 million bond to address long-overdue maintenance for the county hospital, preventing its potential closure, with no additional impact on the taxpayer, transition of Sheriff’s Deputies to a significantly improved retirement system, establishment and fund a comprehensive Capital Improvement Plan

Giordano said that under Robison’s guidance, Geary County has successfully lowered its mill levy by 15 mills over the past three years, resulting in significant tax savings. Most notably, her sound financial management recently led to an improved S&amp;P Global Rating, increasing the county’s General Obligation rating from A to A+.

Robison’s leadership, innovation, and dedication have positioned Geary County for long-term financial stability.&nbsp;

Geary County Finance Director is honored with a prestigous award

St. Francis Xavier Parish is hosting Prayer &amp; Action for the next three weeks in July. Recruitment and Marketing spokesperson Kristel Jahnke said that this is a program where high school students along with sponsors will paint, clean, do yard work and perform other meaningful tasks for the poor, handicapped and the elderly in the community. 

Other parishes within the Salina diocese has been invited to bring students to participate in the program as well.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Prayer & Action plans for St. Francis Xavier Parish

Geary USD 475 Board of Education member Jason Butler feels that there needs to be pay for members of the school board. He would like to see action before the next election. 

Butler is not running again so the pay issue would not impact him but he feels the issue should be brought to the Board. Geary County and Junction City Commissioners do receive compensation for their work.

On a separate note, Butler would like to see a second wrestling room at Junction City High School. There is a boys wrestling team and now a successful girls wrestling program at the school. They share one room.

 Butler would like to have a dedicated second wrestling room.&nbsp;

 Board of Education member Jason Butler offers suggestions 

Geary USD 475 did not livestream the school board meeting Monday evening. The reason is Kansas House Bill 2134 which became effective July 1.

Board of Education President Dr. Beth Hudson explained that the bill complicates the situation involving the number of Board members that can be in a meeting, and whether or not it is an open meeting. "So it also has to do with live streaming. We typically live stream tonight's ( Monday night's ) meeting. We didn't do that because we didn't want to be against what's being asked. We're still trying to find the correct way to interpet that law."&nbsp;

Hudson believes there is general confusion on the subject.

One possibility is that if Board meetings are live streamed then that would have to be done for all of their meetings. That could include other committees involving Board members that might also include teachers.&nbsp;

Hudson said that the Kansas Association of School Boards is advising Districts not to live stream until they're clear on the matter. "They say you would have to live stream every meeting that a Board member is in."

No live streaming means members of the public wanting to watch Board meetings would have to be in attendance. They would not be able to watch them on a computer device or phone from another location.

House Bill 2134 occupies the attention of the school board

The Geary USD 475 Board of Education has extended the contract for Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Reginald Eggleston.&nbsp;

 Board President Dr.Beth Hudson explained that they added a year to the current contract, which means essentially it will go through 2027.

The Board was in session Monday night at the Devin Center.

USD 475 Board of Education extends the Superintendent's contract

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Nick Loftin hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh inning, then won it in the ninth with a one-out RBI single as the Kansas City Royals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 on Tuesday night.

Rookie Jac Caglianone homered for the Royals,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/MLB/status/1942737397579669574">a 421-foot drive</a>&nbsp;leading off the second inning that was his first extra-base hit in 14 games at Kauffman Stadium. He had been 5 for 46 at home before Tuesday.

Pittsburgh's Oneil Cruz tied it in the fourth with&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/MLB/status/1942743739161596193">a 458-foot shot</a>&nbsp;over the fountains in right field on the day he was announced as a participant&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oneil-cruz-pirates-home-run-derby-e0d48db4b4f6792bbca476b590a1dac1">in next-week's Home Run Derby</a>.

Nick Gonzales put the Pirates ahead with a homer in the top of the seventh before Loftin's drive made it 3-2.

Bryan Reynolds tied it with an RBI grounder in the eighth.

Maikel Garcia singled leading off the ninth against Dennis Santana (2-2) and Salvador Perez followed with a base hit. With one out, Isaac Mattson came in and gave up Loftin's game-ending hit on a 1-0 fastball.

The Pirates fell to 0-5 to start their nine-game trip ahead of the All-Star Break. Kansas City has won five of six.

Carlos Estevez (3-2) worked a scoreless ninth for Kansas City.

The Pirates' Mitch Keller and the Royals' Seth Lugo, both rumored to be trade candidates before the July 31 deadline, were nearly identical through six innings. Each allowed one run on three hits with five strikeouts.

The Pirates loaded the bases with one out in the eighth against Lucas Erceg, who gave up Reynolds' tying fielder's-choice grounder and then retired Gonzales on another groundball.

The Royals had their second straight multi-homer game after not having done that all season.

The teams complete their three-game series Wednesday night with Pittsburgh's Bailey Falter (6-4, 3.69 ERA) facing Kris Bubic (7-6, 2.36).

⚾ Nick Loftin hits 2-run homer in 7th as Royals beat the Pirates

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;Kansas State junior linebacker&nbsp;Austin Romaine&nbsp;and senior tight end&nbsp;Will Swanson&nbsp;earned nods on the 2025 Preseason All-Big 12 team as voted on by media representatives who cover the league, the conference office announced Monday.

Both players are coming off All-Big 12 seasons as Romaine earned second-team honors and Swanson was an honorable mention pick.

A product of Hillsboro, Missouri, Romaine played in every game a year ago with 12 starts, leading the team with 96 tackles to go along with 7.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, three forced fumbles and two pass breakups. He tied for fifth in the Big 12 in forced fumbles and finished ninth in tackles as he also earned All-Big 12 Second Team accolades from the Associated Press.

Romaine tallied the most tackles in a season by a Wildcat since Jayd Kirby had 99 in 2017 thanks to at least five stops in 11 games, including a career-high 12 tackles at West Virginia, Houston and Iowa State. His first in the line of 12-tackle performances against the Mountaineers were the most by a Wildcat in a single game since Daniel Green had 13 at Baylor in 2020.

Swanson, who was named to the Preseason All-Big 12 team as a fullback/H-Back, made four starts among his 13 games played last season, hauling in nine receptions for 66 yards and three touchdowns. He tied for sixth among Big 12 tight ends in receiving touchdowns, helping the K-State tight end unit to a nation-best 13 touchdowns. A native of Papillion, Nebraska, Swanson was also a vital part of a K-State ground attack that ranked second nationally and first in the Big 12 in rushing yards per carry (6.08) in addition to ranking 11th&nbsp;in the country and second in the conference in rushing yards per game (215.5).

K-State takes part in 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days, powered by Microsoft Copilot, on Tuesday at The Star in Frisco, Texas.&nbsp;

K-State’s Romaine, Swanson Named to Preseason All-Big 12 Team   

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez hit two of Kansas City's four home runs to back a strong start by rookie Noah Cameron, and the Royals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-3 on Monday night.

Cameron (3-4) struck out seven in a season-high seven innings. The left-hander allowed three hits, a walk, and two runs — on Tommy Pham's two-run shot in the third.

Witt went 2 for 3 and scored twice to extend his hitting streak to 11 games.&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Royals/status/1942388380320387120">Witt hit his 13th homer</a>, a two-run shot the opposite way to right-center field off reliever Chase Shugart to give the Royals a 6-2 lead in the fourth. He added a sacrifice fly in the sixth.

Witt finished off a seven-game trip Sunday by extending his club-record hitting streak on the road to 25 games.

<a href="https://x.com/Royals/status/1942391158166151263">Perez hit his 11th</a>&nbsp;homer, a solo shot to left in the fifth for a five-run advantage. He hit his 24th double off the top of the wall in left to drive in a run for a 3-2 lead in the third.

Vinnie Pasquantino hit a two-out pitch from Andrew Heaney in the first for his 15th homer and a 1-0 lead. Nick Loftin hit his second, a one-out solo shot off Génesis Cabrera in the eighth. Heaney (4-8) threw 76 pitches and allowed four runs in three innings.

Pham's homer was his third. It snapped Pittsburgh's 30-inning scoreless streak and gave the Pirates a 2-1 lead.

Steven Cruz pitched a scoreless eighth and Jonathan Bowlan allowed Alexander Canario's RBI single in the ninth to finish for Kansas City.

Cameron didn't surrender a hit after Bryan Reynolds' leadoff single in the third.

The Royals hit more home runs in their first home game of July than they did in the month of June.

⚾ Witt Jr. and Perez homer as Royals beat the Pirates

A basketball camp for girls entering Kindergarten through Fifth grade begins this week in Junction City.

The first day of the Junction City Mystics Girls Basketball Camp is Tuesday, July 8th. The camp is free to participate in and will take place every Tuesday and Thursday, through July 24th. (All the days for the camp are: July 8, 10, 15, 17, 22, 24).

Coaches for the camp will be Matt Hoover, Erica Testa, Aaron Landrith, and additional volunteers.

The camp will be held at the Hooverdome, 604 N. Spring Valley Rd. in Junction City.&nbsp; (Enter through the north side door).

You can register for free <a href="https://www.cognitoforms.com/JCMYSTICS/CAMP2025">here</a>.

For more information, contact Matt Hoover at 785-375-3024.

Junction City Mystics Girls Basketball Camp to begin this week

PHOENIX (AP) — Michael Lorenzen struck out seven in seven dominant innings, Bobby Witt Jr. homered and the Kansas City Royals beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-0 on Sunday.

Lorenzen (5-8) kept the Diamondbacks off-balance all afternoon with a mix of mid-90s fastballs and changeups. He struck out the side in the first inning and didn’t allow a hit until Randal Grichuk’s two-out double in the fifth.

Lorenzen allowed two hits and walked one.

Witt hit a solo homer off Anthony DeSclafani (0-1) in the fifth inning to extend his team-record road hitting streak to 26 games. Salvador Perez also hit a solo homer in the Royals' fourth win in six games.

Arizona had three hits and didn't get a runner past second base to lose for the fourth time in five games.

Witt's homer with one out in the fifth — hit 12th of the season — was the first hit off DeSclafani. Perez followed with his 10th later in the inning.

John Rave chased DeSclafani with a run-scoring single in the fifth inning and Kyle Isbel followed with another to put Kansas City up 4-0.

DeSclafani allowed four runs on four hits and struck out six in four innings.

Witt's homer in the fifth was the first hit by either team.

Witt's road hitting streak ties for the second-longest in the last 10 years, behind the 32-game streak by the Dodgers' Trea Turner from 2021-22. Marcus Semien also had a hit in 26 straight road games for Toronto in 2021.

Kansas City LHP Noah Cameron (2-4, 2.56 ERA) pitches the opener of a three-game home series against Pittsburgh on Monday night. Arizona RHP Zac Gallen 6-9, 5.45) opens a four-game series at San Diego on Monday night.

⚾ Lorenzen dominant, Witt homers in Royals win over Diamondbacks

PHOENIX (AP) — Ryne Nelson retired the first 16 Kansas City batters and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Royals 7-1 on Saturday to end a three-game losing streak.

Nelson (5-2), who moved into the rotation full-time when Corbin Burnes was sidelined for the season by elbow surgery, gave up four hits and one run over seven innings. The right-hander threw 86 pitches, walked none and struck out five.

Freddy Fermin’s sharp single to center with one out in the sixth ended Nelson’s perfect-game bid. Fermin scored on Bobby Witt Jr.'s two-out single.

Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez had RBI singles in the third off Michael Wacha (4-9), and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. doubled in two runs in the fifth for Arizona. Gurriel also tripled in the seventh off Taylor Clarke and scored on James McCann’s double.

Wacha lasted four-plus innings, giving up four hits and four runs. He threw 97 pitches, walking four and striking out four.

Randal Grichuk hit an&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Dbacks/status/1941628353775272246">inside-the-park homer</a>&nbsp;in the eighth. With a man on base, he hit a long fly to right-center that bounced away from outfielders Jac Caglianone and Kyle Isbel and into center field as Grichuk scored standing up for his fifth homer of the season.

Before the game, the Diamondbacks activated outfielder Corbin Carroll from the injured list. The 2023 National League Rookie of the Year, who has 20 homers and a major league-leading nine triples, was 0 for 5 in his return. He had been sidelined since June 18, when he sustained a chip fracture in his left wrist when he was hit by a pitch in Toronto.

Utilityman Tim Tawa was optioned to Triple-A Reno in a corresponding move.

Gurriel’s two-out, two-run double off reliever John Schreiber made it 4-0 in the fifth.

Nelson is 3-0 with a 2.01 ERA in his last five starts.

⚾ Nelson retires first 16 Royals in Diamondbacks' victory

PHOENIX (AP) — Vinnie Pasquantino homered twice and drove in a career-high six runs, Bobby Witt Jr. added three hits and the Kansas City Royals beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 9-3 on Friday night.

The Royals have won three of their past four games. The D-backs have dropped three straight.

Pasquantino gave the Royals a 3-0 lead in the first with a three-run shot into the right field seats off left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez. The first baseman took Rodriguez deep again in the fourth, this time mashing the ball 401 feet over the right-center wall for a two-run homer and an 8-2 lead.

It was Pasquantino's second career multi-homer game. Mark Canha added a solo homer in the fifth.

Kansas City lefty Kris Bubic (7-6) gave up three runs on seven hits and three walks over seven innings. He struck out six.

Rodriguez (3-5) gave up nine runs — eight earned — over 4 1/3 innings and now has a 5.78 ERA. He struck out seven, but gave up 12 hits, including three homers.

Arizona cut Kansas City's lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the first on Eugenio Suarez's sacrifice fly and Josh Naylor's RBI single. But the Royals came right back with three runs in the second to take a 6-2 lead.

Suarez added a solo homer in the sixth — his 28th of the season.

Rodriguez had two strikes on leadoff hitter Jonathan India in the first inning before hitting him with a pitch. Witt followed with a single and Pasquantino homered, foreshadowing a rough night for the D-backs.

Rodriguez has a 6-9 record with a 5.49 ERA over 25 starts since signing with the D-backs on an $80 million, four-year deal in December 2023.

The series continues Saturday when the Royals send RHP Michael Wacha (4-8, 3.62 ERA) to the mound. The D-backs counter with RHP Ryne Nelson (4-2, 3.61).

⚾ Pasquantino hits 2 HRs to lift Royals over Diamondbacks 

SEATTLE (AP) — Vinnie Pasquantino had a two-run single in the seventh inning and the Kansas City Royals beat the Seattle Mariners 3-2 on Thursday night.

Bobby Witt Jr. tied the score 1-1 with a single to center field with one out and then stole second base to put two runners in scoring position. Pasquantino grounded a single to right field drive in both runners, with Witt scoring after&nbsp;<a href="https://associatedpress.slack.com/archives/C070HG64VT9/p1751603301803949">making an elusive move to avoid the tag from catcher Cal Raleigh</a>&nbsp;to give the Royals a two-run lead.

Seth Lugo (6-5) allowed just one run on six hits in 6 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out seven.

Lucas Erceg and Taylor Clarke got two outs each, and Carlos Estévez pitched 1 1/3 innings to get his 24th save. Estévez gave up a leadoff homer to Dominic Canzone in the ninth and had runners on second and third after a wild pitch with one out, but struck out Julio Rodríguez and got Raleigh to ground out to end the game.

Jorge Polanco homered in the fourth inning to put the Mariners up 1-0, and also had two doubles,.

Logan Evans, recalled from Triple-A Tacoma, made his first big league start since May 10 and gave up three hits in 5 2/3 scoreless innings. He walked one and struck out three.

Casey Legumina (4-4) walked the first two batters to begin the seventh inning and was replaced by Carlos Vargas, who gave up the run-scoring hits to Witt and Pasquantino.

The Royals capitalized on consecutive walks by Kyle Isbel and Jonathan India against Legumijna to start the seventh, setting the stage for Witt and Pasquantino.

Witt has now hit safely in his last 23 road games, breaking Hal McRae's 42-year-old Kansas City record.

Royals LHP Kris Bubic (6-6, 2.25 ERA) opens a three-game series at Arizona against Diamondbacks LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (3-4, 5.13). Mariners RHP Bryan Woo (7-4, 2.93 ERA) faces Pirates LHP Bailey Falter (7-4, 2.93).

⚾ Pasquantino hits two-run single in 7th inning as Royals beat Mariners

SEATTLE (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Mariners/status/1940620263231836630">Julio Rodriguez hit a go-ahead RBI single in the seventh inning</a>&nbsp;and Randy Arozarena drove in two runs as the Seattle Mariners beat the Kansas City Royals 3-2 on Wednesday night.

Rodriguez, who left the bases loaded in the fifth inning, atoned for that missed opportunity by hitting a first-pitch cutter from reliever Steven Cruz, who entered for Angel Zerpa (3-1), to the left side. Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia got a piece of Rodriguez’s hit before it ricocheted past him, allowing the Mariners to take a 2-1 lead.

Arozarena, who hit a solo homer in the sixth inning, added an insurance run with a sacrifice fly to center in the seventh. The Mariners needed that extra run as the Royals closed within a run in the eighth inning on an RBI single from Salvador Perez.

Mariners reliever Carlos Vargas (3-5) struck out two in one inning of relieft and closer Andres Munoz picked up his 19th save.

With runners on first and third in the top of the first inning, Royals rookie right fielder Jac Caglianone lined out sharply to right. Kansas City scored just one run in the inning, but could have scored more had Caglianone's ball fallen for a hit.

<a href="https://x.com/Mariners/status/1940613533009694732">Arozarena has homered in three consecutive regular-season games for the first time in his major league career.</a>&nbsp;He also homered in three straight American League Division Series games with the Tampa Bay Rays from Oct. 5-7 in 2020.

Seattle RHP Bryan Woo (7-4, 2.93 ERA) goes against Kansas City RHP Seth Lugo (5-5, 2.74) in the finale of the four-game set.

⚾ Rodriguez go-ahead RBI single lifts the Mariners past Royals

By ANDREW DESTIN AP Sports Writer

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