TORONTO (AP) — Max Scherzer pitched one-run ball for six innings and earned his second win of the season, Bo Bichette added three hits and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Kansas City Royals 4-2 on Saturday.

Davis Schneider hit a two-run single for the AL East-leading Blue Jays, who came in having lost five of six.

Bichette hit an RBI single in the third inning and added base hits in the sixth and eighth. He leads the majors with 137 hits.

Scherzer (2-1) allowed one run and five hits, including a solo homer by Kansas City catcher Salvador Perez. The right-hander walked none and struck out five in picking up his first win since beating the Athletics on July 11.

Perez’s homer was his 20th. He has hit three homers off Scherzer, including his first in the majors in August 2011 against Detroit.

Brendon Little got two outs for Toronto, Seranthony Domínguez retired all four batters he faced and Jeff Hoffman finished for his 26th save in 30 chances.

Royals left-hander Noah Cameron (5-5) allowed four runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings, losing for the first time since June 27 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Blue Jays catcher Tyler Heineman was struck in the mask by a foul tip from Kansas City’s John Rave in the third, but stayed in the game and scored from second base on Schneider’s hit in the bottom half. Ali Sánchez replaced Heineman in the fourth. The Blue Jays said Heineman had a head contusion.

Schneider opened the scoring with a two-run single in the third and Bichette capped the three-run inning with a two-out hit.

Perez has nine 20-homer seasons with Kansas City, breaking George Brett’s franchise record.

Blue Jays RHP Chris Bassitt (11-5, 4.34 ERA) is scheduled to face Royals RHP Seth Lugo (8-5, 3.03) in Sunday’s series finale.

TORONTO (AP) — Max Scherzer pitched one-run ball for six innings and earned his second win of the season, Bo Bichette added three hits and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Kansas City Royals 4-2 on Saturday.Davis Schneider hit a two-run single for the AL East-leading Blue Jays, who came in having lost five of six.Bichette hit an RBI single in the third inning and added base hits in the sixth and eighth. He leads the majors with 137 hits.Scherzer (2-1) allowed one run and five hits, including a solo homer by Kansas City catcher Salvador Perez. The right-hander walked none and struck out five in picking up his first win since beating the Athletics on July 11.Perez’s homer was his 20th. He has hit three homers off Scherzer, including his first in the majors in August 2011 against Detroit.Brendon Little got two outs for Toronto, Seranthony Domínguez retired all four batters he faced and Jeff Hoffman finished for his 26th save in 30 chances.Royals left-hander Noah Cameron (5-5) allowed four runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings, losing for the first time since June 27 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.Blue Jays catcher Tyler Heineman was struck in the mask by a foul tip from Kansas City’s John Rave in the third, but stayed in the game and scored from second base on Schneider’s hit in the bottom half. Ali Sánchez replaced Heineman in the fourth. The Blue Jays said Heineman had a head contusion.<h2>Key moment</h2>Schneider opened the scoring with a two-run single in the third and Bichette capped the three-run inning with a two-out hit.<h2>Key stat</h2>Perez has nine 20-homer seasons with Kansas City, breaking George Brett’s franchise record.<h2>Up next</h2>Blue Jays RHP Chris Bassitt (11-5, 4.34 ERA) is scheduled to face Royals RHP Seth Lugo (8-5, 3.03) in Sunday’s series finale.

⚾Scherzer works 6 innings, earns 2nd win as Blue Jays beat the Royals 

TORONTO (AP) — Mike Yastrzemski homered in his first at-bat with Kansas City, Michael Wacha limited Toronto to a run in eight innings in his longest outing of the season and the Royals beat the Blue Jays 9-3 on Friday night.

Acquired from San Francisco just before the trade deadline Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-yastrzemski-homer-ef2d215867f26d38879e2dbad0c31f37">Yastrzemski had a two-run shot</a>&nbsp;off Kevin Gausman (7-8) in the second inning to make it 2-1.

Wacha (5-9) allowed three hits and stuck out five, helping the Royals improve to .500 for the first time since June 20. He gave up one run for the fourth consecutive start.

Bobby Witt Jr., Salvador Perez and Adam Frazier also homered for Kansas City.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/BlueJays/status/1951426313484447935">two-out homer in the first inning</a>&nbsp;to give Toronto a 1-0 lead. After Yastrzemski gave the Royals the lead in the second, and&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Royals/status/1951430489895739439">Witt's three-run homer</a>&nbsp;made it 5-1 in the third.

Kansas City added four runs in the ninth. Perez and Frazier homered and Maikel Garcia had a bases-loaded single.

Addison Barger hit a two-run homer for Toronto in the ninth.

Yastrzemski wasted no time getting his first big hit for Kansas City, hitting the two-run homer in the second inning.

The Royals scored five or more runs for the eighth time in 13 games since the All-Star break.

Kansas City LHP Noah Cameron (5-4, 2.44 ERA) was set to start Saturday against Toronto RHP Max Scherzer (1-1, 4.89).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754102026243.png" alt="Image from Kansas City Royals video" />
 <figcaption>Image from Kansas City Royals video</figcaption>
 </figure>TORONTO (AP) — Mike Yastrzemski homered in his first at-bat with Kansas City, Michael Wacha limited Toronto to a run in eight innings in his longest outing of the season and the Royals beat the Blue Jays 9-3 on Friday night.Acquired from San Francisco just before the trade deadline Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-yastrzemski-homer-ef2d215867f26d38879e2dbad0c31f37">Yastrzemski had a two-run shot</a>&nbsp;off Kevin Gausman (7-8) in the second inning to make it 2-1.Wacha (5-9) allowed three hits and stuck out five, helping the Royals improve to .500 for the first time since June 20. He gave up one run for the fourth consecutive start.Bobby Witt Jr., Salvador Perez and Adam Frazier also homered for Kansas City.Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/BlueJays/status/1951426313484447935">two-out homer in the first inning</a>&nbsp;to give Toronto a 1-0 lead. After Yastrzemski gave the Royals the lead in the second, and&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Royals/status/1951430489895739439">Witt's three-run homer</a>&nbsp;made it 5-1 in the third.Kansas City added four runs in the ninth. Perez and Frazier homered and Maikel Garcia had a bases-loaded single.Addison Barger hit a two-run homer for Toronto in the ninth.<h2>Key moment</h2>Yastrzemski wasted no time getting his first big hit for Kansas City, hitting the two-run homer in the second inning.<h2>Key stat</h2>The Royals scored five or more runs for the eighth time in 13 games since the All-Star break.<h2>Up next</h2>Kansas City LHP Noah Cameron (5-4, 2.44 ERA) was set to start Saturday against Toronto RHP Max Scherzer (1-1, 4.89).

⚾ Mike Yastrzemski homers in his 1st at-bat as a Royal in victory over Blue Jays

The 2025 summer season for the Junction City Brigade came to an end on Thursday after the Derby Twins knocked off the Brigade in single-elimination bracket play. 

After multiple rounds of rain Wednesday night, the Junction City - Derby game was postponed to Thursday. The game picked back up in the top of the sixth inning, tied at 3-3.&nbsp;

The Brigade led 4-3 going into the ninth inning, but the Twins plated three runs in the top of the inning to lead 6-4. Junction City had two runners on, but left them stranded and finished the NBC World Series with a 2-2 record. Overall, on the season, the Brigade went 27-12 and finished second in the Jayhawk Collegiate League.

**This was the first season for Junction City in the Jayhawk Collegiate League, and their first appearance in the NBC World Series.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685644308663.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By Anthony GorgesJC PostThe 2025 summer season for the Junction City Brigade came to an end on Thursday after the Derby Twins knocked off the Brigade in single-elimination bracket play. After multiple rounds of rain Wednesday night, the Junction City - Derby game was postponed to Thursday. The game picked back up in the top of the sixth inning, tied at 3-3.&nbsp;The Brigade led 4-3 going into the ninth inning, but the Twins plated three runs in the top of the inning to lead 6-4. Junction City had two runners on, but left them stranded and finished the NBC World Series with a 2-2 record. Overall, on the season, the Brigade went 27-12 and finished second in the Jayhawk Collegiate League.**This was the first season for Junction City in the Jayhawk Collegiate League, and their first appearance in the NBC World Series.&nbsp;

Junction City Brigade falls to Derby Twins in NBC World Series to end their season

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez drove in MJ Melendez with a single leading off the 10th inning, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Atlanta Braves 1-0 on Wednesday while matching a major league record by using nine total pitchers in the shutout.

Sam Long (1-2) was the last of the relievers for Kansas City. He had runners on the corners with nobody out in the 10th before striking out Sean Murphy and Eli White and getting Luke Williams to line out to left field.

Kansas City put Melendez on second base as a pinch runner in the bottom half, and Perez rapped the second pitch from Daysbel Hernandez (4-2) into the gap in right field to give the Royals the win.

The only other club to use nine pitchers in a shutout was Cleveland, which also did it in a 10-inning game in 2016.

Joey Wentz, claimed off waivers by the Braves earlier this month, dazzled while pitching a mere 25 minutes away from Shawnee Mission East High School, where he put together one of the best prep pitching careers in Kansas history.

The former first-round draft pick has largely failed to live up to expectations, and he carried a 5.76 ERA into his fourth start for Atlanta. But Wentz allowed just one hit and three walks over 6 2/3 innings, striking out seven.

With their rotation ailing, the Royals countered with a contingent of relief pitchers.

Angel Zerpa started on no rest and pitched into the second, and Jonathan Bowlan was their only reliever who retired more than three batters — he went two innings. John Schreiber struck out the side in the fourth, and Hunter Harvey escaped a two-on, no-out jam in the sixth by recording three consecutive outs.

Long's escape in the 10th set up Perez's winning hit in the bottom half.

The low-scoring affair came after the Braves won the series-opener 10-7 and the Royals won 9-6 on Tuesday night.

The Braves have not announced their starter for Thursday in Cincinnati, though newly acquired RHP Carlos Carrasco is likely to get the ball. The Royals have the day off before opening a series Friday night in Toronto.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753917266978.jpeg" alt="Photo Kansas City Royals" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Royals</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez drove in MJ Melendez with a single leading off the 10th inning, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Atlanta Braves 1-0 on Wednesday while matching a major league record by using nine total pitchers in the shutout.Sam Long (1-2) was the last of the relievers for Kansas City. He had runners on the corners with nobody out in the 10th before striking out Sean Murphy and Eli White and getting Luke Williams to line out to left field.Kansas City put Melendez on second base as a pinch runner in the bottom half, and Perez rapped the second pitch from Daysbel Hernandez (4-2) into the gap in right field to give the Royals the win.The only other club to use nine pitchers in a shutout was Cleveland, which also did it in a 10-inning game in 2016.Joey Wentz, claimed off waivers by the Braves earlier this month, dazzled while pitching a mere 25 minutes away from Shawnee Mission East High School, where he put together one of the best prep pitching careers in Kansas history.The former first-round draft pick has largely failed to live up to expectations, and he carried a 5.76 ERA into his fourth start for Atlanta. But Wentz allowed just one hit and three walks over 6 2/3 innings, striking out seven.With their rotation ailing, the Royals countered with a contingent of relief pitchers.Angel Zerpa started on no rest and pitched into the second, and Jonathan Bowlan was their only reliever who retired more than three batters — he went two innings. John Schreiber struck out the side in the fourth, and Hunter Harvey escaped a two-on, no-out jam in the sixth by recording three consecutive outs.<h2>Key moment</h2>Long's escape in the 10th set up Perez's winning hit in the bottom half.<h2>Key stat</h2>The low-scoring affair came after the Braves won the series-opener 10-7 and the Royals won 9-6 on Tuesday night.<h2>Up next</h2>The Braves have not announced their starter for Thursday in Cincinnati, though newly acquired RHP Carlos Carrasco is likely to get the ball. The Royals have the day off before opening a series Friday night in Toronto.

⚾️ Perez's single in 10th lifts Royals over the Braves

&nbsp;JUNCTION CITY, KS — Most kids ask for cake and presents on their birthday—but Nevaeh Edmonson had something else in mind. The newly minted 7-year-old, who will be entering second grade at Westwood Elementary School this fall, celebrated her birthday by going fishing at the Milford Outlet “spillway.” 

Using bluegill as bait, Nevaeh surprised everyone when she reeled in a fish nearly as big as she is. Her proud family watched as she handled the catch like a pro, proving that sometimes the best birthday gifts come with a hook.&nbsp;&nbsp;

You can watch the video of Nevaeh catching the fish <a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/K9vWP3_7kYk">here.&nbsp;</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753883129614.jpeg" alt="Nevaeh Edmonson with the flathead she caught on her birthday. (Photo provided by Molly Kate Whitaker)" />
 <figcaption>Nevaeh Edmonson with the flathead she caught on her birthday. (Photo provided by Molly Kate Whitaker)</figcaption>
 </figure>Submitted.&nbsp;JUNCTION CITY, KS — Most kids ask for cake and presents on their birthday—but Nevaeh Edmonson had something else in mind. The newly minted 7-year-old, who will be entering second grade at Westwood Elementary School this fall, celebrated her birthday by going fishing at the Milford Outlet “spillway.” Using bluegill as bait, Nevaeh surprised everyone when she reeled in a fish nearly as big as she is. Her proud family watched as she handled the catch like a pro, proving that sometimes the best birthday gifts come with a hook.&nbsp;&nbsp;You can watch the video of Nevaeh catching the fish <a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/K9vWP3_7kYk">here.&nbsp;</a>

 Junction City Second Grader Reels in Big Catch on Her 7th Birthday

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

The Junction City Brigade won both weekend games at the National Baseball Congress (NBC) World Series in Wichita. The Brigade are 2-0 in pool play, with one game left before bracket play begins later this week.&nbsp;

Junction City began the scoring in the bottom of the first inning, and took a 1-0 lead into the second. TPA then scored two in the top of the second to lead 2-1. Quickly, the Brigade responded with three in the bottom of the second and then five in the fourth and cruised to victory. winning 11-7 in their first game at the 91st NBC World Series.&nbsp;

Kyler Horsman was named Player of the Game with three hits, (one of them a home run), and also had four runs batted in.&nbsp;

The Junction City Brigade wasted no time scoring runs. The Brigade scored eight runs in the top of the first inning. Chad Pantuso, the second batter of the game, hit a two-run home run to jumpstart the offense. GPS attempted to make it interesting, scoring two runs in the second, and three in the third making it a 8-5 Brigade leading going into the fourth. Junction City added one run in the fifth, three in the seventh, and three more in the ninth. The Brigade won 15-8, and go to 2-0 in pool play.&nbsp;

Chad Pantuso was named Player of the Game. He had two hits (one home run), and three runs batted in.&nbsp;

Junction City has one game left in pool play. It is Tuesday, July 29, at 6:00 at Eck Stadium in Wichita. The Brigade play the Alaska Goldpanners, who are also 2-0 in pool play.&nbsp;

Micah Cannon, the coach of the Brigade, is pleased with the way his team has played the first two games of the tournament. "We came here with a purpose, and the guys are playing with confidence and grit," Cannon said. "Starting 2-0 is a great step, but we know the job's not finished."&nbsp;

For more information on the NBC World Series or to watch the games, go to <a href="https://nbcbaseball.com/">nbcbaseball.com</a>.

By Anthony GorgesJC PostThe Junction City Brigade won both weekend games at the National Baseball Congress (NBC) World Series in Wichita. The Brigade are 2-0 in pool play, with one game left before bracket play begins later this week.&nbsp;GAME 1 - Brigade 11, TPA Texas 7Junction City began the scoring in the bottom of the first inning, and took a 1-0 lead into the second. TPA then scored two in the top of the second to lead 2-1. Quickly, the Brigade responded with three in the bottom of the second and then five in the fourth and cruised to victory. winning 11-7 in their first game at the 91st NBC World Series.&nbsp;Kyler Horsman was named Player of the Game with three hits, (one of them a home run), and also had four runs batted in.&nbsp;GAME 2 - Brigade 15, GPA Texas 8The Junction City Brigade wasted no time scoring runs. The Brigade scored eight runs in the top of the first inning. Chad Pantuso, the second batter of the game, hit a two-run home run to jumpstart the offense. GPS attempted to make it interesting, scoring two runs in the second, and three in the third making it a 8-5 Brigade leading going into the fourth. Junction City added one run in the fifth, three in the seventh, and three more in the ninth. The Brigade won 15-8, and go to 2-0 in pool play.&nbsp;Chad Pantuso was named Player of the Game. He had two hits (one home run), and three runs batted in.&nbsp;Junction City has one game left in pool play. It is Tuesday, July 29, at 6:00 at Eck Stadium in Wichita. The Brigade play the Alaska Goldpanners, who are also 2-0 in pool play.&nbsp;Micah Cannon, the coach of the Brigade, is pleased with the way his team has played the first two games of the tournament. "We came here with a purpose, and the guys are playing with confidence and grit," Cannon said. "Starting 2-0 is a great step, but we know the job's not finished."&nbsp;For more information on the NBC World Series or to watch the games, go to <a href="https://nbcbaseball.com/">nbcbaseball.com</a>.

Brigade win both weekend games at NBC World Series

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

The 2025 Junction City Brigade four-person golf scramble is scheduled for Saturday, August 16. The golf scramble will be at Rolling Meadows Golf Course, located at 6514 Old Milford Rd. Check-in for the tournament begins at 8:00 a.m., with a shotgun start at 9:00. 

The four-person golf scramble is $100 per player, and includes the green fee, cart, range, and lunch. Also available at the tournament are beer, hole prizes, and a raffle. To register a team, contact Rolling Meadows Golf Course at (785) 238-4303. 

Hole sponsorships are also available. They are $100. To sponsor a hole, contact Joel Poole at joel.poole86@yahoo.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753386505960.jpeg" alt="Brigade 2025 Golf Flyer" />
 <figcaption>Brigade 2025 Golf Flyer</figcaption>
 </figure>By Anthony GorgesJC PostThe 2025 Junction City Brigade four-person golf scramble is scheduled for Saturday, August 16. The golf scramble will be at Rolling Meadows Golf Course, located at 6514 Old Milford Rd. Check-in for the tournament begins at 8:00 a.m., with a shotgun start at 9:00. The four-person golf scramble is $100 per player, and includes the green fee, cart, range, and lunch. Also available at the tournament are beer, hole prizes, and a raffle. To register a team, contact Rolling Meadows Golf Course at (785) 238-4303. Hole sponsorships are also available. They are $100. To sponsor a hole, contact Joel Poole at joel.poole86@yahoo.com.

Junction City Brigade 2025 Golf Tournament is Saturday, August 16

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.

<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.

Sports