The Junction City Brigade beat the Midwest A's 10-2 Monday night at Rathert Field in the first game of the series.&nbsp;

Game two is tonight in Belton, Missouri, the home of the A's. If Junction City wins, they will advance and play for the Cowdin Cup. If the A's win, game three of the series will be tomorrow night in Junction City.&nbsp;

The Junction City Brigade beat the Midwest A's 10-2 Monday night at Rathert Field in the first game of the series.&nbsp;Game two is tonight in Belton, Missouri, the home of the A's. If Junction City wins, they will advance and play for the Cowdin Cup. If the A's win, game three of the series will be tomorrow night in Junction City.&nbsp;

Brigade win big over Midwest A's in game 1 of playoffs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. fell a single short of the cycle, Salvador Perez and Hunter Renfroe also homered, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 10-4 on Monday night for their fourth straight victory.

Witt tripled in the first inning, doubled in the third and&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1815559805240537297">drilled a three-run homer</a>&nbsp;to deep left-center in the fourth to get the hard part out of the way.

“It's hard to describe,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “The power he displays, the poise at the plate, it’s like he’s playing a different game.”

The crowd arose chanting “Bobby! Bobby!” when Witt came to the plate in the sixth in anticipation of a single and the first cycle by a Kansas City player in 34 years, but Arizona reliever Humberto Castellanos hit Witt with his first pitch, drawing loud boos.

“It's really unfortunate that he got hit,” Quatraro said. “I don't know what to think about the intent behind it.”

Witt got another chance in the eighth but was retired on a fly ball to right field. The last Royals player to hit for the cycle was Hall of Famer George Brett at Toronto on July 25, 1990.

“I definitely wanted to do it for the fans. These fans are awesome out here,” Witt said. “I choked at the end, but whatever.”

Witt, who was named American League Player of the Week earlier Monday, is 12 for 15 since playing in his first All-Star Game and finishing as the Home Run Derby runner-up, raising his average to .341. It was Witt’s fourth straight three-hit game, matching Johnny Damon in 2000 for the second-best such streak in franchise history, behind only Brett’s six games in 1976.

One inning after Witt was plunked, Royals reliever John Schreiber hit Gabriel Moreno with a pitch. Both benches were warned, and Arizona manager Torey Lovullo was ejected for arguing with plate umpire Jordan Baker and had to be held back. Royals catcher Perez appeared to exchange words with Lovullo during the scrum near the plate.

“I never said a word to Salvador Perez,” Lovullo said. “I just wanted him to hear what I was going to say to Jordan. I told him, ‘If you think in my right mind I was going to ask my team to hit the future of Major League Baseball, one of the best players in the game, you’re crazy. You lost control of this situation, and you got it wrong.’ I wanted Salvy to hear that and take it back to their dugout.”

The Royals (56-45), who are in position for a wild-card playoff berth, matched their win total from last season.

Cole Ragans (7-6) survived a shaky third inning to record his second straight win and his eighth quality start in nine. He allowed six hits, two walks and three runs in six innings.

The Diamondbacks took a 3-1 lead in the third when Kevin Newman and Alek Thomas hit back-to-back doubles and Ketel Marte followed with his 20th homer, a two-run shot to left.

The Royals responded in the bottom half with Witt’s double, Vinnie Pasquantino’s RBI single and Perez’s two-run homer to center for a 4-3 lead.

Witt's three-run shot off reliever Miguel Castro in the fourth made it 8-3.

“Castro is no easy right-hander to face,” Quatraro said. “He comes in there and that first pitch, you don't expect him to hit a homer, but I guess you maybe start trying to expect it. It's incredible, what he's doing right now. Absolutely incredible.”

Renfroe homered in the sixth, Kyle Isbel had three hits and two RBIs, and Pasquantino had three hits for the Royals.

After giving up only one run in six innings in each of his first two major league starts, Arizona's Yilber Diaz allowed seven runs and nine hits in three-plus innings.

“He couldn’t locate his secondary stuff and became predictable with his fastball,” Lovullo said.

Diamondbacks: Lovullo said LHP Jordan Montgomery (knee) would come off the injured list and start Tuesday. RHP Merrill Kelly (shoulder) and LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (shoulder) will each throw a bullpen session Tuesday and are on track for simulated games, Thursday for Kelly and Friday for Rodriguez.

Royals: OF MJ Melendez (ankle) is close to returning, Quatraro said. Melendez is eligible to come off the IL Friday.

Alec Marsh (7-6, 3.55) will start for the Royals against Montgomery (6-5, 6.44).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721728779675.png" alt="Photo Kansas City Royals" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Royals</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. fell a single short of the cycle, Salvador Perez and Hunter Renfroe also homered, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 10-4 on Monday night for their fourth straight victory.Witt tripled in the first inning, doubled in the third and&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1815559805240537297">drilled a three-run homer</a>&nbsp;to deep left-center in the fourth to get the hard part out of the way.“It's hard to describe,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “The power he displays, the poise at the plate, it’s like he’s playing a different game.”The crowd arose chanting “Bobby! Bobby!” when Witt came to the plate in the sixth in anticipation of a single and the first cycle by a Kansas City player in 34 years, but Arizona reliever Humberto Castellanos hit Witt with his first pitch, drawing loud boos.“It's really unfortunate that he got hit,” Quatraro said. “I don't know what to think about the intent behind it.”Witt got another chance in the eighth but was retired on a fly ball to right field. The last Royals player to hit for the cycle was Hall of Famer George Brett at Toronto on July 25, 1990.“I definitely wanted to do it for the fans. These fans are awesome out here,” Witt said. “I choked at the end, but whatever.”Witt, who was named American League Player of the Week earlier Monday, is 12 for 15 since playing in his first All-Star Game and finishing as the Home Run Derby runner-up, raising his average to .341. It was Witt’s fourth straight three-hit game, matching Johnny Damon in 2000 for the second-best such streak in franchise history, behind only Brett’s six games in 1976.One inning after Witt was plunked, Royals reliever John Schreiber hit Gabriel Moreno with a pitch. Both benches were warned, and Arizona manager Torey Lovullo was ejected for arguing with plate umpire Jordan Baker and had to be held back. Royals catcher Perez appeared to exchange words with Lovullo during the scrum near the plate.“I never said a word to Salvador Perez,” Lovullo said. “I just wanted him to hear what I was going to say to Jordan. I told him, ‘If you think in my right mind I was going to ask my team to hit the future of Major League Baseball, one of the best players in the game, you’re crazy. You lost control of this situation, and you got it wrong.’ I wanted Salvy to hear that and take it back to their dugout.”The Royals (56-45), who are in position for a wild-card playoff berth, matched their win total from last season.Cole Ragans (7-6) survived a shaky third inning to record his second straight win and his eighth quality start in nine. He allowed six hits, two walks and three runs in six innings.The Diamondbacks took a 3-1 lead in the third when Kevin Newman and Alek Thomas hit back-to-back doubles and Ketel Marte followed with his 20th homer, a two-run shot to left.The Royals responded in the bottom half with Witt’s double, Vinnie Pasquantino’s RBI single and Perez’s two-run homer to center for a 4-3 lead.Witt's three-run shot off reliever Miguel Castro in the fourth made it 8-3.“Castro is no easy right-hander to face,” Quatraro said. “He comes in there and that first pitch, you don't expect him to hit a homer, but I guess you maybe start trying to expect it. It's incredible, what he's doing right now. Absolutely incredible.”Renfroe homered in the sixth, Kyle Isbel had three hits and two RBIs, and Pasquantino had three hits for the Royals.After giving up only one run in six innings in each of his first two major league starts, Arizona's Yilber Diaz allowed seven runs and nine hits in three-plus innings.“He couldn’t locate his secondary stuff and became predictable with his fastball,” Lovullo said.TRAINER’S ROOMDiamondbacks: Lovullo said LHP Jordan Montgomery (knee) would come off the injured list and start Tuesday. RHP Merrill Kelly (shoulder) and LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (shoulder) will each throw a bullpen session Tuesday and are on track for simulated games, Thursday for Kelly and Friday for Rodriguez.Royals: OF MJ Melendez (ankle) is close to returning, Quatraro said. Melendez is eligible to come off the IL Friday.UP NEXTAlec Marsh (7-6, 3.55) will start for the Royals against Montgomery (6-5, 6.44).

⚾ Bobby Witt Jr. homers, triples and doubles in the Royals win over the D-backs

The 17U Upper Deck Blue Jays braved the scorching temperatures to take part in the 2024 Sunflower State Games in Topeka, Kansas, July 12-14, 2024. Despite losing the first game, they went on to win the next four games to take home the gold medal.

The UD Blue Jays finished out their season this past weekend by taking part in the Topeka Scrappers Tournament where they went 2-2.&nbsp;

SubmittedThe 17U Upper Deck Blue Jays braved the scorching temperatures to take part in the 2024 Sunflower State Games in Topeka, Kansas, July 12-14, 2024. Despite losing the first game, they went on to win the next four games to take home the gold medal.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721673778557.jpeg" alt="Pictured from left to right:&nbsp;Front Row: #16 Kaniela Dedrick, #50 Kahoku Dedrick, #24 Cael Smith, #12 Abdullah Harris, #31 Aiden Barron, #8 Khaliel Walker.&nbsp;Middle Row: #4 Mu’aadh Harris, #2 Cameron Buchanon, #22 Sean Powell, #14 Marshall Karmann, #13 Jaxon Buchanon, #1 Conrado Gomez, Coach James Denton. (Also pictured is Maya Neal who ran GameChanger for the team).&nbsp;Back Row: Coach James Bradford, #11 Janis Curit, #21, Jayson Neal, #49 Joshua Clark.&nbsp;Not pictured is teammate #10 Noa Laffery. (Photo courtesy of Michelle Smith)" />
 <figcaption>Pictured from left to right:&nbsp;Front Row: #16 Kaniela Dedrick, #50 Kahoku Dedrick, #24 Cael Smith, #12 Abdullah Harris, #31 Aiden Barron, #8 Khaliel Walker.&nbsp;Middle Row: #4 Mu’aadh Harris, #2 Cameron Buchanon, #22 Sean Powell, #14 Marshall Karmann, #13 Jaxon Buchanon, #1 Conrado Gomez, Coach James Denton. (Also pictured is Maya Neal who ran GameChanger for the team).&nbsp;Back Row: Coach James Bradford, #11 Janis Curit, #21, Jayson Neal, #49 Joshua Clark.&nbsp;Not pictured is teammate #10 Noa Laffery. (Photo courtesy of Michelle Smith)</figcaption>
 </figure>The UD Blue Jays finished out their season this past weekend by taking part in the Topeka Scrappers Tournament where they went 2-2.&nbsp;

The 17U Upper Deck Blue Jays won gold medal at Sunflower State Games

The Junction City Brigade wrapped up their regular season with a record of 23-9. Junction City has won their last nine games, including 12 of their last 13.&nbsp;

A new season begins tonight for Junction City, as they are the number one seed in the Mid Plains League playoffs and will face off against the Midwest A's. It is a best two-out-of-three series. Game one of the series is tonight in Junction City at Rathert Field. The first pitch for tonight's game will be at 7:00.&nbsp;

Game two will be on Tuesday night in Belton, Missouri, the home of the A's. If a game three is necessary, it will be on Wednesday in Junction City.&nbsp;

By Anthony GorgesJC PostThe Junction City Brigade wrapped up their regular season with a record of 23-9. Junction City has won their last nine games, including 12 of their last 13.&nbsp;A new season begins tonight for Junction City, as they are the number one seed in the Mid Plains League playoffs and will face off against the Midwest A's. It is a best two-out-of-three series. Game one of the series is tonight in Junction City at Rathert Field. The first pitch for tonight's game will be at 7:00.&nbsp;Game two will be on Tuesday night in Belton, Missouri, the home of the A's. If a game three is necessary, it will be on Wednesday in Junction City.&nbsp;

Junction City Brigade will face off with Midwest A's in playoffs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Seth Lugo retired 14 straight batters in his first career complete game as the Kansas City Royals rallied past the Chicago White Sox for a 4-1 win and series sweep on Sunday.

Lugo (12-4) surrendered one run while striking out six on 103 pitches. He allowed an infield hit to Tommy Pham leading off the game before retiring the next 14 batters.

Nicky Lopez was hit with a pitch leading off the sixth and scored on Pham’s two-out single, breaking the scoreless tie. It was the White Sox first run against Royals' starters during the series after 19 scoreless innings.

In the eighth, Hunter Renfroe’s single scored Bobby Witt Jr. to break a 1-1 tie as the Royals collected five hits, scoring three runs against reliever John Brebbia (0-5).

Witt had three hits in all three games of the series as the Royals completed their sixth series sweep.

Kansas City tied the game with one out in the seventh. Maikel Garcia reached on an infield hit against reliever Justin Anderson, went to third on Dairon Blanco’s hit and scored on Kyle Isbel’s squeeze bunt.

Chicago’s bullpen leads the majors with 24 blown saves and 33 losses.

Drew Thorpe allowed three singles over six shutout innings, walking two and hitting a batter but stranded five baserunners while striking out five in his fifth consecutive start of at least six innings while allowing fewer than three runs.

Pham had two hits for the White Sox, who lost their seventh straight and suffered their 14th series sweep.

White Sox right-hander Erick Fedde (7-3, 2.99 ERA) opposes Rangers right-hander Michael Lorenzen (5-5, 3.52) on Monday in Texas.

Royals left-hander Cole Ragans (6-6, 3.16 ERA) opposes Diamondbacks right-hander Yilber Díaz (1-0, 1.50) on Monday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721597988834.png" alt="photo Kansas City Royals" />
 <figcaption>photo Kansas City Royals</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Seth Lugo retired 14 straight batters in his first career complete game as the Kansas City Royals rallied past the Chicago White Sox for a 4-1 win and series sweep on Sunday.Lugo (12-4) surrendered one run while striking out six on 103 pitches. He allowed an infield hit to Tommy Pham leading off the game before retiring the next 14 batters.Nicky Lopez was hit with a pitch leading off the sixth and scored on Pham’s two-out single, breaking the scoreless tie. It was the White Sox first run against Royals' starters during the series after 19 scoreless innings.In the eighth, Hunter Renfroe’s single scored Bobby Witt Jr. to break a 1-1 tie as the Royals collected five hits, scoring three runs against reliever John Brebbia (0-5).Witt had three hits in all three games of the series as the Royals completed their sixth series sweep.Kansas City tied the game with one out in the seventh. Maikel Garcia reached on an infield hit against reliever Justin Anderson, went to third on Dairon Blanco’s hit and scored on Kyle Isbel’s squeeze bunt.Chicago’s bullpen leads the majors with 24 blown saves and 33 losses.Drew Thorpe allowed three singles over six shutout innings, walking two and hitting a batter but stranded five baserunners while striking out five in his fifth consecutive start of at least six innings while allowing fewer than three runs.Pham had two hits for the White Sox, who lost their seventh straight and suffered their 14th series sweep.UP NEXTWhite Sox right-hander Erick Fedde (7-3, 2.99 ERA) opposes Rangers right-hander Michael Lorenzen (5-5, 3.52) on Monday in Texas.Royals left-hander Cole Ragans (6-6, 3.16 ERA) opposes Diamondbacks right-hander Yilber Díaz (1-0, 1.50) on Monday.

⚾Lugo retires 14 straight in 1st career complete game, Royals sweep White Sox

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Brady Singer threw seven shutout innings to lead the Kansas City Royals to a 6-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday night.

Singer faced the minimum through three before running into fourth-inning trouble, walking two to load the bases. He escaped with a strikeout and retired 10 of the final 13 hitters.

Singer (6-6) allowed five singles with two walks and seven strikeouts to earn his second win in his last 10 starts.

The Royals built a 3-0 lead in the first inning with five straight hits, highlighted by Michael Massey’s RBI triple. Maikel Garcia and Bobby Witt Jr. doubled in the second, adding another run.

Jonathan Cannon (1-4) held Kansas City to one single thereafter, finishing six innings while allowing four runs on eight hits with four strikeouts.

Witt had three hits and has hit safely in 29 of his last 30 home games, batting .444. He has multiple hits in nine of his last 14 games.

Salvador Perez had two hits and an RBI, and Hunter Renfroe drove in two runs in the Royals' sixth victory in their last eight games.

Hunter Harvey allowed two doubles and an eighth-inning run in his Royals debut.

Kansas City’s 33 wins at Kauffman Stadium are the second-most home wins in baseball behind Philadelphia’s 37 and match the Royals' home win total from 2023.

Chuckie Robinson made his White Sox debut at catcher, throwing out Witt attempting to steal third.

The White Sox have lost six straight and nine of their last 10 games, and have lost 10 consecutive road series since their last win, May 3-5 at St. Louis.

White Sox: Placed RHP Jordan Leasure on the 15-day Injured List (retroactive to July 17) with a right shoulder impingement.

White Sox: Recalled LHP Sammy Peralta from Triple-A Charlotte.

White Sox right-hander Drew Thorpe (3-1, 3.58 ERA) opposes Royals right-hander Seth Lugo (11-4, 2.48) in Sunday’s finale.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721526474438.png" alt="photo Kansas City Royals" />
 <figcaption>photo Kansas City Royals</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Brady Singer threw seven shutout innings to lead the Kansas City Royals to a 6-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday night.Singer faced the minimum through three before running into fourth-inning trouble, walking two to load the bases. He escaped with a strikeout and retired 10 of the final 13 hitters.Singer (6-6) allowed five singles with two walks and seven strikeouts to earn his second win in his last 10 starts.The Royals built a 3-0 lead in the first inning with five straight hits, highlighted by Michael Massey’s RBI triple. Maikel Garcia and Bobby Witt Jr. doubled in the second, adding another run.Jonathan Cannon (1-4) held Kansas City to one single thereafter, finishing six innings while allowing four runs on eight hits with four strikeouts.Witt had three hits and has hit safely in 29 of his last 30 home games, batting .444. He has multiple hits in nine of his last 14 games.Salvador Perez had two hits and an RBI, and Hunter Renfroe drove in two runs in the Royals' sixth victory in their last eight games.Hunter Harvey allowed two doubles and an eighth-inning run in his Royals debut.Kansas City’s 33 wins at Kauffman Stadium are the second-most home wins in baseball behind Philadelphia’s 37 and match the Royals' home win total from 2023.Chuckie Robinson made his White Sox debut at catcher, throwing out Witt attempting to steal third.The White Sox have lost six straight and nine of their last 10 games, and have lost 10 consecutive road series since their last win, May 3-5 at St. Louis.TRAINER’S ROOMWhite Sox: Placed RHP Jordan Leasure on the 15-day Injured List (retroactive to July 17) with a right shoulder impingement.TRANSACTIONSWhite Sox: Recalled LHP Sammy Peralta from Triple-A Charlotte.UP NEXTWhite Sox right-hander Drew Thorpe (3-1, 3.58 ERA) opposes Royals right-hander Seth Lugo (11-4, 2.48) in Sunday’s finale.

⚾Singer throws seven shutout innings to lead Royals past White Sox

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Michael Wacha pitched seven scoreless innings, Bobby Witt Jr. homered and drove in two runs and the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 7-1 on Friday night.

Witt drove Chris Flexen’s inside fastball above the left field bullpen for his 17th homer in the first inning. Witt added an RBI in the third on the second of his three hits for a 2-0 lead.

Since June 24, Witt has hit safely in 17 of 19 games, batting .403 with 12 extra-base hits.

Wacha (7-6) allowed four hits and a walk, striking out seven. He is 6-2 in his last 10 starts, surrendering no more than three earned runs in each.

Michael Massey’s two-out, two-run single highlighted the Royals’ five-run fifth. Kansas City has won five of its last seven.

Flexen (2-9) threw 4 2/3 innings, allowing seven runs on four hits and five walks. In 13 starts since his last win on May 8, he is 0-6.

Chicago's Korey Lee hit his ninth homer in the eighth inning.

Brooks Baldwin singled in his first at-bat in his major league debut, as the White Sox lost their fifth straight.

White Sox: Placed RHP Michael Soroka on the 15-day Injured List (retroactive to July 16) with a right shoulder strain.

Royals: Placed OF MJ Melendez on the 10-day Injured List (retroactive to July 15) with a left ankle sprain.

White Sox: signed free agent IF Nick Senzel, selected the contract of IF Brooks Baldwin, and recalled C Chuckie Robinson and RHP Steven Wilson, from Triple-A Charlotte, optioned IF Lenyn Sosa to Charlotte, and designated C Martin Maldonado and IF Danny Mendick for assignment, outrighting Mendick to Charlotte.

Royals: Recalled OF Drew Waters from Triple-A Omaha and designated RHP Nick Anderson for assignment.

White Sox right-hander Jonathan Cannon (1-3, 4.41 ERA) opposes Royals right-hander Brady Singer (5-6, 3.20).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721443850772.png" alt="Photo Kansas City Royals" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Royals</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Michael Wacha pitched seven scoreless innings, Bobby Witt Jr. homered and drove in two runs and the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 7-1 on Friday night.Witt drove Chris Flexen’s inside fastball above the left field bullpen for his 17th homer in the first inning. Witt added an RBI in the third on the second of his three hits for a 2-0 lead.Since June 24, Witt has hit safely in 17 of 19 games, batting .403 with 12 extra-base hits.Wacha (7-6) allowed four hits and a walk, striking out seven. He is 6-2 in his last 10 starts, surrendering no more than three earned runs in each.Michael Massey’s two-out, two-run single highlighted the Royals’ five-run fifth. Kansas City has won five of its last seven.Flexen (2-9) threw 4 2/3 innings, allowing seven runs on four hits and five walks. In 13 starts since his last win on May 8, he is 0-6.Chicago's Korey Lee hit his ninth homer in the eighth inning.Brooks Baldwin singled in his first at-bat in his major league debut, as the White Sox lost their fifth straight.TRAINER’S ROOMWhite Sox: Placed RHP Michael Soroka on the 15-day Injured List (retroactive to July 16) with a right shoulder strain.Royals: Placed OF MJ Melendez on the 10-day Injured List (retroactive to July 15) with a left ankle sprain.TRANSACTIONSWhite Sox: signed free agent IF Nick Senzel, selected the contract of IF Brooks Baldwin, and recalled C Chuckie Robinson and RHP Steven Wilson, from Triple-A Charlotte, optioned IF Lenyn Sosa to Charlotte, and designated C Martin Maldonado and IF Danny Mendick for assignment, outrighting Mendick to Charlotte.Royals: Recalled OF Drew Waters from Triple-A Omaha and designated RHP Nick Anderson for assignment.UP NEXTWhite Sox right-hander Jonathan Cannon (1-3, 4.41 ERA) opposes Royals right-hander Brady Singer (5-6, 3.20).

⚾ Witt's 17th home run lifts the Royals over the White Sox

The Junction City Blue Jays will host an All Fall Sports Parent Meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 6 at 6 p.m. USD 475 said for more information, contact Chris Bogenhagen, JCHS athletic director, at 785-717-4214.

The Junction City Blue Jays will host an All Fall Sports Parent Meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 6 at 6 p.m. USD 475 said for more information, contact Chris Bogenhagen, JCHS athletic director, at 785-717-4214.

JCHS Fall Sports Parent Meeting

STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Baseball Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Speedy Jarren Duran describes himself as a player who keeps his head down, works hard and never thinks of himself as being better than anybody else.

Duran turned some heads in his first All-Star Game,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/gameday/747298/video/jarren-duran-homers-1-on-a-fly-ball-to-right-center-field-anthony-santand">hitting a tiebreaking two-run homer</a>&nbsp;for the American League and being&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/gameday/747298/video/jarren-duran-is-named-the-2024-all-star-game-mvp">awarded the MVP trophy</a>&nbsp;named after Boston Red Sox legend Ted Williams.

“That's an honor. Who else would I want to try to follow in the footsteps of besides a guy like that, who is not just a great baseball player but a great human being,” Duran said after becoming the fifth Red Sox player selected All-Star Game MVP. “That guy was awesome, and I’m honored to be able to have his award.”

The decisive homer came in the fifth inning Tuesday night as the AL beat the National League 5-3 for its 10th win in the past 11 All-Star Games.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paul-skenes-allstars-6b6611f683a612ef2c263c6bfd5d6396">Pittsburgh rookie Paul Skenes</a>&nbsp;pitched a hitless first for the NL, twice hitting 100 mph, and Shohei Ohtani also went deep in Texas with a three-run homer for a 3-0 lead in the third.

Juan Soto hit a two-run double and scored on David Fry’s single to tie the score in the AL third, and Duran went deep off Cincinnati’s Hunter Greene.

“It’s a surreal moment. So I’m just thankful to be here,” said Duran, who was one of 39 first-time All-Stars this year.

Oakland right-hander Mason Miller got the win after throwing a 103.6 mph pitch, the fastest in the All-Star Game since tracking began in 2008. Hard-throwing Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase struck out two in the ninth for the save.

The 22-year-old Skenes, who has pitched only 11 big league games since being the No. 1 overall pick in the draft last July, became the first rookie starter since 1995 and had the fewest games played for any player to make an All-Star team. The right-hander threw a hitless first, with a two-out walk to Soto before his Yankees teammate Aaron Judge grounded into a forceout on the next pitch.

Skenes threw 11 of 16 pitches for strikes, with seven fastballs up to 100.1 mph.

“Frankly, I wish I’d had a few more pitches to do that today,” said Skenes, who has a good mix of pitches to go with the hard stuff. “It’s cool to bring eyes to the game.”

Ohtani, who has gone deep 29 times in the first season of his record $700 million, 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shohei-ohtani-allstars-d70046c8cf15a5d1b31aed95c1f73346">pulled a 400-foot drive to right</a>&nbsp;off Tanner Houck. That came after the Boston right-hander allowed singles to the first two batters he faced: No. 9 batter Jurickson Profar and leadoff hitter Ketel Marte.

“I haven’t really hit well in the All-Star Game, so I’m just relieved that I put the ball in play,” Ohtani said. “I just focused on having a regular at-bat as if I was in the regular season.”

When Ohtani went against Miller in the fifth, he struck out on an 89.2 mph slider well inside and out of the strike zone. That was after twice taking strikes on fastballs of more than 100 mph.

Ohtani’s first All-Star homer made him the first Dodgers player to go deep in the Midsummer Classic since Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza in 1996. Eleven days after his 30th birthday, Ohtani was an All-Star for the fourth time — his first with the NL.

Baltimore’s Anthony Santander, after taking over for Soto in right field, had a two-out single in the fifth before Duran’s 413-foot homer to right-center after he had replaced Judge in center. Duran took a 95.9 mph fastball before going deep on an 86 mph splitter.

“I knew he threw really hard so I was just praying he would throw me a first pitch fastball so I could see how hard it was. After that, I was hoping to get a pitch up,” Duran said. “He happened to leave a pitch up. I happened to put a good swing on it.”

The last Red Sox player to be the All-Star MVP was J.D. Drew in 2008, following Pedro Martinez in 1999, Roger Clemens in 1986 and Carl Yastrzemski in 1970.

Duran was voted by his peers as an All-Star after being the first AL player to go into the break with at least 100 hits, 10 triples, 10 homers and 20 stolen bases.

The AL has a 48-44-2 record in the All-Star Game, and had won nine in a row before the National League's 3-2 victory last year in Seattle.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/all-star-game-corbin-burnes-499fe81cf19ebe1fbf03f0a88bf93446">AL starter Corbin Burnes</a>&nbsp;arrived in Texas the morning of the game after spending time at home with his newborn twin daughters. The Baltimore right-hander allowed a walk and then a two-out double to Bryce Harper before getting out of his inning on a comebacker by William Contreras, his catcher last season in Milwaukee.

After his underhand toss of the ball to first base, Burnes had a big smile on his face when he kept jogging and wrapped his arm around Contreras on the baseline.

Played in 2 hours, 28 minutes, it was the shortest All-Star Game since 1988, a game that the AL won 2-1 in Cincinnati that took only two minutes less.

Bruce Bochy of the host Rangers became the first manager to win World Series titles and All-Star Games in both leagues. Bochy is now 2-3 as an All-Star manager, leading the NL to a win in 2011. He won the World Series three times with the NL's San Francisco Giants in 2010, 2012 and 2014, then led the Rangers to their first championship in his debut season with them last year.

The MLB regular series resumes Friday when 14 games are scheduled, with Milwaukee and Minnesota the only teams that won’t play until Saturday. Philadelphia (62-34) has the best record in the majors and Cleveland (58-37) has an AL-best .611 winning percentage, though Baltimore and the New York Yankees also have 58 wins.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721208842253.jpeg" alt="American League's Jarren Duran, of the Boston Red Sox, hits a home run during the fifth inning of the MLB All-Star baseball game, Tuesday, July 16, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. Anthony Santander, of the Baltimore Orioles, also scored. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)" />
 <figcaption>American League's Jarren Duran, of the Boston Red Sox, hits a home run during the fifth inning of the MLB All-Star baseball game, Tuesday, July 16, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. Anthony Santander, of the Baltimore Orioles, also scored. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)</figcaption>
 </figure>STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Baseball WriterARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Speedy Jarren Duran describes himself as a player who keeps his head down, works hard and never thinks of himself as being better than anybody else.Duran turned some heads in his first All-Star Game,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/gameday/747298/video/jarren-duran-homers-1-on-a-fly-ball-to-right-center-field-anthony-santand">hitting a tiebreaking two-run homer</a>&nbsp;for the American League and being&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/gameday/747298/video/jarren-duran-is-named-the-2024-all-star-game-mvp">awarded the MVP trophy</a>&nbsp;named after Boston Red Sox legend Ted Williams.“That's an honor. Who else would I want to try to follow in the footsteps of besides a guy like that, who is not just a great baseball player but a great human being,” Duran said after becoming the fifth Red Sox player selected All-Star Game MVP. “That guy was awesome, and I’m honored to be able to have his award.”The decisive homer came in the fifth inning Tuesday night as the AL beat the National League 5-3 for its 10th win in the past 11 All-Star Games.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paul-skenes-allstars-6b6611f683a612ef2c263c6bfd5d6396">Pittsburgh rookie Paul Skenes</a>&nbsp;pitched a hitless first for the NL, twice hitting 100 mph, and Shohei Ohtani also went deep in Texas with a three-run homer for a 3-0 lead in the third.Juan Soto hit a two-run double and scored on David Fry’s single to tie the score in the AL third, and Duran went deep off Cincinnati’s Hunter Greene.“It’s a surreal moment. So I’m just thankful to be here,” said Duran, who was one of 39 first-time All-Stars this year.Oakland right-hander Mason Miller got the win after throwing a 103.6 mph pitch, the fastest in the All-Star Game since tracking began in 2008. Hard-throwing Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase struck out two in the ninth for the save.The 22-year-old Skenes, who has pitched only 11 big league games since being the No. 1 overall pick in the draft last July, became the first rookie starter since 1995 and had the fewest games played for any player to make an All-Star team. The right-hander threw a hitless first, with a two-out walk to Soto before his Yankees teammate Aaron Judge grounded into a forceout on the next pitch.Skenes threw 11 of 16 pitches for strikes, with seven fastballs up to 100.1 mph.“Frankly, I wish I’d had a few more pitches to do that today,” said Skenes, who has a good mix of pitches to go with the hard stuff. “It’s cool to bring eyes to the game.”Ohtani, who has gone deep 29 times in the first season of his record $700 million, 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shohei-ohtani-allstars-d70046c8cf15a5d1b31aed95c1f73346">pulled a 400-foot drive to right</a>&nbsp;off Tanner Houck. That came after the Boston right-hander allowed singles to the first two batters he faced: No. 9 batter Jurickson Profar and leadoff hitter Ketel Marte.“I haven’t really hit well in the All-Star Game, so I’m just relieved that I put the ball in play,” Ohtani said. “I just focused on having a regular at-bat as if I was in the regular season.”When Ohtani went against Miller in the fifth, he struck out on an 89.2 mph slider well inside and out of the strike zone. That was after twice taking strikes on fastballs of more than 100 mph.Ohtani’s first All-Star homer made him the first Dodgers player to go deep in the Midsummer Classic since Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza in 1996. Eleven days after his 30th birthday, Ohtani was an All-Star for the fourth time — his first with the NL.Baltimore’s Anthony Santander, after taking over for Soto in right field, had a two-out single in the fifth before Duran’s 413-foot homer to right-center after he had replaced Judge in center. Duran took a 95.9 mph fastball before going deep on an 86 mph splitter.“I knew he threw really hard so I was just praying he would throw me a first pitch fastball so I could see how hard it was. After that, I was hoping to get a pitch up,” Duran said. “He happened to leave a pitch up. I happened to put a good swing on it.”The last Red Sox player to be the All-Star MVP was J.D. Drew in 2008, following Pedro Martinez in 1999, Roger Clemens in 1986 and Carl Yastrzemski in 1970.Duran was voted by his peers as an All-Star after being the first AL player to go into the break with at least 100 hits, 10 triples, 10 homers and 20 stolen bases.The AL has a 48-44-2 record in the All-Star Game, and had won nine in a row before the National League's 3-2 victory last year in Seattle.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/all-star-game-corbin-burnes-499fe81cf19ebe1fbf03f0a88bf93446">AL starter Corbin Burnes</a>&nbsp;arrived in Texas the morning of the game after spending time at home with his newborn twin daughters. The Baltimore right-hander allowed a walk and then a two-out double to Bryce Harper before getting out of his inning on a comebacker by William Contreras, his catcher last season in Milwaukee.After his underhand toss of the ball to first base, Burnes had a big smile on his face when he kept jogging and wrapped his arm around Contreras on the baseline.<h2>Quick game</h2>Played in 2 hours, 28 minutes, it was the shortest All-Star Game since 1988, a game that the AL won 2-1 in Cincinnati that took only two minutes less.<h2>Won in both leagues</h2>Bruce Bochy of the host Rangers became the first manager to win World Series titles and All-Star Games in both leagues. Bochy is now 2-3 as an All-Star manager, leading the NL to a win in 2011. He won the World Series three times with the NL's San Francisco Giants in 2010, 2012 and 2014, then led the Rangers to their first championship in his debut season with them last year.<h2>Up next</h2>The MLB regular series resumes Friday when 14 games are scheduled, with Milwaukee and Minnesota the only teams that won’t play until Saturday. Philadelphia (62-34) has the best record in the majors and Cleveland (58-37) has an AL-best .611 winning percentage, though Baltimore and the New York Yankees also have 58 wins.

⚾ Duran's homer leads AL to All-Star win

By BRENT MARTIN St. Joseph Post

Chiefs Training Camp is now open with quarterbacks and rookies
reporting to Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes says the Chiefs need to stay
hungry even though they are coming off back-to-back Super Bowl victories.

“We’re back in St. Joe, it’s time to get better,” Mahomes tells
reporters as training camp officials gets underway. “Every season starts
different. You’ve got to come in with the same mentality you had the year
before, even a higher intensity. Even though we won the Super Bowl last year,
we feel like we didn’t play our best football, especially offensively. It’s our
goal to be better that way and we have to come with that mentality every single
day.”

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid says training camp prepares the
team for a grueling season by sharpening their mental and physical abilities.

“If you’re fatigued then you’re going to be fatigued mentally.
If you’re fatigued physically that’s going to affect you mentally. And if you’re
fatigued period, then you can’t think and you can’t play, at least not to the best
of your ability,” Reid says during the news conference. “So, the objective here
is let’s get ourselves in shape, make sure we’re in football shape. They’re all
going to come back in shape, but let’s get ourselves in football shape.”

Mahomes says it’s important for the team to sequester itself
on the Missouri Western campus and focus on football.

“Being in the building and being at lunch together, being at
dinner together, always kind of being around the guys, you build this kind of
culture and this family-type brotherhood,” according to Mahomes. “I’m excited
to continue to do that with a lot of new faces and then with guys that have
been here before, because we know this is what it takes in order for us to go
out there and be great.”

Not all the team is in St. Joseph. This week, only the quarterbacks
and rookies attend practice. Practices this week are closed to the public. The
full team reports Sunday.

Reid values this time to bring the team together and prepare
for a tough football season.

“Listen, we look forward to being back here. We love the set
up here. The people here treat us great at Missouri Western State University; beautiful
facilities,” Reid tells reports standing outside Scanlon Hall, which will be
their home for the next few weeks. “It’s great to be able to get away from the
city and be able to house guys in the same dorm. I’m saying this as a coach and
they probably aren’t going to say this, but it builds a certain camaraderie.”

Chiefs Training Camp begins for the full team Sunday morning
with a 9:15am start at MWSU. There is a $5 admission fee for the practice on
Sunday, the first open to the public.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721167941490.jpeg" alt="Patrick Mahomes addresses the media at the opening of Chiefs Training Camp on the Missouri Western campus in St. Joseph (Alexis Starks photo)" />
 <figcaption>Patrick Mahomes addresses the media at the opening of Chiefs Training Camp on the Missouri Western campus in St. Joseph (Alexis Starks photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTIN St. Joseph PostChiefs Training Camp is now open with quarterbacks and rookies
reporting to Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph.Quarterback Patrick Mahomes says the Chiefs need to stay
hungry even though they are coming off back-to-back Super Bowl victories.“We’re back in St. Joe, it’s time to get better,” Mahomes tells
reporters as training camp officials gets underway. “Every season starts
different. You’ve got to come in with the same mentality you had the year
before, even a higher intensity. Even though we won the Super Bowl last year,
we feel like we didn’t play our best football, especially offensively. It’s our
goal to be better that way and we have to come with that mentality every single
day.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721168026141.jpeg" alt="Head Coach Andy Reid answers questions at the start of training camp. (Alexis Starks photo)" />
 <figcaption>Head Coach Andy Reid answers questions at the start of training camp. (Alexis Starks photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid says training camp prepares the
team for a grueling season by sharpening their mental and physical abilities.“If you’re fatigued then you’re going to be fatigued mentally.
If you’re fatigued physically that’s going to affect you mentally. And if you’re
fatigued period, then you can’t think and you can’t play, at least not to the best
of your ability,” Reid says during the news conference. “So, the objective here
is let’s get ourselves in shape, make sure we’re in football shape. They’re all
going to come back in shape, but let’s get ourselves in football shape.”Mahomes says it’s important for the team to sequester itself
on the Missouri Western campus and focus on football.“Being in the building and being at lunch together, being at
dinner together, always kind of being around the guys, you build this kind of
culture and this family-type brotherhood,” according to Mahomes. “I’m excited
to continue to do that with a lot of new faces and then with guys that have
been here before, because we know this is what it takes in order for us to go
out there and be great.”Not all the team is in St. Joseph. This week, only the quarterbacks
and rookies attend practice. Practices this week are closed to the public. The
full team reports Sunday.Reid values this time to bring the team together and prepare
for a tough football season.“Listen, we look forward to being back here. We love the set
up here. The people here treat us great at Missouri Western State University; beautiful
facilities,” Reid tells reports standing outside Scanlon Hall, which will be
their home for the next few weeks. “It’s great to be able to get away from the
city and be able to house guys in the same dorm. I’m saying this as a coach and
they probably aren’t going to say this, but it builds a certain camaraderie.”Chiefs Training Camp begins for the full team Sunday morning
with a 9:15am start at MWSU. There is a $5 admission fee for the practice on
Sunday, the first open to the public.

🏈 Chiefs return to St. Joseph seeking third straight Super Bowl

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;With the start of fall camp right around the corner, K-State Athletics officials announced Tuesday tickets for the Dillons Sunflower Showdown against Kansas on October 26 are down to scattered singles and standing-room only.

Tickets to the other five remaining home games are also selling quickly, highlighted by the season-opener on August 31 against UT Martin (fewer than 850 tickets remain), the Friday night non-conference matchup against new Big 12 foe Arizona on September 13 (fewer than 950), and the September 28 contest against Oklahoma State (only 125 tickets remain).

K-State Athletics utilizes dynamic pricing, and single-game prices may change based on demand. New this season, sales tax will be added to the price of all season and single-game tickets. Fans will see the final price reflected in their shopping cart when checking out.

Fans looking for reserved seats to this year’s Sunflower Showdown are encouraged to visit SeatGeek, K-State’s official secondary ticket partner. K-State Athletics can only verify tickets and assist with any issues on gamedays with tickets that are purchased from the K-State Ticket Office or through SeatGeek.

All tickets can be purchased online at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kstatesports.com/tickets">www.kstatesports.com/tickets</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 1-800-221-CATS.

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;With the start of fall camp right around the corner, K-State Athletics officials announced Tuesday tickets for the Dillons Sunflower Showdown against Kansas on October 26 are down to scattered singles and standing-room only.Tickets to the other five remaining home games are also selling quickly, highlighted by the season-opener on August 31 against UT Martin (fewer than 850 tickets remain), the Friday night non-conference matchup against new Big 12 foe Arizona on September 13 (fewer than 950), and the September 28 contest against Oklahoma State (only 125 tickets remain).K-State Athletics utilizes dynamic pricing, and single-game prices may change based on demand. New this season, sales tax will be added to the price of all season and single-game tickets. Fans will see the final price reflected in their shopping cart when checking out.Fans looking for reserved seats to this year’s Sunflower Showdown are encouraged to visit SeatGeek, K-State’s official secondary ticket partner. K-State Athletics can only verify tickets and assist with any issues on gamedays with tickets that are purchased from the K-State Ticket Office or through SeatGeek.All tickets can be purchased online at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kstatesports.com/tickets">www.kstatesports.com/tickets</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 1-800-221-CATS.

Tickets for K-State - KU football game are going quick

The Junction City Brigade beat the Midwest A's twice Monday night in Belton, Missouri. The Brigade won game one 16-6 and game two 6-5.&nbsp;

Junction City has won five games in a row and 10 of their last 11 games. Their current record is 19-9 on the season.&nbsp;

This is the last week of regular season games for the Brigade. Junction City will host the Great Bend Bat Cats on Wednesday night, travel to Topeka to play the Warhawks on Thursday night, and close out the regular season this Friday, July 19, in Baldwin City with a doubleheader against the Blues.&nbsp;

The Junction City Brigade beat the Midwest A's twice Monday night in Belton, Missouri. The Brigade won game one 16-6 and game two 6-5.&nbsp;Junction City has won five games in a row and 10 of their last 11 games. Their current record is 19-9 on the season.&nbsp;This is the last week of regular season games for the Brigade. Junction City will host the Great Bend Bat Cats on Wednesday night, travel to Topeka to play the Warhawks on Thursday night, and close out the regular season this Friday, July 19, in Baldwin City with a doubleheader against the Blues.&nbsp;

The Junction City Brigade are on a roll

STEVEN HAWKINS AP Baseball Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — When Teoscar Hernández needed a moment to calm down during the Home Run Derby, the Los Angeles Dodgers slugger got a boost from a former teammate who just happened to be last year's champion.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. wore a Blue Jays jersey with Hernández’s name and No. 37 on the back as he watched the competition, honoring his friend from their time as Toronto teammates from 2017-22.

“That was a surprise of the night,” Hernández said. “He brings my jersey from Toronto. And when he goes to home plate, he was trying to calm (me) down, and so he had passed two times, and it works. He said he wanted to help me going into the last round."

Hernández won the Home Run Derby when he beat local star Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals 14-13 in the final round Monday night.

The 31-year-old Hernández hit 49 homers over three rounds that totaled 3.98 miles and became the first Dodgers player to win the derby among 11 who have tried. While not participating in the derby this year, Guerrero gave Hernández advice during breaks.

“If I have to bet, it doesn't matter who I'm going against, I'm going to bet on myself,” Hernández said when asked if he felt like the underdog. “People maybe underestimate myself.”

Witt, needing one home run to tie with one out remaining, drove a ball to one of the deepest parts of Globe Life Field in left-center, where it hit halfway up the wall to the left of the 410-foot sign.

“When I hit it I knew I kind of — I didn’t hit it great. But, yeah, I just was trying to blow on it or something,” Witt said with a chuckle. "The first thing I thought was just no pop. ... We got to do a couple more curls or something.”

Kansas City has never had a derby winner.

Both finished their two-minute final round with 11 homers, before bonus swings were added. Witt came up short of his first two bonus swings, then hit two homers in a row — one a 457-foot drive that got him one more swing.

Witt was the No. 2 overall pick by the Royals in 2019 out of Colleyville Heritage High School, about 15 miles north of the Rangers' stadium. It was his first time in the derby, but he was the high school home run champion in Washington in 2018 — and is the only player to compete in both contests.

The 24-year-old Witt finished with 50 homers overall that traveled 3.8 miles.

Witt had knocked out Cleveland switch-hitter José Ramírez 17-12 in the semifinals. Hernández beat Philadelphia's Alec Bohm 16-15 after a tiebreaker when both got three swings — Hernández hit two out, and Bohm one. They were tied at 14 after the three-minute segment and their bonus rounds, and Bohm came close to avoiding that, but the last ball he hit then landed on the warning track in left-center field.

Ramírez and Bohm both hit 21 homers to pace the first round. Witt started with 20 homers and Hernández had 19.

The New York Mets' Pete Alonso fell short in his bid to join Ken Griffey Jr. as a three-time derby champion when he hit only 12 homers in the first round.

Instead of a single-elimination bracket like last year, the four hitters with the most homers in the first round advanced to the semifinal round. It then became a bracket-style competition.

Alonso hit a 428-foot homer to left-centerfield on his first swing, but couldn't get into a rhythm. The others knocked out after the first round were hometown favorite Adolis García of Texas, Atlanta's Marcell Ozuna and Baltimore's Gunnar Henderson.

“It's disappointing, but for me, I think it's really just a blessing and it's just fun being out there,” said Alonso who has 207 homers in his five derby appearances. “At the end of the day, it wasn't my day.”

Ozuna did have the longest homer of the night at 473 feet. The longest homers hit during games at the stadium were 472 feet — by Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels in 2022, and Oakland's Seth Brown in 2021.

Bohm, one of a franchise-record eight Phillies named All-Stars, has only 11 homers this season — the fewest among the eight derby competitors. He said he was going to try to hit as many balls as he could to left field and did — pulling all 21 of his homers that way in the first round.

It still felt like 100 degrees (38 Celsius) outside the ballpark when the derby began, but the retractable roof was closed on the stadium that opened in 2020. When the Rangers hosted the 1995 All-Star Game across the street in their old stadium without a roof, the derby wasn't yet a prime-time event and was held in the sweltering mid-afternoon heat.

Frank Thomas won in 1995 with 15 homers over three rounds in a different format. Albert Belle finished with a total of 16, then a Home Run Derby record, but Thomas beat him 3-2 in the final round.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721121273932.jpeg" alt="American League's Bobby Witt Jr., of the Kansas City Royals, connects during the MLB baseball All-Star Home Run Derby, Monday, July 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)" />
 <figcaption>American League's Bobby Witt Jr., of the Kansas City Royals, connects during the MLB baseball All-Star Home Run Derby, Monday, July 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)</figcaption>
 </figure>STEVEN HAWKINS AP Baseball WriterARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — When Teoscar Hernández needed a moment to calm down during the Home Run Derby, the Los Angeles Dodgers slugger got a boost from a former teammate who just happened to be last year's champion.Vladimir Guerrero Jr. wore a Blue Jays jersey with Hernández’s name and No. 37 on the back as he watched the competition, honoring his friend from their time as Toronto teammates from 2017-22.“That was a surprise of the night,” Hernández said. “He brings my jersey from Toronto. And when he goes to home plate, he was trying to calm (me) down, and so he had passed two times, and it works. He said he wanted to help me going into the last round."Hernández won the Home Run Derby when he beat local star Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals 14-13 in the final round Monday night.The 31-year-old Hernández hit 49 homers over three rounds that totaled 3.98 miles and became the first Dodgers player to win the derby among 11 who have tried. While not participating in the derby this year, Guerrero gave Hernández advice during breaks.“If I have to bet, it doesn't matter who I'm going against, I'm going to bet on myself,” Hernández said when asked if he felt like the underdog. “People maybe underestimate myself.”Witt, needing one home run to tie with one out remaining, drove a ball to one of the deepest parts of Globe Life Field in left-center, where it hit halfway up the wall to the left of the 410-foot sign.“When I hit it I knew I kind of — I didn’t hit it great. But, yeah, I just was trying to blow on it or something,” Witt said with a chuckle. "The first thing I thought was just no pop. ... We got to do a couple more curls or something.”Kansas City has never had a derby winner.Both finished their two-minute final round with 11 homers, before bonus swings were added. Witt came up short of his first two bonus swings, then hit two homers in a row — one a 457-foot drive that got him one more swing.Witt was the No. 2 overall pick by the Royals in 2019 out of Colleyville Heritage High School, about 15 miles north of the Rangers' stadium. It was his first time in the derby, but he was the high school home run champion in Washington in 2018 — and is the only player to compete in both contests.The 24-year-old Witt finished with 50 homers overall that traveled 3.8 miles.Witt had knocked out Cleveland switch-hitter José Ramírez 17-12 in the semifinals. Hernández beat Philadelphia's Alec Bohm 16-15 after a tiebreaker when both got three swings — Hernández hit two out, and Bohm one. They were tied at 14 after the three-minute segment and their bonus rounds, and Bohm came close to avoiding that, but the last ball he hit then landed on the warning track in left-center field.Ramírez and Bohm both hit 21 homers to pace the first round. Witt started with 20 homers and Hernández had 19.The New York Mets' Pete Alonso fell short in his bid to join Ken Griffey Jr. as a three-time derby champion when he hit only 12 homers in the first round.Instead of a single-elimination bracket like last year, the four hitters with the most homers in the first round advanced to the semifinal round. It then became a bracket-style competition.Alonso hit a 428-foot homer to left-centerfield on his first swing, but couldn't get into a rhythm. The others knocked out after the first round were hometown favorite Adolis García of Texas, Atlanta's Marcell Ozuna and Baltimore's Gunnar Henderson.“It's disappointing, but for me, I think it's really just a blessing and it's just fun being out there,” said Alonso who has 207 homers in his five derby appearances. “At the end of the day, it wasn't my day.”Ozuna did have the longest homer of the night at 473 feet. The longest homers hit during games at the stadium were 472 feet — by Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels in 2022, and Oakland's Seth Brown in 2021.Bohm, one of a franchise-record eight Phillies named All-Stars, has only 11 homers this season — the fewest among the eight derby competitors. He said he was going to try to hit as many balls as he could to left field and did — pulling all 21 of his homers that way in the first round.It still felt like 100 degrees (38 Celsius) outside the ballpark when the derby began, but the retractable roof was closed on the stadium that opened in 2020. When the Rangers hosted the 1995 All-Star Game across the street in their old stadium without a roof, the derby wasn't yet a prime-time event and was held in the sweltering mid-afternoon heat.Frank Thomas won in 1995 with 15 homers over three rounds in a different format. Albert Belle finished with a total of 16, then a Home Run Derby record, but Thomas beat him 3-2 in the final round.

⚾ Dodgers' Hernández beats Royals' Witt for HR Derby title

BOSTON (AP) — Rafael Devers hit a two-run homer that broke a seat deep in right field at Fenway Park, Dominic Smith also had a two-run shot and the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 on Sunday to take the series.

The Red Sox won their second straight after losing the opener. Boston improved to a major league-best 9-3 in July and is 20-8 since June 12.

All-Star Devers sent a first-inning slider from Brady Singer (5-6) with an estimated exit velocity of 114.7 mph a projected 439 feet, crashing into the top of a seat and loosening up the top support. The Red Sox posted a “&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/RedSox/status/1812556309239369974">Fenway Facilities Incident Report</a>&nbsp;” that had a picture of the broken red seat on their social media sites.

Adam Frazier opened the game with a homer into the Royals’ bullpen and All-Star Salvador Perez, who was selected for his ninth Midsummer Classic, added a solo shot into the Green Monster seats for Kansas City.

First-time All-Star Jarren Duran had four hits for the Red Sox, who improved to a majors’ best 15-1 on Sundays. Boston enters the All-Star break surprisingly 4 ½ games out of first in the AL East after finishing in the basement three of the last four years.

Brayan Bello (10-5) overcame his struggles at home, going 6 1/3 innings, allowing three runs and seven hits. He had posted a 6.55 ERA in his seven starts in Fenway.

Kenley Jansen got the final six outs, striking out three, for his 19th save, the 439th of his career. He gave up a run in the ninth but got Nick Loftin to ground out with a runner on second to end it.

Smith’s shot went an estimated 431 feet, traveling over Boston’s bullpen to make it 4-1 in the second. He added a key RBI single that made it 5-3 in the seventh.

Singer had allowed just one run in each of his previous four starts but was tagged for four runs and eight hits in 2 2/3 innings.

The Royals go into the break with 52 victories, three off the most before the All-Star Game in team history behind the 1973 club.

Royals: OF MJ Melendez limped out of the game with a sprained left ankle after beating out a fielder’s choice grounder that drove in a run in the fourth. … C Perez was the DH for the second straight game after leaving Friday’s early due to cramping.

Red Sox: OF Tyler O’Neill was back in the lineup after getting Saturday off.

Royals: Begin a nine-game homestand following the All-Star break, starting with the Chicago White Sox on Friday.

Red Sox: Open a six-game road trip after the break, with the first of three at the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday.

BOSTON (AP) — Rafael Devers hit a two-run homer that broke a seat deep in right field at Fenway Park, Dominic Smith also had a two-run shot and the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 on Sunday to take the series.The Red Sox won their second straight after losing the opener. Boston improved to a major league-best 9-3 in July and is 20-8 since June 12.All-Star Devers sent a first-inning slider from Brady Singer (5-6) with an estimated exit velocity of 114.7 mph a projected 439 feet, crashing into the top of a seat and loosening up the top support. The Red Sox posted a “&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/RedSox/status/1812556309239369974">Fenway Facilities Incident Report</a>&nbsp;” that had a picture of the broken red seat on their social media sites.Adam Frazier opened the game with a homer into the Royals’ bullpen and All-Star Salvador Perez, who was selected for his ninth Midsummer Classic, added a solo shot into the Green Monster seats for Kansas City.First-time All-Star Jarren Duran had four hits for the Red Sox, who improved to a majors’ best 15-1 on Sundays. Boston enters the All-Star break surprisingly 4 ½ games out of first in the AL East after finishing in the basement three of the last four years.Brayan Bello (10-5) overcame his struggles at home, going 6 1/3 innings, allowing three runs and seven hits. He had posted a 6.55 ERA in his seven starts in Fenway.Kenley Jansen got the final six outs, striking out three, for his 19th save, the 439th of his career. He gave up a run in the ninth but got Nick Loftin to ground out with a runner on second to end it.Smith’s shot went an estimated 431 feet, traveling over Boston’s bullpen to make it 4-1 in the second. He added a key RBI single that made it 5-3 in the seventh.Singer had allowed just one run in each of his previous four starts but was tagged for four runs and eight hits in 2 2/3 innings.The Royals go into the break with 52 victories, three off the most before the All-Star Game in team history behind the 1973 club.TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals: OF MJ Melendez limped out of the game with a sprained left ankle after beating out a fielder’s choice grounder that drove in a run in the fourth. … C Perez was the DH for the second straight game after leaving Friday’s early due to cramping.Red Sox: OF Tyler O’Neill was back in the lineup after getting Saturday off.UP NEXTRoyals: Begin a nine-game homestand following the All-Star break, starting with the Chicago White Sox on Friday.Red Sox: Open a six-game road trip after the break, with the first of three at the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday.

⚾ Red Sox take the series with Sunday win over Royals

BOSTON (AP) — Kutter Crawford took a one-hitter into the eighth inning, Rafael Devers hit a solo homer and the Boston Red Sox beat potential AL All-Star starter Seth Lugo in a 5-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday.

Crawford (6-7) struck out four and walked one, throwing 76 of his 96 pitches for strikes. He gave up Maikel Garcia’s leadoff single in the eighth before manager Alex Cora lifted him. The righty walked off to a standing ovation.

“It feels good when you can kind of go to your back pocket and anything you throw is going to be around the zone,” said Crawford, who is 3-0 with a 0.45 ERA in his last three starts.

The Red Sox improved to 19-8 since June 12. Kansas City’s four-game winning streak was snapped.

“Throwing strikes, man,” Cora said. “Pounding the strike zone with all of his pitches, efficient.”

All-Star Devers homered into the first row of Green Monster seats against Lugo (11-4) to make it 5-0 in the fifth. It was his 22nd of the season and 194th of his career, which passed former catcher and current coach Jason Varitek for 11th on the club’s all-time list.

Lugo gave up five runs on 10 hits in five innings. He entered the day with a MLB-best ERA of 2.21 that rose to 2.48. He’s second in the majors in victories, one behind Atlanta’s Chris Sale (12-3).

“I made a few mistakes out there and didn't really give the guys a chance to win,” Lugo said. “I couldn't really locate glove side, wasn't getting inside well until like about the fourth, fifth inning. I think that's when I finally started finding a little grove for myself.”

Before the game, Royals manager Matt Quatraro lobbied for the 34-year-old righty to be named the starter for Tuesday’s All-Star Game in Arlington, Texas.

“That be awesome,” Lugo said. “I think everybody in the league wants that, me included. That be cool.”

Zack Kelly threw a double-play ball on his first pitch and finished the eighth before getting the final three outs of the combined four-hitter, which was Boston’s majors’ best 11th shutout.

“It's one of the higher strike percentages I've seen in a long time,” Royals manager Quatraro said of Crawford. “He kept us on our heels. The cutter was outstanding. ... Just kept us off the barrel for the most part.”

Coming off seven shutout innings when he threw just 68 pitches in a victory over the Yankees in his previous start last Sunday night, Crawford threw his first 13 pitches for strikes on Saturday.

Royals: C Salvador Perez, who left Friday’s game due to cramping, was the DH. “We said he wouldn’t catch today after the cramping,” Quatraro said. “He wasn’t going to catch all three games. We’ll see how he feels after (the game).”

Red Sox: Cora gave OF Tyler O’Neill the day off. … RHP Chris Martin (injured list, right elbow inflammation) threw Friday but Cora said he didn’t feel well afterward. “He played catch. He didn’t feel great,” Cora said. “Not concerned, but he’s going to take longer than we expected.”

RHP Brady Singer (5-5, 2.93 ERA) is scheduled start Sunday’s series finale for the Royals against Red Sox RHP Brayan Bello (9-5, 5.40).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720916632331.png" alt="Boston's Wilyer Abreu scores against Royals catcher Freddy Fermin on a two-run single in the third inning of Saturday's game in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)" />
 <figcaption>Boston's Wilyer Abreu scores against Royals catcher Freddy Fermin on a two-run single in the third inning of Saturday's game in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)</figcaption>
 </figure>BOSTON (AP) — Kutter Crawford took a one-hitter into the eighth inning, Rafael Devers hit a solo homer and the Boston Red Sox beat potential AL All-Star starter Seth Lugo in a 5-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday.Crawford (6-7) struck out four and walked one, throwing 76 of his 96 pitches for strikes. He gave up Maikel Garcia’s leadoff single in the eighth before manager Alex Cora lifted him. The righty walked off to a standing ovation.“It feels good when you can kind of go to your back pocket and anything you throw is going to be around the zone,” said Crawford, who is 3-0 with a 0.45 ERA in his last three starts.The Red Sox improved to 19-8 since June 12. Kansas City’s four-game winning streak was snapped.“Throwing strikes, man,” Cora said. “Pounding the strike zone with all of his pitches, efficient.”All-Star Devers homered into the first row of Green Monster seats against Lugo (11-4) to make it 5-0 in the fifth. It was his 22nd of the season and 194th of his career, which passed former catcher and current coach Jason Varitek for 11th on the club’s all-time list.Lugo gave up five runs on 10 hits in five innings. He entered the day with a MLB-best ERA of 2.21 that rose to 2.48. He’s second in the majors in victories, one behind Atlanta’s Chris Sale (12-3).“I made a few mistakes out there and didn't really give the guys a chance to win,” Lugo said. “I couldn't really locate glove side, wasn't getting inside well until like about the fourth, fifth inning. I think that's when I finally started finding a little grove for myself.”Before the game, Royals manager Matt Quatraro lobbied for the 34-year-old righty to be named the starter for Tuesday’s All-Star Game in Arlington, Texas.“That be awesome,” Lugo said. “I think everybody in the league wants that, me included. That be cool.”Zack Kelly threw a double-play ball on his first pitch and finished the eighth before getting the final three outs of the combined four-hitter, which was Boston’s majors’ best 11th shutout.“It's one of the higher strike percentages I've seen in a long time,” Royals manager Quatraro said of Crawford. “He kept us on our heels. The cutter was outstanding. ... Just kept us off the barrel for the most part.”Coming off seven shutout innings when he threw just 68 pitches in a victory over the Yankees in his previous start last Sunday night, Crawford threw his first 13 pitches for strikes on Saturday.TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals: C Salvador Perez, who left Friday’s game due to cramping, was the DH. “We said he wouldn’t catch today after the cramping,” Quatraro said. “He wasn’t going to catch all three games. We’ll see how he feels after (the game).”Red Sox: Cora gave OF Tyler O’Neill the day off. … RHP Chris Martin (injured list, right elbow inflammation) threw Friday but Cora said he didn’t feel well afterward. “He played catch. He didn’t feel great,” Cora said. “Not concerned, but he’s going to take longer than we expected.”UP NEXTRHP Brady Singer (5-5, 2.93 ERA) is scheduled start Sunday’s series finale for the Royals against Red Sox RHP Brayan Bello (9-5, 5.40).___

⚾Crawford pitches 1-hitter into 8th as Red Sox blank Royals

BOSTON (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. and MJ Melendez each had solo home runs, Cole Ragans allowed one run over seven innings and the Kansas City Royals beat the Boston Red Sox 6-1 on Friday night for their fourth consecutive victory.

Adam Frazier, Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez (with two) all added RBIs for Kansas City, which opened the three-game series a game back of Boston for the AL’s final wild-card spot.

“Every win is huge, whether it's April or July,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “But when you're squarely right behind a team and you beat them, that's a good step forward for us.”

It was the 16th homer of the season for Witt, an All-Star who will be competing in Monday’s Home Run Derby. The ball, which landed in the center field portion of the seats atop the Green Monster, was claimed by a Royals' fan.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720869251855.png" alt="Photo KC Royals" />
 <figcaption>Photo KC Royals</figcaption>
 </figure>BOSTON (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. and MJ Melendez each had solo home runs, Cole Ragans allowed one run over seven innings and the Kansas City Royals beat the Boston Red Sox 6-1 on Friday night for their fourth consecutive victory.Adam Frazier, Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez (with two) all added RBIs for Kansas City, which opened the three-game series a game back of Boston for the AL’s final wild-card spot.“Every win is huge, whether it's April or July,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “But when you're squarely right behind a team and you beat them, that's a good step forward for us.”It was the 16th homer of the season for Witt, an All-Star who will be competing in Monday’s Home Run Derby. The ball, which landed in the center field portion of the seats atop the Green Monster, was claimed by a Royals' fan."I knew the wind was helping a little bit, luckily," Witt said. “I just try to put good swing on it.”There was nothing happening by chance for Ragans (6-6). He struck out seven and allowed four hits to earn his first victory since June 24 at Miami.“I thought overall I commanded it pretty well,” Ragans said. “I missed a few, but overall I thought it was pretty good.”Ceddanne Rafaela had an RBI for the Red Sox.Cooper Criswell (3-4) threw a career-high 104 pitches over six innings, yielding eight hits and five runs, but only two – including Witt’s home run – were earned.In their last 27 games, the Red Sox are 1-8 against left-handed starting pitchers. That compares to 17-1 against right-handers. All-Stars Rafael Devers and Jarren Duran were a combined 1 for 8 on Friday.“Obviously the production of Raffy and Jarren is lower. We've just got to find a way to do it,” manager Alex Cora said. “We've just got to be patient and keep working.”The Royals opened the game with three consecutive singles to load the bases with no outs, and then took a 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly by Perez. But Criswell got Michael Massey on a groundout and Hunter Renfroe on a flyout to get out of the inning.Criswell’s luck didn’t last.In the second inning Kansas City took advantage of a fielding error by first baseman Romy Gonzalez, plus a walk and hit batter by Criswell to add three unearned runs and increase the lead to 4-0.TRAINER’S ROOMRed Sox: Placed RHP Justin Slaten on the 15-day IL retroactive to July 9 with right elbow inflammation. The reliever is 5-2 with a 3.38 ERA in 31 games this season. LHP Cam Booser was called up from Triple-A Worcester to take the roster spot.UP NEXTRoyals: RHP Seth Lugo (11-3, 2.21 ERA) has the lowest ERA by a Royal over his first 19 starts with the franchise. He is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in three career appearances against Boston.Red Sox: RHP Kutter Crawford (5-7, 3.24) is making his 19th start of the season. He’s lost both of his career starts against Kansas City, tallying an 8.64 ERA.