KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez hit a game-ending single in the 10th inning, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Houston Astros 4-3 on Tuesday night for their fifth consecutive victory.

Garrett Hampson began the Kansas City 10th on second as the automatic runner, replacing Vinnie Pasquantino. Hampson raced home when Perez led off the inning with a single to center against Wander Suero (0-1).

“We’re gonna play hard,” Perez said. “We’re gonna do our best, especially right now. We've got new comfort.”

James McArthur (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings for the win.

Perez and Nelson Velázquez each had two hits for the Royals. Bobby Witt Jr. and Maikel Garcia each drove in a run.

Nick Anderson, Chris Stratton, John Schreiber and McArthur combined for five scoreless innings of four-hit ball in relief of Royals starter Cole Ragans.

“These guys are incredible,” Ragans said of the bullpen. “They pitched incredible. They kept us right there. That’s really, really big.”

Witt's biggest contribution may have been a diving stop on a two-out single by Jeremy Peña in the top of the 10th. Had the ball gotten past the young shortstop, the Astros likely would have taken the lead.

“I thought it did have a chance of going through,” Peña said. “I’ll shout out to Bobby Witt. (He) made a nice play.”

Yordan Alvarez had four hits and two RBIs for Houston, which had won two in a row. Peña had two hits and scored a run.

The Astros loaded the bases with three straight singles to start the first inning, but Ragans limited the damage to a run-scoring fielder’s choice for Yainer Diaz.

“I don’t think (Ragans) had his best stuff,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “That’s a good lineup, and they made him work. (But) if we turn that double play in the first or he’s able to get Alvarez out one of those times with two strikes, he’s coming out of there with one or maybe no runs. Credit to him really."

Alvarez singled in Peña with two out in the second, and then doubled home Mauricio Dubón in the fourth.

Ragans surrendered 10 hits in five innings for Kansas City. He struck out five and walked one.

Houston went 5 for 18 with runners in scoring position and left 13 runners on base.

“We had some opportunities to get some guys in (with) less than two outs," Houston manager Joe Espada said. "We just couldn’t capitalize.”

Houston right-hander Cristian Javier was charged with three runs, two earned, and five hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out four and walked three.

Maikel Garcia’s sacrifice fly in the fifth stopped Javier’s scoreless streak at 15 innings to start the season. Witt drove in Hunter Renfroe with a two-out triple, and then scored on an error on third baseman Alex Bregman.

Astros: Placed LHP Framber Valdez on the 10-day injured list with left elbow inflammation. They selected the contract of Suero from Triple-A Sugar Land to take his place. The Astros also recalled LHP Parker Mushinski from Sugar Land and optioned RHP Blair Henley to the minors. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Astros transferred RHP Oliver Ortega to the 60-day IL.

Royals: Acquired RHP Colin Selby from Pittsburgh for minor league pitcher Connor Oliver. To make room on the 40-man roster for Selby, LHP Josh Taylor was moved to the 60-day IL. The Royals also signed RHP Zach Davies to a minor league deal.

The Astros and Royals continue their three-game series Wednesday. RHP Spencer Arrighetti will make his major league debut for Houston against Seth Lugo (1-0, 0.71 ERA).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712718313385.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez slides into third safely as he advances on a Nelson Velázquez double during a baseball game against the Houston Astros Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez slides into third safely as he advances on a Nelson Velázquez double during a baseball game against the Houston Astros Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez hit a game-ending single in the 10th inning, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Houston Astros 4-3 on Tuesday night for their fifth consecutive victory.Garrett Hampson began the Kansas City 10th on second as the automatic runner, replacing Vinnie Pasquantino. Hampson raced home when Perez led off the inning with a single to center against Wander Suero (0-1).“We’re gonna play hard,” Perez said. “We’re gonna do our best, especially right now. We've got new comfort.”James McArthur (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings for the win.Perez and Nelson Velázquez each had two hits for the Royals. Bobby Witt Jr. and Maikel Garcia each drove in a run.Nick Anderson, Chris Stratton, John Schreiber and McArthur combined for five scoreless innings of four-hit ball in relief of Royals starter Cole Ragans.“These guys are incredible,” Ragans said of the bullpen. “They pitched incredible. They kept us right there. That’s really, really big.”Witt's biggest contribution may have been a diving stop on a two-out single by Jeremy Peña in the top of the 10th. Had the ball gotten past the young shortstop, the Astros likely would have taken the lead.“I thought it did have a chance of going through,” Peña said. “I’ll shout out to Bobby Witt. (He) made a nice play.”Yordan Alvarez had four hits and two RBIs for Houston, which had won two in a row. Peña had two hits and scored a run.The Astros loaded the bases with three straight singles to start the first inning, but Ragans limited the damage to a run-scoring fielder’s choice for Yainer Diaz.“I don’t think (Ragans) had his best stuff,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “That’s a good lineup, and they made him work. (But) if we turn that double play in the first or he’s able to get Alvarez out one of those times with two strikes, he’s coming out of there with one or maybe no runs. Credit to him really."Alvarez singled in Peña with two out in the second, and then doubled home Mauricio Dubón in the fourth.Ragans surrendered 10 hits in five innings for Kansas City. He struck out five and walked one.Houston went 5 for 18 with runners in scoring position and left 13 runners on base.“We had some opportunities to get some guys in (with) less than two outs," Houston manager Joe Espada said. "We just couldn’t capitalize.”Houston right-hander Cristian Javier was charged with three runs, two earned, and five hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out four and walked three.Maikel Garcia’s sacrifice fly in the fifth stopped Javier’s scoreless streak at 15 innings to start the season. Witt drove in Hunter Renfroe with a two-out triple, and then scored on an error on third baseman Alex Bregman.TRANSACTIONSAstros: Placed LHP Framber Valdez on the 10-day injured list with left elbow inflammation. They selected the contract of Suero from Triple-A Sugar Land to take his place. The Astros also recalled LHP Parker Mushinski from Sugar Land and optioned RHP Blair Henley to the minors. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Astros transferred RHP Oliver Ortega to the 60-day IL.Royals: Acquired RHP Colin Selby from Pittsburgh for minor league pitcher Connor Oliver. To make room on the 40-man roster for Selby, LHP Josh Taylor was moved to the 60-day IL. The Royals also signed RHP Zach Davies to a minor league deal.UP NEXTThe Astros and Royals continue their three-game series Wednesday. RHP Spencer Arrighetti will make his major league debut for Houston against Seth Lugo (1-0, 0.71 ERA).

⚾ Salvador Perez leads Royals past Astros for 5th straight win

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — A basketball beatdown. A coaching clinic. A double-digit domination.

Take one guess who finished off a romp through college basketball again. You bet, it’s UConn — a team built to win now, and often, and by a lot every time it takes the court.

Coach Dan Hurley's Huskies delivered the latest of their suffocating hoops performances Monday night, smothering Purdue for a 75-60 victory to become the first team since 2007 to capture back-to-back national championships.

Tristen Newton&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MarchMadnessMBB/status/1777529515146727550">scored 20 points</a>&nbsp;for the Huskies, who won their 12th straight March Madness game — not a single one of them decided by fewer than 13 points.

UConn was efficient on offense but won this with defense. The Huskies (37-3) limited the country’s second-best 3-point shooting team to a mere seven shots behind the arc and only a single make, while happily allowing 7-foot-4 AP Player of the Year Zach Edey to go for 37 points on 25 shot attempts.

<a href="https://twitter.com/CBSSports/status/1777541833658187900">UConn won its sixth overall title</a>&nbsp;and joined the 2006-07 Florida Gators and the 1991-92 Duke Blue Devils as just the third team to repeat since John Wooden’s UCLA dynasty of the 1960s and ’70s.

“I just think it’s the best two-year run in a very, very long time, just because of everything we lost from last year’s team,” said Hurley, whose top two scorers from last year now play in the NBA. “To lose that much and do it again, it’s got to be as impressive a two-year run since at least prior to Duke.”

The 2024 Huskies are the sixth team to win all six tournament games by double-digit margins. They won those games by a grand total of 140 points, blowing past the 1996 Kentucky team, which won its six by 129.

In a matchup of two top seeds, they wore down the Boilermakers (34-5), who made it this far a year after becoming just the second No. 1 in the history of March Madness to fall in the first round. But Purdue left the same way it came — still looking for the program’s first NCAA title.

So much for the free-for-all this new age of the transfer portal and name, image and likeness deals was supposed to become. UConn has figured out how to dominate and replenish its roster with players who understand their roles.

Cam Spencer, a transfer from Rutgers, Stephon Castle, a blue-chip freshman, and Alex Karaban, a sophomore from last year’s team, spent the night guarding the 3-point line and making life miserable for Purdue’s guards.

“They just made a decision — we can defend the perimeter, and we can take this away from you, you’re going to get the ball to your best player, he’ll be 1-on-1, and that’s that,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said.

This was only the second time this season Purdue didn’t put up 10 3-point attempts, and how ’bout this final score: Edey 37, the rest of the Boilermakers 23.

How serious was Hurley about defending the perimeter? When Braden Smith wiggled loose for a semi-open look to make Purdue’s first 3 of the game with 2:17 left in the first half, the coach bolted onto the floor and called timeout.

“Coaches made a point that we’d be really locked in if we controlled their 3-point attempts,” Spencer said. “Holding them to seven shows we were locked in on making sure their guards didn’t get involved in the game.”

With his Xs-and-Os masterpiece, Hurley joins former Florida coach Billy Donovan in the back-to-back club, and is in company with Bill Self and Rick Pitino as only the third active coach with two championships. News broke over the weekend that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kentucky-calipari-arkansas-570669b80b59b362ab2d75d83246f36b">it appears there's a job opening at Kentucky</a>, and the UConn coach's name has come up there.

“I don't think that's a concern,” Hurley said. “My wife, you should have her answer that.”

No way the Huskies would want to lose him.

Hurley earned every penny in this one. In the first half, he begged with, swore at and generally berated the refs about over-the-backs, elbows and hip checks that weren’t called.

Once, when that didn’t work after Edey set a hard (and probably legal) pick against Castle, Hurley started in on Edey himself as the center walked toward the Purdue bench for a timeout.

But the coach’s best work came in whatever hotel room he used to draw up the game plan.

“The whole game plan was no Smith, no Loyer, no Jones, no Gillis,” Hurley said, as he ticked off the last names of the Purdue guards. “We knew if we keep them below 18, 20 points as a group, and they had no chance to win, no matter how well Zach played.”

It's no slight on Edey, who battled gamely, finishing with 10 rebounds to record his 30th double-double of the season. But this game proved the number crunchers and analytics experts right. UConn let Edey back in and back down all night on 7-2 Donovan Clingan, giving up difficult 2s in the post in exchange for any 3s.

“They only doubled late in the second half, but by that point we had dug ourselves too deep of a hole,” Fletcher Loyer said.

The defensive dominance put the finishing touch on a tournament in which UConn's average margin of victory was 23.3 points. Sure, Hurley might have to replace two or three of these players, but the coach said he'll worry about that in a week or two.

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — A basketball beatdown. A coaching clinic. A double-digit domination.Take one guess who finished off a romp through college basketball again. You bet, it’s UConn — a team built to win now, and often, and by a lot every time it takes the court.Coach Dan Hurley's Huskies delivered the latest of their suffocating hoops performances Monday night, smothering Purdue for a 75-60 victory to become the first team since 2007 to capture back-to-back national championships.Tristen Newton&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MarchMadnessMBB/status/1777529515146727550">scored 20 points</a>&nbsp;for the Huskies, who won their 12th straight March Madness game — not a single one of them decided by fewer than 13 points.UConn was efficient on offense but won this with defense. The Huskies (37-3) limited the country’s second-best 3-point shooting team to a mere seven shots behind the arc and only a single make, while happily allowing 7-foot-4 AP Player of the Year Zach Edey to go for 37 points on 25 shot attempts.<a href="https://twitter.com/CBSSports/status/1777541833658187900">UConn won its sixth overall title</a>&nbsp;and joined the 2006-07 Florida Gators and the 1991-92 Duke Blue Devils as just the third team to repeat since John Wooden’s UCLA dynasty of the 1960s and ’70s.“I just think it’s the best two-year run in a very, very long time, just because of everything we lost from last year’s team,” said Hurley, whose top two scorers from last year now play in the NBA. “To lose that much and do it again, it’s got to be as impressive a two-year run since at least prior to Duke.”The 2024 Huskies are the sixth team to win all six tournament games by double-digit margins. They won those games by a grand total of 140 points, blowing past the 1996 Kentucky team, which won its six by 129.In a matchup of two top seeds, they wore down the Boilermakers (34-5), who made it this far a year after becoming just the second No. 1 in the history of March Madness to fall in the first round. But Purdue left the same way it came — still looking for the program’s first NCAA title.So much for the free-for-all this new age of the transfer portal and name, image and likeness deals was supposed to become. UConn has figured out how to dominate and replenish its roster with players who understand their roles.Cam Spencer, a transfer from Rutgers, Stephon Castle, a blue-chip freshman, and Alex Karaban, a sophomore from last year’s team, spent the night guarding the 3-point line and making life miserable for Purdue’s guards.“They just made a decision — we can defend the perimeter, and we can take this away from you, you’re going to get the ball to your best player, he’ll be 1-on-1, and that’s that,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said.This was only the second time this season Purdue didn’t put up 10 3-point attempts, and how ’bout this final score: Edey 37, the rest of the Boilermakers 23.How serious was Hurley about defending the perimeter? When Braden Smith wiggled loose for a semi-open look to make Purdue’s first 3 of the game with 2:17 left in the first half, the coach bolted onto the floor and called timeout.And that was that from behind the arc.“Coaches made a point that we’d be really locked in if we controlled their 3-point attempts,” Spencer said. “Holding them to seven shows we were locked in on making sure their guards didn’t get involved in the game.”With his Xs-and-Os masterpiece, Hurley joins former Florida coach Billy Donovan in the back-to-back club, and is in company with Bill Self and Rick Pitino as only the third active coach with two championships. News broke over the weekend that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kentucky-calipari-arkansas-570669b80b59b362ab2d75d83246f36b">it appears there's a job opening at Kentucky</a>, and the UConn coach's name has come up there.“I don't think that's a concern,” Hurley said. “My wife, you should have her answer that.”No way the Huskies would want to lose him.Hurley earned every penny in this one. In the first half, he begged with, swore at and generally berated the refs about over-the-backs, elbows and hip checks that weren’t called.Once, when that didn’t work after Edey set a hard (and probably legal) pick against Castle, Hurley started in on Edey himself as the center walked toward the Purdue bench for a timeout.But the coach’s best work came in whatever hotel room he used to draw up the game plan.“The whole game plan was no Smith, no Loyer, no Jones, no Gillis,” Hurley said, as he ticked off the last names of the Purdue guards. “We knew if we keep them below 18, 20 points as a group, and they had no chance to win, no matter how well Zach played.”It's no slight on Edey, who battled gamely, finishing with 10 rebounds to record his 30th double-double of the season. But this game proved the number crunchers and analytics experts right. UConn let Edey back in and back down all night on 7-2 Donovan Clingan, giving up difficult 2s in the post in exchange for any 3s.“They only doubled late in the second half, but by that point we had dug ourselves too deep of a hole,” Fletcher Loyer said.The defensive dominance put the finishing touch on a tournament in which UConn's average margin of victory was 23.3 points. Sure, Hurley might have to replace two or three of these players, but the coach said he'll worry about that in a week or two.

🏀 UConn runs to its 2nd straight NCAA title, beating Zach Edey and Purdue

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — MJ Melendez hit his third home run of the series, a two-run drive in a three-run seventh inning as the Kansas City Royals rallied to beat Chicago White Sox 5-3 on Sunday for a four-game sweep.

“The way these all four of these games transpired — they were all close in the middle to late part of the game,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said. “To stick with it is really cool to see."

Chicago started 1-9 for just the second time in the 124-year history of the franchise after going 0-10 in 1968.

“We had a lot of opportunities to score,” White Sox manager Pedro Grifol aid, “and we didn’t capitalize with the big hit. We should have brought that game home.”

Chicago ended a 19-inning scoreless streak in the fourth and led 3-0 in the fifth before Hunter Renroe's two-run homer off starter Garrett Crochet.

Melendez hit a two-run homer in the sixth off Deivi García (0-2) for a 4-3 lead, his third go-ahead hit of the series. Melendez flipped his bat in triumph.

He had a go-ahead, eight-inning single on Friday and a tiebreaking, seventh-inning homer on Saturday.

“Obviously, a little bit of luck right there," Melendez said. "I’m just thankful that I’m able to help do something to help the team win. It’s just pretty crazy.”

Kansas City added a run when Kyle Isbel reached on what was scored on an infield hit when reliever Dominic Leone failed to catch the throw to first from second baseman Lenyn Sosa.

John Schreiber (1-0) pitched a one-hit seventh and James McArthur got three outs for his second save as Kansas City completed its first four-game sweep since 2021.

Dominic Fletcher hit an RBI double in the fourth off Alec Marsh and scored on Braden Shewmake’s sacrifice fly, just the third multi-run inning of the season for the White Sox.

White Sox: RHP Triston McKenzie (0-1, 10.80 ERA) starts for Cleveland in Monday's series opener against visiting Chicago.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — MJ Melendez hit his third home run of the series, a two-run drive in a three-run seventh inning as the Kansas City Royals rallied to beat Chicago White Sox 5-3 on Sunday for a four-game sweep.“The way these all four of these games transpired — they were all close in the middle to late part of the game,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said. “To stick with it is really cool to see."Chicago started 1-9 for just the second time in the 124-year history of the franchise after going 0-10 in 1968.“We had a lot of opportunities to score,” White Sox manager Pedro Grifol aid, “and we didn’t capitalize with the big hit. We should have brought that game home.”Chicago ended a 19-inning scoreless streak in the fourth and led 3-0 in the fifth before Hunter Renroe's two-run homer off starter Garrett Crochet.Melendez hit a two-run homer in the sixth off Deivi García (0-2) for a 4-3 lead, his third go-ahead hit of the series. Melendez flipped his bat in triumph.He had a go-ahead, eight-inning single on Friday and a tiebreaking, seventh-inning homer on Saturday.“Obviously, a little bit of luck right there," Melendez said. "I’m just thankful that I’m able to help do something to help the team win. It’s just pretty crazy.”Kansas City added a run when Kyle Isbel reached on what was scored on an infield hit when reliever Dominic Leone failed to catch the throw to first from second baseman Lenyn Sosa.John Schreiber (1-0) pitched a one-hit seventh and James McArthur got three outs for his second save as Kansas City completed its first four-game sweep since 2021.Dominic Fletcher hit an RBI double in the fourth off Alec Marsh and scored on Braden Shewmake’s sacrifice fly, just the third multi-run inning of the season for the White Sox.UP NEXTWhite Sox: RHP Triston McKenzie (0-1, 10.80 ERA) starts for Cleveland in Monday's series opener against visiting Chicago.

⚾ Royals complete 4-game sweep of White Sox 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Michael Wacha threw seven innings of two-hit ball and MJ Melendez launched a two-run homer as the Kansas City Royals beat the slumping Chicago White Sox 3-0 on Saturday night.

Wacha (1-0) struck out eight, walked one and allowed just one runner past first base. Royals pitchers have eight quality starts, most in the majors.

Melendez drove Chris Flexen’s first-pitch fastball to straightaway center field to snap a scoreless tie in the seventh. Maikel Garcia knocked in another run with an infield single as Kansas City batted around in the inning.

Flexen (0-2) permitted a pair of singles to start the first, then retired 12 straight. He gave up three runs on six hits and two walks in 6 1/3 innings, his longest outing since July 4, 2022.

Both starters worked quickly; the first five innings were played in 57 minutes.

Nick Anderson allowed one hit in the eighth and Chris Stratton completed the three-hitter for his first save since July 19 last year with St. Louis.

Maikel Garcia and Bobby Witt Jr. each had a pair of singles for Kansas City (5-4), which climbed above .500 for the first time since April 9, 2022.

Chicago (1-7) was shut out for the third time already this season. The White Sox have 13 runs, their fewest through eight games since scoring only eight in 1968.

White Sox OF Luis Robert Jr. was placed on the 10-day injured list with a Grade 2 right hip flexor strain.

Chicago recalled INF Lenyn Sosa from Triple-A Charlotte and traded RHP Alex Speas to Oakland for cash.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Michael Wacha threw seven innings of two-hit ball and MJ Melendez launched a two-run homer as the Kansas City Royals beat the slumping Chicago White Sox 3-0 on Saturday night.Wacha (1-0) struck out eight, walked one and allowed just one runner past first base. Royals pitchers have eight quality starts, most in the majors.Melendez drove Chris Flexen’s first-pitch fastball to straightaway center field to snap a scoreless tie in the seventh. Maikel Garcia knocked in another run with an infield single as Kansas City batted around in the inning.Flexen (0-2) permitted a pair of singles to start the first, then retired 12 straight. He gave up three runs on six hits and two walks in 6 1/3 innings, his longest outing since July 4, 2022.Both starters worked quickly; the first five innings were played in 57 minutes.Nick Anderson allowed one hit in the eighth and Chris Stratton completed the three-hitter for his first save since July 19 last year with St. Louis.Maikel Garcia and Bobby Witt Jr. each had a pair of singles for Kansas City (5-4), which climbed above .500 for the first time since April 9, 2022.Chicago (1-7) was shut out for the third time already this season. The White Sox have 13 runs, their fewest through eight games since scoring only eight in 1968.TRAINER’S ROOMWhite Sox OF Luis Robert Jr. was placed on the 10-day injured list with a Grade 2 right hip flexor strain.TRANSACTIONSChicago recalled INF Lenyn Sosa from Triple-A Charlotte and traded RHP Alex Speas to Oakland for cash.UP NEXT

⚾ Melendez’s 2-run homer backs Wacha in Royals shutout of White Sox

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — MJ Melendez broke an eighth-inning tie with a single to help the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 2-1 on Friday night.

With one out, Melendez hit a soft liner to left off Michael Kopech (0-1) to score pinch-runner Dairon Blanco.

Chris Stratton (1-0) worked a scoreless eighth for the victory, and James McArthur got a game-ending double-play grounder for his first save.

The Royals jumped opened the scoring in the first inning on the first of Salvador Pérez’s three hits, a two-out RBI double off the wall in center. Pérez is tied for the American League lead with nine RBIs.

Gavin Sheets tied it with a leadoff homer in the second, lifting starter Brady Singer’s slider 391 feet down the line in right.

After the homer, Singer retired the next 15 hitters consecutively on 48 pitches, striking out four and getting nine ground balls. He faced two more than the minimum in completing 6 1/3 innings, while allowing a run on two hits and one walk with four strikeouts. Royals starters lead the majors with seven quality starts.

White Sox starter Erick Fedde worked five innings, allowing a run on six hits and two walks, with four strikeouts. He exited after allowing a leadoff hit to Pérez and a walk to Melendez.

Reliever John Brebbia retired the next two batters, leaving after injuring his right calf while fielding a soft grounder. Steven Wilson struck out Hunter Renfroe to end the threat, stranding a runner at third.

White Sox OF Eloy Jiménez was placed on the 10-day injured list retroactive to April 2 with a left adductor strain.

The White Sox selected the contract of OF Robbie Grossman from Triple-A Charlotte and designated RHP Alex Speas for assignment.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — MJ Melendez broke an eighth-inning tie with a single to help the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 2-1 on Friday night.With one out, Melendez hit a soft liner to left off Michael Kopech (0-1) to score pinch-runner Dairon Blanco.Chris Stratton (1-0) worked a scoreless eighth for the victory, and James McArthur got a game-ending double-play grounder for his first save.The Royals jumped opened the scoring in the first inning on the first of Salvador Pérez’s three hits, a two-out RBI double off the wall in center. Pérez is tied for the American League lead with nine RBIs.Gavin Sheets tied it with a leadoff homer in the second, lifting starter Brady Singer’s slider 391 feet down the line in right.After the homer, Singer retired the next 15 hitters consecutively on 48 pitches, striking out four and getting nine ground balls. He faced two more than the minimum in completing 6 1/3 innings, while allowing a run on two hits and one walk with four strikeouts. Royals starters lead the majors with seven quality starts.White Sox starter Erick Fedde worked five innings, allowing a run on six hits and two walks, with four strikeouts. He exited after allowing a leadoff hit to Pérez and a walk to Melendez.Reliever John Brebbia retired the next two batters, leaving after injuring his right calf while fielding a soft grounder. Steven Wilson struck out Hunter Renfroe to end the threat, stranding a runner at third.TRAINER’S ROOMWhite Sox OF Eloy Jiménez was placed on the 10-day injured list retroactive to April 2 with a left adductor strain.TRANSACTIONSThe White Sox selected the contract of OF Robbie Grossman from Triple-A Charlotte and designated RHP Alex Speas for assignment.UP NEXT

⚾ Melendez breaks 8th inning tie with single, Royals beat White Sox

The Junction City Lady Jays finished third and the Blue Jay boys seventh in the 11-team Maize Invitational Friday.

In the girls competition Junction City had 91 points and Derby finished first with 95 1/2

For the Lady Jays top finishers included:

--Gracie Erichsen 1st in the discus with a throw of 113 feet, 3rd in the shot put 34'1 1/4

--Elizabeth Edgerton-Diaz 3rd in high jump 4'8"

--Lorna Rae Pierce 1st in 1600 meters 5:19.2, 3rd 3200 meters 12:12:23.36

--4 x 00 relay 3rd 51.32 Daniella Okorie, Iyanna Patterson, Jada Williams, Aneras Peoples

--4 x 400 relay 3rd Danielle Okorie, Iyanna Patterson, Jada Williams, Aneras Peoples

--800 meters Anna Fontaine, 2nd 2:26.8, 3200 meters 2nd 12:40. 75

For the Blue Jays a partial boys team was entered. The top finishers included:

--4 x 800 relay 4th 8:39. 49 Anthony Testa, Jake Adkins, Ethan Fontaine, Juanito Alvarado

The Junction City Lady Jays finished third and the Blue Jay boys seventh in the 11-team Maize Invitational Friday.In the girls competition Junction City had 91 points and Derby finished first with 95 1/2For the Lady Jays top finishers included:--Gracie Erichsen 1st in the discus with a throw of 113 feet, 3rd in the shot put 34'1 1/4--Elizabeth Edgerton-Diaz 3rd in high jump 4'8"--Lorna Rae Pierce 1st in 1600 meters 5:19.2, 3rd 3200 meters 12:12:23.36--4 x 00 relay 3rd 51.32 Daniella Okorie, Iyanna Patterson, Jada Williams, Aneras Peoples--4 x 400 relay 3rd Danielle Okorie, Iyanna Patterson, Jada Williams, Aneras Peoples--Jada Williams, 4th, 1:02.75&nbsp;--800 meters Anna Fontaine, 2nd 2:26.8, 3200 meters 2nd 12:40. 75For the Blue Jays a partial boys team was entered. The top finishers included:--Josh Flanagan discus 3rd 1:37.7--Kingston Timms long jump 4th 15'11"--4 x 800 relay 4th 8:39. 49 Anthony Testa, Jake Adkins, Ethan Fontaine, Juanito Alvarado--Billy Dee, 3200 meters 4th 10:18.52

Maize Invitational track and field results for Junction City

Junction City fell to Wamego in varsity baseball Friday by the scores of 11-5 and 4-3 in 8 innings.

Junction City fell to Wamego in varsity baseball Friday by the scores of 11-5 and 4-3 in 8 innings.

Blue Jay baseball drops doubleheader to Wamego

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Nelson Velázquez and MJ Melendez each homered and drove in two runs, leading Seth Lugo and the Kansas City Royals to a 10-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night.

Right fielder Hunter Renfroe threw out the potential tying run at the plate in the sixth inning before Kansas City broke it open with eight runs in the seventh.

Velázquez drove in the first two runs of the game with a single and a homer.

“I was just trying to make contact,” he said. “I’m feeling good, trusting in everything we have been working on since spring training.”

Lugo (1-0) allowed one run and eight hits in 6 2/3 innings for his first win with the Royals. It was the latest quality outing by one of Kansas City's starters, who have a 1.43 ERA.

“Seth attacked from the beginning,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “He threw a ton of strikes and mixed in all his pitches. He gets a lot of groundballs.”

Lugo struck out three and walked two. Angel Zerpa retired Andrew Benintendi with a runner on second to end the seventh, preserving a one-run lead.

“I thought I made some good pitches,” Lugo said. “They had some soft hits.”

Michael Soroka (0-1) gave up two runs and six hits over six innings in his second start for the White Sox.

Kansas City scored in the second on an RBI single by Velázquez.

The White Sox loaded the bases with one out in the third on a pair of singles and an error by shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., but Witt redeemed himself by turning an inning-ending double play.

“Ironically, before the game we were looking at it, we had only turned one double play prior to tonight," Quatraro said. "I don’t know how many it was tonight, three or four, but that was the key in keeping out of trouble along with throwing out the run at the plate.”

Velázquez made it 2-0 in the fourth with a 429-foot homer into the fountains in left-center.

Chicago got a run off Lugo in the sixth, snapping a scoreless streak of 25 innings. Andrew Vaughn lined a single to score Yoán Moncada. Lugo escaped further damage when Braden Shewmake flied out and Renfroe cut down Gavin Sheets at the plate tagging up from third.

The Royals busted it open in the seventh. Deivi García issued a pair of one-out walks and a single to pinch-hitter Adam Frazier. Kyle Isbel drove in two runs with a single and Maikel Garcia drove in another, chasing García. Dominic Leone walked Witt before a two-out error by Shewmake at shortstop scored three more.

“(The walks) really opened up the floodgates,” Chicago manager Pedro Grifol said. “Anytime you walk two guys, you’re asking for trouble. It’s just one inning of baseball that got away from us. We made a couple of mistakes, both fundamentally and physically, that we’ve got to clean up.”

Melendez then smacked his first homer of the season, a two-run shot.

“It was a good ballgame until the seventh inning and we let it get away from us there," Grifol said. "Crooked numbers, they always have a walk in there somewhere. Walks will kill you.”

Chicago signed RHP Mike Clevinger to a $3 million, one-year contract and optioned him to the minors. To make room on the 40-man roster, INF José Rodríguez was designated for assignment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712284440499.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Nelson Velázquez watches his solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Nelson Velázquez watches his solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Nelson Velázquez and MJ Melendez each homered and drove in two runs, leading Seth Lugo and the Kansas City Royals to a 10-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night.Right fielder Hunter Renfroe threw out the potential tying run at the plate in the sixth inning before Kansas City broke it open with eight runs in the seventh.Velázquez drove in the first two runs of the game with a single and a homer.“I was just trying to make contact,” he said. “I’m feeling good, trusting in everything we have been working on since spring training.”Lugo (1-0) allowed one run and eight hits in 6 2/3 innings for his first win with the Royals. It was the latest quality outing by one of Kansas City's starters, who have a 1.43 ERA.“Seth attacked from the beginning,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “He threw a ton of strikes and mixed in all his pitches. He gets a lot of groundballs.”Lugo struck out three and walked two. Angel Zerpa retired Andrew Benintendi with a runner on second to end the seventh, preserving a one-run lead.“I thought I made some good pitches,” Lugo said. “They had some soft hits.”Michael Soroka (0-1) gave up two runs and six hits over six innings in his second start for the White Sox.Kansas City scored in the second on an RBI single by Velázquez.The White Sox loaded the bases with one out in the third on a pair of singles and an error by shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., but Witt redeemed himself by turning an inning-ending double play.“Ironically, before the game we were looking at it, we had only turned one double play prior to tonight," Quatraro said. "I don’t know how many it was tonight, three or four, but that was the key in keeping out of trouble along with throwing out the run at the plate.”Velázquez made it 2-0 in the fourth with a 429-foot homer into the fountains in left-center.Chicago got a run off Lugo in the sixth, snapping a scoreless streak of 25 innings. Andrew Vaughn lined a single to score Yoán Moncada. Lugo escaped further damage when Braden Shewmake flied out and Renfroe cut down Gavin Sheets at the plate tagging up from third.The Royals busted it open in the seventh. Deivi García issued a pair of one-out walks and a single to pinch-hitter Adam Frazier. Kyle Isbel drove in two runs with a single and Maikel Garcia drove in another, chasing García. Dominic Leone walked Witt before a two-out error by Shewmake at shortstop scored three more.“(The walks) really opened up the floodgates,” Chicago manager Pedro Grifol said. “Anytime you walk two guys, you’re asking for trouble. It’s just one inning of baseball that got away from us. We made a couple of mistakes, both fundamentally and physically, that we’ve got to clean up.”Melendez then smacked his first homer of the season, a two-run shot.“It was a good ballgame until the seventh inning and we let it get away from us there," Grifol said. "Crooked numbers, they always have a walk in there somewhere. Walks will kill you.”TRANSACTIONSChicago signed RHP Mike Clevinger to a $3 million, one-year contract and optioned him to the minors. To make room on the 40-man roster, INF José Rodríguez was designated for assignment.UP NEXT

⚾ Royals score 8 runs in 7th and beat White Sox

DALLAS (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs' player Rashee Rice was the driver of one of two speeding sports cars who left after causing a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rashee-rice-sports-car-crash-24b9e3281d0bca8c0c13a0cedda57b93">chain-reaction crash</a>&nbsp;on a Dallas highway over the weekend, the wide receiver's attorney said Thursday.

Why Rice left the crash Saturday was “a good question that's still being investigated," said Rice’s attorney, state Sen. Royce West, but he declined to elaborate. West expects charges to be filed against Rice, who was driving a Lamborghini sport utility vehicle, he said at a news conference without his client.

“He’s a young man that made a mistake,” West said Thursday, adding that Rice’s “heart goes out” to those who were injured. The crash involved the Lamborghini, a Corvette and four other vehicles and left four people with minor injuries, police said.

The driver of the Corvette also left without determining whether anyone needed medical attention or providing their information, police said. The Corvette belongs to Rice, West said Thursday, but no information has been released on the driver.

Rice&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/stories/doub11e_r/">posted to his Instagram Story</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday that he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-kansas-city-rashee-rice-car-crash-dallas-bbc86e5cccc79d7bbce5103070995994">taking “full responsibility”</a>&nbsp;for his part in the wreck.

Police have said the drivers of the Corvette and Lamborghini were speeding in the far left lane when they lost control and the Lamborghini traveled onto the shoulder and hit the center median wall, causing the chain collision.

West said that Rice, who is 23, will “do everything in his power to bring their life back to as normal as possible in terms of injuries, in terms of property damage.”

Investigators are interviewing witnesses, victims and others who may have been involved, police said Thursday.

Rice was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rashee-rice-corvette-lamborghini-crash-dallas-2f3ac72c23b1d9ca4860f8cacc8b173e">leasing the Lamborghini</a>&nbsp;from The Classic Lifestyle, said Kyle Coker, an attorney for the Dallas-based exotic car rental company.

Rice was born in Philadelphia but grew up in the Fort Worth, Texas, suburb of North Richland Hills. He played college football at nearby SMU, where a breakout senior season in 2022 put the wide receiver on the radar of NFL teams. The Chiefs selected him in the second round of last year's draft, and he quickly became one of the only dependable options in their passing game.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712017870514.png" alt="&nbsp;Rashee Rice-photo KC Chiefs" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Rashee Rice-photo KC Chiefs</figcaption>
 </figure>DALLAS (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs' player Rashee Rice was the driver of one of two speeding sports cars who left after causing a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rashee-rice-sports-car-crash-24b9e3281d0bca8c0c13a0cedda57b93">chain-reaction crash</a>&nbsp;on a Dallas highway over the weekend, the wide receiver's attorney said Thursday.Why Rice left the crash Saturday was “a good question that's still being investigated," said Rice’s attorney, state Sen. Royce West, but he declined to elaborate. West expects charges to be filed against Rice, who was driving a Lamborghini sport utility vehicle, he said at a news conference without his client.“He’s a young man that made a mistake,” West said Thursday, adding that Rice’s “heart goes out” to those who were injured. The crash involved the Lamborghini, a Corvette and four other vehicles and left four people with minor injuries, police said.The driver of the Corvette also left without determining whether anyone needed medical attention or providing their information, police said. The Corvette belongs to Rice, West said Thursday, but no information has been released on the driver.Rice&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/stories/doub11e_r/">posted to his Instagram Story</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday that he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-kansas-city-rashee-rice-car-crash-dallas-bbc86e5cccc79d7bbce5103070995994">taking “full responsibility”</a>&nbsp;for his part in the wreck.Police have said the drivers of the Corvette and Lamborghini were speeding in the far left lane when they lost control and the Lamborghini traveled onto the shoulder and hit the center median wall, causing the chain collision.West said that Rice, who is 23, will “do everything in his power to bring their life back to as normal as possible in terms of injuries, in terms of property damage.”Investigators are interviewing witnesses, victims and others who may have been involved, police said Thursday.Rice was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rashee-rice-corvette-lamborghini-crash-dallas-2f3ac72c23b1d9ca4860f8cacc8b173e">leasing the Lamborghini</a>&nbsp;from The Classic Lifestyle, said Kyle Coker, an attorney for the Dallas-based exotic car rental company.Rice was born in Philadelphia but grew up in the Fort Worth, Texas, suburb of North Richland Hills. He played college football at nearby SMU, where a breakout senior season in 2022 put the wide receiver on the radar of NFL teams. The Chiefs selected him in the second round of last year's draft, and he quickly became one of the only dependable options in their passing game.

Attorney: Chiefs Rice was driving Lamborghini in Dallas crash

BALTIMORE (AP) — James McCann had a two-out, two-run single in the ninth inning and the Baltimore Orioles emerged from a five-hour rain delay to beat the Kansas City Royals 4-3 on Wednesday night.

Baltimore trailed 3-0 in the eighth before scoring twice against the Kansas City bullpen, which wasted a masterful performance by starter Cole Ragans.

It was 3-2 in the ninth when Royals closer Will Smith (0-2) walked Ryan Mountcastle and gave up a single to Anthony Santander. After a sacrifice bunt, an intentional walk to load the bases and a strikeout, McCann lined a single into left to end it.

The deciding matchup in the three-game series was supposed to start at 1:05 p.m., but didn’t get under way until early evening. The Royals weren’t scheduled to return to Baltimore after the game, so waiting out a persistent rainstorm meant the teams wouldn’t have to play a makeup months down the road.

The fans who endured the long wait were rewarded by being allowed to choose any open seat in addition to receiving a voucher for a future weekday game.

Ragans retired 18 of the first 19 batters, the lone exception a fourth-inning double by Adley Rutschman. The right-hander was pulled in the seventh after walking two and striking out Santander.

Ragan worked 6 1/3 shutout innings, allowing one hit and two walks with seven strikeouts.

Maikel Garcia homered and Salvador Perez had three hits and two RBIs for the Royals, who lost both games in the series on Baltimore's final at-bat.

Orioles starter Corbin Burnes gave up two runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings. Although the right-hander kept the game close, his performance was a notch below his Orioles debut on opening day, when he limited the Los Angeles Angels to one hit over six innings while striking out 11.

Perez hit RBI singles in the first and third innings, and Garcia went deep against Mike Baumann in the seventh.

In the Baltimore eighth, Gunnar Henderson hit a sacrifice fly and Rutschman singled in a run but was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a double.

Yennier Cano (1-0) got the win with a scoreless ninth.

Royals: Seth Lugo (0-0, 0.00 ERA) faces the visiting Chicago White Sox on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series.

Orioles: After a day off Thursday, the Orioles hit the road for the first time this season, sending Grayson Rodriguez (1-0, 1.50) to the mound against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712193045820.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro, left, argues with home plate umpire Paul Clemons, right, after a play where Bobby Witt Jr. (7) was tagged out in a rundown between third and home against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, April 3, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro, left, argues with home plate umpire Paul Clemons, right, after a play where Bobby Witt Jr. (7) was tagged out in a rundown between third and home against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, April 3, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)</figcaption>
 </figure>BALTIMORE (AP) — James McCann had a two-out, two-run single in the ninth inning and the Baltimore Orioles emerged from a five-hour rain delay to beat the Kansas City Royals 4-3 on Wednesday night.Baltimore trailed 3-0 in the eighth before scoring twice against the Kansas City bullpen, which wasted a masterful performance by starter Cole Ragans.It was 3-2 in the ninth when Royals closer Will Smith (0-2) walked Ryan Mountcastle and gave up a single to Anthony Santander. After a sacrifice bunt, an intentional walk to load the bases and a strikeout, McCann lined a single into left to end it.The deciding matchup in the three-game series was supposed to start at 1:05 p.m., but didn’t get under way until early evening. The Royals weren’t scheduled to return to Baltimore after the game, so waiting out a persistent rainstorm meant the teams wouldn’t have to play a makeup months down the road.The fans who endured the long wait were rewarded by being allowed to choose any open seat in addition to receiving a voucher for a future weekday game.Ragans retired 18 of the first 19 batters, the lone exception a fourth-inning double by Adley Rutschman. The right-hander was pulled in the seventh after walking two and striking out Santander.Ragan worked 6 1/3 shutout innings, allowing one hit and two walks with seven strikeouts.Maikel Garcia homered and Salvador Perez had three hits and two RBIs for the Royals, who lost both games in the series on Baltimore's final at-bat.Orioles starter Corbin Burnes gave up two runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings. Although the right-hander kept the game close, his performance was a notch below his Orioles debut on opening day, when he limited the Los Angeles Angels to one hit over six innings while striking out 11.Perez hit RBI singles in the first and third innings, and Garcia went deep against Mike Baumann in the seventh.In the Baltimore eighth, Gunnar Henderson hit a sacrifice fly and Rutschman singled in a run but was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a double.Yennier Cano (1-0) got the win with a scoreless ninth.UP NEXTRoyals: Seth Lugo (0-0, 0.00 ERA) faces the visiting Chicago White Sox on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series.Orioles: After a day off Thursday, the Orioles hit the road for the first time this season, sending Grayson Rodriguez (1-0, 1.50) to the mound against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday.____

 ⚾ Orioles emerge from 5-hour rain delay to beat Royals 

The Junction City Blue Jays lost to Emporia in baseball Tuesday night in Emporia 12-3 and 1-0.

The Junction City Blue Jays lost to Emporia in baseball Tuesday night in Emporia 12-3 and 1-0.

Blue Jays drop two games in baseball

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The future of the Royals and Chiefs in Kansas City was thrown into question Tuesday night when residents of Jackson County, Missouri, resoundingly voted down a sales tax measure that would have helped to fund a new downtown ballpark along with major renovations to Arrowhead Stadium.

Royals owner John Sherman and Chiefs president Mark Donovan acknowledged long before the final tally that the initiative would fail.

 More than 58% of voters ultimately rejected the plan, which would have replaced an existing three-eighths of a cent sales tax that has been paying for the upkeep of Truman Sports Complex — the home for more than 50 years to Kauffman and Arrowhead Stadiums — with a similar tax that would have been in place for the next 40 years.

The Royals, who had pledged at least $1 billion from ownership for their project, wanted to use their share of the tax revenue to help fund a $2 billion-plus ballpark district. The Super Bowl champion Chiefs, who had committed $300 million in private money, would have used their share as part of an $800 million overhaul of Arrowhead Stadium.

“We’re deeply disappointed as we are steadfast in our belief that Jackson County is better with the Chiefs and the Royals,” said Sherman, who left without taking questions. “As someone whose roots run deep in this town, who has been a dedicated fan and season-ticket holder for both of these teams, and now leading a remarkable ownership group.”

Donovan said the Chiefs would do “what is in the best interest of our fans and our organization as we move forward.”

That could mean many things: The Chiefs could try again with a reworked plan more agreeable to voters, change their entire funding approach to include more private investment, or they could even listen to offers from competing cities and states — such as Kansas, just across the state line to the west — that would provide the public funding they desire.

“We’ve been talking a lot about the democratic process. We respect the process,” Donovan said. “We feel we put forth the best offer for Jackson County. We’re ready to extend the longstanding partnership the teams have enjoyed with this county.”

The current lease lease at Truman Sports Complex lasts through Jan. 31, 2031. And while Sherman has said the Royals would not play at Kauffman Stadium beyond the 2030 season, the Chiefs are hopeful of remaining at Arrowhead Stadium.

The tax — or, more accurately, the stadium plans — received significant public pushback almost from the start, when the teams struggled to put concrete plans before voters and were accused of lacking transparency throughout the process.

Last fall, the Royals unveiled two potential locations for their ballpark district, one on the eastern edge of downtown and the other across the Missouri River in Clay County, Missouri.

But, a self-imposed deadline to finalize their location lapsed without a plan, and in February, they finally announced they had scrapped both concepts and chosen a different downtown spot.

The new area, known as the Crossroads, has a vibrant arts and restaurant scene, and it is just blocks away from the T-Mobile Center and the bustling Power &amp; Light entertainment district. It also is close to the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and the 18th &amp; Vine district, which is home to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

But even then, plans remained vague. The latest ballpark renderings were made obsolete just last week when the Royals acquiesced to Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas’ request that a major street that would have been part of the stadium footprint remain open; Lucas did not endorse the tax initiative until the Royals agreed to the change.

“I think everyone has the same mixed feelings,” said Deidre Chasteen, a voter from Independence, Missouri, who remembers attending games downtown at old Municipal Stadium when the Royals played there from 1969-72.

“It’s not that we mind paying the three-eighths-cent sales tax. I think the problem is putting the stadium where it is,” Chasteen said. “We’re saying don’t ruin businesses that have been established down there for years.”

The club also had not reached sales agreements with many landowners in the Crossroads, and other businesses had expressed concerns about traffic, congestion and parking in an already thriving residential neighborhood.

Sarah Tourville, the Royals’ executive vice president, said the goal was to move into the stadium for opening day in 2028.

The Royals moved from Municipal Stadium to Kauffman Stadium in 1973 and extensively renovated the ballpark from 2009-12. Arrowhead Stadium was built alongside Kauffman Stadium and also was renovated around the same time.

While the Royals insist on playing in a new ballpark, the Chiefs wanted to stay put with a renovation that would have touched every aspect of their 52-year-old building, from the seating bowl to luxury amenities to the tailgating scene.

“We would not be willing to sign a lease for another 25 years without the financing to properly renovate and reimagine the stadium,” Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt, whose father, Lamar Hunt, helped get the existing stadiums built, said before Tuesday’s vote. “The financing puzzle is very important to us to make sure we have enough funds to do everything we’ve outlined.”

The Chiefs had hoped their success, including three Super Bowl titles in the last five years, would sway voters in their favor.

“What my dad loved best about the stadium was the connection the team had with our fanbase,” Hunt said. “He loved this building for what it means to the fans, and we still believe it is one of the best stadiums in the National Football League and a bucket-list destination for fans across the NFL.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712112749211.jpeg" alt="An Air Force B2 bomber flies over Kauffman Stadium before a baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the Minnesota Twins Thursday, March 28, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)." />
 <figcaption>An Air Force B2 bomber flies over Kauffman Stadium before a baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the Minnesota Twins Thursday, March 28, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel).</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The future of the Royals and Chiefs in Kansas City was thrown into question Tuesday night when residents of Jackson County, Missouri, resoundingly voted down a sales tax measure that would have helped to fund a new downtown ballpark along with major renovations to Arrowhead Stadium.Royals owner John Sherman and Chiefs president Mark Donovan acknowledged long before the final tally that the initiative would fail.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712104528404.png" alt="Photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure> More than 58% of voters ultimately rejected the plan, which would have replaced an existing three-eighths of a cent sales tax that has been paying for the upkeep of Truman Sports Complex — the home for more than 50 years to Kauffman and Arrowhead Stadiums — with a similar tax that would have been in place for the next 40 years.The Royals, who had pledged at least $1 billion from ownership for their project, wanted to use their share of the tax revenue to help fund a $2 billion-plus ballpark district. The Super Bowl champion Chiefs, who had committed $300 million in private money, would have used their share as part of an $800 million overhaul of Arrowhead Stadium.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A statement from John Sherman regarding today&#39;s Jackson County election: <a href="https://t.co/t85qx0Cwfh">pic.twitter.com/t85qx0Cwfh</a>&mdash; Kansas City Royals (@Royals) <a href="https://twitter.com/Royals/status/1775347697345610113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“We’re deeply disappointed as we are steadfast in our belief that Jackson County is better with the Chiefs and the Royals,” said Sherman, who left without taking questions. “As someone whose roots run deep in this town, who has been a dedicated fan and season-ticket holder for both of these teams, and now leading a remarkable ownership group.”Donovan said the Chiefs would do “what is in the best interest of our fans and our organization as we move forward.”That could mean many things: The Chiefs could try again with a reworked plan more agreeable to voters, change their entire funding approach to include more private investment, or they could even listen to offers from competing cities and states — such as Kansas, just across the state line to the west — that would provide the public funding they desire.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/JacksonCountyMO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JacksonCountyMO</a>⁩ voters have spoken. I’ll say more on the election results and what happens next soon. Stay tuned! <a href="https://t.co/emqsBfJqYq">pic.twitter.com/emqsBfJqYq</a>&mdash; Frank White (@JCEFrankWhite) <a href="https://twitter.com/JCEFrankWhite/status/1775364416424280068?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“We’ve been talking a lot about the democratic process. We respect the process,” Donovan said. “We feel we put forth the best offer for Jackson County. We’re ready to extend the longstanding partnership the teams have enjoyed with this county.”The current lease lease at Truman Sports Complex lasts through Jan. 31, 2031. And while Sherman has said the Royals would not play at Kauffman Stadium beyond the 2030 season, the Chiefs are hopeful of remaining at Arrowhead Stadium.The tax — or, more accurately, the stadium plans — received significant public pushback almost from the start, when the teams struggled to put concrete plans before voters and were accused of lacking transparency throughout the process.Last fall, the Royals unveiled two potential locations for their ballpark district, one on the eastern edge of downtown and the other across the Missouri River in Clay County, Missouri.But, a self-imposed deadline to finalize their location lapsed without a plan, and in February, they finally announced they had scrapped both concepts and chosen a different downtown spot.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/ijleg960iH">pic.twitter.com/ijleg960iH</a>&mdash; Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/QuintonLucasKC/status/1775340879663825097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The new area, known as the Crossroads, has a vibrant arts and restaurant scene, and it is just blocks away from the T-Mobile Center and the bustling Power &amp; Light entertainment district. It also is close to the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and the 18th &amp; Vine district, which is home to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.But even then, plans remained vague. The latest ballpark renderings were made obsolete just last week when the Royals acquiesced to Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas’ request that a major street that would have been part of the stadium footprint remain open; Lucas did not endorse the tax initiative until the Royals agreed to the change.“I think everyone has the same mixed feelings,” said Deidre Chasteen, a voter from Independence, Missouri, who remembers attending games downtown at old Municipal Stadium when the Royals played there from 1969-72.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712112786193.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals owner John Sherman, left, address the media while Kansas City Chiefs president Mark Donovan looks on during a news conference about a plan to extend a sales tax to provide funding to build a new stadium for the Royals and stadium improvement for the Chiefs Saturday, March 30, 2024, at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. Jackson County, Mo. residents will vote on the question Tuesday, April 2. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)." />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals owner John Sherman, left, address the media while Kansas City Chiefs president Mark Donovan looks on during a news conference about a plan to extend a sales tax to provide funding to build a new stadium for the Royals and stadium improvement for the Chiefs Saturday, March 30, 2024, at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. Jackson County, Mo. residents will vote on the question Tuesday, April 2. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel).</figcaption>
 </figure>“It’s not that we mind paying the three-eighths-cent sales tax. I think the problem is putting the stadium where it is,” Chasteen said. “We’re saying don’t ruin businesses that have been established down there for years.”The club also had not reached sales agreements with many landowners in the Crossroads, and other businesses had expressed concerns about traffic, congestion and parking in an already thriving residential neighborhood.Sarah Tourville, the Royals’ executive vice president, said the goal was to move into the stadium for opening day in 2028.The Royals moved from Municipal Stadium to Kauffman Stadium in 1973 and extensively renovated the ballpark from 2009-12. Arrowhead Stadium was built alongside Kauffman Stadium and also was renovated around the same time.While the Royals insist on playing in a new ballpark, the Chiefs wanted to stay put with a renovation that would have touched every aspect of their 52-year-old building, from the seating bowl to luxury amenities to the tailgating scene.“We would not be willing to sign a lease for another 25 years without the financing to properly renovate and reimagine the stadium,” Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt, whose father, Lamar Hunt, helped get the existing stadiums built, said before Tuesday’s vote. “The financing puzzle is very important to us to make sure we have enough funds to do everything we’ve outlined.”The Chiefs had hoped their success, including three Super Bowl titles in the last five years, would sway voters in their favor.“What my dad loved best about the stadium was the connection the team had with our fanbase,” Hunt said. “He loved this building for what it means to the fans, and we still believe it is one of the best stadiums in the National Football League and a bucket-list destination for fans across the NFL.”

Voters reject stadium tax for Royals and Chiefs, leaving future in KC in question

BALTIMORE (AP) — Alec Marsh pitched seven innings of two-hit ball, Maikel Garcia drove in three runs and the Kansas City Royals breezed past the Baltimore Orioles 4-1 Tuesday night at wet and chilly Camden Yards.

Marsh (1-0) turned in the best performance of his budding career, dominating the defending AL East champions with an exceptional display of control. He&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Royals/status/1775323645696495719">struck out five</a>, walked one and retired the side in order five times.

“He was outstanding,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of Marsh. “Adverse conditions to pitch in against a really good lineup, and he did nothing but attack, right from the get-go.”

Now in his second season, Marsh previously hadn't gone more than six innings and never allowed fewer than three hits in any outing longer than an inning. In this one, the right-hander threw 72 pitches, only 18 of which were called balls.

“You couldn't ask for anything more,” Quatraro said.

Marsh received offensive support from Garcia, who hit a two-run double in the second inning and added an RBI triple in the fourth.

A persistent, light rain soaked the players and the announced crowd of 9,404. Temperatures dipped into the 40s soon after the game started, and a crisp breeze provided the stouthearted fans additional discomfort.

The Orioles gave their supporters little reason to stand up and cheer. Baltimore's only run came in the third inning on successive doubles by Jordan Westburg and Colton Cowser, but that only served to cut the deficit to 3-1.

Kansas City answered in the fourth with a walk and a triple by Garcia on a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/BallySportsKC/status/1775305527985062234">liner off the right-field wall</a>. That was more than enough backing for Marsh, who earned the fifth spot in the Royals rotation with a strong showing in spring training.

As a rookie in 2023, Marsh lost his first eight decisions before ending up 3-9 with a 5.69 ERA.

The solid finish, along with his productive spring, gave Marsh some momentum heading into the 2024 season.

“He's been on a mission,” Quatraro said. “That's one game. We don't want to proclaim this to be a finished product. He's a very young pitcher in his big league career, but there's a lot of upside and we're excited about it.”

When the Orioles got good wood on the ball, there always seemed to be someone there to catch it.

“Good fastball, curveball had a lot of depth on it,” Baltimore's Ryan O’Hearn said. “It was one of those nights. I feel like we had a lot of balls hit right at guys. Sometimes it happens that way.”

After Marsh put in his seven innings, the bullpen finished up without incident. John Schreiber gave up a single in the eighth and Will Smith got three straight outs for his first save.

Orioles starter Cole Irvin (0-1) gave up four runs and seven hits in five innings. The 30-year-old is attempting to bounce back from a disappointing season in which he went 1-4, endured three stints in the minor leagues and did not appear on Baltimore's postseason roster.

Royals reliever Jake Brentz threw in the bullpen for the first time since going on the IL last month with a left hamstring strain. Brentz, 29, hasn't pitched in the big leagues since undergoing elbow surgery in July of 2022.

The teams face a rainy forecast for Wednesday's series finale, which matches Orioles ace Corbin Burnes (1-0, 1.50 ERA) and Royals opening day starter Cole Ragans (0-1, 3.00).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712106555574.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Alec Marsh throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Alec Marsh throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)</figcaption>
 </figure>BALTIMORE (AP) — Alec Marsh pitched seven innings of two-hit ball, Maikel Garcia drove in three runs and the Kansas City Royals breezed past the Baltimore Orioles 4-1 Tuesday night at wet and chilly Camden Yards.Marsh (1-0) turned in the best performance of his budding career, dominating the defending AL East champions with an exceptional display of control. He&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Royals/status/1775323645696495719">struck out five</a>, walked one and retired the side in order five times.“He was outstanding,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of Marsh. “Adverse conditions to pitch in against a really good lineup, and he did nothing but attack, right from the get-go.”Now in his second season, Marsh previously hadn't gone more than six innings and never allowed fewer than three hits in any outing longer than an inning. In this one, the right-hander threw 72 pitches, only 18 of which were called balls.“You couldn't ask for anything more,” Quatraro said.Marsh received offensive support from Garcia, who hit a two-run double in the second inning and added an RBI triple in the fourth.A persistent, light rain soaked the players and the announced crowd of 9,404. Temperatures dipped into the 40s soon after the game started, and a crisp breeze provided the stouthearted fans additional discomfort.The Orioles gave their supporters little reason to stand up and cheer. Baltimore's only run came in the third inning on successive doubles by Jordan Westburg and Colton Cowser, but that only served to cut the deficit to 3-1.Kansas City answered in the fourth with a walk and a triple by Garcia on a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/BallySportsKC/status/1775305527985062234">liner off the right-field wall</a>. That was more than enough backing for Marsh, who earned the fifth spot in the Royals rotation with a strong showing in spring training.As a rookie in 2023, Marsh lost his first eight decisions before ending up 3-9 with a 5.69 ERA.The solid finish, along with his productive spring, gave Marsh some momentum heading into the 2024 season.“He's been on a mission,” Quatraro said. “That's one game. We don't want to proclaim this to be a finished product. He's a very young pitcher in his big league career, but there's a lot of upside and we're excited about it.”When the Orioles got good wood on the ball, there always seemed to be someone there to catch it.“Good fastball, curveball had a lot of depth on it,” Baltimore's Ryan O’Hearn said. “It was one of those nights. I feel like we had a lot of balls hit right at guys. Sometimes it happens that way.”After Marsh put in his seven innings, the bullpen finished up without incident. John Schreiber gave up a single in the eighth and Will Smith got three straight outs for his first save.Orioles starter Cole Irvin (0-1) gave up four runs and seven hits in five innings. The 30-year-old is attempting to bounce back from a disappointing season in which he went 1-4, endured three stints in the minor leagues and did not appear on Baltimore's postseason roster.TRAINER'S ROOMRoyals reliever Jake Brentz threw in the bullpen for the first time since going on the IL last month with a left hamstring strain. Brentz, 29, hasn't pitched in the big leagues since undergoing elbow surgery in July of 2022.UP NEXTThe teams face a rainy forecast for Wednesday's series finale, which matches Orioles ace Corbin Burnes (1-0, 1.50 ERA) and Royals opening day starter Cole Ragans (0-1, 3.00).