NEW YORK (AP) — Kansas City infielder Nicky Lopez lost his salary arbitration case with the Royals and will get $2.55 million instead of his $2.9 million request, a decision that clinched management’s third straight winning record. 

Teams lead 8-3 with just three cases pending. Miami catcher Jacob Stallings had his hearing with the Marlins, asking for $3.1 million while the club argued for $2.45 million. 

The last two cases are scheduled for next week, involving New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge and Atlanta left-hander Max Fried.

NEW YORK (AP) — Kansas City infielder Nicky Lopez lost his salary arbitration case with the Royals and will get $2.55 million instead of his $2.9 million request, a decision that clinched management’s third straight winning record. Teams lead 8-3 with just three cases pending. Miami catcher Jacob Stallings had his hearing with the Marlins, asking for $3.1 million while the club argued for $2.45 million. The last two cases are scheduled for next week, involving New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge and Atlanta left-hander Max Fried.

Lopez loses in arbitration

Tulsa, OK - The Wind Surge fell short to the Tulsa Drillers 5-0 on Friday night in Tulsa as Wichita struggled at the plate and stranded six runners in scoring position to lose their third straight game.

The Drillers scored two runs in the third inning behind a balk and wild pitch from Surge starter Blayne Enlow that allowed Jeren Kendall and Devin Mann to score to give Tulsa a 2-0 lead. Enlow pitched three and two thirds’ innings and allowed two runs on one hit, two walks, and tallied four strikeouts.

The Drillers scored two more runs in the fifth inning as Devin Mann hit an RBI-double to score Leonel Valera. James Outman followed the next at-bat with a sacrifice fly to score Devin Mann and extended the Tulsa lead to 4-0.

The series continues Saturday with a 7:05 p.m. first pitch.

Tulsa, OK - The Wind Surge fell short to the Tulsa Drillers 5-0 on Friday night in Tulsa as Wichita struggled at the plate and stranded six runners in scoring position to lose their third straight game.The Drillers scored two runs in the third inning behind a balk and wild pitch from Surge starter Blayne Enlow that allowed Jeren Kendall and Devin Mann to score to give Tulsa a 2-0 lead. Enlow pitched three and two thirds’ innings and allowed two runs on one hit, two walks, and tallied four strikeouts.The Drillers scored two more runs in the fifth inning as Devin Mann hit an RBI-double to score Leonel Valera. James Outman followed the next at-bat with a sacrifice fly to score Devin Mann and extended the Tulsa lead to 4-0.The series continues Saturday with a 7:05 p.m. first pitch.

Drillers win again over Wind Surge Friday

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Daniel Lynch had a career-high 10 strikeouts in five innings to win for the first time in nearly two months, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Oakland Athletics 5-1 on Friday night in a matchup of teams with the two worst records in the major leagues. 

Salvador Perez doubled and homered for the Royals. Whit Merrifield added three hits while Andrew Benintendi and Michael A. Taylor each had two to send the plummeting A’s to their 21st loss in their last 24 home games. 

The Royals (22-41) began the day percentage points ahead of the A’s, who fell to 22-44 with the loss and dropped 19 games behind the first-place Astros in the AL West.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Daniel Lynch had a career-high 10 strikeouts in five innings to win for the first time in nearly two months, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Oakland Athletics 5-1 on Friday night in a matchup of teams with the two worst records in the major leagues. Salvador Perez doubled and homered for the Royals. Whit Merrifield added three hits while Andrew Benintendi and Michael A. Taylor each had two to send the plummeting A’s to their 21st loss in their last 24 home games. The Royals (22-41) began the day percentage points ahead of the A’s, who fell to 22-44 with the loss and dropped 19 games behind the first-place Astros in the AL West.

Royals win Friday

NEW YORK (AP) — Kansas City infielder Nicky Lopez went to salary arbitration with the Royals, asking for $2.9 million instead of the team’s $2.55 million offer.

Melinda Gordon, Scott Buccheit and John Woods heard the arguments and are expected to issue a decision on Friday.

Lopez had career bests of a .300 average and 22 stolen bases in 23 chances last season, when he had two homers and 43 RBIs.

He made $597,500 and was eligible for arbitration for the first time.

NEW YORK (AP) — Kansas City infielder Nicky Lopez went to salary arbitration with the Royals, asking for $2.9 million instead of the team’s $2.55 million offer.Melinda Gordon, Scott Buccheit and John Woods heard the arguments and are expected to issue a decision on Friday.Lopez had career bests of a .300 average and 22 stolen bases in 23 chances last season, when he had two homers and 43 RBIs.He made $597,500 and was eligible for arbitration for the first time.

Lopez in arbitration with Royals

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🎙 Eagle Radio Sports for Friday Morning

Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs long ago moved on from wide receiver Tyreek Hill, whom they shipped to the Miami Dolphins in the offseason for a package of draft picks that have helped them get younger and deeper across the board. But they were dragged back into discussing him at the conclusion of their mandatory minicamp after Hill debuted his new podcast, where he appeared to take subtle shots at coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Both took the high road Thursday, though Mahomes acknowledged he was surprised at some of the criticism that Hill leveled at the organization.

UNDATED (AP) — Cheers and sighs met FIFA's announcement of the host cities for the 2026 World Cup. The winners included sites like Los Angeles, Mexico City and Toronto. But the big announcement was a disappointment for cities that were on the bubble. The crowd at a watch party in Washington D.C., was sullen when the last of the cities was announced. It was just the third time that a nation's capital has not been included as a host city. A similar scene played out in Denver. That was in contrast to the cheers in Kansas City.

NEW YORK (AP) — Kansas City infielder Nicky Lopez went to salary arbitration with the Royals, asking for $2.9 million instead of the team's $2.55 million offer. Melinda Gordon, Scott Buccheit and John Woods heard the arguments and are expected to issue a decision on Friday. Lopez had career bests of a .300 average and 22 stolen bases in 23 chances last season, when he had two homers and 43 RBIs. He made $597,500 and was eligible for arbitration for the first time.

UNDATED (AP) — Arizona's Bennedict Mathurin, Duke's A.J. Griffin, Wisconsin's Johnny Davis and Kentucky's Shaedon Sharpe are among the top wing players in this year's NBA draft. Davis was a first-team Associated Press All-American, while Mathurin was a second-team pick. Griffin proved to be a capable 3-point shooter in his lone season for the Blue Devils. Sharpe never played for the Wildcats after being a midyear enrollee. Other names to watch include international prospect Ousmane Dieng, Ohio State's Malaki Branham, Kansas' Ochai Agbaji and LSU's Tari Eason. There's also the duo of Jaden Hardy and MarJon Beauchamp from the G League Ignite developmental program for elite prospects who bypass college.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — If the College World Series is like the first two rounds of the NCAA baseball tournament, fans in the outfield seats at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska, are going to take home lots of souvenir balls. The 424 home runs hit in regionals and super regionals are a tournament record, and at least 14 games remain to be played in the CWS. The eight-team event opens Friday with No. 5 national seed Texas A&amp;M playing Oklahoma and No. 9 Texas meeting Notre Dame. Saturday openers match No. 2 Stanford against Arkansas and Mississippi against No. 14 Auburn.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Bracket 1 in the College World Series could just as easily be called the Rivals Bracket. Texas is grouped with its two biggest adversaries in Oklahoma and Texas A&amp;M and will play one or the other depending on the outcome of its game against Notre Dame on Friday. A subplot is that Texas and Oklahoma will join the Aggies in the Southeastern Conference in the not-too-distant future. Stanford had to win five elimination games in the tournament to reach Omaha for the second straight year. Brock Jones says said that experience could serve the Cardinal well.

BOSTON (AP) — The Golden State Warriors are NBA champions once again, topping the Boston Celtics 103-90 for their fourth title in the last eight seasons. Stephen Curry scored 34 points for the Warriors, who claimed the franchise's seventh championship overall. And this one completed a journey like none other, after a run of five consecutive finals, then a plummet to the bottom of the NBA, and now a return to greatness just two seasons after having the league's worst record. For Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala, it's a fourth championship. The first three rings came in 2015, 2017 and 2018, when Golden State was dynastic and made five consecutive trips to the finals.

Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 34 points. Al Horford added 19. Jayson Tatum finished with 13 points, but shot just 6 of 18 from the field. Boston also committed 22 turnovers, dropping to 1-8 this postseason when committing 16 or more.

McIllroy shares early lead; Michelson has rough start

BROOKLINE, Mass. (AP) — Adam Hadwin of Canada is the leader after one round of the U.S. Open.

Hadwin ran off three straight birdies at the end of the front nine and only dropped one shot on the back nine of The Country Club for a 66. He leads by one shot over five players, including Rory McIlroy.

Of the players who were in the first Saudi-backed event last week, Dustin Johnson had the best score at 68. Phil Mickelson ended his rough day with a 78. It's the sixth straight time he hasn't broken par in the first round of the U.S. Open.

BELMONT, Mich. (AP) — Jennifer Kupcho shot a 9-under 63 on Thursday at windy Blythefield Country Club to take the first-round lead in the LPGA Meijer Classic. Kupcho eagled the par-5 14th and had seven birdies in the bogey-free round. She won the major tournament at Mission Hills in the California desert in early April for her first LPGA Tour victory. Gerina Mendoza was second. She closed birdie-eagle. Lexi Thompson, the 2015 winner, was another stroke back at 65 with Swedes Anna Nordqvist and Madelene Sagstrom. Andrea Lee shot 66. Defending champion Nelly Korda opened with a 67. She's making her second start since returning from a four-month break because of a blood clot in her left arm.

Yanks have their longest home win streak since M&amp;M Boys

UNDATED (AP) — Anthony Rizzo hit a solo home run with one out in the ninth inning and the streaking New York Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 2-1 for their 14th straight home win.

The Yankees have their longest home winning streak since taking 15 in a row at the original Yankee Stadium on Aug. 16-Sept. 26, 1961, when Roger Maris was chasing Babe Ruth's single-season home run record.

Rizzo's 16th homer gave the Yankees their seventh straight win overall and eighth series sweep this year. New York became the sixth team since 1930 and the first since the 2001 Seattle Mariners to win at least 47 of its first 63 games.

— Mark Canha hit a two-run homer and the New York Mets threw out the potential tying run at the plate in the ninth inning to preserve a 5-4 comeback victory over the scuffling Milwaukee Brewers. After both starting pitchers exited with injuries in the middle innings, the Mets took advantage of a costly throwing error by first baseman Rowdy Tellez to score the go-ahead run in the eighth. Christian Yelich homered for the Brewers, who lost two of three in the series and have dropped 10 of 12 overall.

— Kyle Schwarber homered twice, Zack Wheeler won his third consecutive start, and the Philadelphia Phillies routed the Washington Nationals 10-1 in the opener of a five-game series. Philadelphia scored seven runs in the third inning. The Phillies have won 12 of their last 14 games and improved to 11-2 under interim manager Rob Thomson. The last-place Nationals have lost five in a row and eight of 10. They have dropped nine in a row to the Phillies dating to last season. Nationals starter Patrick Corbin gave up nine runs in 3 1/3 innings, although only two were earned.

— Joe Musgrove pitched seven effective innings to improve to 8-0 and the San Diego Padres handed the Chicago Cubs their 10th consecutive loss with a 6-4 victory. Musgrove permitted two runs and five hits, struck out a season-high nine and walked one. The 6-foot-5 right-hander has allowed two earned runs or fewer in each of his 12 starts this year. San Diego improved to 7-2 in its last nine games with its first four-game series sweep of Chicago since Aug. 16-19, 2010, at Wrigley Field. The Padres' 41-24 record matches their best 65-game start since 1998, when the club won the NL West and advanced to the World Series.

— Cedric Mullins had three hits, Tyler Wells pitched six innings to win back-to-back starts for the first time and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Toronto Blue Jays 10-2. The Orioles pounded former Baltimore pitcher Kevin Gausman, who faced the team that drafted him for the first time. Wells allowed one run and five hits, completing six innings in consecutive starts for the first time in his career. The Orioles split the four-game series and have won four of six. Austin Hays hit his ninth home run, a solo shot off Matt Gage in the eighth, and Rougned Odor had two hits and two RBIs.

— Paul Blackburn continued his road success by pitching sharply into the sixth inning, Christian Bethancourt hit a two-run single and the Oakland Athletics held off the Boston Red Sox 4-3 for just their second victory in 15 games. Chad Pinder added an RBI single for Oakland, which closed its nine-game road trip at 2-7 and avoided being swept in a three-game series by Boston for the second time this month. Boston star Rafael Devers went 0 for 2 with a pair of walks and was hit by a pitch, ending his streak of four straight games with a home run.

— José Ramírez doubled for his eighth straight game with an extra-base hit and the Cleveland Guardians matched a season high with their fourth win in a row, 4-2 over the sloppy Colorado Rockies. Ramírez is the first major leaguer with extra-base hits in eight consecutive games since Cincinnati's Joey Votto in 2020. Triston McKenzie gave up one run in six innings. Emmanuel Clase earned his third save of the series, with all three came on game-ending double plays. Brian Serven and Connor Joe each had a career-high four hits for Colorado, which has lost 10 of 14. The Rockies committed two errors that led to a pair of unearned runs. They have made at least one error in their last 13 home games and led the majors with 54 errors.

— Mike Trout continued to torment Seattle with his 48th and 49th career home runs against his division foe, Shohei Ohtani tossed six innings of three-hit ball and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Mariners 4-1. Trout has feasted on Seattle pitching throughout his career and this season appears to be no different. In the first meeting between the teams in 2022, Trout hit a pair of two-run home runs to account for all of the Angels' offense. Trout has 18 homers on the season and 30 in his career in Seattle, the most of any visiting player at T-Mobile Park.

— Ezequiel Duran hit a three-run triple with two out in the ninth inning to give the Texas Rangers a 3-1 win over the Detroit Tigers. Tigers closer Gregory Soto loaded the bases on two walks and a hit batter before Duran hit a ball just inside first base and into the right-field corner. All three runners scored, giving Soto his second blown save of the season. Dennis Santana picked up the win with a scoreless eighth inning, and Joe Barlow pitched the ninth for his 12th save. Soto's collapse, which led to Detroit's fifth straight loss, wasted seven scoreless innings from Detroit starter Beau Brieske.

UNDATED (AP) — Max Scherzer might be back in the New York Mets' rotation before long. The three-time Cy Young Award winner threw 50 pitches in a simulated game Thursday at Citi Field as he recovers from a left oblique strain. If he keeps feeling good, the right-hander plans to make a minor league rehab start next Tuesday. It's at least possible he could return to the Mets after that on June 26.

Scherzer got injured May 18 and was expected to miss six to eight weeks. A second rehab start in the minors would likely push his return back to the weekend of July 1-3 at home against Texas.

— Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Aaron Ashby exited his start against the New York Mets with left forearm tightness. The team said he was removed as a precaution. Ashby gave up Mark Canha's two-run homer that tied the score at 4 in the fifth inning, then retired Brandon Nimmo on a grounder. That's when manager Craig Counsell, pitching coach Chris Hook and an athletic trainer went to the mound. Following a discussion, Ashby walked off the field with the trainer and was replaced by Hoby Milner.

— Mets right-hander Tylor Megill left his start against Milwaukee with shoulder discomfort, the latest setback in a promising season for the second-year pitcher. Megill came off the injured list last week after missing a month with right biceps inflammation. He will have an MRI on Friday, the Mets said. Megill entered 4-2 with a 4.50 ERA. He started for New York on opening day and pitched five scoreless innings in a win at Washington.

— Luis Severino was scratched from his start for the New York Yankees against Tampa Bay and placed on the COVID-19 injured list. Right-hander Clarke Schmidt will replace Severino. Severino is 4-1 with a 2.80 ERA. The 28-year-old right-hander was to have made his 100th career start in the series finale.

— Two people familiar with the deal tell The Associated Press that Major League Baseball has approved the sale of a minority stake in the Cleveland Guardians to David Blitzer, who also has ownership shares in the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers and the NHL's New Jersey Devils. One of the sources says Blitzer will initially have 25% to 30% of the team and will have rights to increase his stake to a controlling interest in several years.

— Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says the Tampa Bay Rays and Oakland Athletics need to reach new ballpark deals soon and left open the possibility of considering relocation if agreements are not struck. Tampa Bay's lease at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, expires after the 2027 season. The Athletics have played at the Coliseum since 1968, and their lease expires after the 2024 season. The A's have proposed a new ballpark and are working with Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf to gain the necessary approvals.

— Minor league games with a pitch clock have averaged 2 hours, 35 minutes this season, down from 3:04 through June 14 last year. It's an experiment that Major League Baseball is preparing for possible adoption in 2023. However, robot umpires calling balls and strikes are not close to a big league promotion. MLB is considering a 14-second pitch clock with no runners, a 19-second pitch clock with runners, limits on defensive shifts and use of larger bases. A competition committee comprised of six management officials, four union representatives and one umpire was established in the new collective bargaining agreement, and it has the right to make on-field rules changes with 45 days' notice.

— All-Star outfielder Jesse Winker and the Seattle Mariners avoided a salary arbitration hearing when they agreed to a $14.5 million, two-year contract. Winker gets $6.25 million this year and $8.25 million in 2023. In the second season, he can earn $400,000 in performance bonuses for plate appearances. Winker was a first-time All-Star last year for Cincinnati, setting career bests with a .305 average, 24 homers and 71 RBIs. He was traded in March.

— Kansas City infielder Nicky Lopez went to salary arbitration with the Royals, asking for $2.9 million instead of the team's $2.55 million offer. A decision is expected Friday. Lopez had career bests of a .300 average and 22 stolen bases in 23 chances last season, when he had two homers and 43 RBIs. He made $597,500 and was eligible for arbitration for the first time.

All eyes on the NFL's pending decision on Deshaun Watson

UNDATED (AP) — The Cleveland Browns and football fans everywhere are waiting for the NFL to determine an appropriate penalty for star quarterback Deshaun Watson, who is accused of sexual misconduct by 24 women. A person familiar with the league's investigation told The Associated Press a decision is expected before training camp.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the investigation is still ongoing. Once it concludes, former U.S. District Judge Sue Robinson will review the league's findings to decide whether Watson violated the personal conduct policy and whether to discipline him. Robinson was jointly appointed by the league and the NFL Players' Association.

— Marv Levy is poised to join a very select pro football group. On Friday night, the former Buffalo Bills and Montreal Alouettes head coach will be inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. He'll become just the third person to be in both the Canadian and Pro Football Hall of Fame, joining former Minnesota Vikings and Winnipeg head coach Bud Grant and quarterback Warren Moon, who began his illustrious career in the CFL with Edmonton. Moon played most of his NFL career with the Houston Oilers and also played with Minnesota, Seattle and Kansas City.

Kadri skates with stick for 1st time since injuring thumb

DENVER (AP) — Injured Colorado Avalanche forwards Nazem Kadri and Andrew Cogliano skated with an assistant coach Thursday, a day after missing Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Kadri skated with a stick in his hand for the first time since injuring his right thumb crashing into the boards last round. He did not take any shots in 45 minutes on the ice. Cogliano took a puck to the right hand in Colorado's series clincher against Edmonton in the Western Conference final. He appears closer to being ready to face the Tampa Bay Lightning than Kadri.

— The Philadelphia Flyers have hired John Tortorella as their new coach, hoping the veteran can help lead them to their first Stanley Cup since 1975. Tortorella coached Tampa Bay to a Stanley Cup title in 2004. He also coached the New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks. He was fired in May 2021 after six seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Flyers finished this season with a 25-46-11 record under Alain Vigneault and Mike Yeo and were last in the Metropolitan Division.

No. 1 Medvedev beats Ivashka to reach Halle quarterfinals

HALLE, Germany (AP) — Top-ranked Daniil Medvedev defeated Ilya Ivashka for the second time in a week by beating the Belarusian 7-6, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals at the Halle Open. Medvedev returned to No. 1 in the rankings this week, with Novak Djokovic dropping to No. 3.

Atlanta, Miami, Philadelphia, Seattle among World Cup sites

NEW YORK (AP) — Atlanta, Houston, Miami, Philadelphia and Seattle and Kansas City, Missouri, were the newcomers among the 11 U.S. sites picked to host games at the 2026 World Cup, while Baltimore, Cincinnati, Denver, Nashville, Tennessee, and Orlando, Florida, were left out. Arlington, Texas; East Rutherford, New Jersey; Foxborough, Massachusetts, and Inglewood and Santa Clara, California, were the holdovers.

WNBA star Sue Bird says 2022 will be her final season

UNDATED (AP) — Seattle Storm star and five-time Olympic gold medalist Sue Bird says the 2022 season will be her last playing in the WNBA.

Thursday's announcement by the 41-year-old ended any speculation about her future. She acknowledged in February when she re-signed with Seattle that this would likely be her final season.

Bird is a four-time WNBA champion, 12-time All-Star and the oldest player in the league. She has spent her entire WNBA career with Seattle since becoming the No. 1 pick in 2002 following her storied college career at UConn.

NCAA to discuss changes to transfer rules and the infractions process

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NCAA's Division I transformation committee will recommend changes to transfer rules and the infractions process before the end of June. The committee wants to establish designated time periods when college athletes can declare their intent to transfer and be eligible immediately at a new school. The transfer windows would be set on a sport-by-sport basis. The intent behind the change is to provide structure and clarity for athletes and coaches. Updates to the infractions process would be made in the hopes of making investigations more timely and holding rule-breakers accountable.

Sports Headlines for Friday

HUTCHINSON, Kan.—The Hutchinson Monarchs put together a 12-spot in each game of a twinbill sweep of 316 Elite 18U last night (June 16) at Hobart Detter Field.&nbsp;

The Monarchs won the opening game 12-2 and took the second tilt 12-4.&nbsp;

After 316 Elite took an early 2-0 lead in the first matchup, the Monarchs tallied 12 unanswered runs to end the game after six innings.&nbsp;

The game's big hits were a two-run double by Ryan Henderson in the third inning and a bases-clearing double by Jimmy Blumberg in the fifth.&nbsp;

Alex Birge then put an exclamation point on the win with a two-run homer in the sixth inning.&nbsp;

Birge finished with three RBIs, with Henderson, Blumberg and Hunter Autrey each recording three hits at the plate.&nbsp;

Nate Adler fanned 10 hitters and allowed two runs over four innings to get the win in the first game for Hutchinson.&nbsp;

The nightcap was more of the same, except the Monarchs struck early with a run in the first and three more in the second.

It remained a 4-0 lead until Hutchinson exploded for eight runs in the sixth to put it away.&nbsp;

The Monarchs had thrice as much fun in the second game, as Lane Brewster had two triples and Jenner Steele, Sawyer Thornhill, Karson Coffee, Joey Baran and Jaxson Anderson each had one triple.

Brent Herrmann pitched the full seven innings, giving up four runs and striking out seven in picking up the victory for the Monarchs.&nbsp;

Hutchinson (7-3) and Elite 316 (0-6) will face off again tonight (June 17) at Hobart-Detter Field starting at 7 pm.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Monarchs out hit 316 Elite 17-4 in the first game, but the pitching was superb as well with Nathan Adler getting the win while going 4 strong innings with 10 strike outs. He fanned the first side in both the 1st and 2nd inning.

Jimmy Blumberg continued to lead the Monarchs in hitting going 3 for 5 with 3 RBI's. Hunter Autrey, Ryan Henderson and Alex Birge had multiple hit games as well as speedster Lane Brewster and Bryce Logan both going 2 for 3.

In game two, more of the same plus great pitching by the Monarchs Brent Hermann who went the distance for the win. Lane Brewster had the hot bat going 3 for 4 in the lead off spot. Kaden Coffee also had a multiple hit game going 2 for 4 while Jenner Steele contributed a 2 RBI game along with Monarch newcomer Joey Baran with 2 RBI's.

Same two teams play tonight with the pregame starting at 6:50pm on Hutchpost.com and monarchslive.tv.

HUTCHINSON, Kan.—The Hutchinson Monarchs put together a 12-spot in each game of a twinbill sweep of 316 Elite 18U last night (June 16) at Hobart Detter Field.&nbsp;The Monarchs won the opening game 12-2 and took the second tilt 12-4.&nbsp;After 316 Elite took an early 2-0 lead in the first matchup, the Monarchs tallied 12 unanswered runs to end the game after six innings.&nbsp;The game's big hits were a two-run double by Ryan Henderson in the third inning and a bases-clearing double by Jimmy Blumberg in the fifth.&nbsp;Alex Birge then put an exclamation point on the win with a two-run homer in the sixth inning.&nbsp;Birge finished with three RBIs, with Henderson, Blumberg and Hunter Autrey each recording three hits at the plate.&nbsp;Nate Adler fanned 10 hitters and allowed two runs over four innings to get the win in the first game for Hutchinson.&nbsp;The nightcap was more of the same, except the Monarchs struck early with a run in the first and three more in the second.It remained a 4-0 lead until Hutchinson exploded for eight runs in the sixth to put it away.&nbsp;The Monarchs had thrice as much fun in the second game, as Lane Brewster had two triples and Jenner Steele, Sawyer Thornhill, Karson Coffee, Joey Baran and Jaxson Anderson each had one triple.Brent Herrmann pitched the full seven innings, giving up four runs and striking out seven in picking up the victory for the Monarchs.&nbsp;Hutchinson (7-3) and Elite 316 (0-6) will face off again tonight (June 17) at Hobart-Detter Field starting at 7 pm.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Monarchs out hit 316 Elite 17-4 in the first game, but the pitching was superb as well with Nathan Adler getting the win while going 4 strong innings with 10 strike outs. He fanned the first side in both the 1st and 2nd inning.Jimmy Blumberg continued to lead the Monarchs in hitting going 3 for 5 with 3 RBI's. Hunter Autrey, Ryan Henderson and Alex Birge had multiple hit games as well as speedster Lane Brewster and Bryce Logan both going 2 for 3.In game two, more of the same plus great pitching by the Monarchs Brent Hermann who went the distance for the win. Lane Brewster had the hot bat going 3 for 4 in the lead off spot. Kaden Coffee also had a multiple hit game going 2 for 4 while Jenner Steele contributed a 2 RBI game along with Monarch newcomer Joey Baran with 2 RBI's.Same two teams play tonight with the pregame starting at 6:50pm on Hutchpost.com and monarchslive.tv.CLICK HERE to download the Hutch Post mobile app. CLICK HERE to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.

⚾️ Monarchs sweep doubleheader with 316 Elite

NEW YORK (AP) —On Thursday afternoon, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) selected Kansas City as a 2026 World Cup host city. 

Kansas City joins Atlanta, Houston, Miami, Philadelphia and Seattle as the newcomers among the 11 U.S. sites picked to host games at the 2026 World Cup, while Baltimore, Cincinnati, Denver, Nashville, Tennessee, and Orlando, Florida, were left out.

Arlington, Texas; East Rutherford, New Jersey; Foxborough, Massachusetts, and Inglewood and Santa Clara, California, were the holdovers.

FIFA announced its selections Thursday for the first World Cup with three co-hosts, also picking three Mexican cities and two in Canada.

The U.S. selections included none of the nine stadiums used at the 1994 World Cup. The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, and Orlando’s Camping World Stadium were the only ones remaining in contention, and they were among the sites dropped in the final round.

New stadiums were selected in five areas used in 1994. AT&amp;T Stadium in Texas replaced Dallas’ Cotton Bowl; SoFi Stadium in Inglewood took over for Pasadena’s Rose Bowl; and Levi’s Stadium instead of Stanford Stadium.

Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Masschusetts, replaced torn-down stadiums that were adjacent, Giants Stadium and Foxboro Stadium.

Orlando’s Camping World was dropped among existing 1994 venues. The Detroit area, where the old Pontiac Silverdome hosted games, was cut in 2018 and Baltimore’s M&amp;T Bank Stadium was dropped after FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland, dropped out. Washington’s RFK Stadium was used in 1994.

Chicago, which hosted the 1994 opener at Solider Field, refused to bid, citing FIFA’s economic demands.

Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, which hosted the 1970 and ’86 finals and will become the first stadium in three World Cups, was selected along with Guadalajara’s Estadio Akron and Monterrey’s Estadio BBVA.

Toronto’s BMO Field and Vancouver, British Columbia’s B.C. Place were picked while Edmonton, Alberta’s Commonwealth Stadium was dropped.

The bid plan envisioned 60 games in the U.S., including all from the quarterfinals on, and 10 each in Mexico and Canada.

Specific sites for each round will be announced later.

In contrast to the 1992 site announcement during a news conference, the 2026 announcement was made during a televised show from Fox’s studio in Manhattan.

“Over the past five years, the greater Kansas City area has pulled together in remarkable ways to demonstrate to those around the globe that ‘We Want The World Cup.’ And that hard work has paid off,”&nbsp;said Sen. Jerry Moran.&nbsp;

“I look forward to welcoming soccer fans from around the world to the Soccer Capital of America when Kansas City hosts the 2026 World Cup. Thank you to the KC2026 leadership team, the Kansas City Sports Commission, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, and all the ambassadors and volunteers for your work to bring for the most-watched sporting event in the world to Kansas City.”

In 2017, at the start of the bid 2026 World Cup bid process, Sen. Moran offered his support for Kansas City to the Executive Director of the United Bid Committee.

“Today is a great day for Kansas City! Kansas is home to some of the most devoted, fanatic soccer fans in the world that are ready to cheer on Team USA – and what better place than America’s heartland? The Kansas City community, alongside Sporting KC and the KC Sports Commission have shown unwavering commitment to make this dream a reality, and I congratulate them for their hard work,”&nbsp;said Senator Roger Marshall. “The FIFA World Cup is the largest and most prestigious single sport event in the world and there is no better place for it to be held than Kansas City.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655416220085.png" alt="Image courtesy FIFA live broadcast of host cities" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy FIFA live broadcast of host cities</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —On Thursday afternoon, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) selected Kansas City as a 2026 World Cup host city. Kansas City joins Atlanta, Houston, Miami, Philadelphia and Seattle as the newcomers among the 11 U.S. sites picked to host games at the 2026 World Cup, while Baltimore, Cincinnati, Denver, Nashville, Tennessee, and Orlando, Florida, were left out.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Ffifaworldcup%2Fvideos%2F816004116431454%2F&show_text=false&width=380&t=0" width="380" height="476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Arlington, Texas; East Rutherford, New Jersey; Foxborough, Massachusetts, and Inglewood and Santa Clara, California, were the holdovers.FIFA announced its selections Thursday for the first World Cup with three co-hosts, also picking three Mexican cities and two in Canada.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Kansas City, you are a World Cup City!&mdash; Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/QuintonLucasKC/status/1537549342000701442?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 16, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The U.S. selections included none of the nine stadiums used at the 1994 World Cup. The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, and Orlando’s Camping World Stadium were the only ones remaining in contention, and they were among the sites dropped in the final round.New stadiums were selected in five areas used in 1994. AT&amp;T Stadium in Texas replaced Dallas’ Cotton Bowl; SoFi Stadium in Inglewood took over for Pasadena’s Rose Bowl; and Levi’s Stadium instead of Stanford Stadium.Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Masschusetts, replaced torn-down stadiums that were adjacent, Giants Stadium and Foxboro Stadium.Orlando’s Camping World was dropped among existing 1994 venues. The Detroit area, where the old Pontiac Silverdome hosted games, was cut in 2018 and Baltimore’s M&amp;T Bank Stadium was dropped after FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland, dropped out. Washington’s RFK Stadium was used in 1994.Chicago, which hosted the 1994 opener at Solider Field, refused to bid, citing FIFA’s economic demands.Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, which hosted the 1970 and ’86 finals and will become the first stadium in three World Cups, was selected along with Guadalajara’s Estadio Akron and Monterrey’s Estadio BBVA.Toronto’s BMO Field and Vancouver, British Columbia’s B.C. Place were picked while Edmonton, Alberta’s Commonwealth Stadium was dropped.The bid plan envisioned 60 games in the U.S., including all from the quarterfinals on, and 10 each in Mexico and Canada.Specific sites for each round will be announced later.In contrast to the 1992 site announcement during a news conference, the 2026 announcement was made during a televised show from Fox’s studio in Manhattan.“Over the past five years, the greater Kansas City area has pulled together in remarkable ways to demonstrate to those around the globe that ‘We Want The World Cup.’ And that hard work has paid off,”&nbsp;said Sen. Jerry Moran.&nbsp;“I look forward to welcoming soccer fans from around the world to the Soccer Capital of America when Kansas City hosts the 2026 World Cup. Thank you to the KC2026 leadership team, the Kansas City Sports Commission, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, and all the ambassadors and volunteers for your work to bring for the most-watched sporting event in the world to Kansas City.”In 2017, at the start of the bid 2026 World Cup bid process, Sen. Moran offered his support for Kansas City to the Executive Director of the United Bid Committee.“Today is a great day for Kansas City! Kansas is home to some of the most devoted, fanatic soccer fans in the world that are ready to cheer on Team USA – and what better place than America’s heartland? The Kansas City community, alongside Sporting KC and the KC Sports Commission have shown unwavering commitment to make this dream a reality, and I congratulate them for their hard work,”&nbsp;said Senator Roger Marshall. “The FIFA World Cup is the largest and most prestigious single sport event in the world and there is no better place for it to be held than Kansas City.”

Kansas City selected as a host city for 2026 FIFA World Cup

TOPEKA —&nbsp;The state championship dominance of schools like Bishop Miege is at least on the table to be discussed by the State Board of Education and the Kansas Legislature.

The classifications from 4A and down voted in favor of a proposed change that would introduce a multiplier for successful private schools that would inflate their enrollment number for classification purposes, 5A and 6A did not vote in favor.

Kansas High Schools voted 216 to 139 to make the change.

To make this change, the identifying statutes need to be approved by both the SBOE and the Legislature prior to implementation. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583537421044.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —&nbsp;The state championship dominance of schools like Bishop Miege is at least on the table to be discussed by the State Board of Education and the Kansas Legislature.The classifications from 4A and down voted in favor of a proposed change that would introduce a multiplier for successful private schools that would inflate their enrollment number for classification purposes, 5A and 6A did not vote in favor.Kansas High Schools voted 216 to 139 to make the change.To make this change, the identifying statutes need to be approved by both the SBOE and the Legislature prior to implementation.

KSHSAA private school multiplier headed to elected officials

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651156028140.jpeg" alt="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Eagle MEDIA Sports 2022" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Eagle MEDIA Sports 2022</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="Eagle Media Sports for Wednesday Morning, June 16th, 2022" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=tsafc-1250966-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=7"></iframe></div>CLICK HERE to download the Hutch Post mobile app. CLICK HERE to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.

🎙 Eagle Radio Sports for Thursday Morning

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Bryan Reynolds hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the seventh inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates ended a nine-game skid, beating the St. Louis Cardinals 6-4. Reynolds hit his 11th homer of the season after Tucupita Marcano singled with two outs off reliever Andre Pallante. Wil Crowe threw two scoreless innings in relief for the win, and David Bednar picked up his 11th save by pitching the final 2 2/3 innings. Jack Flaherty made his first appearance of the season for the Cardinals, who lost for the second time in their past nine home games. The 26-year-old right-hander worked the first three innings, allowing four runs, three earned.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Whit Merrifield broke a 2-2 tie with an eighth-inning sacrifice fly and the Kansas City Royals edged the San Francisco Giants 3-2 to avoid a three-game sweep. Andrew Benintendi led off the inning with a pinch-hit double off Giants reliever John Brebbia. Nicky Lopez moved him to third on a sacrifice bunt and Merrifield brought him home. Brandon Belt homered for the Giants, whose five-game winning streak ended. Royals reliever Jose Cuas retired three batters to earn his first career victory. Scott Barlow recorded the last five outs for his seventh save in eight opportunities. Kansas City snapped a four-game losing streak.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The popular narrative was that the Kansas City Chiefs signed Justin Reid in free agency to replace Tyrann Mathieu. But in reality, Mathieu's replacement might have already been on the team in the form of Juan Thornhill, who has been an in-and-out of the lineup starter his first three seasons in the league. With the departure of Mathieu and Daniel Sorensen in free agency, Thornhill is the only safety on the roster with much experience in coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's defense. And that could make him the linchpin for the secondary by the time the season rolls around.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita State has hired Murray State athletic director Kevin Saal as its athletic director. Wichita State President Rick Muma announced Wednesday that Saal, a 44-year-old Kansas native, will take over the job in mid-July. Saal replaces Darron Boatright, who was fired in May in part over the university's lack of preparation to compete in the new market of name, image and likeness payments to athletes. Before going to Murray State, Saal spent 12 years at Kentucky, where he held various roles before becoming executive associate director of athletics. He was event coordinator and had administrative responsibilities for golf and rowing at Kansas State from 2000 to 2005, and director of operations at Missouri-Kansas City from 2005 to 2007.

NEW YORK (AP) — FIFA plans to announce the 2026 World Cup sites, trimming the U.S. list from 17 to 10-12. Three sites are planned in Mexico and two are likely in Canada. In the first 48-nation World Cup, soccer's governing body planned 60 games in the U.S., including all from the quarterfinals on, and 10 each in Mexico and Canada. Just two of the contending stadiums hosted games in 1994, Pasadena's Rose Bowl joined by Orlando's Camping World Stadium. Dozens of training complexes have been built for MLS teams, creating a far better infrastructure

UNDATED (AP) — Several women's athletes at the University of Iowa sued the school in late 2020 after the athletic department said it was was cutting men's and women's swimming and diving, men's tennis and men's gymnastics. Sage Ohlensehlen was a senior and headed up the lawsuit, while Alexa Puccini was a freshman. The lawsuit was one of several that came during the pandemic, when schools needed to save money and cut women's teams. Female athletes in turn fought back by threatening legal action or filing suit. The Iowa swimmers eventually settled with the school and the teams were reinstated.

IRVING, Texas (AP) — The American Athletic Conference's six new members will enter the league next summer. Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB and UTSA will officially join the American on July 1, 2023. Each of those Conference USA schools had their applications for membership into the American approved last October. The American will compete as a 14-team league in football, and in men's and women's basketball, after the transition next summer. That will come at the same time current members Cincinnati, Houston and UCF depart to become members of the Big 12 Conference, which is also adding BYU.

NHL-STANLEY CUP FINAL-AVALANCHE/LIGHTNING

DENVER (AP) — Andre Burakovsky scored 1:23 into overtime and the Colorado Avalanche opened the Stanley Cup Final with a 4-3 victory over the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning Wednesday night.

Burakovsky ended it after the Avalanche failed to score on a power play that began late in regulation when three-time champ Patrick Maroon put the puck over the glass. Burakovsky is one of only two Avalanche players who have won the Cup.

The game likely wouldn't have even reached OT if not for big penalty kills by the Avalanche, who were 3 for 3 against Tampa Bay's potent power play. The final kill featured a crucial save by goaltender Darcy Kuemper and a series of clears by Norris Trophy finalist defenseman Cale Makar.

Anderson marvelous as Dodgers dump Angels

UNDATED (AP) — Tyler Anderson of the Los Angeles Dodgers lost his no-hit bid in the ninth inning, giving up a one-out triple to Shohei Ohtani in a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. Anderson threw a career-high 123 pitches, 78 for strikes. He struck out eight and walked two. The left-hander was pulled after Ohtani sent a line drive into right field that eluded a diving Mookie Betts. Anderson walked off to a standing ovation from the crowd of 50,812 and tipped his cap. He struck out three-time MVP Mike Trout to open the ninth before Ohtani got his lone hit in four at-bats. The Angels lost their 11th in a row on the road.

— Austin Riley homered twice and the Atlanta Braves won their 14th straight game, beating the Washington Nationals 8-2. Rookie Spencer Strider allowed one hit over 5 2/3 innings for Atlanta. Orlando Arcia started at second base in place of the injured Ozzie Albies and had a homer, three singles and a walk. The Braves went deep 13 times and outscored the Nationals 27-11 in sweeping the three-game series. The Braves matched their 14-game run from July 26 -Aug. 9, 2013, and are one win away from tying the franchise's post-1900 record, a 15-game winning streak from April 16 to May 2, 2000.

— Corbin Burnes bounced back from his two shortest outings of the season to pitch six innings of two-run ball, Willy Adames got two of his three hits in a seven-run fifth and the Milwaukee Brewers routed the New York Mets 10-2 for their second win in 11 games. Milwaukee's big night gave manager Craig Counsell his 564th win with the Brewers, breaking the franchise record. New York's nine-game home winning streak ended. The Mets had gone 30 innings at Citi Field without allowing a run. Adames doubled in the first and scored on a two-run single by Luis Urías. Adames also hit a two-run single to give the Brewers a 9-1 lead.

— Manny Machado lined a single for his 1,500th hit and hit a two-run homer in a four-RBI night to help the San Diego Padres beat the reeling Chicago Cubs 19-5. Machado was one of five Padres with three hits as San Diego routed the Cubs for the second straight hot night at Wrigley Field. Jorge Alfaro added a two-run homer and three RBIs as San Diego improved to 40-24 in winning its third straight and seventh in nine. Jake Cronenworth and Jurickson Profar each doubled twice and had three hits for the Padres, who entered the game percentage points behind the first-place Dodgers in the NL West. Luke Voit hit a solo homer off Frank Schwindel, mopping up in the ninth, for his third hit. The Cubs have lost nine straight.

— Aaron Judge hit his major league-leading 25th home run, No. 9 batter Kyle Higashioka followed an intentional walk with a three-run drive and the New York Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 for their 13th straight win at home. Nestor Cortes outpitched Shane McClanahan in a matchup of stellar starters with sub-2.00 ERAs, and Clay Holmes matched Mariano Rivera's team record of 28 consecutive scoreless appearances. The major league-leading Yankees have won six in a row and 13 of 14 overall. The game was interrupted by nearly 17 minutes in the top of the eighth inning in a dispute over a pitching change.

— Vladimir Guerrero (guh-REHR'-oh) Jr. hit his 16th homer, then singled home the winning run in the 10th inning that lifted the Toronto Blue Jays over the Baltimore Orioles 7-6. Orioles rookie Adley Rutschman hit his first career home run and got his first two RBIs. Ryan Mountcastle homered twice, but Baltimore lost for the eighth time in nine meetings against Toronto. Leading off the 10th against Félix Bautista, Guerrero lined a single to left that scored automatic runner Bo Bichette from second base. Guerrero went 3 for 4 and scored three times as Toronto won for the 15th time in 20 games. Matt Chapman and Teoscar (tay-AHS'-kur) Hernández each hit two-run homers for the Blue Jays.

— Rafael Devers homered in his fourth straight game and Alex Verdugo hit his first home run in almost two months, helping rookie Josh Winckowski earn his first major league career win as the Boston Red Sox beat the Oakland Athletics 10-1. Boston has won 11 of its last 13 games, outscoring opponents 65-27 in that span. The A's have lost 13 of their last 14 and are in a 6-23 rut. Winckowski was called up from the minors to make his second major league start and pitched five scoreless innings. The 23-year-old righty allowed four hits, struck out three and walked one.

— Yoán Moncada had five hits and five RBIs, including a run-scoring single against Kody Clemens, and the Chicago White Sox beat the Detroit Tigers 13-0 for a three-game series sweep. Moncada, Danny Mendick and Seby Zavala homered for Chicago, which had dropped four of five before arriving in Detroit. José Abreu had four hits and drove in two runs, and Andrew Vaughn had three hits. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch gave up on his pitching staff after six innings, using Harold Castro for the seventh, Clemens for the eighth, and Tucker Barnhart for the ninth. It was the pitching debut for the 26-year-old Clemens, whose father, Roger, won seven Cy Young Awards.

— Garrett Stubbs hit a three-run homer with two out in the ninth inning, sending the Philadelphia Phillies to a dramatic 3-1 victory over the Miami Marlins. Alec Bohm sparked the winning rally with a one-out single against Tanner Scott. Pinch-hitter J.T. Realmuto walked before Yairo Muñoz struck out swinging for the second out. That brought Stubbs to the plate, and he drove a 2-2 fastball deep to right for his third homer. Kyle Gibson pitched eight-plus innings for Philadelphia before Connor Brogdon got three outs for the win.

— Astros starter Luis Garcia and reliever Phil Maton each threw an immaculate inning — nine pitches, three strikeouts — and Martín Maldonado keyed a six-run first inning that sent Houston over the Texas Rangers 9-2. Garcia had a span of five consecutive strikeouts that began with an immaculate second inning — when he threw only nine pitches to strike out Nathaniel Lowe, Ezequiel Duran and Brad Miller. Those were the first three batters Maton faced after replacing Garcia to start the seventh. Maton also recorded a nine-pitch, three-strikeout inning. Astros and Rangers officials said it was the first time in MLB history to have two nine-pitch, three-strikeout innings in the same game — either both by one team, or each team recording one.

— Ryan Jeffers hit an RBI single off the center-field wall to break a scoreless tie in the seventh inning and the Minnesota Twins went on to beat the Seattle Mariners 5-0. Twins starter Sonny Gray, making his first appearance since going on the injured list with a strained pectoral muscle on June 2, threw five shutout innings. He allowed just three hits on 65 pitches, with three strikeouts. Five Twins relievers then completed the combined five-hitter. Minnesota clinched its its first series victory over the Mariners since 2019.

— José Ramírez got four more hits, Steven Kwan made a remarkable diving catch in the seventh inning to preserve the lead, and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Colorado Rockies 7-5 for their 12th win in 15 games. Josh Naylor delivered the go-ahead double in the fifth and Amed Rosario added four hits, including his first home run, as Cleveland moved four games above .500 for the first time this season. Bryan Shaw pitched a scoreless eighth and Emmanuel Close worked the ninth for his 13th save.

— Zac Gallen pitched seven effective innings despite an early bout of wildness, and the Arizona Diamondbacks used a four-run eighth inning to top the Cincinnati Reds 7-4. Geraldo Perdomo hit a two-run homer for the Diamondbacks, who avoided a sweep after the Reds took the first two games of the series. Arizona went ahead to stay on David Peralta's one-out RBI single against Art Warren. Pavin Smith drove in Ketel Marte with a fielder's choice, and Perdomo's RBI single lifted the Diamondbacks to a 6-3 lead. Smith scored on a balk by Reiver Sanmartin.

— Whit Merrifield broke a 2-2 tie with an eighth-inning sacrifice fly and the Kansas City Royals edged the San Francisco Giants 3-2 to avoid a three-game sweep. Andrew Benintendi led off the inning with a pinch-hit double off Giants reliever John Brebbia. Nicky Lopez moved him to third on a sacrifice bunt and Merrifield brought him home. Brandon Belt homered for the Giants, whose five-game winning streak ended. Royals reliever Jose Cuas retired three batters to earn his first career victory. Scott Barlow recorded the last five outs for his seventh save in eight opportunities. Kansas City snapped a four-game losing streak.

— Bryan Reynolds hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the seventh inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates ended a nine-game skid, beating the St. Louis Cardinals 6-4. Reynolds hit his 11th homer of the season after Tucupita Marcano singled with two outs off reliever Andre Pallante. Wil Crowe threw two scoreless innings in relief for the win, and David Bednar picked up his 11th save by pitching the final 2 2/3 innings. Jack Flaherty made his first appearance of the season for the Cardinals, who lost for the second time in their past nine home games. The 26-year-old right-hander worked the first three innings, allowing four runs, three earned.

UNDATED (AP) — A three-man umpiring crew worked the series finale between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers after umpire David Rackley was ruled out due to health and safety protocols. Major League Baseball says the remaining crew members followed appropriate steps consistent with protocols before working today's game.

Rackley had been scheduled to work behind home plate for the series finale. Ryan Blakeney had been set to work first base but was behind the plate instead. Marvin Hudson and Junior Valentine, the other two umpires on the crew, worked the bases.

— Toronto left-hander Hyun Jin Ryu will miss the rest of the season because of ligament damage in his elbow. The team made the announcement Tuesday. Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins says the best-case scenario would see Ryu returning in the second half of 2023.

— Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler had bone spurs removed from his right elbow in a procedure unrelated to the flexor strain that has sidelined him. Buehler said Tuesday he had the arthroscopic surgery done a day earlier. He did it now because it doesn't affect the rest and rehab timeline for the strain. The right-hander is expected to be out 10 to 12 weeks, which means it could be September before he returns.

— Colorado Rockies setup man Tyler Kinley will likely miss the rest of the season with a flexor tear in his right elbow. Manager Bud Black says an MRI revealed the tear and a sprain in Kinley's pitching elbow. Black did not rule out the need for Tommy John surgery. The 31-year-old Kinley was off to the best start of his career, sporting a 0.75 ERA over 25 appearances. He allowed just two earned runs and 21 hits in 24 innings, while striking out 27 and walking six.

— Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen has been placed on the 15-day injured list because of a strained left hamstring. Rasmussen last pitched Friday at Minnesota. The 26-year-old right-hander is 5-3 with a 3.41 ERA in 12 starts. He threw a bullpen session on Tuesday and still felt an issue. Right-hander Ralph Garza Jr. was recalled from the taxi squad,

— The Washington Nationals have placed Stephen Strasburg on the 15-day injured list with a stress reaction of the ribs. Strasburg has made one start this season, his first since he had surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome last summer. He felt discomfort following a bullpen session and had an MRI on Monday. There is no timeline for his return. He says the immediate plan for Strasburg is rest.

UNDATED (AP) — A source with direct knowledge of the agreement said the Houston Rockets are trading center Christian Wood, their leading scorer and rebounder this season, to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for four players and a draft pick.

Boban Marjanovic, Trey Burke, Sterling Brown and Marquese Chriss are going to the Rockets, who will also receive the No. 26 pick this year, according to the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade is not finalized. They say it will not be finalized until the June 23 draft.

Steelers sign star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to 5-year deal

UNDATED (AP) — Minkah Fitzpatrick is staying in Pittsburgh. The Steelers have signed their star safety to a new five-year contract. NFL Network reported the deal is worth $73.6 million, which would make Fitzpatrick the highest-paid safety in the league.

The 25-year-old Fitzpatrick has been spectacular at times since arriving in Pittsburgh in a trade with Miami in September 2019 and was selected to the Pro Bowl and the All-Pro team in each of his first two seasons with the Steelers. Fitzpatrick called the signing "just the beginning" of what he hopes is a long and successful stay in the city.

— New Orleans Saints defensive end Marcus Davenport will enter his fifth NFL season with just four fingers on his left hand. Davenport says an infection that occurred during the course of multiple surgeries led him to have much of his left pinky amputated. The 2018 first-round draft choice still hopes to be fully recovered from both the amputation and right shoulder surgery by the time the 2022 season starts. Davenport is in the final year of his current contract. Last season he had a career-best nine sacks despite injuries that limited him to 11 games. He also had three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

— Indianapolis Colts starting safety Khari Willis has decided to retire so he can pursue a career in the ministry. Willis made the announcement in a Twitter post. While the move came as a surprise to many, team officials seemed to have an inkling Willis was considering retirement when they excused him from this month's three-day mandatory minicamp. Coach Frank Reich said then that Willis did not attend because of personal reasons. Willis finishes his career with 219 tackles, four interceptions and 3 1/2 sacks in three seasons.

— A lawyer representing Dan Snyder told Congress the Washington Commanders owner will not testify at a hearing next week as part of an investigation into the team's workplace conduct. Attorney Karen Patton Seymour sent a letter to the leaders of the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform explaining the reasons why Snyder was declining the invitation to appear at the June 22 hearing. Among the reasons given were a lack of assurance about the scope of questioning and a scheduling conflict. A spokeswoman for the committee says it intends to move forward with the hearing as scheduled. An NFL spokesman says Commissioner Roger Goodell plans to testify virtually.

AAC's 6 new schools join July 2023, when 3 leave for Big 12

IRVING, Texas (AP) — The American Athletic Conference's six new members will enter the league next summer. Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB and UTSA will officially join the American on July 1, 2023.

Each of those Conference USA schools had their applications for membership into the American approved last October.

The American will compete as a 14-team league in football, and in men's and women's basketball, after the transition next summer. That will come at the same time current members Cincinnati, Houston and UCF depart to become members of the Big 12 Conference, which is also adding BYU.

Hurkacz beats Humbert in Halle, Medvedev wins opener

HALLE, Germany (AP) — Defending champion Ugo Humbert and the second-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas have both been eliminated from the Halle Open in the second round. Humbert lost to Hubert Hurkacz 7-6, 6-3, and Nick Kyrgios fought back to beat Tsitsipas 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 at the grass-court tournament.

Top-ranked Daniil Medvedev advanced by beating David Goffin 6-3, 6-2. The Russian will next play Ilya Ivashka of Belarus in the second round.

Medvedev reclaimed the top spot in the ATP rankings on Monday and is bidding for his first title of the year.

Pliskova edges Andreescu to reach Berlin Open quarterfinals

BERLIN (AP) — Karolina Pliskova has edged Bianca Andreescu 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 at the Berlin Open to reach her second quarterfinal of the year. The fourth-seeded Pliskova hit 17 aces against Kaia Kanepi in the first round and added 12 more against Andreescu. But the Czech player had to fight back from a break down in the third set.

Seventh-seeded Coco Gauff is off to a winning start after a 6-2, 7-6 first-round victory over fellow American Ann Li. Daria Kasatkina rallied to beat Russian compatriot Ekaterina Alexandrova 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 for her quarterfinal place.

Second-seeded Maria Sakkari defeated Daria Saville 6-1, 7-5.

LeBron trading card could fetch record price at auction

RUNNEMEDE, N.J. (AP) — LeBron James might be on the cusp of setting another record. And someone will have to pay a lot of money to make it happen. A one-of-a-kind James trading card called the "Triple Logoman" is up for auction this month. Some believe it may end up as the most expensive card ever sold.

The current record is $6.6 million that was spent for a Honus Wagner trading card last year. The James card is part of Panini's 2020-21 "Flawless" collection.

It features the NBA logo patch from three of his jerseys, one each from his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Winter Olympics may not include Nordic combined for 1st time

UNDATED (AP) — The International Olympic Committee is expected to make a decision next week about whether to allow women to compete in Nordic combined at the 2026 Games. The sport has been part of the Winter Olympics since 1924. It is also the only Olympic sport without women.

There is the possibility that the sport is dropped entirely, according to athletes and advocates.

Five-time Olympian Billy Demong says the IOC's solution for gender equity may be to take men out of the program for 2026.

Sports Headlines for Thursday

<a href="https://kuathletics.com/dan-fitzgerald-named-kansas-head-baseball-coach/">Via KUAthletics.com</a>

LAWRENCE, Kan. —&nbsp;Dan Fitzgerald, an elite recruiter, player developer, coach and ascending figure in college baseball, has been named the Kansas Baseball Head Coach, Director of Athletics Travis Goff announced today. Fitzgerald has signed a 6-year contract that will keep him in Lawrence through the 2028 season.

“Dan Fitzgerald is a man of exceptional integrity, proven leader, developer of men, tremendous baseball mind, elite recruiter and the perfect fit for Kansas Baseball,” Director of Athletics Travis Goff said. “When we set out to find the next leader of this program, we talked to current student-athletes, alumni, and baseball leaders across the nation to help inform our search. &nbsp;In countless conversations, Dan Fitzgerald’s name and background – along with the attributes in which he leads with every day – were highlighted as the ideal fit for KU Baseball. Dan clearly articulated his vision for the future of Kansas Baseball and passionately demonstrated his desire to be at the University of Kansas. We could not be more excited about the outlook for our program with Coach Fitzgerald at the helm. We are ecstatic to welcome Dan, his wife, Kelly, and three three boys, Will, Max and Ben, to the Jayhawk family.”

“I would like to thank Travis Goff and the leadership team at KU for entrusting me with this amazing opportunity to be the head baseball coach at the University of Kansas,” Fitzgerald said. “In my conversations with Travis and the search committee, it became crystal clear that our visions aligned regarding the future of this program. There is a passion for KU that permeated from each individual I met with and that shared partnership will be vital to the program’s future success. I have been very diligent in waiting for the right opportunity to lead a program and this was the perfect destination for me and my family. I look forward to developing these student-athletes as baseball players as well as men, and putting a program together that all Jayhawks can be proud of.”

Fitzgerald arrives at Kansas following one year at LSU, where he served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, helping lead the Tigers to a 40-win season and an NCAA Regional final appearance. His time in Baton Rouge was preceded by a successful nine-year tenure at Dallas Baptist as both an assistant coach, associate head coach and recruiting coordinator.

At DBU, Fitzgerald had a major hand in bringing unprecedented success to the Patriots program. In his nine seasons with the program, Dallas Baptist played in seven NCAA Regionals, won three regular-season conference championships and won three conference tournaments.

Fitzgerald comes to Lawrence with a sterling reputation in player development and recruiting, along with deep Midwestern ties, having served as a head coach at Des Moines Area Community College for five seasons and spending five seasons as an assistant in the region.

During his nine seasons at Dallas Baptist (2012-21), Fitzgerald played a major role in the Patriots developing and recruiting some of the top talent in the country. He helped recruit and develop 30 Major League Baseball Draft picks, 11 of those being Top-10 picks, nine All-Americans, eight freshman All-Americans, 69 all-conference selections and two conference players of the year.

Dallas Baptist tallied 270 victories from 2015-21, which was the fifth-most by a Division I baseball program during that span. The Patriots, known best for their explosive offense, ranked in the top 25 nationally in home runs in each season during Fitzgerald’s time at Dallas Baptist. The team held a top 25 ranking in a total of 51 offensive categories across his nine seasons.

With the Patriots proving to be one of the top programs nationally, Fitzgerald was promoted from assistant coach to associate head coach in June 2016. Dallas Baptist posted a 341-168 (.670) record during his tenure with six seasons of at least 40 wins. Fitzgerald helped land some of the top prep players nationally, by being able to recruit throughout the country, thanks to his trusted relationships and proven track record, which he now brings to Kansas.

Fitzgerald has earned respect among his peers. In a survey of 90 head coaches conducted by Baseball America in 2020, Fitzgerald was rated No. 7 on a list of assistant coaches from across the nation that will one day make the best head coach. Baseball America also rated Fitzgerald as the No. 7 assistant coach in the nation in 2018, while D1Baseball ranked him as the 17th-best recruiter in the country in 2016.

Prior to his time at LSU and Dallas Baptist, Fitzgerald was the head coach at Des Moines Area Community College (2008-12). In his five years at DMACC, Fitzgerald was awarded Coach of the Year honors by 13 different publications. His team’s won five consecutive conference championships and advanced to the Junior College World Series on four separate occasions.

<a href="https://kuathletics.com/dan-fitzgerald-named-kansas-head-baseball-coach/">Via KUAthletics.com</a>LAWRENCE, Kan. —&nbsp;Dan Fitzgerald, an elite recruiter, player developer, coach and ascending figure in college baseball, has been named the Kansas Baseball Head Coach, Director of Athletics Travis Goff announced today. Fitzgerald has signed a 6-year contract that will keep him in Lawrence through the 2028 season.“Dan Fitzgerald is a man of exceptional integrity, proven leader, developer of men, tremendous baseball mind, elite recruiter and the perfect fit for Kansas Baseball,” Director of Athletics Travis Goff said. “When we set out to find the next leader of this program, we talked to current student-athletes, alumni, and baseball leaders across the nation to help inform our search. &nbsp;In countless conversations, Dan Fitzgerald’s name and background – along with the attributes in which he leads with every day – were highlighted as the ideal fit for KU Baseball. Dan clearly articulated his vision for the future of Kansas Baseball and passionately demonstrated his desire to be at the University of Kansas. We could not be more excited about the outlook for our program with Coach Fitzgerald at the helm. We are ecstatic to welcome Dan, his wife, Kelly, and three three boys, Will, Max and Ben, to the Jayhawk family.”“I would like to thank Travis Goff and the leadership team at KU for entrusting me with this amazing opportunity to be the head baseball coach at the University of Kansas,” Fitzgerald said. “In my conversations with Travis and the search committee, it became crystal clear that our visions aligned regarding the future of this program. There is a passion for KU that permeated from each individual I met with and that shared partnership will be vital to the program’s future success. I have been very diligent in waiting for the right opportunity to lead a program and this was the perfect destination for me and my family. I look forward to developing these student-athletes as baseball players as well as men, and putting a program together that all Jayhawks can be proud of.”Fitzgerald arrives at Kansas following one year at LSU, where he served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, helping lead the Tigers to a 40-win season and an NCAA Regional final appearance. His time in Baton Rouge was preceded by a successful nine-year tenure at Dallas Baptist as both an assistant coach, associate head coach and recruiting coordinator.At DBU, Fitzgerald had a major hand in bringing unprecedented success to the Patriots program. In his nine seasons with the program, Dallas Baptist played in seven NCAA Regionals, won three regular-season conference championships and won three conference tournaments.Fitzgerald comes to Lawrence with a sterling reputation in player development and recruiting, along with deep Midwestern ties, having served as a head coach at Des Moines Area Community College for five seasons and spending five seasons as an assistant in the region.During his nine seasons at Dallas Baptist (2012-21), Fitzgerald played a major role in the Patriots developing and recruiting some of the top talent in the country. He helped recruit and develop 30 Major League Baseball Draft picks, 11 of those being Top-10 picks, nine All-Americans, eight freshman All-Americans, 69 all-conference selections and two conference players of the year.Dallas Baptist tallied 270 victories from 2015-21, which was the fifth-most by a Division I baseball program during that span. The Patriots, known best for their explosive offense, ranked in the top 25 nationally in home runs in each season during Fitzgerald’s time at Dallas Baptist. The team held a top 25 ranking in a total of 51 offensive categories across his nine seasons.With the Patriots proving to be one of the top programs nationally, Fitzgerald was promoted from assistant coach to associate head coach in June 2016. Dallas Baptist posted a 341-168 (.670) record during his tenure with six seasons of at least 40 wins. Fitzgerald helped land some of the top prep players nationally, by being able to recruit throughout the country, thanks to his trusted relationships and proven track record, which he now brings to Kansas.Fitzgerald has earned respect among his peers. In a survey of 90 head coaches conducted by Baseball America in 2020, Fitzgerald was rated No. 7 on a list of assistant coaches from across the nation that will one day make the best head coach. Baseball America also rated Fitzgerald as the No. 7 assistant coach in the nation in 2018, while D1Baseball ranked him as the 17th-best recruiter in the country in 2016.Prior to his time at LSU and Dallas Baptist, Fitzgerald was the head coach at Des Moines Area Community College (2008-12). In his five years at DMACC, Fitzgerald was awarded Coach of the Year honors by 13 different publications. His team’s won five consecutive conference championships and advanced to the Junior College World Series on four separate occasions.Fitzgerald also had 36 players sign with Division I programs, nine student-athletes be named Junior College All-Americans, including the 2009 National Player of the Year.&nbsp; His program finished with at least 40 wins in every season and compiled a 249-73 (.773) record over the five-year stretch.Fitzgerald’s coaching career began in 2000 at Iowa as a volunteer assistant coach. He then interned with the Minnesota Twins scouting department (2002) before returning to coaching as an assistant at North Iowa Area Community College (2003-04), Flagler College (2005-06) and Des Moines Area Community College (2007-08).In addition to coaching at schools, Fitzgerald has spent time as a head coach in top summer leagues around the country. That includes a stint in 2004 as the Field Manager for Athletes in Action in Alaska, the sport ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ.A native of Edina, Minnesota, Fitzgerald attended and played baseball at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the University of Wisconsin-River Falls before graduating with a degree in English from the University of Minnesota in 2000. Most recently, he earned a Masters of Education in Kinesiology from Dallas Baptist in 2016. Fitzgerald and his wife, Kelly, have three sons – Will, Max and Ben.The Fitzgerald File Alma Mater: Minnesota, 2000 (Master’s, Dallas Baptist, 2016) Wife: Kelly Children: Will, Max, BenCoaching Experience: 2022-present: Kansas – Head Coach 2021-22: LSU – Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator 2016-21: Dallas Baptist – Associate Head Coach/Recruiting Coordinator 2012-16: Dallas Baptist – Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator 2008-12: Des Moines Area Community College – Head Coach 2007-08: Des Moines Area Community College – Assistant Coach 2004-06: Flagler College – Assistant Coach 2003-04: North Iowa Area Community College – Assistant Coach 2002: Minnesota Twins&nbsp;– Scouting Intern 2000-01: Iowa – Volunteer Assistant CoachPostseason Experience: 2014: Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Champions; Fort Worth Regional 2015: Dallas Regional 2016: Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Champions; Lubbock Regional 2017: Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Champions; Fort Worth Regional 2018: Fayetteville Regional 2019: Lubbock Regional 2021: Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Champions; Columbia Super Regional 2022: Hattiesburg RegionalTop 10 Round MLB Draft Picks: 2nd Round – Burl Carraway (Chicago Cubs – 2020) 2nd Round – Jimmy Glowenke (San Francisco Giants – 2020) 2nd Round – Jameson Hannah (Oakland Athletics – 2018) 4th Round – Seth Elledge (Seattle Mariners – 2017) 5th Round – Chance Adams (New York Yankees – 2015) 6th Round – Devlin Granberg (Boston Red Sox – 2018) 6th Round – MD Johnson (Miami Marlins – 2019) 6th Round – David Martinelli (Philadelphia Phillies – 2016) 7th Round – Dalton Higgins (New York Yankees – 2017) 9th Round – Matt Duce (St. Louis Cardinals – 2018) 9th Round – Camden Duzenack (Arizona Diamondbacks – 2017)