MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Max Kepler had four RBIs, including a three-run homer, while Kenta Maeda continued his strong comeback from the injured list for the Minnesota Twins in a 9-3 win against the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday.

Donovan Solano and Byron Buxton each had three hits and added back-to-back homers in the fifth inning for Minnesota, which has won four of five after being swept in Atlanta that caused&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/twins-rocco-baldelli-e5ea296733a4c0a7b6f56b232b038dda">manager Rocco Baldelli to criticize his team’s effort.</a>&nbsp;Carlos Correa added a third-inning single for his 1,000th career hit at 28 years old.

Maeda (2-5) made his third start since coming off the injured list for a right triceps strain. He gave up two runs and three hits in a season-high seven innings. He struck out nine. In the three starts, Maeda has given up just three earned runs in 17 innings.

“I had the time to look over my mechanics while I was on the IL,” Maeda said through an interpreter. “And now I can concentrate on each hitter I’m facing, so that’s a plus. I can attack with confidence and not have to worry about the mechanics. That’s huge.”

The 35-year-old right-hander was the Cy Young Award runner-up in 2020 for the Twins, but he struggled in April in his return from Tommy John surgery that kept him out all last season.

“What we saw today was basically the very good version of Kenta that we’ve seen a lot of,” Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli said. “We know what that looks like. It’s almost surgical out there the way he goes about attacking the hitters.”

Zack Greinke (1-9) started for Kansas City, giving up six runs in 5 1/3 innings before leaving with a team athletic trainer. After Jose Miranda’s popup to shortstop to lead off the sixth, catcher Salvador Perez immediately called to the dugout for a trainer and manager Matt Quatraro.

While he showed no signs on the mound, the team announced that Greinke left the game with right shoulder discomfort. Quatraro said the discomfort is “very mild” and not “overly concerning.”

“He’s very good about knowing how he feels and letting us know how he feels,” Quatraro said. "So, it was definitely the right thing to do to get him out of there.”

Greinke hasn’t won a road start since Aug. 13, 2021. He’s 0-15 with a 6.39 ERA in 26 starts during that span.

Bobby Witt Jr. added his 13th homer of the season for Kansas City.

Kepler and Buxton have been part of a Twins' offense that started the day with the most strikeouts in the majors and the seventh-worst average at .233. The two have also helped the recent surge in which Minnesota has scored at least eight runs in three of their past five games.

Buxton had his first three-hit game since June 26, 2022 and he's hit .389 with two homers and six RBIs in the past five games.

Kepler is hitting .341 with five home runs and 12 RBIs in his last 14 games.

“Having each others’ backs,” Kepler said of the recent team success. “Communicating has been a big one for us; moving as a unit. It feels like we’re moving as a unit more so and feeding off each other’s success. ... I think in the past it might have felt a little disconnected or people were out to get more individual accomplishments done. Now, it feels like we’re really rooting for each other and it’s a good feeling.”

Royals: 2B Michael Massey was reinstated from the 10-day injured list after recovering from a left-hand laceration. RHP Jonathan Heasley was also recalled from Triple-A Omaha. LHP Austin Cox and IF/OF Samad Taylor were optioned to Triple-A.

Twins: RHP Jorge López was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/twins-jorge-lopez-37c09bf665edf627b09da97a231a11e1">reinstated from the 15-day injured list after a minimum stay for mental health reasons</a>. López, who said he’s spoken to a psychologist after acting out following recent bad outings, pitched the ninth inning and allowed one run on two hits.

RHP Pablo López (4-5, 4.24 ERA) starts the series finale for Minnesota, while Kansas City has RHP Alec Marsh (0-1, 11.25) lined up to make his second career start. López will be making his third start against the Royals this season, giving up six earned runs in 11 1/3 innings. Marsh allowed five runs in four innings in his debut against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683193842018.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Max Kepler had four RBIs, including a three-run homer, while Kenta Maeda continued his strong comeback from the injured list for the Minnesota Twins in a 9-3 win against the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday.Donovan Solano and Byron Buxton each had three hits and added back-to-back homers in the fifth inning for Minnesota, which has won four of five after being swept in Atlanta that caused&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/twins-rocco-baldelli-e5ea296733a4c0a7b6f56b232b038dda">manager Rocco Baldelli to criticize his team’s effort.</a>&nbsp;Carlos Correa added a third-inning single for his 1,000th career hit at 28 years old.Maeda (2-5) made his third start since coming off the injured list for a right triceps strain. He gave up two runs and three hits in a season-high seven innings. He struck out nine. In the three starts, Maeda has given up just three earned runs in 17 innings.“I had the time to look over my mechanics while I was on the IL,” Maeda said through an interpreter. “And now I can concentrate on each hitter I’m facing, so that’s a plus. I can attack with confidence and not have to worry about the mechanics. That’s huge.”The 35-year-old right-hander was the Cy Young Award runner-up in 2020 for the Twins, but he struggled in April in his return from Tommy John surgery that kept him out all last season.“What we saw today was basically the very good version of Kenta that we’ve seen a lot of,” Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli said. “We know what that looks like. It’s almost surgical out there the way he goes about attacking the hitters.”Zack Greinke (1-9) started for Kansas City, giving up six runs in 5 1/3 innings before leaving with a team athletic trainer. After Jose Miranda’s popup to shortstop to lead off the sixth, catcher Salvador Perez immediately called to the dugout for a trainer and manager Matt Quatraro.While he showed no signs on the mound, the team announced that Greinke left the game with right shoulder discomfort. Quatraro said the discomfort is “very mild” and not “overly concerning.”“He’s very good about knowing how he feels and letting us know how he feels,” Quatraro said. "So, it was definitely the right thing to do to get him out of there.”Greinke hasn’t won a road start since Aug. 13, 2021. He’s 0-15 with a 6.39 ERA in 26 starts during that span.Bobby Witt Jr. added his 13th homer of the season for Kansas City.OFFENSE ARRIVESKepler and Buxton have been part of a Twins' offense that started the day with the most strikeouts in the majors and the seventh-worst average at .233. The two have also helped the recent surge in which Minnesota has scored at least eight runs in three of their past five games.Buxton had his first three-hit game since June 26, 2022 and he's hit .389 with two homers and six RBIs in the past five games.Kepler is hitting .341 with five home runs and 12 RBIs in his last 14 games.“Having each others’ backs,” Kepler said of the recent team success. “Communicating has been a big one for us; moving as a unit. It feels like we’re moving as a unit more so and feeding off each other’s success. ... I think in the past it might have felt a little disconnected or people were out to get more individual accomplishments done. Now, it feels like we’re really rooting for each other and it’s a good feeling.”TRAINERS ROOMRoyals: 2B Michael Massey was reinstated from the 10-day injured list after recovering from a left-hand laceration. RHP Jonathan Heasley was also recalled from Triple-A Omaha. LHP Austin Cox and IF/OF Samad Taylor were optioned to Triple-A.Twins: RHP Jorge López was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/twins-jorge-lopez-37c09bf665edf627b09da97a231a11e1">reinstated from the 15-day injured list after a minimum stay for mental health reasons</a>. López, who said he’s spoken to a psychologist after acting out following recent bad outings, pitched the ninth inning and allowed one run on two hits.UP NEXTRHP Pablo López (4-5, 4.24 ERA) starts the series finale for Minnesota, while Kansas City has RHP Alec Marsh (0-1, 11.25) lined up to make his second career start. López will be making his third start against the Royals this season, giving up six earned runs in 11 1/3 innings. Marsh allowed five runs in four innings in his debut against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

⚾️ Big day for Kepler lifts Twins over Royals

TULSA, OK - Wind Surge pitching held Tulsa back for the first seven innings but after a game tying two run home run the Drillers were able to defeat the Wind Surge in extra innings 5-4. Tulsa leads the series one game to none.

Aaron Sabato kicked things off in the top of the first inning when he hit an RBI single with a line drive to center field.

David Festa, who will be pitching in the MLB Futures game on Saturday, was limited to the first two innings in the game. He struck out three batters and let one run score on a wild pitch in the bottom of the first.

The Surge took the lead back in the top of the third when Yoyner Fajardo hit a sacrifice fly to right field that allowed Will Holland to reach home from third. Alex Isola then hit an RBI single with a hard-hit line drive to left field.

The Drillers tied things up in the bottom of the eighth with a two-run home run by Jose Ramos.

The game went into extra innings. In the top of the tenth Fajardo hit his second RBI of the game when he hit a line drive to left field that scored a run for the Wind Surge and gave them the lead.

The Drillers tied it right back up in the bottom of the tenth. Ramos hit a sacrifice fly that brought Curtis Taylor home from third.

Tulsa wrapped the game up in the bottom of the eleventh when Eddys Leonard hit a walk-off RBI single.

Pierson Ohl had his best performance of the season tonight. He was dialed in tonight and was able to strike out a new season best nine batters. Ohl pitched a total of five and one thirds innings and gave up one run on three hits. His previous season best was seven strikeouts.

River Ryan was the starting pitcher for Tulsa. He pitched five innings, gave up three runs on four hits and struck out five batters.

The Wichita Wind Surge fall to (4-3),(32-43) and the Tulsa Drillers improve to (2-5),(32-44).

NOTES: Aaron Sabato increased his hitting streak to seven games. The Surge fall to 2-3 in extra innings, the 11 innings is the longest game of the season this season.

BROADCAST: ESPN 92.3 FM, Milb First Pitch App,&nbsp;<a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fWindsurge.com&amp;c=E,1,dexWbEMmO2SNZFacaCKfVJIV48UFXNwoAwE4zyM2KXaD_HSgx84zoOHAglON-gUjtBR3aBrV7b7fNPJsxVGXCgYR5cYPta1xJgIbXkHri2NTnYdJ6WV7jsuz044,&amp;typo=1&amp;ancr_add=1">Windsurge.com</a>, MiLB.tv and Ballys Live app.

UPCOMING: The Wind Surge continue a six game road series in Tulsa. Game two will be played Wednesday at 6:35PM. RH Carlos Luna starts for the Wind Surge and RH Orlando Ortiz-Mayr starts for Tulsa.

NEXT HOME GAME: The Wind Surge return home Friday July 14th following the All Star Break. The game will be held at 7:05 PM.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688554878841.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of Wichita Wind SurgeTULSA, OK - Wind Surge pitching held Tulsa back for the first seven innings but after a game tying two run home run the Drillers were able to defeat the Wind Surge in extra innings 5-4. Tulsa leads the series one game to none.Aaron Sabato kicked things off in the top of the first inning when he hit an RBI single with a line drive to center field.David Festa, who will be pitching in the MLB Futures game on Saturday, was limited to the first two innings in the game. He struck out three batters and let one run score on a wild pitch in the bottom of the first.The Surge took the lead back in the top of the third when Yoyner Fajardo hit a sacrifice fly to right field that allowed Will Holland to reach home from third. Alex Isola then hit an RBI single with a hard-hit line drive to left field.The Drillers tied things up in the bottom of the eighth with a two-run home run by Jose Ramos.The game went into extra innings. In the top of the tenth Fajardo hit his second RBI of the game when he hit a line drive to left field that scored a run for the Wind Surge and gave them the lead.The Drillers tied it right back up in the bottom of the tenth. Ramos hit a sacrifice fly that brought Curtis Taylor home from third.Tulsa wrapped the game up in the bottom of the eleventh when Eddys Leonard hit a walk-off RBI single.Pierson Ohl had his best performance of the season tonight. He was dialed in tonight and was able to strike out a new season best nine batters. Ohl pitched a total of five and one thirds innings and gave up one run on three hits. His previous season best was seven strikeouts.River Ryan was the starting pitcher for Tulsa. He pitched five innings, gave up three runs on four hits and struck out five batters.The Wichita Wind Surge fall to (4-3),(32-43) and the Tulsa Drillers improve to (2-5),(32-44).NOTES: Aaron Sabato increased his hitting streak to seven games. The Surge fall to 2-3 in extra innings, the 11 innings is the longest game of the season this season.BROADCAST: ESPN 92.3 FM, Milb First Pitch App,&nbsp;<a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fWindsurge.com&amp;c=E,1,dexWbEMmO2SNZFacaCKfVJIV48UFXNwoAwE4zyM2KXaD_HSgx84zoOHAglON-gUjtBR3aBrV7b7fNPJsxVGXCgYR5cYPta1xJgIbXkHri2NTnYdJ6WV7jsuz044,&amp;typo=1&amp;ancr_add=1">Windsurge.com</a>, MiLB.tv and Ballys Live app.UPCOMING: The Wind Surge continue a six game road series in Tulsa. Game two will be played Wednesday at 6:35PM. RH Carlos Luna starts for the Wind Surge and RH Orlando Ortiz-Mayr starts for Tulsa.NEXT HOME GAME: The Wind Surge return home Friday July 14th following the All Star Break. The game will be held at 7:05 PM.

⚾️ Extra inning excitement ends in Surge loss

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Edouard Julien hit a pinch-hit, solo homer to start a five-run eighth inning and the Minnesota Twins went on to beat the Kansas City Royals 8-4 on Monday night.

Carlos Correa tied a career-high with four hits from the leadoff spot and Byron Buxton drove in a pair of runs with sacrifice flies for Minnesota, which beat Kansas City for the seventh time in eight games this season.

Julien, the Canadian rookie second baseman, hit for Kyle Farmer to lead off the eighth and sent the first pitch he saw from Royals reliever Taylor Clarke for a no-doubt homer to right field. It was the first pinch hit for Julien, who was told he was pinch-hitting but didn't realize it was leading off the inning.

“I was sitting on the couch and they yelled, ‘Eddie, you’re leading off,'” Julien said. “I rushed back to the dugout and I couldn’t find my elbow guard. It was not there. I just picked a random elbow guard, put it on and had no idea what the pitcher had. I just swung.”

Kansas City had tied the game in the top of the inning on a solo homer by Nick Pratto.

Clarke (1-3) surrendered five runs on five hits and retired just one of the seven batters he faced.

“We have confidence in him," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of Clarke. "We’re going to keep putting him out there in leverage, or any situation we feel good about. He’s in a little bit of a rough patch right now, but we’ve seen what he can do on the positive side and we’re going to keep working with him.”

Clarke held a 2.70 ERA through his first 30 innings this season, but he's given up 15 earned runs in 5 2/3 over his last seven appearances.

“It was going so good for awhile, and then the wheels completely fell off," Clarke said. "It wasn’t even gradual. I don’t know. I wish I had more of an answer for you. I feel like I’m doing everything the same, just the results aren’t there. I have to scrap it over and start from (scratch), from the beginning.”

Minnesota’s Brent Headrick (2-0) allowed Pratto, the first batter he faced Monday, to homer to lead off the eighth. He retired the next three batters he faced, with two strikeouts.

Michael A. Taylor drove in the second run in the eighth as his bunt was fielded by Clarke with nowhere to throw. Max Kepler, Correa and Alex Kirilloff followed with three straight RBI singles for the Twins.

“We did a good job of adjusting in some of these at-bats, of hitting balls in different spots in the zone," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “We’ve talked about those things for a little while this year and you can see, that’s what it looks like when you mix in some good swings and just some tough at-bats.”

Royals rookie Maikel Garcia reached base four times and hit the first pitch of the game off Joe Ryan for a homer. Kansas City, which had won two straight against the Los Angeles Dodgers over the weekend, have lost 11 of their last 12 games in Minnesota.

Ryan (9-5) bounced back from his worst outing of the season with his team-high 12th quality start. He surrendered six runs with a career-high five homers allowed in just three innings against Atlanta in his previous start. Ryan settled in after the leadoff homer and gave up just six hits, two runs and struck out nine.

Royals: C Salvador Perez was out of the lineup with a sore toe after being hit in the foot by a pitch on Sunday. Quatraro said Perez was available off the bench and he was on-deck to pinch-hit when the final out was recorded.

Twins: An MRI showed a Grade 2 oblique strain for 3B Royce Lewis and the recovery is expected to be about six weeks for Lewis, who’s hit .326 in 26 games for Minnesota this season. … 2B Jorge Polanco (left hamstring strain) has continued his running progression without pain or discomfort and he was scheduled to do “high-effort sprints” on Monday.

RHP Zack Greinke (1-8, 5.15 ERA) will start this afternoon for Kansas City, with Minnesota countering with RHP Kenta Maeda (1-5, 6.23). Greinke is 5-15 with a 4.79 ERA in 32 career games against the Twins. Maeda has allowed two runs in 10 innings since returning from the injured list.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683193842018.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Edouard Julien hit a pinch-hit, solo homer to start a five-run eighth inning and the Minnesota Twins went on to beat the Kansas City Royals 8-4 on Monday night.Carlos Correa tied a career-high with four hits from the leadoff spot and Byron Buxton drove in a pair of runs with sacrifice flies for Minnesota, which beat Kansas City for the seventh time in eight games this season.Julien, the Canadian rookie second baseman, hit for Kyle Farmer to lead off the eighth and sent the first pitch he saw from Royals reliever Taylor Clarke for a no-doubt homer to right field. It was the first pinch hit for Julien, who was told he was pinch-hitting but didn't realize it was leading off the inning.“I was sitting on the couch and they yelled, ‘Eddie, you’re leading off,'” Julien said. “I rushed back to the dugout and I couldn’t find my elbow guard. It was not there. I just picked a random elbow guard, put it on and had no idea what the pitcher had. I just swung.”Kansas City had tied the game in the top of the inning on a solo homer by Nick Pratto.Clarke (1-3) surrendered five runs on five hits and retired just one of the seven batters he faced.“We have confidence in him," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of Clarke. "We’re going to keep putting him out there in leverage, or any situation we feel good about. He’s in a little bit of a rough patch right now, but we’ve seen what he can do on the positive side and we’re going to keep working with him.”Clarke held a 2.70 ERA through his first 30 innings this season, but he's given up 15 earned runs in 5 2/3 over his last seven appearances.“It was going so good for awhile, and then the wheels completely fell off," Clarke said. "It wasn’t even gradual. I don’t know. I wish I had more of an answer for you. I feel like I’m doing everything the same, just the results aren’t there. I have to scrap it over and start from (scratch), from the beginning.”Minnesota’s Brent Headrick (2-0) allowed Pratto, the first batter he faced Monday, to homer to lead off the eighth. He retired the next three batters he faced, with two strikeouts.Michael A. Taylor drove in the second run in the eighth as his bunt was fielded by Clarke with nowhere to throw. Max Kepler, Correa and Alex Kirilloff followed with three straight RBI singles for the Twins.“We did a good job of adjusting in some of these at-bats, of hitting balls in different spots in the zone," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “We’ve talked about those things for a little while this year and you can see, that’s what it looks like when you mix in some good swings and just some tough at-bats.”Royals rookie Maikel Garcia reached base four times and hit the first pitch of the game off Joe Ryan for a homer. Kansas City, which had won two straight against the Los Angeles Dodgers over the weekend, have lost 11 of their last 12 games in Minnesota.BOUNCEBACK JOERyan (9-5) bounced back from his worst outing of the season with his team-high 12th quality start. He surrendered six runs with a career-high five homers allowed in just three innings against Atlanta in his previous start. Ryan settled in after the leadoff homer and gave up just six hits, two runs and struck out nine.TRAINERS ROOMRoyals: C Salvador Perez was out of the lineup with a sore toe after being hit in the foot by a pitch on Sunday. Quatraro said Perez was available off the bench and he was on-deck to pinch-hit when the final out was recorded.Twins: An MRI showed a Grade 2 oblique strain for 3B Royce Lewis and the recovery is expected to be about six weeks for Lewis, who’s hit .326 in 26 games for Minnesota this season. … 2B Jorge Polanco (left hamstring strain) has continued his running progression without pain or discomfort and he was scheduled to do “high-effort sprints” on Monday.UP NEXTRHP Zack Greinke (1-8, 5.15 ERA) will start this afternoon for Kansas City, with Minnesota countering with RHP Kenta Maeda (1-5, 6.23). Greinke is 5-15 with a 4.79 ERA in 32 career games against the Twins. Maeda has allowed two runs in 10 innings since returning from the injured list.

Julien's pinch-hit homer starts 5-run inning; Twins beat Royals

Courtesy of the Kansas City Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Royals announced this morning that infielder&nbsp;Bobby Witt Jr.&nbsp;and left-handed pitcher&nbsp;Daniel Lynch&nbsp;have been named Royals Player and Pitcher of the Month, respectively, for June. The awards are determined by a local media vote.

Witt Jr. led the club with 12 RBI and 28 hits last month, while slashing .280/.336/.380 (28-for-100) in 26 games. He produced 8 multi-hit efforts and 6 stolen bases, which tied for the 6th most steals in the American League in June, trailing leader&nbsp;Esteury Ruiz&nbsp;(13). His most impactful multi-hit game came in the Royals 10-9 comeback win over the Angels on June 17, in which they erased a 6-run deficit. That afternoon, Bobby drove in 4 of Kansas City’s 10 runs—and delivered the game ball to walk-off hero&nbsp;Samad Taylor&nbsp;after the game—to mark his 3rd career game with at least 4 RBI. Two days later, on June 19 in Detroit, he hit his 12th home run of the season and 2nd in a 6-game span with a solo shot in the 4th inning off&nbsp;Reese Olson, which broke a scoreless tie and traveled 442 ft., just shy of matching the furthest home run of his career (443 ft. on June 3, 2022 vs. Houston). He celebrated his 23rd birthday on June 14 against the Reds and became the eighth Royal (10th instance) to record a 3-hit game on his birthday, and he was the youngest to ever turn the trick at age 23. This marks Witt Jr.’s second career monthly honor, following last June, and he’s the first Royals position player to win at least one award in consecutive seasons to begin his career since&nbsp;Alex Gordon&nbsp;earned three monthly titles from 2007-08.

Lynch pitched a team-leading 31.0 innings spanning 5 starts in the month of June, including covering at least 6.0 innings in each of his final 4 starts to close out the month. Half of the 14 total runs he allowed came in his start on June 14 vs. Cincinnati—when he was tagged for 4 home runs in a season-high 7.0 innings—however over his remaining 4 starts of the month, he pitched to a 2.63 ERA (7 ER in 24.0 IP). On June 20 in Detroit, he turned in his best performance of the season with 7.0 scoreless frames and only 1 hit and 2 walks allowed, earning his 1st win of 2023 in Kansas City’s 1-0 shutout victory. With that performance, he became the first Royals left hander to allow no more than 1 hit over 7.0 scoreless innings since&nbsp;Danny Duffy&nbsp;held the Rays to 1 hit in 8.0 scoreless innings at Tampa Bay on Aug. 1, 2016 in his club-record 16-strikeout game. It also marked Lynch’s 2nd consecutive start in which he recorded 7.0 innings, becoming the first Royal with back-to-back 7.0-inning starts since&nbsp;Kris Bubic&nbsp;turned the trick in July 2022. This marks Lynch’s first career monthly award.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684834893558.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of the Kansas City RoyalsKANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Royals announced this morning that infielder&nbsp;Bobby Witt Jr.&nbsp;and left-handed pitcher&nbsp;Daniel Lynch&nbsp;have been named Royals Player and Pitcher of the Month, respectively, for June. The awards are determined by a local media vote.Witt Jr. led the club with 12 RBI and 28 hits last month, while slashing .280/.336/.380 (28-for-100) in 26 games. He produced 8 multi-hit efforts and 6 stolen bases, which tied for the 6th most steals in the American League in June, trailing leader&nbsp;Esteury Ruiz&nbsp;(13). His most impactful multi-hit game came in the Royals 10-9 comeback win over the Angels on June 17, in which they erased a 6-run deficit. That afternoon, Bobby drove in 4 of Kansas City’s 10 runs—and delivered the game ball to walk-off hero&nbsp;Samad Taylor&nbsp;after the game—to mark his 3rd career game with at least 4 RBI. Two days later, on June 19 in Detroit, he hit his 12th home run of the season and 2nd in a 6-game span with a solo shot in the 4th inning off&nbsp;Reese Olson, which broke a scoreless tie and traveled 442 ft., just shy of matching the furthest home run of his career (443 ft. on June 3, 2022 vs. Houston). He celebrated his 23rd birthday on June 14 against the Reds and became the eighth Royal (10th instance) to record a 3-hit game on his birthday, and he was the youngest to ever turn the trick at age 23. This marks Witt Jr.’s second career monthly honor, following last June, and he’s the first Royals position player to win at least one award in consecutive seasons to begin his career since&nbsp;Alex Gordon&nbsp;earned three monthly titles from 2007-08.Lynch pitched a team-leading 31.0 innings spanning 5 starts in the month of June, including covering at least 6.0 innings in each of his final 4 starts to close out the month. Half of the 14 total runs he allowed came in his start on June 14 vs. Cincinnati—when he was tagged for 4 home runs in a season-high 7.0 innings—however over his remaining 4 starts of the month, he pitched to a 2.63 ERA (7 ER in 24.0 IP). On June 20 in Detroit, he turned in his best performance of the season with 7.0 scoreless frames and only 1 hit and 2 walks allowed, earning his 1st win of 2023 in Kansas City’s 1-0 shutout victory. With that performance, he became the first Royals left hander to allow no more than 1 hit over 7.0 scoreless innings since&nbsp;Danny Duffy&nbsp;held the Rays to 1 hit in 8.0 scoreless innings at Tampa Bay on Aug. 1, 2016 in his club-record 16-strikeout game. It also marked Lynch’s 2nd consecutive start in which he recorded 7.0 innings, becoming the first Royal with back-to-back 7.0-inning starts since&nbsp;Kris Bubic&nbsp;turned the trick in July 2022. This marks Lynch’s first career monthly award.

⚾ Witt Jr., Lynch named Royals Player/Pitcher of the Month

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Kansas Softball head coach Jennifer McFalls announced the promotion of Kaitlyn Slack to an assistant coaching role, she announced Monday.

“Kaitlyn Slack is an absolute perfect fit for our coaching staff,” McFalls said. “She has been with us for the last three years. She brings a lot of playing experience, passion for the game and is just a tremendous asset to our coaching staff, offensively and defensively.”

Entering her fourth season with the program, Slack has previously served as the graduate assistant and volunteer coach. Last season, She supported the Kansas offense and defense, while also overseeing scouting software. On the offensive side, Slack served as the first base coach, leading the team to 33 stolen bases at an 80.5 percent clip.

Slack was also a premier softball player at Texas from 2016-20. As the starting shortstop, she led the Longhorns to a 24-3 record and a No. 3 NFCA ranking in 2020, before the COVID-19 Pandemic cut the season short.

“First, I want to thank Travis Goff, Nicole Corcoran and Coach McFalls for the tremendous opportunity to stay with the Kansas softball program,” Slack said. “I’m excited to be back and excited for the whole softball community. I’m so happy for the seniors who joined the program when I first started. Seeing them throughout their four years at KU is exciting. We’re only going to get better, and I am excited for the future of Kansas softball.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688399273286.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of Kansas AthleticsLAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Kansas Softball head coach Jennifer McFalls announced the promotion of Kaitlyn Slack to an assistant coaching role, she announced Monday.“Kaitlyn Slack is an absolute perfect fit for our coaching staff,” McFalls said. “She has been with us for the last three years. She brings a lot of playing experience, passion for the game and is just a tremendous asset to our coaching staff, offensively and defensively.”Entering her fourth season with the program, Slack has previously served as the graduate assistant and volunteer coach. Last season, She supported the Kansas offense and defense, while also overseeing scouting software. On the offensive side, Slack served as the first base coach, leading the team to 33 stolen bases at an 80.5 percent clip.Slack was also a premier softball player at Texas from 2016-20. As the starting shortstop, she led the Longhorns to a 24-3 record and a No. 3 NFCA ranking in 2020, before the COVID-19 Pandemic cut the season short.“First, I want to thank Travis Goff, Nicole Corcoran and Coach McFalls for the tremendous opportunity to stay with the Kansas softball program,” Slack said. “I’m excited to be back and excited for the whole softball community. I’m so happy for the seniors who joined the program when I first started. Seeing them throughout their four years at KU is exciting. We’re only going to get better, and I am excited for the future of Kansas softball.”

🥎 McFalls promotes Slack to assistant coach

WICHITA, KS - The Wind Surge starting pitcher, Travis Adams, tied his season high strikeouts with seven over five innings that put the Surge in good position to win their fifth straight, but a ninth inning grand slam by Tyler Tolbert and the Naturals ruined the win streak. NW Arkansas defeated Wichita 7-4 and Wichita now leads the series four games to one.

Wichita took an early lead in the bottom of the second. Jake Rucker got the first two runs with a well hit two RBI stand up triple that ricocheted off the left field wall. Naturals pitching helped deliver the next two runs thanks to five walked Surge batters and one more hit by pitch that forced the runs to come in.

The Naturals got on the board in the top of the fifth. Jeison Guzman grounded out to first and a runner was able to score from third.

Guzman then added another run for the Naturals off a solo home run in the top of seventh.

NW Arkansas rallied in the top of the ninth that put five runs on the board. Tyler Tolbert came up to hit with loaded bases and hit a two out grand slam that pushed the Naturals ahead of the Wind Surge.

Travis Adams pitched an impressive first five innings for the Surge. He only gave up one run on two hits, walked none, and struck out seven Naturals batters which ties his season high. Jordan Brink came in the ball game in the top of the ninth to attempt the save but gave up the game winning grand slam and is credited with the loss.

The starting pitcher for the Naturals, Andrew Hoffmann, struggled in the one and two thirds innings he pitched. He gave up four runs on two hits, walked three batters and struck out two more. Andrew McInvale earned the win.

The Wichita Wind Surge fall to (4-1),(32-41) and the NW Arkansas Naturals improve to (1-4),(30-44).

NOTES: Former Wind Surge pitcher Chris Vallimont was promoted to MLB with the Baltimore Orioles. He is the 20th&nbsp;former player to make it to the Major Leagues.

UPCOMING: The Wind Surge wrap up their home series against the Naturals. Game six will be played at 6:35 PM for a special Red, White and Boom Fireworks Event at Riverfront. LH Aaron Rozek for Wichita will face TBD for NW Arkansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683285306006.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of Wichita Wind SurgeWICHITA, KS - The Wind Surge starting pitcher, Travis Adams, tied his season high strikeouts with seven over five innings that put the Surge in good position to win their fifth straight, but a ninth inning grand slam by Tyler Tolbert and the Naturals ruined the win streak. NW Arkansas defeated Wichita 7-4 and Wichita now leads the series four games to one.Wichita took an early lead in the bottom of the second. Jake Rucker got the first two runs with a well hit two RBI stand up triple that ricocheted off the left field wall. Naturals pitching helped deliver the next two runs thanks to five walked Surge batters and one more hit by pitch that forced the runs to come in.The Naturals got on the board in the top of the fifth. Jeison Guzman grounded out to first and a runner was able to score from third.Guzman then added another run for the Naturals off a solo home run in the top of seventh.NW Arkansas rallied in the top of the ninth that put five runs on the board. Tyler Tolbert came up to hit with loaded bases and hit a two out grand slam that pushed the Naturals ahead of the Wind Surge.Travis Adams pitched an impressive first five innings for the Surge. He only gave up one run on two hits, walked none, and struck out seven Naturals batters which ties his season high. Jordan Brink came in the ball game in the top of the ninth to attempt the save but gave up the game winning grand slam and is credited with the loss.The starting pitcher for the Naturals, Andrew Hoffmann, struggled in the one and two thirds innings he pitched. He gave up four runs on two hits, walked three batters and struck out two more. Andrew McInvale earned the win.The Wichita Wind Surge fall to (4-1),(32-41) and the NW Arkansas Naturals improve to (1-4),(30-44).NOTES: Former Wind Surge pitcher Chris Vallimont was promoted to MLB with the Baltimore Orioles. He is the 20th&nbsp;former player to make it to the Major Leagues.BROADCAST: ESPN 92.3 FM, Milb First Pitch App,&nbsp;<a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fWindsurge.com&amp;c=E,1,dexWbEMmO2SNZFacaCKfVJIV48UFXNwoAwE4zyM2KXaD_HSgx84zoOHAglON-gUjtBR3aBrV7b7fNPJsxVGXCgYR5cYPta1xJgIbXkHri2NTnYdJ6WV7jsuz044,&amp;typo=1&amp;ancr_add=1">Windsurge.com</a>, MiLB.tv and Ballys Live app.UPCOMING: The Wind Surge wrap up their home series against the Naturals. Game six will be played at 6:35 PM for a special Red, White and Boom Fireworks Event at Riverfront. LH Aaron Rozek for Wichita will face TBD for NW Arkansas.

⚾ Late inning drama leads to Surge loss

Courtesy of Kansas State Athletics

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State men’s basketball will be well-represented with five former players in the NBA Summer League, which begins Monday (July 3) with the California Classic and the Salt Lake City Summer Leagues and continues with the NBA 2K24 Summer League in Las Vegas&nbsp;from Friday, July 7 to Monday, July 17.

Recent players –&nbsp;Keyontae Johnson&nbsp;(Oklahoma City Thunder) and&nbsp;Markquis Nowell&nbsp;(Toronto Raptors) – will join&nbsp;Barry Brown Jr.&nbsp;(Phoenix Suns),&nbsp;Mark Smith&nbsp;(Denver Nuggets) and&nbsp;Xavier Sneed(Charlotte Hornets) in the summer league competition. Johnson and Nowell could see their first professional action after recently completing their K-State careers, while Brown and Smith return to the U.S. after impressive seasons playing professionally overseas. Sneed ended the 2022-23 season on the Hornets’ roster after signing a 2-way contract.&nbsp;

All the games will air on either an ESPN platform (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU) or on NBA TV.&nbsp;

Salt Lake City Summer League [Salt Lake City, Utah] – Monday, July 3 and&nbsp;Wednesday-Thursday,&nbsp;July 5-6

California Classic Summer League [Sacramento, Calif.] – Monday, July 3 and&nbsp;Wednesday, July 5

7:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Charlotte Hornets [Sneed] vs. San Antonio Spurs [ESPN2]&nbsp;Sacramento

8:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Oklahoma City Thunder [Johnson] vs. Utah Jazz [NBA TV]&nbsp;Salt Lake City

5:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Charlotte Hornets [Sneed] vs. Golden State Warriors [ESPN2]&nbsp;Sacramento

6:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Oklahoma City Thunder [Johnson] vs. Memphis Grizzlies [NBA TV]&nbsp;Salt Lake City

6:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Oklahoma City Thunder [Johnson] vs. Philadelphia 76ers [ESPN2]&nbsp;Salt Lake City

NBA 2K24 Summer League [Las Vegas, Nev.] –&nbsp;Friday, July 7 – Monday, July 17*

4:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Denver Nuggets [Smith] vs. Milwaukee Bucks [ESPNU]

5:30 p.m.&nbsp;– Toronto Raptors [Nowell] vs. Chicago Bulls [NBA TV]

8:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Charlotte Hornets [Sneed] vs. San Antonio Spurs [ESPN]

2:30 p.m.&nbsp;– Oklahoma City Thunder [Johnson] vs. Dallas Mavericks [ESPN2]

4:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Phoenix Suns [Brown] vs. Milwaukee Bucks [NBA TV]

2:30 p.m.&nbsp;– Toronto Raptors [Nowell] vs. Cleveland Cavaliers [NBA TV]

3:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Charlotte Hornets [Sneed] vs. L.A. Lakers [ESPN2]

8:30 p.m.&nbsp;– Denver Nuggets [Smith] vs. Atlanta Hawks [NBA TV]

1:30 p.m.&nbsp;– Phoenix Suns [Brown] vs. Miami HEAT [NBA TV]

3:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Phoenix Suns [Brown] vs. New Orleans Pelicans [ESPN2]

5:30 p.m.&nbsp;– Oklahoma City Thunder [Johnson] vs. Houston Rockets [NBA TV]

7:30 p.m.&nbsp;– Charlotte Hornets [Sneed] vs. Portland Trail Blazers [NBA TV]

5:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Toronto Raptors [Nowell] vs. Detroit Pistons [ESPN2]

6:30 p.m.&nbsp;– Oklahoma City Thunder [Johnson] vs. Indiana Pacers [NBA TV]

8:30 p.m.&nbsp;– Denver Nuggets [Smith] vs. Utah Jazz [NBA TV]

4:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Toronto Raptors [Nowell] vs. Brooklyn Nets [ESPN2]

6:30 p.m.&nbsp;– Charlotte Hornets [Sneed] vs. New Orleans Pelicans [NBA TV]

4:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Oklahoma City Thunder [Johnson] vs. Washington Wizards [ESPNU]

6:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Phoenix Suns [Brown] vs. Utah Jazz [ESPN2]

8:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Denver Nuggets [Smith] vs. Miami HEAT [ESPN2]

*The teams with the best records will advance to the semifinals&nbsp;on Sunday, July 16&nbsp;before the championship game&nbsp;on Monday, July 17.

Johnson became the first Wildcat since 2017 to be selected in the NBA Draft when he was chosen in the second round by the Thunder on June 22. Later that evening, Nowell signed a 2-way deal with the Raptors.&nbsp;

Brown got a coveted summer league roster spot with the Suns after an impressive 2022-23 season playing in Australia and France, where he helped lead his respective teams to the league finals. He averaged 12.6 points on 49.1 percent shooting with 2.1 assists and 1.5 rebounds in 11 games for the Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92, where he played alongside a pair of NBA lottery picks, including No. 1 pick&nbsp;Victor Wembanyama.

Smith was the leading scorer (16.5 ppg.) and rebounder (6.9 rpg.) for BG Goettingen, which plays in the top league in Germany - the Basketball Bundesliga League (BBL).

Sneed currently has a 2-way deal with Charlotte, having started in 32 games with the team’s G-League franchise – the Greensboro Swarm – before being promoted and playing in 4 games for the Hornets in 2022-23.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688382224590.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of Kansas State AthleticsMANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State men’s basketball will be well-represented with five former players in the NBA Summer League, which begins Monday (July 3) with the California Classic and the Salt Lake City Summer Leagues and continues with the NBA 2K24 Summer League in Las Vegas&nbsp;from Friday, July 7 to Monday, July 17.Recent players –&nbsp;Keyontae Johnson&nbsp;(Oklahoma City Thunder) and&nbsp;Markquis Nowell&nbsp;(Toronto Raptors) – will join&nbsp;Barry Brown Jr.&nbsp;(Phoenix Suns),&nbsp;Mark Smith&nbsp;(Denver Nuggets) and&nbsp;Xavier Sneed(Charlotte Hornets) in the summer league competition. Johnson and Nowell could see their first professional action after recently completing their K-State careers, while Brown and Smith return to the U.S. after impressive seasons playing professionally overseas. Sneed ended the 2022-23 season on the Hornets’ roster after signing a 2-way contract.&nbsp;All the games will air on either an ESPN platform (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU) or on NBA TV.&nbsp;Salt Lake City Summer League [Salt Lake City, Utah] – Monday, July 3 and&nbsp;Wednesday-Thursday,&nbsp;July 5-6California Classic Summer League [Sacramento, Calif.] – Monday, July 3 and&nbsp;Wednesday, July 5Monday, July 37:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Charlotte Hornets [Sneed] vs. San Antonio Spurs [ESPN2]&nbsp;Sacramento8:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Oklahoma City Thunder [Johnson] vs. Utah Jazz [NBA TV]&nbsp;Salt Lake CityWednesday, July 55:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Charlotte Hornets [Sneed] vs. Golden State Warriors [ESPN2]&nbsp;Sacramento6:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Oklahoma City Thunder [Johnson] vs. Memphis Grizzlies [NBA TV]&nbsp;Salt Lake CityThursday, July 66:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Oklahoma City Thunder [Johnson] vs. Philadelphia 76ers [ESPN2]&nbsp;Salt Lake CityNBA 2K24 Summer League [Las Vegas, Nev.] –&nbsp;Friday, July 7 – Monday, July 17*Friday, July 74:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Denver Nuggets [Smith] vs. Milwaukee Bucks [ESPNU]5:30 p.m.&nbsp;– Toronto Raptors [Nowell] vs. Chicago Bulls [NBA TV]8:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Charlotte Hornets [Sneed] vs. San Antonio Spurs [ESPN]Saturday, July 82:30 p.m.&nbsp;– Oklahoma City Thunder [Johnson] vs. Dallas Mavericks [ESPN2]4:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Phoenix Suns [Brown] vs. Milwaukee Bucks [NBA TV]Sunday, July 92:30 p.m.&nbsp;– Toronto Raptors [Nowell] vs. Cleveland Cavaliers [NBA TV]3:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Charlotte Hornets [Sneed] vs. L.A. Lakers [ESPN2]8:30 p.m.&nbsp;– Denver Nuggets [Smith] vs. Atlanta Hawks [NBA TV]Monday, July 101:30 p.m.&nbsp;– Phoenix Suns [Brown] vs. Miami HEAT [NBA TV]Tuesday, July 113:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Phoenix Suns [Brown] vs. New Orleans Pelicans [ESPN2]5:30 p.m.&nbsp;– Oklahoma City Thunder [Johnson] vs. Houston Rockets [NBA TV]7:30 p.m.&nbsp;– Charlotte Hornets [Sneed] vs. Portland Trail Blazers [NBA TV]Wednesday, July 125:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Toronto Raptors [Nowell] vs. Detroit Pistons [ESPN2]6:30 p.m.&nbsp;– Oklahoma City Thunder [Johnson] vs. Indiana Pacers [NBA TV]8:30 p.m.&nbsp;– Denver Nuggets [Smith] vs. Utah Jazz [NBA TV]Thursday, July 134:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Toronto Raptors [Nowell] vs. Brooklyn Nets [ESPN2]6:30 p.m.&nbsp;– Charlotte Hornets [Sneed] vs. New Orleans Pelicans [NBA TV]Friday, July 144:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Oklahoma City Thunder [Johnson] vs. Washington Wizards [ESPNU]6:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Phoenix Suns [Brown] vs. Utah Jazz [ESPN2]8:00 p.m.&nbsp;– Denver Nuggets [Smith] vs. Miami HEAT [ESPN2]All times are Central*The teams with the best records will advance to the semifinals&nbsp;on Sunday, July 16&nbsp;before the championship game&nbsp;on Monday, July 17.ROAD TO SUMMER LEAGUESJohnson became the first Wildcat since 2017 to be selected in the NBA Draft when he was chosen in the second round by the Thunder on June 22. Later that evening, Nowell signed a 2-way deal with the Raptors.&nbsp;Brown got a coveted summer league roster spot with the Suns after an impressive 2022-23 season playing in Australia and France, where he helped lead his respective teams to the league finals. He averaged 12.6 points on 49.1 percent shooting with 2.1 assists and 1.5 rebounds in 11 games for the Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92, where he played alongside a pair of NBA lottery picks, including No. 1 pick&nbsp;Victor Wembanyama.Smith was the leading scorer (16.5 ppg.) and rebounder (6.9 rpg.) for BG Goettingen, which plays in the top league in Germany - the Basketball Bundesliga League (BBL).Sneed currently has a 2-way deal with Charlotte, having started in 32 games with the team’s G-League franchise – the Greensboro Swarm – before being promoted and playing in 4 games for the Hornets in 2022-23.

🏀 MBB: 5 former Wildcats to play in NBA Summer League

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez has been named an American League All-Star for the eighth time, the team announced Sunday. The 33-year-old is second in all time Royals All-Star appearances, behind only Hall-of-Famer George Brett's 13 selections.

Perez is a reserve for the second time in his career.

Through the announcement Sunday, Perez had 15 homeruns and 40 RBI. This is Perez's eighth season with at least 15 homers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687570769526.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez watches his two-run home run off Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Zach Eflin during the third inning of a baseball game Friday, June 23, 2023, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez watches his two-run home run off Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Zach Eflin during the third inning of a baseball game Friday, June 23, 2023, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez has been named an American League All-Star for the eighth time, the team announced Sunday. The 33-year-old is second in all time Royals All-Star appearances, behind only Hall-of-Famer George Brett's 13 selections.The All-Star Game is July 11 in Seattle.Perez is a reserve for the second time in his career.Through the announcement Sunday, Perez had 15 homeruns and 40 RBI. This is Perez's eighth season with at least 15 homers.

⚾ Perez named AL All-Star

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Nicky Lopez remembers the halcyon days of the Kansas City Royals in 2014 and 2015, when the small-market club won back-to-back American League pennants and its first World Series title in three decades.

More importantly, Lopez remembers how they did it: good starting pitching, timely hitting and a dominant bullpen.

It's precisely the formula they used to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.

Brady Singer threw seven effective innings, Lopez matched a career high with four RBIs, Maikel Garcia and Bobby Witt Jr. drove in two runs apiece and the Royals beat the Dodgers 9-1 to claim their first series victory since May 17.

“You know, a lot of the times in 2014 and 2015, they won a lot of ballgames 3-1, but they put it all together — timely hitting and a bullpen shut it down, and good starting pitching,” Lopez said. “I just think that's been the identity of the Royals for a while, and sometimes we lose sight of that, but I feel like that has to be it.”

Singer (5-7) played a big part in it from the mound, allowing one run on three hits and four walks over seven innings.

“Hopefully, you know, this gives us a lot of confidence,” Singer said. “We have a lot of confidence.”

The Royals took the lead off Tony Gonsolin (4-3) in the second on a single by Garcia, who also had a career-best four hits, and then knocked the right-hander from the game in the fourth, when they scored three more to pull away.

Gonsolin allowed four runs on six hits in 3 2/3 innings, and has now allowed 15 runs over his last 14 1/3 innings.

“We just didn't play well and they played better, quite frankly,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Those guys just outplayed us. It's a different brand of baseball as far as putting the ball in play, hitting behind runners, stealing bases. They were excellent in situational hitting. To be quite honest, we didn't keep up. That's how they won the series.”

The Royals, who still have not homered in their last seven games, continued to produce runs with small ball, just as they did in a rain-delayed 6-4 victory Saturday night. They strung together a walk and three hits to score three times in the fourth; had four hits along with a walk and a sacrifice to score three more in the fifth; and took advantage of an error leading off the sixth with a walk and two more hits to produce two more runs and take a 9-1 lead.

“Getting the ball in play consistently is the difference-maker,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said.

The only offense the Dodgers mustered came in the fourth inning, when J.D. Martinez drew a leadoff walk and advanced on a single by David Peralta. Miguel Vargas followed with a sacrifice fly to deep center field.

Otherwise, the 26-year-old Singer shut down one of baseball's hottest lineups to win for the first time since June 4. He'd taken the loss in three of his last four starts, though he did pitch six innings of four-hit ball without a result his last time out.

After Daniel Lynch's win Saturday night, the Royals have back-to-back wins by starters for the first time in 93 games.

“That was huge. The bullpen was a little taxed,” Singer said. “To get out there and give them seven was huge.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dodgers-kershaw-mlb-baseball-46b2163ea0424d2ca70edabe3f5cf9d5">The next step for Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw</a>, who had shoulder soreness after his last start against Colorado, remained unclear after a throwing session Sunday. He could make his next start against Pittsburgh on Monday, push it back a few days or even go on the injured list. Part of the consideration is the upcoming All-Star break, which could minimize the number of games that the three-time Cy Young winner would potentially miss.

"I just don’t want to say right now,” Roberts said before the game. “He hasn’t thrown a bullpen, he didn’t spin the baseball, but there was progress. He felt better. So that was encouraging.”

Dodgers: LHP Julio Urías came out of Saturday's game healthy. It was his first start since straining a hamstring May 18.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dodgers-royals-mlb-baseball-0b1d61d82a17200d58b3dbd0f678c30e">He was battered for five runs</a>&nbsp;in the first inning but made it through three before he was lifted for a reliever.

Royals: 1B/OF Matt Beaty (concussion) was cleared to resume baseball activities, Quatraro said, and will head to Arizona to begin his rehab. Beaty was hurt in a collision with Samad Taylor on June 21 in Detroit.

Given the uncertainty surrounding Kershaw, the Dodgers have not announced a starter for the opener of their series Monday night against Pittsburgh. The Royals also have not announced a starter for their series opener Monday night in Minnesota.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683193842018.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Nicky Lopez remembers the halcyon days of the Kansas City Royals in 2014 and 2015, when the small-market club won back-to-back American League pennants and its first World Series title in three decades.More importantly, Lopez remembers how they did it: good starting pitching, timely hitting and a dominant bullpen.It's precisely the formula they used to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.Brady Singer threw seven effective innings, Lopez matched a career high with four RBIs, Maikel Garcia and Bobby Witt Jr. drove in two runs apiece and the Royals beat the Dodgers 9-1 to claim their first series victory since May 17.“You know, a lot of the times in 2014 and 2015, they won a lot of ballgames 3-1, but they put it all together — timely hitting and a bullpen shut it down, and good starting pitching,” Lopez said. “I just think that's been the identity of the Royals for a while, and sometimes we lose sight of that, but I feel like that has to be it.”Singer (5-7) played a big part in it from the mound, allowing one run on three hits and four walks over seven innings.“Hopefully, you know, this gives us a lot of confidence,” Singer said. “We have a lot of confidence.”The Royals took the lead off Tony Gonsolin (4-3) in the second on a single by Garcia, who also had a career-best four hits, and then knocked the right-hander from the game in the fourth, when they scored three more to pull away.Gonsolin allowed four runs on six hits in 3 2/3 innings, and has now allowed 15 runs over his last 14 1/3 innings.“We just didn't play well and they played better, quite frankly,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Those guys just outplayed us. It's a different brand of baseball as far as putting the ball in play, hitting behind runners, stealing bases. They were excellent in situational hitting. To be quite honest, we didn't keep up. That's how they won the series.”The Royals, who still have not homered in their last seven games, continued to produce runs with small ball, just as they did in a rain-delayed 6-4 victory Saturday night. They strung together a walk and three hits to score three times in the fourth; had four hits along with a walk and a sacrifice to score three more in the fifth; and took advantage of an error leading off the sixth with a walk and two more hits to produce two more runs and take a 9-1 lead.“Getting the ball in play consistently is the difference-maker,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said.The only offense the Dodgers mustered came in the fourth inning, when J.D. Martinez drew a leadoff walk and advanced on a single by David Peralta. Miguel Vargas followed with a sacrifice fly to deep center field.Otherwise, the 26-year-old Singer shut down one of baseball's hottest lineups to win for the first time since June 4. He'd taken the loss in three of his last four starts, though he did pitch six innings of four-hit ball without a result his last time out.After Daniel Lynch's win Saturday night, the Royals have back-to-back wins by starters for the first time in 93 games.“That was huge. The bullpen was a little taxed,” Singer said. “To get out there and give them seven was huge.”KERSHAW'S SHOULDER<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dodgers-kershaw-mlb-baseball-46b2163ea0424d2ca70edabe3f5cf9d5">The next step for Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw</a>, who had shoulder soreness after his last start against Colorado, remained unclear after a throwing session Sunday. He could make his next start against Pittsburgh on Monday, push it back a few days or even go on the injured list. Part of the consideration is the upcoming All-Star break, which could minimize the number of games that the three-time Cy Young winner would potentially miss."I just don’t want to say right now,” Roberts said before the game. “He hasn’t thrown a bullpen, he didn’t spin the baseball, but there was progress. He felt better. So that was encouraging.”TRAINER'S ROOMDodgers: LHP Julio Urías came out of Saturday's game healthy. It was his first start since straining a hamstring May 18.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dodgers-royals-mlb-baseball-0b1d61d82a17200d58b3dbd0f678c30e">He was battered for five runs</a>&nbsp;in the first inning but made it through three before he was lifted for a reliever.Royals: 1B/OF Matt Beaty (concussion) was cleared to resume baseball activities, Quatraro said, and will head to Arizona to begin his rehab. Beaty was hurt in a collision with Samad Taylor on June 21 in Detroit.UP NEXTGiven the uncertainty surrounding Kershaw, the Dodgers have not announced a starter for the opener of their series Monday night against Pittsburgh. The Royals also have not announced a starter for their series opener Monday night in Minnesota.

⚾ Brady Singer dazzles as Royals blow out Dodgers

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals scored five times off the Dodgers' Julio Urías in the first inning before holding on for 6-4 victory. Urías had just returned from an injured hamstring and was making his first appearance since May 18. It was just the second win for Kansas City in its last 10 meetings with Los Angeles. The Dodgers had a chance to take the lead with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth, but Yonny Hernandez struck out and Freddie Freeman grounded out. Daniel Lynch earned the win for Kansas City, even though he allowed three runs and needed 108 pitches to get through five innings.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Harrison Bader had a first-inning sacrifice fly in his return to St. Louis, rookie Anthony Volpe hit a go-ahead triple as part of his fifth straight multihit game and the New York Yankees beat the Cardinals 6-2 for a doubleheader split. St. Louis won the rain-interrupted opener 11-4 as Paul Goldschmidt hit a go-ahead, three-run homer off Luis Severino in a five-run third and Jack Flaherty pitched six shutout innings. Goldschmidt had four RBIs and Nolan Gorman also homered for the Cardinals, who reached double-digit runs for the first time since May 21.

DENVER (AP) — Zach McKinstry hit a tiebreaking, three-run homer in the 10th inning, lifting the Detroit Tigers past the Colorado Rockies 4-2 Saturday night. With Jonathan Schoop at second as the automatic runner, Eric Haase singled off Pierce Johnson (1-4) to put runners at the corners. McKinstry followed his sixth homer, a 400-foot drive over the right-center fence and into the Rockies bullpen. Kris Bryant hit a two-out RBI single in the bottom half off Alex Lange (5-2), who struck out Ryan McMahon to seal Detroit’s 21st come-from-behind win this year and deal the Rockies their first loss in three extra-inning games this season.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani’s walkup music most of last season was the theme to “The Greatest Showman.” After the Los Angeles Angels star’s June, he should consider returning to it. Ohtani hit 15 home runs, the most in a month in Angels history. He is also the first player in 10 years to reach 30 on the season before July 1. The power numbers, though, are only part of the story of a dominant month. His .394 average, 41 hits, and 29 RBIs are his best in any month.

UNDATED (AP) — Damian Lillard has asked the Portland Trail Blazers for a trade. Two people familiar with the matter say the request will end the seven-time All-Star’s tenure with that team. The people say Lillard is generating interest from the Miami Heat and Brooklyn Nets, among others. The Trail Blazers later confirmed that Lillard made the request but provided no details. He is coming off a season in which he averaged 32.2 points. Lillard is a seven-time All-NBA selection and was selected to the NBA’s 75th anniversary team. But he has never been close to a title in his 11 seasons in the league.

UNDATED (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers kept two of their best guards. And the Milwaukee Bucks kept their big man as the early trend in NBA free agency of most players staying put continued. Austin Reaves agreed to a four-year deal that could be worth $56 million, and D’Angelo Russell returned to the Lakers as well on a $37 million, two-year deal, according to people with knowledge of those transactions. Milwaukee found a way to keep Brook Lopez while Max Strus found a new home. Strus is headed from Miami to Cleveland, agreeing to a $63 million, four-year deal that was finalized Saturday by making the transaction part of a three-team trade.

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks are trading Obi Toppin to the Indiana Pacers, dealing away a former lottery pick who was loved by fans but never as much by coach Tom Thibodeau. The Knicks will get back two second-round picks, according to a person with knowledge of the details. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade is not yet official. Toppin was the No. 8 pick in the 2020 draft after winning national player of the year honors at Dayton. But playing behind All-Star Julius Randle, Toppin made only 15 starts in his three seasons in New York.

STEVENS POINT, Wis. (AP) — Bernhard Langer took a two-stroke lead Saturday in the U.S. Senior Open at difficult SentryWorld in the 65-year-old German star’s bid to break the PGA Tour Champions’ career victory record. Fan favorites Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly —both from Madison, 100 miles to the south — were right behind, with Retief Goosen and Y.E. Yang the only other players under par. Langer shot his second straight 3-under 68 to reach 6 under. The 2010 U.S. Senior Open winner at Sahalee outside Seattle, Langer won the Chubb Classic in Florida in February to tie Hale Irwin for the Champions’ career victory record of 45. Kelly and Stricker, paired together Saturday, each shot 68, with Kelly second at 4 under and Sticker third at 3 under.

DETROIT (AP) — Rickie Fowler birdied six of his last eight holes Saturday to surge into the Rocket Mortgage Classic lead at 20 under, giving him another chance to end a four-year PGA Tour victory drought. Fowler had an 8-under 64 to take a one-stroke lead over Adam Hdwin at Detroit Golf Club. Two weeks ago in Los Angeles in the U.S. Open, Fowler squandered a chance with a closing 75 in a fifth-place tie. Hadwin had a 63 to tie the tournament record. Fellow Canadian Taylor Pendrith was third at 18 under after a 67. Pendrith bogeyed two of his last four holes. Play was suspended for 1 hour, 42 minutes because of lightning in the area.

PARK HILLS, Mo. (AP) — Former New Mexico State basketball coach Greg Heiar has been hired to coach Mineral Area College, a junior college in Missouri, four months after he was fired in the wake of the Aggies’ hazing scandal. Heiar was dismissed from New Mexico State in February following hazing allegations within the team that shut down the program for the season. New Mexico State agreed to pay $8 million to settle a lawsuit involving two basketball players who said they were sexually assaulted by teammates, according to state records released Wednesday. Mineral Area College cited Heiar’s 20-plus years of college coaching experience and his National Junior College Athletic Association Division I national championship and coach of the year award in 2022 while at Northwest Florida State.

CHICAGO (AP) — The NASCAR Cup Series hits the streets of downtown Chicago on Sunday at the end of a big weekend for the sport that includes concerts and other entertainment. The 12-turn, 2.2-mile course includes seven 90-degree turns. There are lots of ways to get into trouble, including manhole covers, and transitions from concrete to asphalt and back. As the drivers tested out the course in practice and qualifying, the noise from the stock-car engines rumbled past the skyscrapers around Grant Park. Smiling passersby on Michigan Avenue stopped and used their phones to record some of the action through a fence.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Two years after winning five gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics, Caeleb Dressel has failed to qualify for the swimming world championships. Dressel’s final attempt to make the U.S. team ended at the national championships when he tied for 22nd in the preliminaries for the 50-meter freestyle. Dressel clocked a time of 22.72 seconds in the frantic sprint from one end of the pool to the other, leaving him 1.07 behind top qualifier Ryan Held. He didn't qualify for worlds in any of his four events, showing just how far he has to go after a long break from swimming.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683366121627.jpeg" alt="Sports Headlines for Sunday Morning, July 2nd, 2023" />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines for Sunday Morning, July 2nd, 2023</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals scored five times off the Dodgers' Julio Urías in the first inning before holding on for 6-4 victory. Urías had just returned from an injured hamstring and was making his first appearance since May 18. It was just the second win for Kansas City in its last 10 meetings with Los Angeles. The Dodgers had a chance to take the lead with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth, but Yonny Hernandez struck out and Freddie Freeman grounded out. Daniel Lynch earned the win for Kansas City, even though he allowed three runs and needed 108 pitches to get through five innings.ST. LOUIS (AP) — Harrison Bader had a first-inning sacrifice fly in his return to St. Louis, rookie Anthony Volpe hit a go-ahead triple as part of his fifth straight multihit game and the New York Yankees beat the Cardinals 6-2 for a doubleheader split. St. Louis won the rain-interrupted opener 11-4 as Paul Goldschmidt hit a go-ahead, three-run homer off Luis Severino in a five-run third and Jack Flaherty pitched six shutout innings. Goldschmidt had four RBIs and Nolan Gorman also homered for the Cardinals, who reached double-digit runs for the first time since May 21.DENVER (AP) — Zach McKinstry hit a tiebreaking, three-run homer in the 10th inning, lifting the Detroit Tigers past the Colorado Rockies 4-2 Saturday night. With Jonathan Schoop at second as the automatic runner, Eric Haase singled off Pierce Johnson (1-4) to put runners at the corners. McKinstry followed his sixth homer, a 400-foot drive over the right-center fence and into the Rockies bullpen. Kris Bryant hit a two-out RBI single in the bottom half off Alex Lange (5-2), who struck out Ryan McMahon to seal Detroit’s 21st come-from-behind win this year and deal the Rockies their first loss in three extra-inning games this season.ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani’s walkup music most of last season was the theme to “The Greatest Showman.” After the Los Angeles Angels star’s June, he should consider returning to it. Ohtani hit 15 home runs, the most in a month in Angels history. He is also the first player in 10 years to reach 30 on the season before July 1. The power numbers, though, are only part of the story of a dominant month. His .394 average, 41 hits, and 29 RBIs are his best in any month.UNDATED (AP) — Damian Lillard has asked the Portland Trail Blazers for a trade. Two people familiar with the matter say the request will end the seven-time All-Star’s tenure with that team. The people say Lillard is generating interest from the Miami Heat and Brooklyn Nets, among others. The Trail Blazers later confirmed that Lillard made the request but provided no details. He is coming off a season in which he averaged 32.2 points. Lillard is a seven-time All-NBA selection and was selected to the NBA’s 75th anniversary team. But he has never been close to a title in his 11 seasons in the league.UNDATED (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers kept two of their best guards. And the Milwaukee Bucks kept their big man as the early trend in NBA free agency of most players staying put continued. Austin Reaves agreed to a four-year deal that could be worth $56 million, and D’Angelo Russell returned to the Lakers as well on a $37 million, two-year deal, according to people with knowledge of those transactions. Milwaukee found a way to keep Brook Lopez while Max Strus found a new home. Strus is headed from Miami to Cleveland, agreeing to a $63 million, four-year deal that was finalized Saturday by making the transaction part of a three-team trade.NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks are trading Obi Toppin to the Indiana Pacers, dealing away a former lottery pick who was loved by fans but never as much by coach Tom Thibodeau. The Knicks will get back two second-round picks, according to a person with knowledge of the details. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade is not yet official. Toppin was the No. 8 pick in the 2020 draft after winning national player of the year honors at Dayton. But playing behind All-Star Julius Randle, Toppin made only 15 starts in his three seasons in New York.STEVENS POINT, Wis. (AP) — Bernhard Langer took a two-stroke lead Saturday in the U.S. Senior Open at difficult SentryWorld in the 65-year-old German star’s bid to break the PGA Tour Champions’ career victory record. Fan favorites Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly —both from Madison, 100 miles to the south — were right behind, with Retief Goosen and Y.E. Yang the only other players under par. Langer shot his second straight 3-under 68 to reach 6 under. The 2010 U.S. Senior Open winner at Sahalee outside Seattle, Langer won the Chubb Classic in Florida in February to tie Hale Irwin for the Champions’ career victory record of 45. Kelly and Stricker, paired together Saturday, each shot 68, with Kelly second at 4 under and Sticker third at 3 under.DETROIT (AP) — Rickie Fowler birdied six of his last eight holes Saturday to surge into the Rocket Mortgage Classic lead at 20 under, giving him another chance to end a four-year PGA Tour victory drought. Fowler had an 8-under 64 to take a one-stroke lead over Adam Hdwin at Detroit Golf Club. Two weeks ago in Los Angeles in the U.S. Open, Fowler squandered a chance with a closing 75 in a fifth-place tie. Hadwin had a 63 to tie the tournament record. Fellow Canadian Taylor Pendrith was third at 18 under after a 67. Pendrith bogeyed two of his last four holes. Play was suspended for 1 hour, 42 minutes because of lightning in the area.PARK HILLS, Mo. (AP) — Former New Mexico State basketball coach Greg Heiar has been hired to coach Mineral Area College, a junior college in Missouri, four months after he was fired in the wake of the Aggies’ hazing scandal. Heiar was dismissed from New Mexico State in February following hazing allegations within the team that shut down the program for the season. New Mexico State agreed to pay $8 million to settle a lawsuit involving two basketball players who said they were sexually assaulted by teammates, according to state records released Wednesday. Mineral Area College cited Heiar’s 20-plus years of college coaching experience and his National Junior College Athletic Association Division I national championship and coach of the year award in 2022 while at Northwest Florida State.CHICAGO (AP) — The NASCAR Cup Series hits the streets of downtown Chicago on Sunday at the end of a big weekend for the sport that includes concerts and other entertainment. The 12-turn, 2.2-mile course includes seven 90-degree turns. There are lots of ways to get into trouble, including manhole covers, and transitions from concrete to asphalt and back. As the drivers tested out the course in practice and qualifying, the noise from the stock-car engines rumbled past the skyscrapers around Grant Park. Smiling passersby on Michigan Avenue stopped and used their phones to record some of the action through a fence.INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Two years after winning five gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics, Caeleb Dressel has failed to qualify for the swimming world championships. Dressel’s final attempt to make the U.S. team ended at the national championships when he tied for 22nd in the preliminaries for the 50-meter freestyle. Dressel clocked a time of 22.72 seconds in the frantic sprint from one end of the pool to the other, leaving him 1.07 behind top qualifier Ryan Held. He didn't qualify for worlds in any of his four events, showing just how far he has to go after a long break from swimming.SATURDAY SCORESINTERLEAGUEFinal St. Louis 11 N.Y. Yankees 4Final Kansas City 6 L.A. Dodgers 4Final Cleveland 6 Chicago Cubs 0Final N.Y. Yankees 6 St. Louis 2Final Detroit 4 Colorado 2Final Arizona 3 L.A. Angels 1AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal Boston 7 Toronto 6Final Minnesota 1 Baltimore 0Final Texas 5 Houston 2Final Oakland 7 Chicago White Sox 6Final Seattle 8 Tampa Bay 3NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal San Diego 12 Cincinnati 5Final N.Y. Mets 4 San Francisco 1Final Atlanta 7 Miami 0Final Philadelphia 19 Washington 4Final Milwaukee 11 Pittsburgh 8 .

📢📰 Sports Headlines for Sunday

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals rudely welcomed Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías back from the injured list on Saturday night.

The AL Central bottom-dwellers had four hits off last year's National League ERA leader in the first inning, and only one was a hard-hit ball. The Royals worked a 12-pitch walk, got a base when Matt Duffy was hit in the foot by a pitch, and managed a pair of sacrifice flies to get five runs across before Los Angeles even got to bat.

The Royals held on from there for a rain-delayed 6-4 victory, just their second in their last 10 games against the Dodgers.

“I was thinking, ‘I hope that doesn’t happen to me,'" Royals starter Daniel Lynch said of the parade of weakly hit singles that staked Kansas City to a 5-0 lead. “They're bloopers but they're still good at-bats. Hits are hits.”

Lynch (2-3) nearly gave all his support back when he allowed three runs in the second. But the left-hander settled down, eventually throwing 108 pitches to get through five innings. He allowed five hits and three walks with four strikeouts.

The Dodgers left the bases loaded in the eighth when Yonny Hernandez struck out and Freddie Freeman grounded out, and Scott Barlow got the final four outs for his 10th save while capping four innings of one-run ball by the Kansas City bullpen.

“The biggest thing was just staying relaxed,” Barlow said. “Do as much as you can to make quality pitches.”

Drew Waters and Salvador Perez drove in runs, and Edward Oliveras and Samad Taylor had sacrifice flies, as Urías (5-5) scuffled through his first game since hurting his hamstring on May 18. He lasted three innings and allowed six hits and two walks.

Urías struggled with both command and misfortune after a nearly 90 minute rain delay to start the game.

Maikel Garcia started the trouble for last year's NL ERA leader with a double and Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez added bloopers to give Kansas City the lead. Nick Pratto followed by working a 12-pitch walk, and Oliveras hit a sacrifice fly that was caught by a backpedaling second baseman who couldn't get enough on the throw home.

The big inning continued when Duffy was hit by a pitch and Taylor added his sacrifice fly. That scored the slow-footed Perez, who contorted his body around catcher Will Smith's tag, and the Dodgers were so stunned by his slide that they allowed the remaining runners to advance. Waters followed with another blooper to make it 5-0.

“It was a frustrating inning. I think initially, Julio came out good but got victimized by a lot of soft contact,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Give him a lot of credit. He got up to 66 pitches and threw up a couple of zeros.”

The Dodgers similarly manufactured three runs off Lynch in the second but left a runner on base, then left runners on the corners in the third and another on base in the fifth as their comeback began to fizzle.

Their last chance came in the eighth, when pinch hitter Max Muncy got a single to first past Pratto, who later froze in indecision on James Outman's grounder and allowed a run to score. Royals reliever Taylor Clarke came back to retire Hernandez, and Barlow walked Mookie Betts to load the bases before getting Freeman to ground out and end the inning.

“Scotty is one of our best relievers,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “That's why I brought him in there.”

Three-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw walked off the field drenched in sweat after playing catch three hours before first pitch, and Roberts later said his session was “just OK.” Kershaw felt&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kershaw-dodgers-shoulder-ccc81c95c488883d66fc1dfa6f122b2b">tenderness in his shoulder after a strong start Tuesday</a>. He was given a shot to relieve inflammation Wednesday and is scheduled to face Pittsburgh on Monday.

Dodgers: LHP Justin Bruihl was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City to make space for Urías on the roster.

Royals: RHP Collin Snider was recalled from Triple-A Omaha and Brooks Kriske was optioned to the same club. The Royals needed some depth out of the bullpen and Quatraro said that Snider is capable of going multiple innings.

Dodgers: IF/OF Chris Taylor (right knee) will not return before the All-Star break, Roberts said. Taylor left a game against the Giants on June 16 with soreness before a pair of pinch-hitting appearances, the last of them coming on June 21.

Royals: RHP Jordan Lyles (illness) returned to the ballpark Saturday and the club is waiting to see how he feels before deciding whether he makes his next start. Lyles is scheduled to face the Twins on Wednesday.

Dodgers RHP Tony Gonsolin (4-2, 3.30 ERA) will start their final road game before the All-Star break on Sunday. RHP Brady Singer (4-7, 5.88) will start for the Royals, who then head on the road for seven games leading into the break.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688297234631.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez, left, beats a tag by Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith, right, to score off a Samad Taylor sacrifice fly during the first inning of a baseball game in Kansas City, Mo., Saturday, July 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez, left, beats a tag by Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith, right, to score off a Samad Taylor sacrifice fly during the first inning of a baseball game in Kansas City, Mo., Saturday, July 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals rudely welcomed Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías back from the injured list on Saturday night.The AL Central bottom-dwellers had four hits off last year's National League ERA leader in the first inning, and only one was a hard-hit ball. The Royals worked a 12-pitch walk, got a base when Matt Duffy was hit in the foot by a pitch, and managed a pair of sacrifice flies to get five runs across before Los Angeles even got to bat.The Royals held on from there for a rain-delayed 6-4 victory, just their second in their last 10 games against the Dodgers.“I was thinking, ‘I hope that doesn’t happen to me,'" Royals starter Daniel Lynch said of the parade of weakly hit singles that staked Kansas City to a 5-0 lead. “They're bloopers but they're still good at-bats. Hits are hits.”Lynch (2-3) nearly gave all his support back when he allowed three runs in the second. But the left-hander settled down, eventually throwing 108 pitches to get through five innings. He allowed five hits and three walks with four strikeouts.The Dodgers left the bases loaded in the eighth when Yonny Hernandez struck out and Freddie Freeman grounded out, and Scott Barlow got the final four outs for his 10th save while capping four innings of one-run ball by the Kansas City bullpen.“The biggest thing was just staying relaxed,” Barlow said. “Do as much as you can to make quality pitches.”Drew Waters and Salvador Perez drove in runs, and Edward Oliveras and Samad Taylor had sacrifice flies, as Urías (5-5) scuffled through his first game since hurting his hamstring on May 18. He lasted three innings and allowed six hits and two walks.Urías struggled with both command and misfortune after a nearly 90 minute rain delay to start the game.Maikel Garcia started the trouble for last year's NL ERA leader with a double and Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez added bloopers to give Kansas City the lead. Nick Pratto followed by working a 12-pitch walk, and Oliveras hit a sacrifice fly that was caught by a backpedaling second baseman who couldn't get enough on the throw home.The big inning continued when Duffy was hit by a pitch and Taylor added his sacrifice fly. That scored the slow-footed Perez, who contorted his body around catcher Will Smith's tag, and the Dodgers were so stunned by his slide that they allowed the remaining runners to advance. Waters followed with another blooper to make it 5-0.“It was a frustrating inning. I think initially, Julio came out good but got victimized by a lot of soft contact,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Give him a lot of credit. He got up to 66 pitches and threw up a couple of zeros.”The Dodgers similarly manufactured three runs off Lynch in the second but left a runner on base, then left runners on the corners in the third and another on base in the fifth as their comeback began to fizzle.Their last chance came in the eighth, when pinch hitter Max Muncy got a single to first past Pratto, who later froze in indecision on James Outman's grounder and allowed a run to score. Royals reliever Taylor Clarke came back to retire Hernandez, and Barlow walked Mookie Betts to load the bases before getting Freeman to ground out and end the inning.“Scotty is one of our best relievers,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “That's why I brought him in there.”KERSHAW'S SHOULDERThree-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw walked off the field drenched in sweat after playing catch three hours before first pitch, and Roberts later said his session was “just OK.” Kershaw felt&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kershaw-dodgers-shoulder-ccc81c95c488883d66fc1dfa6f122b2b">tenderness in his shoulder after a strong start Tuesday</a>. He was given a shot to relieve inflammation Wednesday and is scheduled to face Pittsburgh on Monday.TRANSACTIONSDodgers: LHP Justin Bruihl was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City to make space for Urías on the roster.Royals: RHP Collin Snider was recalled from Triple-A Omaha and Brooks Kriske was optioned to the same club. The Royals needed some depth out of the bullpen and Quatraro said that Snider is capable of going multiple innings.TRAINER'S ROOMDodgers: IF/OF Chris Taylor (right knee) will not return before the All-Star break, Roberts said. Taylor left a game against the Giants on June 16 with soreness before a pair of pinch-hitting appearances, the last of them coming on June 21.Royals: RHP Jordan Lyles (illness) returned to the ballpark Saturday and the club is waiting to see how he feels before deciding whether he makes his next start. Lyles is scheduled to face the Twins on Wednesday.UP NEXTDodgers RHP Tony Gonsolin (4-2, 3.30 ERA) will start their final road game before the All-Star break on Sunday. RHP Brady Singer (4-7, 5.88) will start for the Royals, who then head on the road for seven games leading into the break.

Royals score 5 in first inning off Dodgers' Julio Urías before holding on

WICHITA, KS - The Wind Surge put on a team effort where eight out of nine Surge batters recorded at least one hit in the game. They defeated the Northwest Arkansas Naturals 6-4 and now lead the series four games to none.

Wichita got off to a swift start in the bottom of the first when Yunior Severino hit a solo home run over the right field wall.

The Naturals bounced right back in the next half inning when Jake Means hit a sacrifice fly that scored a run and then Dillan Shrum hit a solo home run over center field.

Jorge Bonifacio added another run for the Naturals in the top of the fourth. He hit a solo home run on a line drive to left field to tie Yunior Severino for second in the league with 16 home runs.

The fourth inning proved to be productive for both teams. Wichita took the lead back after Seth Gray got walked when the bases were loaded and Brooks Lee hit a two-out two RBI single.

Aaron Sabato hit his second home run of the series in the bottom of the fifth. His two out two run shot was cranked over the right field wall and extended the lead for the Wind Surge.

NW Arkansas looked like they had a little gas left in the tank in the top of the eighth. Tyler Tolbert hit an RBI single but solid pitching by the Wind Surge limited the Naturals to just one run in the inning.

Jose Bravo earned the win in only his second start of the season. He pitched five innings, gave up three runs on four hits, walked no one and struck out three batters.

Starting pitcher for the Naturals Drew Parrish pitched three and two thirds innings, gave up four runs on four hits, walked four batters and struck out seven batters. He was credited with the loss.

The Wichita Wind Surge improve to (4-0),(32-40) and the NW Arkansas Naturals fall to (0-4),(29-44).

NOTES: The Wind Surge have a four game winning streak, longest home winning streak of the season. They hold first place in their division for the second half of the season.&nbsp;

UPCOMING: The Wind Surge continue their home series against the Naturals. Game five will be played at 1:05 PM on a Sunday Family Funday at Riverfront. RH Travis Adams for Wichita will face RH Andrew Hoffman for NW Arkansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683285306006.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of Wichita Wind SurgeWICHITA, KS - The Wind Surge put on a team effort where eight out of nine Surge batters recorded at least one hit in the game. They defeated the Northwest Arkansas Naturals 6-4 and now lead the series four games to none.Wichita got off to a swift start in the bottom of the first when Yunior Severino hit a solo home run over the right field wall.The Naturals bounced right back in the next half inning when Jake Means hit a sacrifice fly that scored a run and then Dillan Shrum hit a solo home run over center field.Jorge Bonifacio added another run for the Naturals in the top of the fourth. He hit a solo home run on a line drive to left field to tie Yunior Severino for second in the league with 16 home runs.The fourth inning proved to be productive for both teams. Wichita took the lead back after Seth Gray got walked when the bases were loaded and Brooks Lee hit a two-out two RBI single.Aaron Sabato hit his second home run of the series in the bottom of the fifth. His two out two run shot was cranked over the right field wall and extended the lead for the Wind Surge.NW Arkansas looked like they had a little gas left in the tank in the top of the eighth. Tyler Tolbert hit an RBI single but solid pitching by the Wind Surge limited the Naturals to just one run in the inning.Jose Bravo earned the win in only his second start of the season. He pitched five innings, gave up three runs on four hits, walked no one and struck out three batters.Starting pitcher for the Naturals Drew Parrish pitched three and two thirds innings, gave up four runs on four hits, walked four batters and struck out seven batters. He was credited with the loss.The Wichita Wind Surge improve to (4-0),(32-40) and the NW Arkansas Naturals fall to (0-4),(29-44).NOTES: The Wind Surge have a four game winning streak, longest home winning streak of the season. They hold first place in their division for the second half of the season.&nbsp;BROADCAST: ESPN 92.3 FM, Milb First Pitch App,&nbsp;<a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fWindsurge.com&amp;c=E,1,dexWbEMmO2SNZFacaCKfVJIV48UFXNwoAwE4zyM2KXaD_HSgx84zoOHAglON-gUjtBR3aBrV7b7fNPJsxVGXCgYR5cYPta1xJgIbXkHri2NTnYdJ6WV7jsuz044,&amp;typo=1&amp;ancr_add=1">Windsurge.com</a>, MiLB.tv and Ballys Live app.UPCOMING: The Wind Surge continue their home series against the Naturals. Game five will be played at 1:05 PM on a Sunday Family Funday at Riverfront. RH Travis Adams for Wichita will face RH Andrew Hoffman for NW Arkansas.

⚾️ Surge win fourth straight

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Mookie Betts homered twice and went 4 for 4 with two walks and four RBIs as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Kansas City Royals 9-3. Jason Heyward added three hits and two RBIs for Los Angeles, which has won eight of its last nine interleague games against Kansas City. Bobby Miller pitched into the sixth inning to earn the win. Alec Marsh allowed both of Betts' homers along with five runs on six hits in four innings to take the loss in his big league debut.

VanVleet to Houston; many big names stay put as NBA free agency opens

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681297613631.jpeg" alt="Sports Headlines for Saturday Morning, July 1st, 2023" />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines for Saturday Morning, July 1st, 2023</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Mookie Betts homered twice and went 4 for 4 with two walks and four RBIs as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Kansas City Royals 9-3. Jason Heyward added three hits and two RBIs for Los Angeles, which has won eight of its last nine interleague games against Kansas City. Bobby Miller pitched into the sixth inning to earn the win. Alec Marsh allowed both of Betts' homers along with five runs on six hits in four innings to take the loss in his big league debut.VanVleet to Houston; many big names stay put as NBA free agency opensBy TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball WriterFred VanVleet is leaving the Toronto Raptors for Houston. But Kyrie Irving is staying in Dallas. Same goes for Jerami Grant in Portland and Cam Johnson in Brooklyn. Kyle Kuzma basically doubled his salary in Washington, and Draymond Green ensured that Golden State's championship core stays together. Free agency in the NBA got off to its traditional fast start on Friday night. VanVleet got $130 million from the Rockets for three years. Irving got $126 million over the next three years. Kuzma agreed to a $102 million, four-year deal with the Wizards and Green got a new contract that'll pay him $100 million over four seasons with the Warriors.Fred VanVleet bet on himself, and the Houston Rockets are the beneficiaries.On an opening night of free agency where most big names — Kyrie Irving, Draymond Green, Khris Middleton, Kyle Kuzma and more — stayed put, VanVleet is headed to a new home. He agreed to a three-year deal Friday with the Rockets that'll pay him about $130 million, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press.ESPN first reported the agreement between VanVleet and the Rockets.VanVleet — who famously uses the phrase "bet on yourself" to describe his career trajectory from undrafted player to NBA champion with the Toronto Raptors — will make about $525,000 per game over the next three seasons.That nearly matches what he made as a rookie in Toronto, total — about $550,000."Love seeing guys getting paid," Boston star Jayson Tatum tweeted.Irving and Luka Doncic are going to try again together in Dallas. Green is going to chase more championships with Stephen Curry in Golden State, just like Middleton is alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee.And Jerami Grant is staying put in Portland, for serious money. All those decisions came quickly Friday night as free agency in the NBA got off to its traditional fast and free-spending start — with roughly $1.5 billion in deals getting struck in about the first three hours alone.The biggest deals, in terms of total value, had to wait until after midnight EDT — when the calendar flipped to July 1 for the start of a new league year.ESPN first reported that Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton and Memphis' Desmond Bane both agreed to max extensions that will begin in the 2024-25 season; exact figures won't be known until next season's salary cap is released, but based on projections, they'll be worth at least $207 million for five years.Haliburton's deal, ESPN said, could be worth $260 million if it goes to a supermax based on his making an All-NBA team. Haliburton was an All-Star this past season for the Pacers, and Bane had a breakout year — averaging 21.5 points for the Grizzlies.Irving agreed to a three-year, $126 million deal to remain with the Mavericks, who acquired him in a splashy move in February but sputtered down the stretch and missed the playoffs. A person with knowledge of the negotiations confirmed the agreement to The Associated Press, the deal taking quite possibly the biggest name in free agency off the board.The Mavs had made clear that keeping Irving was their top priority — and got it done in the first hour of the NBA's free agency window that opened at 6 p.m. EDT."DA11AS," Irving tweeted, using his traditional jersey number in there.Grant is getting $160 million over the next five years, part of a plan that Portland hopes keeps Damian Lillard happy enough to not ask for a trade. Grant is staying put, as is Kuzma in Washington and Cam Johnson in Brooklyn.Kuzma essentially doubled his annual salary, agreeing to a $102 million, four-year deal with the Wizards. Green got a new contract that'll pay him $100 million over four seasons with the Warriors. Both of those deals — first reported by ESPN and subsequently confirmed to AP by people with knowledge of the negotiations — got done very quickly once the offseason player movement window opened.Kuzma had opted out of a contract that would have paid him $13 million in Washington this coming season; he'll now average $25.5 million over the next four years after scoring 21.2 points per game this past season.Green staying put keeps him alongside Curry and Klay Thompson with the Warriors, where they have won four titles over the last decade. He opted out of a $27.6 million contract for this coming season, and now is under contract for more years.Middleton also traded bigger salary in the short term for more years. He could have made $40 million this coming season; instead, he agreed to $102 million over three years to stay with Antetokounmpo and a Bucks team that's only two years removed from an NBA championship.Johnson — who flourished and averaged 16.6 points in 25 games with Brooklyn after getting traded there this past season — is getting a four-year, $108 million deal from the Nets, agent Steve Heumann of CAA confirmed to AP.Toronto kept sought-after center Jakob Poeltl (4 years, $80 million) and New Orleans also saw one of its key players stay put; defensive standout Herb Jones agreed to a four-year, $54 million contract.The reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets lost a free agent they wanted to keep, with Bruce Brown agreeing to sign with Indiana, a person with knowledge told AP, on a two-year deal that could be worth $45 million. There is an option affecting the second year.There was simply nothing the Nuggets could do to compete with that offer — they could only offer Brown $7.8 million for this season. Brown will average nearly three times that much over the next two years.The team that Denver beat for that title, the Miami Heat, also lost a key player from their club. Gabe Vincent agreed to a three-year, $33 million deal to join LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers — who went to the Western Conference finals before falling to the Nuggets. The Lakers also kept Rui Hachimura on a three-year deal worth about $50 million.The Eastern Conference champion Heat are retaining Kevin Love — who quickly became a locker room leader after arriving in Miami — and brought back former Miami guard Josh Richardson. Love is getting $3.7 million this season; both he and Richardson have an option for 2024-25 as well.Meanwhile, Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero has a new veteran with him in Orlando; Joe Ingles agreed to a two-year, $22 million deal to join the Magic. And Tre Jones will sign a two-year, $20 million deal with the San Antonio Spurs to play alongside No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama, agent Kevin Bradbury said.And once VanVleet picked Houston, the Raptors moved quickly to fill their point guard opening and agreed with Dennis Schroder on a two-year, $26 million deal, according to his representation at Priority Sports. Another point guard was on the move not long afterward; 2011 NBA MVP Derrick Rose agreed to a deal with Memphis — the city where he played his one season of college basketball — in a deal first reported by SNY.CAP NUMBERSShortly before the 6 p.m. window opened, the NBA confirmed the financial particulars for the coming season.The salary cap that goes into effect Saturday will be $136.021 million — the highest in league history, as expected. The tax level is $165.294 million.All teams will have to commit at least $122.418 million in salaries for the coming year. The first apron level is $172.346 million, the second apron has been established at $182.794 million, the midlevel for non-tax teams is $12.405 million, for taxpayers it is $5 million, and the room mid-level is $7.723 million.Most deals cannot be officially completed until July 6, when the league's offseason moratorium is lifted.Kyrie Irving agrees to stay with Mavs, Doncic on a $126 million, 3-year deal, AP source saysDALLAS (AP) — Kyrie Irving wants to run it back with Luka Doncic. A person with knowledge of the deal says the enigmatic guard and the Dallas Mavericks have agreed on a $126 million, three-year contract. The deal comes within the first hour of NBA free agency. The Mavericks paired All-Star starters for the first time in franchise history by adding Irving in a blockbuster deal with Brooklyn last February. But the club stumbled down the stretch to miss the playoffs for the first time since Doncic was a rookie in 2018-19. Dallas also is bringing back shooting guard Seth Curry for a third stint with the club.The NFL is addressing gambling suspensions with training and conversations with the players' unionThe NFL has announced the suspensions of four more players for violations of its gambling policy. It brings the total to 10 players disciplined over the past two years as the league vows to increase training and education efforts across the board with an eye toward protecting the integrity of the game. Experts say it’s part of a new reality for the NFL and other leagues with more violations likely on the horizon. But they don’t think it’s anywhere near reaching a critical mass that could cause fans to question the product on the field.Bills safety Damar Hamlin's vision for his Chasing M's Foundation coming to fruition in PittsburghPITTSBURGH (AP) — Six months after a near-death experience on the football field, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is bringing his Chasing M's Foundation to life in Pittsburgh. The foundation Hamlin started as a college player has exploded in popularity since he went into cardiac arrest during a game in January against Cincinnati. Hamlin says he's using his heightened platform to expand the reach of Chasing M's. He is holding several events in the Pittsburgh area in early July, including offering free CPR training for hundreds and co-hosting an all-star high school football game. Hamlin says this is just the tip of the iceberg of what he hopes Chasing M's can do in the future.Van Gundy, Kolber, Rose and Young are among roughly 20 ESPN personalities laid offJeff Van Gundy, Suzy Kolber, Jalen Rose and Steve Young are among roughly 20 ESPN commentators and reporters who were laid off on Friday as part of job cuts by the network. ESPN had planned this additional round involving on-air talent to prevent further reductions to off-air staff after two rounds of mandated cuts by its corporate owner, the Walt Disney Company. Friday’s announcement resembled what happened in April of 2017, when reporters and hosts were informed at one time that they would no longer be on the air.Vegas Golden Knights re-sign goalie Adin Hill to a 2-year deal on the eve of free agencyThe Vegas Golden Knights have re-signed Stanley Cup-winning goaltender Adin Hill to a two-year deal worth almost $10 million. Hill backstopped the Golden Knights to their first championship in franchise history after stepping in as an injury replacement in the second round of the playoffs. He won 11 of his 14 starts and had the best save percentage in the postseason. Elsewhere around the NHL, the Nashville Predators bought out the final three years of Matt Duchene's contract and the Chicago Blackhawks signed Corey Perry after acquiring his rights from Tampa Bay.Moore, Pendrith share the Rocket Mortgage Classic lead at 13 underDETROIT (AP) — Taylor Moore and Taylor Pendrith shared the Rocket Mortgage Classic lead at 13 under Friday, hoping to hold off a veteran trying to end a victory drought and a promising young pro aiming for his first PGA Tour victory. Pendrith shot an 8-under 64 at Detroit Golf Club, one off the tournament record. Moore, who began the day tied with Monday qualifier Peter Kuest, had a 67 to match Pendrith at 13-under 131. Rickie Fowler (65) and former top-ranked amateur Ludvig Aberg (67) were a shot back after two straight solid rounds. The 34-year-old Fowler jumped into contention, chipping in for eagle from 27 feet on the par-5 17th.65-year-old Bernhard Langer leads US Senior Open at difficult SentryWorldSTEVENS POINT, Wis. (AP) — Bernhard Langer has been able to avoid most of the trouble at SentryWorld in the U.S. Senior Open. He still was far from unscathed Friday in a 3-under 68 that gave him the second-round lead. The 65-year-old German star had six birdies and three bogeys. He hit 12 of 14 fairways on the tree-lined course with thick rough and tricky, inconsistent greens. At 3-under 139, he was one of only five players under par. The scoring average Friday was 76.54, down from 77.34 on Thursday. Langer won the Chubb Classic in Florida in February to tie Hale Irwin for the PGA Tour Champions' career victory record of 45. First-round leader Rod Pampling was a stroke back, following an opening 68 with a 72.Bittersweet reunion: Fletcher brothers face each other for first time in majors after father's deathANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — David and Dominic Fletcher got to play against each other for the first time in a major league game. Fittingly, it came at a stadium where they had watched plenty of games while growing up. Unfortunately, the Fletcher brothers' biggest fan was not in attendance Friday night when David’s Los Angeles Angels hosted Dominic’s Arizona Diamondbacks at Angel Stadium. Their father, Tim, died suddenly earlier this month. He was 60.Downtown Chicago course presents significant challenge for NASCAR Cup SeriesCHICAGO (AP) — There are seven 90-degree turns. There are manhole covers, and transitions from concrete to asphalt and back. The margin for error is small, and any rain will make the course exponentially more difficult. Welcome to the first street race in NASCAR Cup Series history. NASCAR brings its 75th season to downtown Chicago this weekend for an experience unlike any other on the circuit. With Lake Michigan and Grant Park serving as the backdrop, the 12-turn, 2.2-mile course begins right in front of Buckingham Fountain and races by several downtown landmarks. No one is exactly sure what to expect, and there will be very little practice time before each race.AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___INTERLEAGUE		N-Y Yankees	at	St. Louis	7:15 p.m.	(Postponed)Final	Chicago Cubs	10	Cleveland	1	Final	Colorado	8	Detroit	5	Final	L.A. Dodgers	9	Kansas City	3	Final	Arizona	6	L.A. Angels	2	___AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	Boston	5	Toronto	0	Final	Minnesota	8	Baltimore	1	Final	Houston	5	Texas	3	Final	Oakland	7	Chicago White Sox	4	Final	Tampa Bay	15	Seattle	4	___NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	Cincinnati	7	San Diego	5	Final	Washington	2	Philadelphia	1	Final	Atlanta	16	Miami	4	Final	San Francisco	5	N.Y. Mets	4	Final	Pittsburgh	8	Milwaukee	7	___WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal	Atlanta	94	Washington	89	Final	Chicago	86	Los Angeles	78	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___INTERLEAGUE		N-Y Yankees	at	St. Louis	2:15 p.m.			Cleveland	at	Chi Cubs	7:15 p.m.			L-A Dodgers	at	Kansas City	7:15 p.m.			Detroit	at	Colorado	9:10 p.m.			Arizona	at	L-A Angels	10:07 p.m.	___AMERICAN LEAGUE		Boston	at	Toronto	3:07 p.m.			Houston	at	Texas	4:05 p.m.			Minnesota	at	Baltimore	4:05 p.m.			Chi White Sox	at	Oakland	4:07 p.m.			Tampa Bay	at	Seattle	7:15 p.m.	___NATIONAL LEAGUE		San Diego	at	Cincinnati	1:40 p.m.			Milwaukee	at	Pittsburgh	4:05 p.m.			Washington	at	Philadelphia	4:05 p.m.			Miami	at	Atlanta	4:10 p.m.			San Francisco	at	N-Y Mets	4:10 p.m.	___WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION		Connecticut	at	Las Vegas	3 p.m.			Minnesota	at	Phoenix	10 p.m.	___MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER		New England	at	Cincinnati	7:30 p.m.			New York	at	Columbus	7:30 p.m.			Austin FC	at	Miami	7:30 p.m.			New York City FC	at	CF Montréal	7:30 p.m.			Chicago	at	Orlando City	7:30 p.m.			Real Salt Lake	at	Toronto FC	7:30 p.m.			Los Angeles FC	at	FC Dallas	8:30 p.m.			Vancouver	at	Sporting Kansas City	8:30 p.m.			Portland	at	Minnesota	8:30 p.m.			D.C. United	at	Nashville	8:30 p.m.			Colorado	at	Saint Louis City SC	8:30 p.m.			LA Galaxy	at	San Jose	10:30 p.m.			Houston	at	Seattle	10:30 p.m.	___