The entire Major League Baseball playoff picture is now set.&nbsp;

The four matchups in the wild-card round were locked in Tuesday night, right before the last day of the regular season. Every series starts Friday and is a best two of three. Plus, the higher seed will host every game. In the National League, the San Diego Padres visit the New York Mets while the Philadelphia Phillies play at the St. Louis Cardinals. In the American League, the Seattle Mariners visit the Toronto Blue Jays while the Tampa Bay Rays play at the Cleveland Guardians. The postseason was expanded from 10 teams last year to 12 this season.

Albert Pujols taking his final swings in October, Julio Rodríguez stepping in for the first time. Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom facing Manny Machado and Juan Soto.

Bryce Harper, back at last. José Ramírez and his Cleveland teammates trying to break a long drought — with a new name.

And Aaron Judge, Mookie Betts and other top stars looming next week.

The entire Major League Baseball playoff picture came into focus Tuesday night. The matchups were finally set, right before the last day of the regular season.

The postseason, expanded from 10 teams last year to 12 this season, begins Friday with a newly created wild-card round. All four series are best two of three — three days in a row, no breaks, with the higher seed hosting every game.

In the National League, it's Padres-Mets and Phillies-Cardinals. In the American League, it's Mariners-Blue Jays and Rays-Guardians.

At Citi Field, New York figures to throw aces Scherzer and deGrom at San Diego, featuring big-hitting Machado and Soto. The Mets' bid to win the NL East ended when they were beaten out by the defending World Series champion Atlanta Braves, so New York wound up as the top NL wild-card team.

"We have to go on the road and play against a tough team and beat some of the best pitchers in the game," Machado said. "It is about going out there and enjoying the moment."

At Busch Stadium, soon-to-be retired St. Louis stars Yadier Molina and Pujols host Harper and Philadelphia. The Cardinals won the NL Central, but as the No. 3 seed don't get the benefit of an early bye.

A two-time champion with the Cardinals, the 42-year-old Pujols has looked like a 24-year-old version of himself down the stretch, topping 700 career home runs and passing Babe Ruth for second place on the all-time RBIs list.

A two-time MVP, Harper makes his first playoff appearance since 2017 with Washington. He missed two months in the middle of the season because of a broken thumb but is ready to swing away for the Phillies.

In Cleveland, Ramírez leads a young team that includes rookie sparkplug Steven Kwan and hard-throwing closer Emmanuel Clase as the AL Central champs host Tampa Bay.

This will be Cleveland's first postseason appearance as the Guardians. The team hasn't won the World Series since 1948. Randy Arozarena, already established as a playoff star, will try to boost the Rays to the first championship in franchise history.

The Guardians went 4-2 against the Rays this year, winning two of three last week at Progressive Field. All three games in the series were decided by one run, with two going to extra innings.

"It will be a good environment," Tampa Bay second baseman Taylor Walls. "It's a good thing that we just went there. ... I know the guys are amped up. We're ready to be there."

In Toronto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the top AL wild-card Blue Jays take on Seattle and its rookie sensation, Rodríguez. The series also matches Robbie Ray, who won the Cy Young Award with Toronto last year, against his former team.

All four matchups are scheduled to end Sunday. The best-of-five Division Series in both leagues begin Oct. 11.

Judge, fresh off hitting his 62nd home run to set the AL record, and the Yankees will host the Tampa Bay-Cleveland winner in Game 1. Justin Verlander and the Houston Astros start at home against the Seattle-Toronto winner.

In the NL, Freddie Freeman, Betts and the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have set a franchise record for wins, host the Mets-San Diego winner in the opener. Ronald Acuña Jr., injured last fall when the Braves won the World Series, will start at home against the St. Louis-Philadelphia winner.

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSThe entire Major League Baseball playoff picture is now set.&nbsp;The four matchups in the wild-card round were locked in Tuesday night, right before the last day of the regular season. Every series starts Friday and is a best two of three. Plus, the higher seed will host every game. In the National League, the San Diego Padres visit the New York Mets while the Philadelphia Phillies play at the St. Louis Cardinals. In the American League, the Seattle Mariners visit the Toronto Blue Jays while the Tampa Bay Rays play at the Cleveland Guardians. The postseason was expanded from 10 teams last year to 12 this season.Albert Pujols taking his final swings in October, Julio Rodríguez stepping in for the first time. Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom facing Manny Machado and Juan Soto.Bryce Harper, back at last. José Ramírez and his Cleveland teammates trying to break a long drought — with a new name.And Aaron Judge, Mookie Betts and other top stars looming next week.The entire Major League Baseball playoff picture came into focus Tuesday night. The matchups were finally set, right before the last day of the regular season.The postseason, expanded from 10 teams last year to 12 this season, begins Friday with a newly created wild-card round. All four series are best two of three — three days in a row, no breaks, with the higher seed hosting every game.In the National League, it's Padres-Mets and Phillies-Cardinals. In the American League, it's Mariners-Blue Jays and Rays-Guardians.At Citi Field, New York figures to throw aces Scherzer and deGrom at San Diego, featuring big-hitting Machado and Soto. The Mets' bid to win the NL East ended when they were beaten out by the defending World Series champion Atlanta Braves, so New York wound up as the top NL wild-card team."We have to go on the road and play against a tough team and beat some of the best pitchers in the game," Machado said. "It is about going out there and enjoying the moment."At Busch Stadium, soon-to-be retired St. Louis stars Yadier Molina and Pujols host Harper and Philadelphia. The Cardinals won the NL Central, but as the No. 3 seed don't get the benefit of an early bye.A two-time champion with the Cardinals, the 42-year-old Pujols has looked like a 24-year-old version of himself down the stretch, topping 700 career home runs and passing Babe Ruth for second place on the all-time RBIs list.A two-time MVP, Harper makes his first playoff appearance since 2017 with Washington. He missed two months in the middle of the season because of a broken thumb but is ready to swing away for the Phillies.In Cleveland, Ramírez leads a young team that includes rookie sparkplug Steven Kwan and hard-throwing closer Emmanuel Clase as the AL Central champs host Tampa Bay.This will be Cleveland's first postseason appearance as the Guardians. The team hasn't won the World Series since 1948. Randy Arozarena, already established as a playoff star, will try to boost the Rays to the first championship in franchise history.The Guardians went 4-2 against the Rays this year, winning two of three last week at Progressive Field. All three games in the series were decided by one run, with two going to extra innings."It will be a good environment," Tampa Bay second baseman Taylor Walls. "It's a good thing that we just went there. ... I know the guys are amped up. We're ready to be there."In Toronto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the top AL wild-card Blue Jays take on Seattle and its rookie sensation, Rodríguez. The series also matches Robbie Ray, who won the Cy Young Award with Toronto last year, against his former team.All four matchups are scheduled to end Sunday. The best-of-five Division Series in both leagues begin Oct. 11.Judge, fresh off hitting his 62nd home run to set the AL record, and the Yankees will host the Tampa Bay-Cleveland winner in Game 1. Justin Verlander and the Houston Astros start at home against the Seattle-Toronto winner.In the NL, Freddie Freeman, Betts and the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have set a franchise record for wins, host the Mets-San Diego winner in the opener. Ronald Acuña Jr., injured last fall when the Braves won the World Series, will start at home against the St. Louis-Philadelphia winner.

⚾ MLB playoff picture all set, best-of-3 matchups start Friday

CLEVELAND (AP) — José Ramirez drove in two runs and had four hits, Aaron Civale pitched six solid innings and the Cleveland Guardians defeated the Kansas City Royals 9-2 on Wednesday in their final tune-up for the postseason.

Cleveland opens the wild-card round against Tampa Bay on Friday at Progressive Field.

The AL Central champions are 24-6 since Sept. 5 and finished the regular season 92-70. The youngest team in baseball had 17 players make their major league debuts this season. Cleveland finished 80-82 last season.

Ramirez had run-scoring singles in the second and sixth, and ends the regular season with 126 RBIs. Ramirez doubled in the eighth and received a loud ovation from the 12,983 fans when he was removed for a pinch-runner.

The fact Ramirez hustled into second for a double in his final at-bat of the regular season with his team ahead by six runs came as no surprise.

“He’s the heart and soul of the team and everyone would tell you that same thing,” Civale said. “There’s a lot of pieces involved, but he is that supreme piece. It’s extremely fun to watch. It’s great that we get to do it from the same dugout and not across the way.”

Rookie Steven Kwan ended the regular season batting .298. His chance to hit .300 ended when he was hit by a pitch in the seventh.

“I thought it was fitting that Josey finished on a hustle double and Kwan, who’s trying to hit .300, alerts the umpire that he gets hit because he’s playing the game,” manager Terry Francona said “That, to me, means we’re going in a good direction. ”

Civale (5-6) struck out nine and is 3-0 since returning from his third stint on the injured list. The right-hander gave up solo homers to Vinnie Pasquantino and Kyle Isbel. Civale will be Cleveland’s starter in Game 1 of the AL Division Series, if the wild-card round goes three games.

Kansas City starter Jonathan Heasley (4-10) allowed six runs and nine hits in five innings.

Kansas City (65-97) finished last in the AL Central. The Royals were 74-88 last season. Kansas City hasn’t reached the postseason since winning the World Series in 2015.

Five players drove in runs for the Guardians. Josh Naylor had three RBIs, including a two-run single when the Guardians scored four times in the first. Myles Straw had a sacrifice fly in the second and an RBI single in the seventh.

Rookie Will Brennan and Luke Maile also had RBIs in the first.

“I gave up the run in the first inning and Naylor, of course, says, ‘Don’t worry, we got you’ and we put up four in the first and then one in the next, one in the next,” Civale said. “It never stops. We’ve said all year we’re never out of a game.”

Pasquantino finished his rookie season with 10 home runs, while Isbel batted .308 over his final 11 games after snapping an 0-for-21 slump.

“Good for both of them, getting a little reward in a long year, do a little damage,” said Matheny, who became the fifth big league manager to be fired this year.

Cleveland drew 1,295,870 in 76 dates fans this season. Cleveland had an attendance of 1,738,642 fans in 2019, the last season before COVID-19 restrictions.

The last thing a postseason team needs is an injury in the final game of the regular season, but Andrés Giménez and Oscar Gonzalez caused the Guardians brief concern Wednesday.

Giménez was hit by a pitch for an AL-leading 25th time this season in the fourth when he took one on the right knee. He limped out of the box, but stayed in the game after talking to manager Terry Francona and a team trainer.

Gonzalez's slide into third base got the attention of Cleveland’s dugout in the first. After drawing a walk, he slid headfirst into the bag on Brennan’s single to right, but appeared to land on his nose as he slid in safely.

Gonzalez stayed on the ground for a couple of moments as third base coach Mike Sarbaugh retrieved his helmet. Gonzalez slowly got to his feet and stayed in the game.

Royals: C Salvador Perez (left thumb soreness) missed the final four games of the six-game series. He had surgery on his thumb earlier this season and felt soreness during Saturday’s game when he went 4 for 4. Perez homered in his final at-bat Saturday for his 1,274th career hit, passing Billy Butler for eighth place on the Royals’ all-time list.

Royals: Kansas City plays Texas on Feb. 24 in the spring training opener.

Guardians: RHP Shane Bieber (13-8, 2.88 ERA) will start Friday’s series opener. He reached the 200-inning mark in his final regular-season start against Kansas City on Sunday. Bieber hasn’t lost since Sept. 1 and is 5-0 over his last six starts. His only postseason start came in 2020, when he won the AL Cy Young Award, but was the losing pitcher in Game 1 of the Division Series against the New York Yankees. Bieber allowed seven runs and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings.

CLEVELAND (AP) — José Ramirez drove in two runs and had four hits, Aaron Civale pitched six solid innings and the Cleveland Guardians defeated the Kansas City Royals 9-2 on Wednesday in their final tune-up for the postseason.Cleveland opens the wild-card round against Tampa Bay on Friday at Progressive Field.The AL Central champions are 24-6 since Sept. 5 and finished the regular season 92-70. The youngest team in baseball had 17 players make their major league debuts this season. Cleveland finished 80-82 last season.Ramirez had run-scoring singles in the second and sixth, and ends the regular season with 126 RBIs. Ramirez doubled in the eighth and received a loud ovation from the 12,983 fans when he was removed for a pinch-runner.The fact Ramirez hustled into second for a double in his final at-bat of the regular season with his team ahead by six runs came as no surprise.“He’s the heart and soul of the team and everyone would tell you that same thing,” Civale said. “There’s a lot of pieces involved, but he is that supreme piece. It’s extremely fun to watch. It’s great that we get to do it from the same dugout and not across the way.”Rookie Steven Kwan ended the regular season batting .298. His chance to hit .300 ended when he was hit by a pitch in the seventh.“I thought it was fitting that Josey finished on a hustle double and Kwan, who’s trying to hit .300, alerts the umpire that he gets hit because he’s playing the game,” manager Terry Francona said “That, to me, means we’re going in a good direction. ”Civale (5-6) struck out nine and is 3-0 since returning from his third stint on the injured list. The right-hander gave up solo homers to Vinnie Pasquantino and Kyle Isbel. Civale will be Cleveland’s starter in Game 1 of the AL Division Series, if the wild-card round goes three games.Kansas City starter Jonathan Heasley (4-10) allowed six runs and nine hits in five innings.Kansas City (65-97) finished last in the AL Central. The Royals were 74-88 last season. Kansas City hasn’t reached the postseason since winning the World Series in 2015.Five players drove in runs for the Guardians. Josh Naylor had three RBIs, including a two-run single when the Guardians scored four times in the first. Myles Straw had a sacrifice fly in the second and an RBI single in the seventh.Rookie Will Brennan and Luke Maile also had RBIs in the first.“I gave up the run in the first inning and Naylor, of course, says, ‘Don’t worry, we got you’ and we put up four in the first and then one in the next, one in the next,” Civale said. “It never stops. We’ve said all year we’re never out of a game.”Pasquantino finished his rookie season with 10 home runs, while Isbel batted .308 over his final 11 games after snapping an 0-for-21 slump.“Good for both of them, getting a little reward in a long year, do a little damage,” said Matheny, who became the fifth big league manager to be fired this year.Cleveland drew 1,295,870 in 76 dates fans this season. Cleveland had an attendance of 1,738,642 fans in 2019, the last season before COVID-19 restrictions.TIME FOR THE PLAYOFFSThe last thing a postseason team needs is an injury in the final game of the regular season, but Andrés Giménez and Oscar Gonzalez caused the Guardians brief concern Wednesday.Giménez was hit by a pitch for an AL-leading 25th time this season in the fourth when he took one on the right knee. He limped out of the box, but stayed in the game after talking to manager Terry Francona and a team trainer.Gonzalez's slide into third base got the attention of Cleveland’s dugout in the first. After drawing a walk, he slid headfirst into the bag on Brennan’s single to right, but appeared to land on his nose as he slid in safely.Gonzalez stayed on the ground for a couple of moments as third base coach Mike Sarbaugh retrieved his helmet. Gonzalez slowly got to his feet and stayed in the game.TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals: C Salvador Perez (left thumb soreness) missed the final four games of the six-game series. He had surgery on his thumb earlier this season and felt soreness during Saturday’s game when he went 4 for 4. Perez homered in his final at-bat Saturday for his 1,274th career hit, passing Billy Butler for eighth place on the Royals’ all-time list.UP NEXTRoyals: Kansas City plays Texas on Feb. 24 in the spring training opener.Guardians: RHP Shane Bieber (13-8, 2.88 ERA) will start Friday’s series opener. He reached the 200-inning mark in his final regular-season start against Kansas City on Sunday. Bieber hasn’t lost since Sept. 1 and is 5-0 over his last six starts. His only postseason start came in 2020, when he won the AL Cy Young Award, but was the losing pitcher in Game 1 of the Division Series against the New York Yankees. Bieber allowed seven runs and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings.

⚾ Surging Guardians beat Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Manager Mike Matheny and pitching coach Cal Eldred were fired by the Kansas Cty Royals on Wednesday night, shortly after the struggling franchise finished the season 65-97 with a listless 9-2 loss to the Cleveland Guardians.

The Royals had exercised their option on Matheny's contract for 2023 during spring training, when the club hoped it was turning the corner from also-ran to contender. But plagued by poor pitching, struggles from young position players and a lackluster group of veterans, the Royals were largely out of playoff contention by the middle of summer.

The disappointing on-field product led owner John Sherman last month to fire longtime front office executive Dayton Moore, the architect of back-to-back American League champions and the 2015 World Series title team. He was replaced by one of his longtime understudies, J.J. Picollo, who made the decision to fire Matheny hours after the season ended.

"Managing the Royals has been a true privilege,” Matheny said in a statement. “I’m thankful to so many, primarily Dayton Moore, and the coaches and players I’ve worked with. I would like to thank Mr. John Sherman and the ownership group for the opportunity to manage their team, and everyone involved in this great organization.

"I came to the Royals knowing it was an organization of excellence and care, and was shown that care every single day. Royals fans should be excited about this group of players, and I look forward to watching them continue to grow.”

Matheny spent parts of seven seasons managing the St. Louis Cardinals, finishing each with a winning record and winning the National League pennant in 2013. But after his firing midway through 2018, he was hired by the Royals in an advisory role, and then tapped to succeed longtime manager Ned Yost when he retired before the 2020 season.

Put in charge of a rebuild in the works, Matheny went 26-34 during a COVID-19-shortened first season, then appeared to show progress last season, when the Royals ushered forward a slew of young prospects and finished 74-88.

The expectation was another step forward this season, but the Royals instead spent September fighting off 100 losses.

Matheny finished 165-219 during his time with the Royals, though the number that perhaps is more important to the future of the club is 29 — the number of players that made their Major League debut during his tenure.

"We are grateful to Mike for leading us through some unusual times these last three seasons,” Picollo said in a statement. “He met those challenges head on and helped us move forward in a positive manner. We thank him for his leadership and know his influence will have a positive impact moving forward.”

Matheny became the fifth big league manager to be fired this year.

Philadelphia's Joe Girardi was replaced on June 3 by Rob Thomson, who engineered a miraculous turnaround to get the Phillies into the playoffs. The Angels replaced Joe Maddon with Phil Nevin four days later, Toronto's Charlie Montoyo was succeeded by John Schneider on July 13 and the Rangers' Chris Woodward by Tony Beasley on Aug. 15.

Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa left the team on Aug. 30 for medical tests and said Monday he will not return for 2023.

In addition, Miami's Don Mattingly said late last month that he will not return next season.

While he was well-liked in the Kansas City clubhouse, it seemed unlikely Matheny would be granted another season when Moore was fired last month. Sherman indicated at the time the change in the leadership of the baseball operations department was only the start of what was expected to be widespread shifts throughout the organization.

The Royals have struggled for years to develop pitching — they had the fourth-worst ERA and the worst WHIP by far of any staff in the majors this season. And the continued struggles by their latest wave of young arms was a big reason for letting go of Eldred, the pitching coach since 2018.

“The bottom line here is it's time for change,” Sherman said last month. “There is a gap right now between where we are and where we expected to be. ... I felt like in 2021 we did make progress, and in 2022, that's not how I feel. There have been some bright spots — I love seeing the young players — but in 2022, we are not where we expected to be.”

DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports WriterKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Manager Mike Matheny and pitching coach Cal Eldred were fired by the Kansas Cty Royals on Wednesday night, shortly after the struggling franchise finished the season 65-97 with a listless 9-2 loss to the Cleveland Guardians.The Royals had exercised their option on Matheny's contract for 2023 during spring training, when the club hoped it was turning the corner from also-ran to contender. But plagued by poor pitching, struggles from young position players and a lackluster group of veterans, the Royals were largely out of playoff contention by the middle of summer.The disappointing on-field product led owner John Sherman last month to fire longtime front office executive Dayton Moore, the architect of back-to-back American League champions and the 2015 World Series title team. He was replaced by one of his longtime understudies, J.J. Picollo, who made the decision to fire Matheny hours after the season ended."Managing the Royals has been a true privilege,” Matheny said in a statement. “I’m thankful to so many, primarily Dayton Moore, and the coaches and players I’ve worked with. I would like to thank Mr. John Sherman and the ownership group for the opportunity to manage their team, and everyone involved in this great organization."I came to the Royals knowing it was an organization of excellence and care, and was shown that care every single day. Royals fans should be excited about this group of players, and I look forward to watching them continue to grow.”Matheny spent parts of seven seasons managing the St. Louis Cardinals, finishing each with a winning record and winning the National League pennant in 2013. But after his firing midway through 2018, he was hired by the Royals in an advisory role, and then tapped to succeed longtime manager Ned Yost when he retired before the 2020 season.Put in charge of a rebuild in the works, Matheny went 26-34 during a COVID-19-shortened first season, then appeared to show progress last season, when the Royals ushered forward a slew of young prospects and finished 74-88.The expectation was another step forward this season, but the Royals instead spent September fighting off 100 losses.Matheny finished 165-219 during his time with the Royals, though the number that perhaps is more important to the future of the club is 29 — the number of players that made their Major League debut during his tenure."We are grateful to Mike for leading us through some unusual times these last three seasons,” Picollo said in a statement. “He met those challenges head on and helped us move forward in a positive manner. We thank him for his leadership and know his influence will have a positive impact moving forward.”Matheny became the fifth big league manager to be fired this year.Philadelphia's Joe Girardi was replaced on June 3 by Rob Thomson, who engineered a miraculous turnaround to get the Phillies into the playoffs. The Angels replaced Joe Maddon with Phil Nevin four days later, Toronto's Charlie Montoyo was succeeded by John Schneider on July 13 and the Rangers' Chris Woodward by Tony Beasley on Aug. 15.Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa left the team on Aug. 30 for medical tests and said Monday he will not return for 2023.In addition, Miami's Don Mattingly said late last month that he will not return next season.While he was well-liked in the Kansas City clubhouse, it seemed unlikely Matheny would be granted another season when Moore was fired last month. Sherman indicated at the time the change in the leadership of the baseball operations department was only the start of what was expected to be widespread shifts throughout the organization.The Royals have struggled for years to develop pitching — they had the fourth-worst ERA and the worst WHIP by far of any staff in the majors this season. And the continued struggles by their latest wave of young arms was a big reason for letting go of Eldred, the pitching coach since 2018.“The bottom line here is it's time for change,” Sherman said last month. “There is a gap right now between where we are and where we expected to be. ... I felt like in 2021 we did make progress, and in 2022, that's not how I feel. There have been some bright spots — I love seeing the young players — but in 2022, we are not where we expected to be.”

⚾ Royals fire manager Mike Matheny after 65-97 end to season

CONCORDIA – The No. 20-ranked Hutchinson Community College volleyball team won its fourth-straight match and maintained its place at the top of the Jayhawk West with a sweep of the Cloud County Thunderbirds on Wednesday.

The Blue Dragons hit better than .300 as a team for the 11th time this season with a 25-20 25-18, 25-21 victory over the Thunderbirds at Arley Bryant Gym.

Hutchinson improves to 22-8 overall and 9-1 in the Jayhawk West. The Blue Dragons complete a season sweep of the Thunderbirds. Cloud County falls to 6-14 overall and 3-8 in the league. The Blue Dragons will not play in the MSU-West Plains Grizzly Invitational this weekend. The Dragons will play host to Butler next Wednesday at the Sports Arena.

The Blue Dragons hit .351 on 45 total kills against Cloud County. The Thunderbirds hit .255.

Sophomore Sophie Connor led the Blue Dragons with a match-high 13 kills on .458 hitting. Connor added three service aces, two digs and a block.

Sophomore Baylee Miller had 10 kills on .333 hitting. Miller had eight digs.

Freshman Taniya Golden had 10 kills and hit .364.

Sophomore Blondie Penaflor finished seven with seven kills on .333 hitting.

Sophomore setter Andrea Serrano had 36 assists with six digs. Freshman Perrine Blanc had 13 digs and sophomore Morgan Harvey had nine digs.

Doga Eski had 10 kills to lead Cloud County.

SET 1 – A Connor ace capped an early 6-1 run and gave the Dragons a 9-4 lead. Miller’s kill upped the Dragon lead to 18-12. The T-Birds won 4 of the next 5 points and pulled with 19-16. A pair of Cloud errors pushed the Dragon lead back to five. The Dragons closed the set with a Penaflor/Miller double block and a Connor kill. The Dragons out-hit Cloud County .255-.194 in the opening set.

SET 2 – The Blue Dragons hit .389 in the set. A Penaflor kill gave the Dragons an 11-5 lead and the margin grew to 14-7 on a Miller kill. Leading 14-9, kills from Chloe Conway, Golden and Connor were part of a 4-0 run to up the lead to 18-9. A Miller kill upped the lead to 24-17 on a Miller kill. The teams traded errors and the Dragons won the set 25-19.

SET 3 – The teams traded the first eight points of the set and took a 6-4 lead on back-to-back Cloud attack errors. The Dragons led 13-10, but Cloud scored three straight to tie the set at 13. A Golden kill upped the Dragon lead to 19-16. The T-Birds pulled within 22-21, but the Dragons scored the final three points on two kills from Connor and a Miller kill on match point The Dragons hit .394 in the final set.

HutchCC Sports InformationCONCORDIA – The No. 20-ranked Hutchinson Community College volleyball team won its fourth-straight match and maintained its place at the top of the Jayhawk West with a sweep of the Cloud County Thunderbirds on Wednesday.The Blue Dragons hit better than .300 as a team for the 11th time this season with a 25-20 25-18, 25-21 victory over the Thunderbirds at Arley Bryant Gym.Hutchinson improves to 22-8 overall and 9-1 in the Jayhawk West. The Blue Dragons complete a season sweep of the Thunderbirds. Cloud County falls to 6-14 overall and 3-8 in the league. The Blue Dragons will not play in the MSU-West Plains Grizzly Invitational this weekend. The Dragons will play host to Butler next Wednesday at the Sports Arena.The Blue Dragons hit .351 on 45 total kills against Cloud County. The Thunderbirds hit .255.Sophomore Sophie Connor led the Blue Dragons with a match-high 13 kills on .458 hitting. Connor added three service aces, two digs and a block.Sophomore Baylee Miller had 10 kills on .333 hitting. Miller had eight digs.Freshman Taniya Golden had 10 kills and hit .364.Sophomore Blondie Penaflor finished seven with seven kills on .333 hitting.Sophomore setter Andrea Serrano had 36 assists with six digs. Freshman Perrine Blanc had 13 digs and sophomore Morgan Harvey had nine digs.Doga Eski had 10 kills to lead Cloud County.SET 1 – A Connor ace capped an early 6-1 run and gave the Dragons a 9-4 lead. Miller’s kill upped the Dragon lead to 18-12. The T-Birds won 4 of the next 5 points and pulled with 19-16. A pair of Cloud errors pushed the Dragon lead back to five. The Dragons closed the set with a Penaflor/Miller double block and a Connor kill. The Dragons out-hit Cloud County .255-.194 in the opening set.SET 2 – The Blue Dragons hit .389 in the set. A Penaflor kill gave the Dragons an 11-5 lead and the margin grew to 14-7 on a Miller kill. Leading 14-9, kills from Chloe Conway, Golden and Connor were part of a 4-0 run to up the lead to 18-9. A Miller kill upped the lead to 24-17 on a Miller kill. The teams traded errors and the Dragons won the set 25-19.SET 3 – The teams traded the first eight points of the set and took a 6-4 lead on back-to-back Cloud attack errors. The Dragons led 13-10, but Cloud scored three straight to tie the set at 13. A Golden kill upped the Dragon lead to 19-16. The T-Birds pulled within 22-21, but the Dragons scored the final three points on two kills from Connor and a Miller kill on match point The Dragons hit .394 in the final set.

🏐 HutchCC VB: Dragons sweep Cloud County

The Hutchinson Community College women’s soccer team snagged perhaps one of the its biggest wins of the season Wednesday night at the Salthawk Sports Complex.

Striking quick in each half and letting the defense and goalkeeping to the rest, the 19th-ranked Blue Dragons upset the No. 12 Barton Cougars 2-0 in the first of two regular-season meetings.

Hutchinson earned its 10th win of the season, now at 10-2 overall, 7-2 in the Jayhawk West (21 points). The Dragons snap Barton’s eight-game winning streak and moved into a tie for first place in the Jayhawk West with the Cougars.

The Blue Dragons’ win over the No. 12 Cougars ends a four-game stretch for the Hutchinson against ranked opponents. The Blue Dragons won 3 of those 4 games with victories over 17 Cowley, No. 15 Barton and No. 12 Coffeyville.

The Blue Dragons took an early lead in the sixth minute when sophomore Aimee Maher turned at midfield and delivered a pass to freshman Adriana Delgado for a one-on-one opportunity with Barton goalkeeper Nia Baker. Delgado slid a pass to a streaking Hadlie Lowe for the opening goal.

Lowe’s second goal of the game came just 20 seconds in to the second half as freshman Jayda Wyatt zipped a pass to Lowe who beat Baker to the ball and put the ball into a wide-open net for a 2-0 lead with 44:40 to play in the second half.

Hutchinson’s defense did the rest to complete the victory.

The Blue Dragons were out-shot 28-3, including 19-1 in the second half.

The back line of sophomores Zara Lawless, Lexi Jack Ella-Mae Miller and freshman Kendra Brungardt limited the quality scoring chances of the nation’s leading scorer Nina Norshee, who had only four total shots and one shot on goal.

With Lawless and Jack marked up on Norshee, Miller and Brungardt got help from midfielders Maher, Julia DeSouza, Cambri Moore and Emma Scholl keeping the ball out of prime scoring areas.

Sophomore goalkeeper Madison Quarles recorded her third shutout of the season and improved to 5-0 as the starter in net. Quarles had a career-high nine saves, including a kick-save late in the second half on a scramble in front.

As a team, the Blue Dragons have shut out five opponents this season.

With two goals on Wednesday, Lowe tied Pearl Slattery for 10th place on the Blue Dragon career goals list with 29 goals. Lowe has 11 goals for the season. She also garnered her fourth game-winning goal of the season and 12th career game winner, which is second most in Blue Dragon history.

The Blue Dragons are now 19-5-4 all-time against Barton, including 9-2-2 at the Salthawk Sports Complex.

HutchCC Sports InformationThe Hutchinson Community College women’s soccer team snagged perhaps one of the its biggest wins of the season Wednesday night at the Salthawk Sports Complex.Striking quick in each half and letting the defense and goalkeeping to the rest, the 19th-ranked Blue Dragons upset the No. 12 Barton Cougars 2-0 in the first of two regular-season meetings.Hutchinson earned its 10th win of the season, now at 10-2 overall, 7-2 in the Jayhawk West (21 points). The Dragons snap Barton’s eight-game winning streak and moved into a tie for first place in the Jayhawk West with the Cougars.The Blue Dragons’ win over the No. 12 Cougars ends a four-game stretch for the Hutchinson against ranked opponents. The Blue Dragons won 3 of those 4 games with victories over 17 Cowley, No. 15 Barton and No. 12 Coffeyville.The Blue Dragons took an early lead in the sixth minute when sophomore Aimee Maher turned at midfield and delivered a pass to freshman Adriana Delgado for a one-on-one opportunity with Barton goalkeeper Nia Baker. Delgado slid a pass to a streaking Hadlie Lowe for the opening goal.Lowe’s second goal of the game came just 20 seconds in to the second half as freshman Jayda Wyatt zipped a pass to Lowe who beat Baker to the ball and put the ball into a wide-open net for a 2-0 lead with 44:40 to play in the second half.Hutchinson’s defense did the rest to complete the victory.The Blue Dragons were out-shot 28-3, including 19-1 in the second half.The back line of sophomores Zara Lawless, Lexi Jack Ella-Mae Miller and freshman Kendra Brungardt limited the quality scoring chances of the nation’s leading scorer Nina Norshee, who had only four total shots and one shot on goal.With Lawless and Jack marked up on Norshee, Miller and Brungardt got help from midfielders Maher, Julia DeSouza, Cambri Moore and Emma Scholl keeping the ball out of prime scoring areas.Sophomore goalkeeper Madison Quarles recorded her third shutout of the season and improved to 5-0 as the starter in net. Quarles had a career-high nine saves, including a kick-save late in the second half on a scramble in front.As a team, the Blue Dragons have shut out five opponents this season.With two goals on Wednesday, Lowe tied Pearl Slattery for 10th place on the Blue Dragon career goals list with 29 goals. Lowe has 11 goals for the season. She also garnered her fourth game-winning goal of the season and 12th career game winner, which is second most in Blue Dragon history.The Blue Dragons are now 19-5-4 all-time against Barton, including 9-2-2 at the Salthawk Sports Complex.

⚽️ HutchCC Soccer: Dragons get huge KJCCC win over No. 12 Barton

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Ranked in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2009, the No. 19 Kansas Jayhawks will host the No. 17 TCU Horned Frogs on Saturday, October 8 at 11 a.m. CT at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. The game will be broadcast by FS1 with Jason Benetti (Play-by-Play) Brock Huard (Analyst) and Allison Williams (sideline) on the call.

The matchup will be a battle of the unbeatens, as the Kansas Jayhawks (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) enter Saturday coming off a dramatic 14-11 win against Iowa State on Oct. 1. TCU (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) comes into Lawrence after a decisive 55-24 victory against No. 18 Oklahoma.

Saturday’s Big 12 Conference matchup will be the first game in Lawrence to feature two Top 20 teams since Oct. 25, 2008, when No. 19 Kansas hosted No. 8 Texas Tech. With two top-25 teams in Lawrence, ESPN’s College GameDay will be on hand to broadcast its show from the Kansas campus for the first time in the show’s history.

Kansas enters Saturday’s game boasting the No. 12 scoring offense in America, averaging 41.6 points per game. Kansas also ranks No. 3 in the country in third down conversion percentage (60%), No. 8 in team passing efficiency (177.88), No. 2 in sacks allowed (2) and No. 16 in rushing offense (220.4 yards per game).

Meanwhile, the Kansas defense is coming off its best performance of the season in the 14-11 win against Iowa State. The 11 points allowed were the fewest against a conference opponent since topping Iowa State 45-7 in 2007. The Jayhawks held Iowa State to just 26 rushing yards, which was also the lowest output by a Jayhawk opponent since UTEP rushed for four yards in 2009.

TCU comes to Lawrence after defeating Oklahoma, 55-24 in Fort Worth on Oct. 1. The Horned Frogs have now scored 50+ points in two games this season, while averaging 549.5 yards per game, the second most in the country this season. The Horned Frogs are led by quarterback Max Duggan (70/94, 997 yards, 11 TD) and running back Kendre Miller (51 rushes, 388 yards, 5 TD).

Kansas has sold out its last two games at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, marking the first time since 2009 that Kansas has held two consecutive sellouts. Fans looking to attend Saturday’s game against TCU can purchase tickets&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetGroupList?groupCode=FB&amp;linkID=kansas&amp;shopperContext=&amp;caller=&amp;appCode=">here</a>.

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Ranked in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2009, the No. 19 Kansas Jayhawks will host the No. 17 TCU Horned Frogs on Saturday, October 8 at 11 a.m. CT at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. The game will be broadcast by FS1 with Jason Benetti (Play-by-Play) Brock Huard (Analyst) and Allison Williams (sideline) on the call.The matchup will be a battle of the unbeatens, as the Kansas Jayhawks (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) enter Saturday coming off a dramatic 14-11 win against Iowa State on Oct. 1. TCU (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) comes into Lawrence after a decisive 55-24 victory against No. 18 Oklahoma.Saturday’s Big 12 Conference matchup will be the first game in Lawrence to feature two Top 20 teams since Oct. 25, 2008, when No. 19 Kansas hosted No. 8 Texas Tech. With two top-25 teams in Lawrence, ESPN’s College GameDay will be on hand to broadcast its show from the Kansas campus for the first time in the show’s history.Kansas enters Saturday’s game boasting the No. 12 scoring offense in America, averaging 41.6 points per game. Kansas also ranks No. 3 in the country in third down conversion percentage (60%), No. 8 in team passing efficiency (177.88), No. 2 in sacks allowed (2) and No. 16 in rushing offense (220.4 yards per game).Meanwhile, the Kansas defense is coming off its best performance of the season in the 14-11 win against Iowa State. The 11 points allowed were the fewest against a conference opponent since topping Iowa State 45-7 in 2007. The Jayhawks held Iowa State to just 26 rushing yards, which was also the lowest output by a Jayhawk opponent since UTEP rushed for four yards in 2009.<figure>
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 <img src="https://kuathletics.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/EGP_7267-1024x683.jpg" alt="" />
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 </figure>TCU comes to Lawrence after defeating Oklahoma, 55-24 in Fort Worth on Oct. 1. The Horned Frogs have now scored 50+ points in two games this season, while averaging 549.5 yards per game, the second most in the country this season. The Horned Frogs are led by quarterback Max Duggan (70/94, 997 yards, 11 TD) and running back Kendre Miller (51 rushes, 388 yards, 5 TD).Kansas has sold out its last two games at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, marking the first time since 2009 that Kansas has held two consecutive sellouts. Fans looking to attend Saturday’s game against TCU can purchase tickets&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetGroupList?groupCode=FB&amp;linkID=kansas&amp;shopperContext=&amp;caller=&amp;appCode=">here</a>.

🏈 No. 19 Kansas to Host No. 17 TCU with National Spotlight on Lawrence

HERE to download the Hutch Post mobile app. CLICK HERE to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651156028140.jpeg" alt="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Eagle MEDIA Sports 2022" />
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 </figure><div></div>HERE to download the Hutch Post mobile app. CLICK HERE to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.

🎙 Eagle Radio Sports for Wednesday

Yankees star Judge hits 62nd homer to break Maris' AL record

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Aaron Judge has hit his 62nd home run of the season to break Roger Maris' American League record. Judge hit a 1-1 slider from Texas right-hander Jesús Tinoco into the first row of seats in left field when leading off the second game of New York's day-night doubleheader on Tuesday. The 30-year-old Judge had homered only once in his past 13 games. That was when he hit No. 61 in Toronto last Wednesday to match Maris. While Maris' 61 for the Yankees in 1961 had been exceeded six times previously, all were tainted by the stench of steroids. That includes Barry Bonds' 73 for the the San Francisco Giants in 2001, though he has denied knowingly using performing-enhancing drugs.

Home run hands! Dallas fan catches Judge's 62nd homer on fly

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Dallas baseball fan Cory Youmans made the catch of a lifetime, snagging the ball that New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge hit for his American League-record 62nd home run. Youmans caught the prized souvenir on the fly Tuesday night at Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers. Youmans, who works in the financial world, said he hasn't decided what he'll do with ball. Youmans was at the second game of a doubleheader between the Yankees and Rangers when Judge led off with a home run. Soon after a local TV station posted a brief interview with the lucky fan, Bri Amaranthus tweeted: "THIS IS MY HUSBAND." Amaranthus works in local media and identifies herself in her Twitter bio as an alum of ABC's "The Bachelor."

MLB playoff picture all set, best-of-3 matchups start Friday

The entire Major League Baseball playoff picture is now set. The four matchups in the wild-card round were locked in Tuesday night, right before the last day of the regular season. Every series starts Friday and is a best two of three. Plus, the higher seed will host every game. In the National League, the San Diego Padres visit the New York Mets while the Philadelphia Phillies play at the St. Louis Cardinals. In the American League, the Seattle Mariners visit the Toronto Blue Jays while the Tampa Bay Rays play at the Cleveland Guardians. The postseason was expanded from 10 teams last year to 12 this season.

Braves beat Marlins 2-1, clinch 5th straight NL East title

MIAMI (AP) — William Contreras drove in the go-ahead run in the fifth, and the Atlanta Braves clinched their fifth consecutive NL East title by defeating the Miami Marlins 2-1. Atlanta earned a first-round bye as the No. 2 seed in the NL playoffs, behind the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Braves were 10 1/2 games behind the New York Mets at the start of June and lost four of five to New York in early August. Kenley Jansen recorded his 41st save, working a perfect ninth to seal the win. Starter Jake Odorizzi pitched five innings, allowing one run.

NFL players working to ease stigma around mental health help

Marcus Smith II is among several former and active NFL players who are hoping to break the stigma around mental health. In 2018, Smith says he considered driving his car off of a hill because the pressures of the game were getting to him. Since then, he is dedicated to making sure other players don't reach the breaking point he was at. The league and the NFL Players Association are offering resources for teams, too.

Analysis: Wembanyama showed the repertoire, as NBA watched

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Victor Wembanyama didn't wait long to make an impression. The 7-foot-4 French phenomenon from the club Metropolitans 92 blocked shots at the rim and on the perimeter, got rebounds, ran the floor, set screens, scored on a nifty spin move, showed off his ability to dribble, dove for a loose ball and even played point guard on one possession. Oh, and all that was in the first two minutes. He scored 37 points, but his team lost to the G League Ignite 122-115. Ignite guard Scoot Henderson had 28 points.

Olympic pentathlon eyes 'Ninja Warrior' courses for survival

The sport of modern pentathlon hopes to stave off Olympic removal by possibly adding "American Ninja Warrior" style obstacle courses. The show-jumping component of the five-event competition has become an issue after a German coach was filmed hitting an uncooperative horse during the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. As it stands now, modern pentathlon in its current form will be off the program after the 2024 Paris Games. To get back on, the organization is testing out obstacle-course racing to replace show jumping. Which means ring swings and rope mazes could take center stage for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. It could be the scene that saves a sport facing a major crossroads.

Source: Ukraine to join Spain-Portugal 2030 World Cup bid

GENEVA (AP) — Ukraine is set to join Spain and Portugal in a combined bid to host the 2030 World Cup. A person familiar with the project tells The Associated Press that Ukraine is being added to the Spain-Portugal bid. The bid is scheduled to be announced on Wednesday at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement has not yet been made public. Ukrainian soccer federation president Andriy Pavelko confirmed to the AP he will go to Switzerland for the announcement but he declined to confirm details of the project.

US players 'horrified' by report of abuse in women's soccer

Players on the U.S. women's national soccer team are trying to process an investigation that found emotional abuse and sexual misconduct are systemic in women's soccer. U.S. defender Becky Sauerbrunn says she is horrified by the report. Former acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Q. Yates and the law firm of King &amp; Spaulding released the report after being retained by U.S. Soccer to investigate allegations of abuse in the National Women's Soccer League following a series of scandals last year. Several of the national team players also play in the league.

Kenny Pickett will be Steelers' starting QB vs. Bills

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Kenny Pickett era is officially underway in Pittsburgh. The rookie quarterback will make his first career start when the Steelers visit Buffalo. Pickett was the 20th overall pick in the draft. He made his regular-season debut in the second half of a 24-20 loss to the New York Jets on Sunday. Pickett ran for two touchdowns but also threw three interceptions, including a pick late in the fourth quarter that set up New York's game-winning drive. Pickett replaces Mitch Trubisky, who was signed in the offseason but benched against the Jets as coach Mike Tomlin looked for a spark.

St. Louis (TBD) at Pittsburgh (Oviedo 4-3), 4:05 p.m.

Arizona (Kelly 13-8) at Milwaukee (Burnes 12-8), 4:10 p.m.

Atlanta (TBD) at Miami (Hernandez 3-6), 4:10 p.m.

Chicago Cubs (Sampson 4-5) at Cincinnati (Ashcraft 5-5), 4:10 p.m.

Philadelphia (Falter 6-4) at Houston (Valdez 16-6), 4:10 p.m.

San Francisco (TBD) at San Diego (Clevinger 7-7), 4:10 p.m.

Washington (Fedde 6-12) at N.Y. Mets (TBD), 4:10 p.m.

Colorado (TBD) at L.A. Dodgers (Kershaw 11-3), 4:20 p.m.

Seattle 7, Detroit 6, 10 innings, 1st game

Toronto (TBD) at Baltimore (Baumann 1-3), 12:35 p.m., 1st game

L.A. Angels (Ohtani 15-8) at Oakland (Waldichuk 1-2), 4 p.m.

N.Y. Yankees (Germán 2-4) at Texas (Otto 6-10), 4:05 p.m.

Toronto (TBD) at Baltimore (Watkins 5-6), 4:05 p.m., 2nd game

Detroit (Alexander 4-11) at Seattle (Gonzales 10-15), 4:10 p.m.

Kansas City (Heasley 4-9) at Cleveland (Civale 4-6), 4:10 p.m.

Minnesota (Varland 0-2) at Chicago White Sox (Martin 3-5), 4:10 p.m.

Tampa Bay (Fleming 2-4) at Boston (Pivetta 10-12), 4:10 p.m.

AP Sports SummaryBrief at 6:08 a.m. EDTYankees star Judge hits 62nd homer to break Maris' AL recordARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Aaron Judge has hit his 62nd home run of the season to break Roger Maris' American League record. Judge hit a 1-1 slider from Texas right-hander Jesús Tinoco into the first row of seats in left field when leading off the second game of New York's day-night doubleheader on Tuesday. The 30-year-old Judge had homered only once in his past 13 games. That was when he hit No. 61 in Toronto last Wednesday to match Maris. While Maris' 61 for the Yankees in 1961 had been exceeded six times previously, all were tainted by the stench of steroids. That includes Barry Bonds' 73 for the the San Francisco Giants in 2001, though he has denied knowingly using performing-enhancing drugs.Home run hands! Dallas fan catches Judge's 62nd homer on flyARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Dallas baseball fan Cory Youmans made the catch of a lifetime, snagging the ball that New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge hit for his American League-record 62nd home run. Youmans caught the prized souvenir on the fly Tuesday night at Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers. Youmans, who works in the financial world, said he hasn't decided what he'll do with ball. Youmans was at the second game of a doubleheader between the Yankees and Rangers when Judge led off with a home run. Soon after a local TV station posted a brief interview with the lucky fan, Bri Amaranthus tweeted: "THIS IS MY HUSBAND." Amaranthus works in local media and identifies herself in her Twitter bio as an alum of ABC's "The Bachelor."MLB playoff picture all set, best-of-3 matchups start FridayThe entire Major League Baseball playoff picture is now set. The four matchups in the wild-card round were locked in Tuesday night, right before the last day of the regular season. Every series starts Friday and is a best two of three. Plus, the higher seed will host every game. In the National League, the San Diego Padres visit the New York Mets while the Philadelphia Phillies play at the St. Louis Cardinals. In the American League, the Seattle Mariners visit the Toronto Blue Jays while the Tampa Bay Rays play at the Cleveland Guardians. The postseason was expanded from 10 teams last year to 12 this season.Braves beat Marlins 2-1, clinch 5th straight NL East titleMIAMI (AP) — William Contreras drove in the go-ahead run in the fifth, and the Atlanta Braves clinched their fifth consecutive NL East title by defeating the Miami Marlins 2-1. Atlanta earned a first-round bye as the No. 2 seed in the NL playoffs, behind the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Braves were 10 1/2 games behind the New York Mets at the start of June and lost four of five to New York in early August. Kenley Jansen recorded his 41st save, working a perfect ninth to seal the win. Starter Jake Odorizzi pitched five innings, allowing one run.NFL players working to ease stigma around mental health helpMarcus Smith II is among several former and active NFL players who are hoping to break the stigma around mental health. In 2018, Smith says he considered driving his car off of a hill because the pressures of the game were getting to him. Since then, he is dedicated to making sure other players don't reach the breaking point he was at. The league and the NFL Players Association are offering resources for teams, too.Analysis: Wembanyama showed the repertoire, as NBA watchedHENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Victor Wembanyama didn't wait long to make an impression. The 7-foot-4 French phenomenon from the club Metropolitans 92 blocked shots at the rim and on the perimeter, got rebounds, ran the floor, set screens, scored on a nifty spin move, showed off his ability to dribble, dove for a loose ball and even played point guard on one possession. Oh, and all that was in the first two minutes. He scored 37 points, but his team lost to the G League Ignite 122-115. Ignite guard Scoot Henderson had 28 points.Olympic pentathlon eyes 'Ninja Warrior' courses for survivalThe sport of modern pentathlon hopes to stave off Olympic removal by possibly adding "American Ninja Warrior" style obstacle courses. The show-jumping component of the five-event competition has become an issue after a German coach was filmed hitting an uncooperative horse during the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. As it stands now, modern pentathlon in its current form will be off the program after the 2024 Paris Games. To get back on, the organization is testing out obstacle-course racing to replace show jumping. Which means ring swings and rope mazes could take center stage for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. It could be the scene that saves a sport facing a major crossroads.Source: Ukraine to join Spain-Portugal 2030 World Cup bidGENEVA (AP) — Ukraine is set to join Spain and Portugal in a combined bid to host the 2030 World Cup. A person familiar with the project tells The Associated Press that Ukraine is being added to the Spain-Portugal bid. The bid is scheduled to be announced on Wednesday at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement has not yet been made public. Ukrainian soccer federation president Andriy Pavelko confirmed to the AP he will go to Switzerland for the announcement but he declined to confirm details of the project.US players 'horrified' by report of abuse in women's soccerPlayers on the U.S. women's national soccer team are trying to process an investigation that found emotional abuse and sexual misconduct are systemic in women's soccer. U.S. defender Becky Sauerbrunn says she is horrified by the report. Former acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Q. Yates and the law firm of King &amp; Spaulding released the report after being retained by U.S. Soccer to investigate allegations of abuse in the National Women's Soccer League following a series of scandals last year. Several of the national team players also play in the league.Kenny Pickett will be Steelers' starting QB vs. BillsPITTSBURGH (AP) — The Kenny Pickett era is officially underway in Pittsburgh. The rookie quarterback will make his first career start when the Steelers visit Buffalo. Pickett was the 20th overall pick in the draft. He made his regular-season debut in the second half of a 24-20 loss to the New York Jets on Sunday. Pickett ran for two touchdowns but also threw three interceptions, including a pick late in the fourth quarter that set up New York's game-winning drive. Pickett replaces Mitch Trubisky, who was signed in the offseason but benched against the Jets as coach Mike Tomlin looked for a spark.___NATIONAL LEAGUEMonday's Games Miami 4, Atlanta 0Cincinnati 3, Chicago Cubs 1Pittsburgh 3, St. Louis 2Milwaukee 6, Arizona 5, 10 inningsPhiladelphia 3, Houston 0San Diego 7, San Francisco 4Colorado 2, L.A. Dodgers 1Washington at N.Y. Mets, ppd.Tuesday's Games N.Y. Mets 4, Washington 2, 1st gameCincinnati 3, Chicago Cubs 2Atlanta 2, Miami 1St. Louis 8, Pittsburgh 7, 10 inningsMilwaukee 3, Arizona 0Houston 10, Philadelphia 0N.Y. Mets 8, Washington 0, 2nd gameSan Diego 6, San Francisco 2Colorado 5, L.A. Dodgers 2Wednesday's Games St. Louis (TBD) at Pittsburgh (Oviedo 4-3), 4:05 p.m.Arizona (Kelly 13-8) at Milwaukee (Burnes 12-8), 4:10 p.m.Atlanta (TBD) at Miami (Hernandez 3-6), 4:10 p.m.Chicago Cubs (Sampson 4-5) at Cincinnati (Ashcraft 5-5), 4:10 p.m.Philadelphia (Falter 6-4) at Houston (Valdez 16-6), 4:10 p.m.San Francisco (TBD) at San Diego (Clevinger 7-7), 4:10 p.m.Washington (Fedde 6-12) at N.Y. Mets (TBD), 4:10 p.m.Colorado (TBD) at L.A. Dodgers (Kershaw 11-3), 4:20 p.m.Thursday's Games No games scheduled___AMERICAN LEAGUE Monday's Games Kansas City 5, Cleveland 2, 10 inningsToronto 5, Baltimore 1, 8 inningsN.Y. Yankees 3, Texas 1Boston 4, Tampa Bay 3Chicago White Sox 3, Minnesota 2Philadelphia 3, Houston 0Detroit 4, Seattle 3Oakland 5, L.A. Angels 4, 10 inningsTuesday's Games N.Y. Yankees 5, Texas 4, 1st gameCleveland 5, Kansas City 3Boston 6, Tampa Bay 0, 5 inningsSeattle 7, Detroit 6, 10 innings, 1st gameTexas 3, N.Y. Yankees 2, 2nd gameChicago White Sox 8, Minnesota 3Houston 10, Philadelphia 0Oakland 2, L.A. Angels 1, 10 inningsSeattle 9, Detroit 6, 2nd gameToronto at Baltimore, ppd.Wednesday's Games Toronto (TBD) at Baltimore (Baumann 1-3), 12:35 p.m., 1st gameL.A. Angels (Ohtani 15-8) at Oakland (Waldichuk 1-2), 4 p.m.N.Y. Yankees (Germán 2-4) at Texas (Otto 6-10), 4:05 p.m.Toronto (TBD) at Baltimore (Watkins 5-6), 4:05 p.m., 2nd gameDetroit (Alexander 4-11) at Seattle (Gonzales 10-15), 4:10 p.m.Kansas City (Heasley 4-9) at Cleveland (Civale 4-6), 4:10 p.m.Minnesota (Varland 0-2) at Chicago White Sox (Martin 3-5), 4:10 p.m.Philadelphia (Falter 6-4) at Houston (Valdez 16-6), 4:10 p.m.Tampa Bay (Fleming 2-4) at Boston (Pivetta 10-12), 4:10 p.m.Thursday's Games No games scheduled

Sports Headlines for Wednesday

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer

LAWRENCE — The long-suffering football fans at Kansas mostly thought it flattering when Nebraska fired Scott Frost and rumors began that the Huskers would be interested in hiring the Jayhawks' Lance Leipold as their next coach.

When Wisconsin fired its coach this week? The feeling wasn't so much flattery as fear.

Leipold was born in the small town of Jefferson, about a 40-minute drive from Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, and he's about as Wisconsin as summer sausage and cheese. Leipold played college football at Wisconsin-Whitewater, the Division III school where he later got his coaching start and won six national championships as a head coach. He also three seasons working for Barry Alvarez in the early 1990s as a graduate assistant with the Badgers.

So while the ties between Leipold and Nebraska were tenuous at best — he coached at tiny NAIA school Doane and the since-disbanded program at Nebraska-Omaha — the links Leipold has to Wisconsin run deep.

"We're happy here. We have no plans on going anywhere," Leipold said Tuesday, when asked by The Associated Press about the interest he's generated with the first 5-0 start at Kansas since 2009 — the one that has the Jayhawks ranked No. 19 as they head into this weekend's game of unbeatens against No. 17 TCU.

"Anything else is rumors," Leipold continued. "Some of these things are happening while we're in the film room — I didn't even know some of the stuff Sunday until later in the evening, when I'm getting all these text messages. I had no idea."

He's referring to Wisconsin firing Paul Chryst, who was born in Madison and played quarterback for the Badgers before getting into coaching at Division III Wisconsin-Platteville and elsewhere before returning to Madison to take on the head coaching job in 2015.

Chryst won at least 10 games in four of his first five seasons. He led the Badgers to a bowl game every year, including last season, when they went 9-4, finished second in the Big Ten West and won the Las Vegas Bowl. And twice he led Wisconsin to top-10 finishes in the final AP poll, one fewer than Alvarez accomplished in 16 seasons.

None of it mattered after the Badgers got off to a 2-3 start this season. Chryst was fired Sunday and replaced by defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard, a former Wisconsin star who will serve the rest of the season as interim coach.

"Paul Chryst is a close friend. I've known Paul since his late father tried to recruit me to Wisconsin-Platteville. That's a good family, a good man," Leipold said. "That's a guy who averaged nine wins a year and got let go. But you know, that's a part of what we signed up for these days. It's a changing world in a lot of different ways and that's unfortunate.

"And I'm not questioning anyone's decision because there's a lot of factors that go into these (firings) that nobody really knows," Leipold added, "but that's me speaking as a person and as a fan, not as a coach."

Kansas will do everything it can to keep Leipold, whom it plucked from Buffalo on the heels of the failed Les Miles experiment in Lawrence. Leipold was rewarded with a one-year extension in May despite having won just two games last season.

As part of that extension, the average annual value of the 58-year-old's contract was bumped to $2.6 million. He's still the lowest-paid Big 12 coach by a wide margin: Iowa State's Matt Campbell is due $4 million this year, and Oklahoma State made Mike Gundy the conference's highest-paid coach at $7.5 million.

But Kansas is seizing on the momentum of a program more accustomed to 10-loss seasons than ones in which it wins five games. ESPN is bringing "College GameDay" to Lawrence for the first time Saturday, when the school aims for a third consecutive sellout.

Season ticket sales are rising faster than at any point in recent memory. The school also is pushing ambitious plans to replace Memorial Stadium, which dates to the 1920s, as well as building a hotel, conference center and other amenities that would create a new "front door" to the entire campus.

"What does this all mean? It means a lot for this program as far as where we're at and how we're viewed now," Leipold said of all the attention this week. "It means a lot to this athletic department and this university and this campus."

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports WriterLAWRENCE — The long-suffering football fans at Kansas mostly thought it flattering when Nebraska fired Scott Frost and rumors began that the Huskers would be interested in hiring the Jayhawks' Lance Leipold as their next coach.When Wisconsin fired its coach this week? The feeling wasn't so much flattery as fear.Leipold was born in the small town of Jefferson, about a 40-minute drive from Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, and he's about as Wisconsin as summer sausage and cheese. Leipold played college football at Wisconsin-Whitewater, the Division III school where he later got his coaching start and won six national championships as a head coach. He also three seasons working for Barry Alvarez in the early 1990s as a graduate assistant with the Badgers.So while the ties between Leipold and Nebraska were tenuous at best — he coached at tiny NAIA school Doane and the since-disbanded program at Nebraska-Omaha — the links Leipold has to Wisconsin run deep."We're happy here. We have no plans on going anywhere," Leipold said Tuesday, when asked by The Associated Press about the interest he's generated with the first 5-0 start at Kansas since 2009 — the one that has the Jayhawks ranked No. 19 as they head into this weekend's game of unbeatens against No. 17 TCU."Anything else is rumors," Leipold continued. "Some of these things are happening while we're in the film room — I didn't even know some of the stuff Sunday until later in the evening, when I'm getting all these text messages. I had no idea."He's referring to Wisconsin firing Paul Chryst, who was born in Madison and played quarterback for the Badgers before getting into coaching at Division III Wisconsin-Platteville and elsewhere before returning to Madison to take on the head coaching job in 2015.Chryst won at least 10 games in four of his first five seasons. He led the Badgers to a bowl game every year, including last season, when they went 9-4, finished second in the Big Ten West and won the Las Vegas Bowl. And twice he led Wisconsin to top-10 finishes in the final AP poll, one fewer than Alvarez accomplished in 16 seasons.None of it mattered after the Badgers got off to a 2-3 start this season. Chryst was fired Sunday and replaced by defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard, a former Wisconsin star who will serve the rest of the season as interim coach."Paul Chryst is a close friend. I've known Paul since his late father tried to recruit me to Wisconsin-Platteville. That's a good family, a good man," Leipold said. "That's a guy who averaged nine wins a year and got let go. But you know, that's a part of what we signed up for these days. It's a changing world in a lot of different ways and that's unfortunate."And I'm not questioning anyone's decision because there's a lot of factors that go into these (firings) that nobody really knows," Leipold added, "but that's me speaking as a person and as a fan, not as a coach."Kansas will do everything it can to keep Leipold, whom it plucked from Buffalo on the heels of the failed Les Miles experiment in Lawrence. Leipold was rewarded with a one-year extension in May despite having won just two games last season.As part of that extension, the average annual value of the 58-year-old's contract was bumped to $2.6 million. He's still the lowest-paid Big 12 coach by a wide margin: Iowa State's Matt Campbell is due $4 million this year, and Oklahoma State made Mike Gundy the conference's highest-paid coach at $7.5 million.But Kansas is seizing on the momentum of a program more accustomed to 10-loss seasons than ones in which it wins five games. ESPN is bringing "College GameDay" to Lawrence for the first time Saturday, when the school aims for a third consecutive sellout.Season ticket sales are rising faster than at any point in recent memory. The school also is pushing ambitious plans to replace Memorial Stadium, which dates to the 1920s, as well as building a hotel, conference center and other amenities that would create a new "front door" to the entire campus."What does this all mean? It means a lot for this program as far as where we're at and how we're viewed now," Leipold said of all the attention this week. "It means a lot to this athletic department and this university and this campus."

🏈 KU FB: Leipold happy at No. 19 Kansas despite links to Wisconsin

ELKHORN, Nebraska – On a day when no team and only seven individuals broke par, the No. 1-ranked Hutchinson Community College Men’s Golf team climbed two spots in the final team standings of the Big “O” Classic and finished eighth on Tuesday.

The Blue Dragons had a streak of seven-straight tournaments with at least one team round under par snapped and finished with a 10-over 298 on Tuesday at Indian Creek Golf Club’s Black Bird course and finished the 54-hole tournament at 886 (+22). The Dragon posted back-to-back 294s on Monday.

The Blue Dragons finished 23 strokes off the winning pace of the University of St Thomas, which posted an 863. Nebraska-Omaha and SIU-Edwardsville tied for second at 868.

The Dragons finished ahead of two NCAA Division I teams, two NCAA Division III and KJCCC rival Dodge City, which tied for 10th at 892.

Hutchinson had just one player place in the individual Top 20. Sophomore Dominic Clemons tied for 13th with a 4-hole score of 2-over 218. Clemons closed the tournament with a 2-over 74 on Tuesday.

Sophomore Blake Saffell tied five others for 22nd at 221. Saffell finished with a tournament-low 73 on Tuesday.

Freshmen Alex Lindstrom and Louis Ross both tied for 38th at 224. Lindstrom closed with a 75 and Ross had a 76 in the final round.

Louis Galvin finished tied for 63rd at 229. He struggled to an 81 on Tuesday.

Freshman Joey Langstraat has his best round of the tournament on Tuesday with a 79. He finished 93rd at 245.

Creighton’s Shaun Campbell went wire-to-wire to capture the individual title, shooting 72 on Tuesday to complete the tournament at 210 with a one-stroke victory.

The Blue Dragons have one more fall tournament this season. Hutchinson will play at the Wichita State Fall Invitational on Monday and Tuesday at Crestview Country Club’s North Course in Wichita.

HutchCC Sports InformationELKHORN, Nebraska – On a day when no team and only seven individuals broke par, the No. 1-ranked Hutchinson Community College Men’s Golf team climbed two spots in the final team standings of the Big “O” Classic and finished eighth on Tuesday.The Blue Dragons had a streak of seven-straight tournaments with at least one team round under par snapped and finished with a 10-over 298 on Tuesday at Indian Creek Golf Club’s Black Bird course and finished the 54-hole tournament at 886 (+22). The Dragon posted back-to-back 294s on Monday.The Blue Dragons finished 23 strokes off the winning pace of the University of St Thomas, which posted an 863. Nebraska-Omaha and SIU-Edwardsville tied for second at 868.The Dragons finished ahead of two NCAA Division I teams, two NCAA Division III and KJCCC rival Dodge City, which tied for 10th at 892.Hutchinson had just one player place in the individual Top 20. Sophomore Dominic Clemons tied for 13th with a 4-hole score of 2-over 218. Clemons closed the tournament with a 2-over 74 on Tuesday.Sophomore Blake Saffell tied five others for 22nd at 221. Saffell finished with a tournament-low 73 on Tuesday.Freshmen Alex Lindstrom and Louis Ross both tied for 38th at 224. Lindstrom closed with a 75 and Ross had a 76 in the final round.Louis Galvin finished tied for 63rd at 229. He struggled to an 81 on Tuesday.Freshman Joey Langstraat has his best round of the tournament on Tuesday with a 79. He finished 93rd at 245.Creighton’s Shaun Campbell went wire-to-wire to capture the individual title, shooting 72 on Tuesday to complete the tournament at 210 with a one-stroke victory.The Blue Dragons have one more fall tournament this season. Hutchinson will play at the Wichita State Fall Invitational on Monday and Tuesday at Crestview Country Club’s North Course in Wichita.

⛳ HutchCC:  Dragons 8th at Big 'O' Classic

For the second-straight week, Hutchinson Community College running Dylan Kedzior led the No. 2-ranked Blue Dragons to a huge victory. This week, Kedzior was joined by sophomore defensive end Nikko Taylor – the pair were named the NJCAA Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, on Tuesday.

Kedzior and Taylor played huge roles in No. 2 Hutchinson’s 27-19 victory over No. 9 Butler on Saturday at Gowans Stadium. The victory vaulted the Blue Dragons (5-0) into sole possession of first place in the KJCCC heading into this Saturday’s game at Dodge City.

Kedzior, a 6-foot, 205-pound third-year running back from Claremore, Oklahoma who won conference Offensive Player of the Week honors after the victory over Coffeyville, produced 234 total yards and four touchdowns to lead the Blue Dragons.

Kedzior rushed for a career-high 230 yards on 28 carries with rushing touchdowns 23, 17 and 7 yards. He also caught a highlight-reel 4-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter to tie the game at 13-all. Kedzior is the first Blue Dragon to have a 200-yard rushing game since Anwar Lewis vs. Fort Scott last season. He is the first Blue Dragon with three rushing touchdowns in one game since Lewis vs. Garden City in the KJCCC Championship game one year ago.

Taylor was a force, especially in the second half against the Grizzlies. The 6-5, 240-pound defensive end from Overland Park, finished with nine tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss and two quarterback sacks.

In the second half, the Taylor had six tackles with two quarterback sacks to hold the Grizzlies to just three points in the second half.

The Blue Dragons have now earned four league Offensive Player of the Week awards, two defensive awards and one special teams award. Other winners this season have been quarterback Dylan Laible, running back Rontavious Richmond, linebacker R.J. Evans and return specialist Darby Roper.

HutchCC Sports InformationFor the second-straight week, Hutchinson Community College running Dylan Kedzior led the No. 2-ranked Blue Dragons to a huge victory. This week, Kedzior was joined by sophomore defensive end Nikko Taylor – the pair were named the NJCAA Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, on Tuesday.Kedzior and Taylor played huge roles in No. 2 Hutchinson’s 27-19 victory over No. 9 Butler on Saturday at Gowans Stadium. The victory vaulted the Blue Dragons (5-0) into sole possession of first place in the KJCCC heading into this Saturday’s game at Dodge City.Kedzior, a 6-foot, 205-pound third-year running back from Claremore, Oklahoma who won conference Offensive Player of the Week honors after the victory over Coffeyville, produced 234 total yards and four touchdowns to lead the Blue Dragons.Kedzior rushed for a career-high 230 yards on 28 carries with rushing touchdowns 23, 17 and 7 yards. He also caught a highlight-reel 4-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter to tie the game at 13-all. Kedzior is the first Blue Dragon to have a 200-yard rushing game since Anwar Lewis vs. Fort Scott last season. He is the first Blue Dragon with three rushing touchdowns in one game since Lewis vs. Garden City in the KJCCC Championship game one year ago.Taylor was a force, especially in the second half against the Grizzlies. The 6-5, 240-pound defensive end from Overland Park, finished with nine tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss and two quarterback sacks.In the second half, the Taylor had six tackles with two quarterback sacks to hold the Grizzlies to just three points in the second half.The Blue Dragons have now earned four league Offensive Player of the Week awards, two defensive awards and one special teams award. Other winners this season have been quarterback Dylan Laible, running back Rontavious Richmond, linebacker R.J. Evans and return specialist Darby Roper.

🏈  HutchCC FB: Kedzior, Taylor earn KJCCC Football honors

By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Baseball Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas — Aaron Judge hit his 62nd home run of the season Tuesday night, breaking Roger Maris' American League record and setting what some fans consider baseball's "clean" standard.

The 30-year-old Yankees slugger drove a 1-1 slider from Texas right-hander Jesús Tinoco into the first couple of rows of seats in left field when leading off the second game of New York's day-night doubleheader.

Maris' 61 for the Yankees in 1961 had been exceeded six times previously, but all were tainted by the stench of steroids. Mark McGwire hit 70 for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1998 and 65 the following year. Barry Bonds hit an MLB-record 73 for the San Francisco Giants in 2001, and the Chicago Cubs' Sammy Sosa had 66, 65 and 63 during a four-season span starting in 1998.

McGwire admitted using banned steroids, while Bonds and Sosa denied knowingly using performing-enhancing drugs. Major League Baseball started testing with penalties for PEDs in 2004, and some fans — perhaps many — until now have considered Maris as holder of the legitimate record.

A Ruthian figure with a smile as outsized as his body, the 6-foot-7 Judge has rocked the major leagues with a series of deep drives that hearken to the sepia tone movie reels of his legendary pinstriped predecessors.

"He should be revered for being the actual single-season home run champ," Roger Maris Jr. said Wednesday night after his father's mark was matched by Judge. "I think baseball needs to look at the records and I think baseball should do something."

Judge had homered only once in the past 13 games, and that was when he hit No. 61 last Wednesday in Toronto. The doubleheader nightcap in Texas was his 55th game in row played since Aug. 5.

After a single in five at-bats in the first game Tuesday, Judge was 3 for 17 with five walks and a hit by pitch since moving past the 60 home runs Babe Ruth hit in 1927, which had stood as the major league record for 34 years. Maris hit his 61st off Boston's Tracy Stallard at old Yankee Stadium on Oct. 1, 1961.

Judge has a chance to become the first AL Triple Crown winner since Detroit's Miguel Cabrera in 2012. He leads the AL with 131 RBIs and began the day trailing Minnesota's Luis Arraez, who was hitting .315.

By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Baseball WriterARLINGTON, Texas — Aaron Judge hit his 62nd home run of the season Tuesday night, breaking Roger Maris' American League record and setting what some fans consider baseball's "clean" standard.The 30-year-old Yankees slugger drove a 1-1 slider from Texas right-hander Jesús Tinoco into the first couple of rows of seats in left field when leading off the second game of New York's day-night doubleheader.Maris' 61 for the Yankees in 1961 had been exceeded six times previously, but all were tainted by the stench of steroids. Mark McGwire hit 70 for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1998 and 65 the following year. Barry Bonds hit an MLB-record 73 for the San Francisco Giants in 2001, and the Chicago Cubs' Sammy Sosa had 66, 65 and 63 during a four-season span starting in 1998.McGwire admitted using banned steroids, while Bonds and Sosa denied knowingly using performing-enhancing drugs. Major League Baseball started testing with penalties for PEDs in 2004, and some fans — perhaps many — until now have considered Maris as holder of the legitimate record.A Ruthian figure with a smile as outsized as his body, the 6-foot-7 Judge has rocked the major leagues with a series of deep drives that hearken to the sepia tone movie reels of his legendary pinstriped predecessors."He should be revered for being the actual single-season home run champ," Roger Maris Jr. said Wednesday night after his father's mark was matched by Judge. "I think baseball needs to look at the records and I think baseball should do something."Judge had homered only once in the past 13 games, and that was when he hit No. 61 last Wednesday in Toronto. The doubleheader nightcap in Texas was his 55th game in row played since Aug. 5.After a single in five at-bats in the first game Tuesday, Judge was 3 for 17 with five walks and a hit by pitch since moving past the 60 home runs Babe Ruth hit in 1927, which had stood as the major league record for 34 years. Maris hit his 61st off Boston's Tracy Stallard at old Yankee Stadium on Oct. 1, 1961.Judge has a chance to become the first AL Triple Crown winner since Detroit's Miguel Cabrera in 2012. He leads the AL with 131 RBIs and began the day trailing Minnesota's Luis Arraez, who was hitting .315.The home run in his first at-bat put him back to .311, where he had started the day before dropping a point in the opener.Judge's accomplishment will cause endless debate."To me, the holder of the record for home runs in a season is Roger Maris," author George Will said earlier this month. "There's no hint of suspicion that we're seeing better baseball than better chemistry in the case of Judge. He's clean. He's not doing something that forces other players to jeopardize their health."