July 9, 2025 4:33 am
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Nick Loftin hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh inning, then won it in the ninth with a one-out RBI single as the Kansas City Royals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3. Rookie Jac Caglianone homered for the Royals, a 421-foot drive leading off the second inning that was his first extra-base hit in 14 games at Kauffman Stadium. He had been 5 for 46 at home before Tuesday. Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz tied it in the fourth with a 458-foot shot over the fountains in right field on the day he was announced as a participant in next-week’s Home Run Derby.
July 9, 2025 4:35 am
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz has been added to Monday’s Home Run Derby in Atlanta. He joins Cal Raleigh, Ronald Acuña Jr., Byron Buxton and James Wood. Cruz is known for his powerful homers, and he hit his 16th of the season Tuesday night at Kansas City. On May 25, he hit a homer with a record-breaking 122.9 mph exit velocity. That was the fastest since Statcast started tracking in 2015. The 26-year-old Cruz hit a career-best 21 homers last season.
July 9, 2025 4:36 am
Gavin McKenna said he is committing to Penn State in a highly anticipated decision by one of the most highly projected NHL-caliber prospects since Connor McDavid’s draft year in 2015. Just as significant, McKenna’s decision to jump from the Canadian Hockey League to the college ranks highlights how much the junior developmental hockey landscape has changed in North America since the NCAA’s landmark decision to lift its ban on CHL participation in November. McKenna, who turns 18 in December, is regarded as a generational talent who has been projected as the 2026 NHL draft’s top prospect.
July 8, 2025 4:24 am
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez hit two of Kansas City’s four home runs to back a strong start by rookie Noah Cameron, and the Royals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-3 on Monday night. Cameron struck out seven in a season-high seven innings. The left-hander allowed three hits, a walk, and two runs — on Tommy Pham’s two-run shot in the third. Witt went 2 for 3 and scored twice to extend his hitting streak to 11 games. Witt hit his 13th homer, a two-run shot the opposite way to right-center field off reliever Chase Shugart to give the Royals a 6-2 lead in the fourth.
July 8, 2025 4:29 am
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Manny Machado of the San Diego Padres got his 2,000th career hit Monday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks with a sharp single off the glove of diving shortstop Geraldo Perdomo. The milestone hit came against starter Zac Gallen leading off the fourth inning. Machado received a standing ovation from the crowd at Petco Park, where he’s been a fan favorite since joining the Padres as a free agent in 2019. The All-Star third baseman singled to left field in the first for his 1,999th hit and homered in the eighth, but San Diego lost 6-3.
July 8, 2025 4:26 am
Minnesota Twins outfielder and Georgia native Byron Buxton has been announced as the fourth participant in the Home Run Derby. It will take place next Monday, the night before the All-Star Game, at Truist Park in Atlanta. Buxton joins Nationals outfielder James Wood, Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. and Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh in the competition. Buxton has 20 homers this season. He’s from Baxley, Georgia, and was the second overall pick by the Twins in the 2012 draft. New York Mets slugger and two-time winner Pete Alonso joined Philadelphia designated hitter Kyle Schwarber in electing to skip the event.
July 8, 2025 4:30 am
LONDON (AP) — Novak Djokovic has overcame an uncharacteristically unsteady start to avoid what would have been his earliest exit at Wimbledon since 2016. Djokovic took the last five games and 14 of the final 15 points to come through for a 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory over 11th-seeded Alex de Minaur in the fourth round Monday. Djokovic’s bid for an eighth Wimbledon title and 25th Grand Slam trophy will continue against No. 22 Flavio Cobolli. No. 1 Jannik Sinner, No. 10 Ben Shelton, 18-year-old Mirra Andreev, Iga Swiatek and Belinda Bencic also won their fourth-round matches on Monday, when Roger Federer sat in the Royal Box at Centre Court.
July 7, 2025 4:38 am
SEATTLE (AP) — Randy Arozarena homered, George Kirby tossed 6 1/3 crisp innings and the Seattle Mariners shut out the punchless Pirates for the third straight game, winning 1-0 as Pittsburgh wasted another strong start by All-Star Paul Skenes. Arozarena hit his 14th longball of the season and sixth in seven games when he turned on a low fastball in the sixth inning from reliever Carmen Mlodzinski. Skenes had a short but effective outing, striking out 10 and allowing five hits in five innings. He threw 52 of his 78 pitches for strikes and lowered his ERA to 1.94 but is just 4-7 this season.
July 7, 2025 4:43 am
PITTSBURGH — Pirates star Paul Skenes has been named to the National League All-Star team for the second year in a row. Skenes, 23, joins only two other starting Pirates pitchers in being selected for the All-Star game in at least two straight seasons. Bob Veale made the team in 1965 and 1966 and Rip Sewell was selected in 1943, 1944 and 1946. There was no All-Star game in 1945. He is ranked first in the league in ERA (2.03) and batting average against (.182). He is tied at sixth for strikeouts. Skenes was the first Pirates rookie pitcher to be selected for the game. He was the starter in that game. The All-Star game will be held at Truist Park on July 15.
July 7, 2025 4:40 am
SEATTLE (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz made a 105.2 mph throw to nab Seattle’s J.P. Crawford at the plate, the second-hardest thrown ball to produce an outfield assist since Statcast started tracking in 2015. The fastest throw from the outfield that produced an out in Major League Baseball’s Statcast era was 105.5 mph by Aaron Hicks of the New York Yankees in 2016. Cruz’s throw on Sunday was the fastest of any kind by a Pirates outfielder. The one-hopper to the plate came as a surprise to Crawford, who did not slide on the play. The Pirates lost to the Mariners 1-0.
