CHICAGO (AP) — Cody Bellinger homered twice and Justin Steele pitched six effective innings, helping the Chicago Cubs beat the Kansas City Royals 6-4 on Saturday.

Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki each hit a sacrifice fly for Chicago (63-59), which had dropped three of four. The Cubs are fighting for playoff positioning in the crowded NL standings.

Bellinger, who signed a $17.5 million, one-year contract in December, hit a two-run shot in the first and a solo drive in the third. He has 20 homers on the season for his highest total since he swatted 47 for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2019 on his way to the NL MVP award.

The 28-year-old Bellinger went 2 for 3 with four RBIs. He is batting .326 with 63 RBIs and 17 steals in 91 games.

“It’s just must-watch television at this point,” Steele said of Bellinger’s offensive production. “Any time he comes up, whatever the situation, he’s must watch. He’s always putting together great at-bats and is a great presence in the clubhouse.

It was Bellinger's 17th career multihomer game. He credited having a simple approach at the plate for his recent offensive tear.

“I think it’s just understanding myself and being able to control what I want to do inside the box,” Bellinger said. “It’s all correlated. When I get off, I try to get right back on track and just trust my swing and my ability.”

Steele (14-3) allowed two runs and six hits. He struck out seven and walked none while improving to 5-0 in his last six starts.

“He’s been so good for us and given us six (innings) consistently,” Cubs manager David Ross said. “He’s one of our best pitchers. You got to put trust in him, ride him and give him the ball. When in doubt, he’s been really good.”

Adbert Alzolay worked the ninth for his 17th save in 18 chances.

Bobby Witt Jr. had three hits for Kansas City (40-85), and Salvador Perez went 2 for 3 and scored two runs. Brady Singer (8-9) was charged with six runs — four earned — and nine hits in 3 2/3 innings.

“A couple different pitches could have changed a lot of things,” Singer said. “Obviously, I wish I would have done that but that’s the way the game goes sometimes.”

Witt singled home Drew Waters in the seventh, and Kyle Isbel added an RBI double in the eighth. But the Royals' rally fizzled from there.

Chicago improved to 20-9 in its last 29 games.

The Cubs designated veteran catcher Tucker Barnhart for assignment. The 32-year-old Barnhart, who signed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chicago-cubs-sports-tucker-barnhart-mlb-baseball-yan-gomes-10c9e850da08926741e9af477e1ccb76">$6.5 million, two-year contract</a>&nbsp;in December, hit .202 in 47 games with Chicago.

Infielder Miles Mastrobuoni was recalled from Triple-A Iowa.

Royals: INF Maikel Garcia got the day off. Manager Matt Quatraro said Garcia is dealing with upper-body soreness on his left side and remains day to day.

Cubs: RHP Nick Burdi (appendectomy) threw 26 pitches in a rehab appearance for Triple-A Iowa on Friday.

RHP Jordan Lyles (3-13, 6.30 ERA) takes the mound for the Royals on Sunday. RHP Kyle Hendricks (4-6, 4.00 ERA) starts for the Cubs. First Pitch is set for 1:10, with pregame coverage starting at 12:30 on 680 AM &amp; 95.3 FM KFEQ.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692532100335.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Michael Massey tosses his helmet after striking out during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Michael Massey tosses his helmet after striking out during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)</figcaption>
 </figure>CHICAGO (AP) — Cody Bellinger homered twice and Justin Steele pitched six effective innings, helping the Chicago Cubs beat the Kansas City Royals 6-4 on Saturday.Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki each hit a sacrifice fly for Chicago (63-59), which had dropped three of four. The Cubs are fighting for playoff positioning in the crowded NL standings.Bellinger, who signed a $17.5 million, one-year contract in December, hit a two-run shot in the first and a solo drive in the third. He has 20 homers on the season for his highest total since he swatted 47 for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2019 on his way to the NL MVP award.The 28-year-old Bellinger went 2 for 3 with four RBIs. He is batting .326 with 63 RBIs and 17 steals in 91 games.“It’s just must-watch television at this point,” Steele said of Bellinger’s offensive production. “Any time he comes up, whatever the situation, he’s must watch. He’s always putting together great at-bats and is a great presence in the clubhouse.“He’s the heartbeat right now.”It was Bellinger's 17th career multihomer game. He credited having a simple approach at the plate for his recent offensive tear.“I think it’s just understanding myself and being able to control what I want to do inside the box,” Bellinger said. “It’s all correlated. When I get off, I try to get right back on track and just trust my swing and my ability.”Steele (14-3) allowed two runs and six hits. He struck out seven and walked none while improving to 5-0 in his last six starts.“He’s been so good for us and given us six (innings) consistently,” Cubs manager David Ross said. “He’s one of our best pitchers. You got to put trust in him, ride him and give him the ball. When in doubt, he’s been really good.”Adbert Alzolay worked the ninth for his 17th save in 18 chances.Bobby Witt Jr. had three hits for Kansas City (40-85), and Salvador Perez went 2 for 3 and scored two runs. Brady Singer (8-9) was charged with six runs — four earned — and nine hits in 3 2/3 innings.“A couple different pitches could have changed a lot of things,” Singer said. “Obviously, I wish I would have done that but that’s the way the game goes sometimes.”Witt singled home Drew Waters in the seventh, and Kyle Isbel added an RBI double in the eighth. But the Royals' rally fizzled from there.Chicago improved to 20-9 in its last 29 games.TRANSACTIONThe Cubs designated veteran catcher Tucker Barnhart for assignment. The 32-year-old Barnhart, who signed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chicago-cubs-sports-tucker-barnhart-mlb-baseball-yan-gomes-10c9e850da08926741e9af477e1ccb76">$6.5 million, two-year contract</a>&nbsp;in December, hit .202 in 47 games with Chicago.Infielder Miles Mastrobuoni was recalled from Triple-A Iowa.TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals: INF Maikel Garcia got the day off. Manager Matt Quatraro said Garcia is dealing with upper-body soreness on his left side and remains day to day.Cubs: RHP Nick Burdi (appendectomy) threw 26 pitches in a rehab appearance for Triple-A Iowa on Friday.UP NEXTRHP Jordan Lyles (3-13, 6.30 ERA) takes the mound for the Royals on Sunday. RHP Kyle Hendricks (4-6, 4.00 ERA) starts for the Cubs. First Pitch is set for 1:10, with pregame coverage starting at 12:30 on 680 AM &amp; 95.3 FM KFEQ.

Cody Bellinger and Justin Steele help Chicago Cubs top Kansas City Royals 6-4

Savannah was the newest team in the field at the St. Joseph city jamboree at Spratt Stadium Friday.

Now, they're the most recent winner of the event.

The Savages, coming off of a 10-2 season last year, scored five offensive touchdowns and forced three turnovers in beating Lafayette, Central and Benton in the jamboree on Friday night.

Savannah beat Lafayette 18-7, Central 6-0 and Benton 15-0.

"We just want to check a few boxes when we come to jamboree," Savannah head coach Anthony Hays said. "We want to get some reps in for our guys we'll rotate in on Friday night and our JV kids. I think we checked all of our boxes."

"We want our kids, whether we're at practice, a jamboree or game, to play with great enthusiasm and energy and I feel like they really brought that today."

The Savages had little trouble on offense in the first quarter, as senior and all-state running back Cade Chappell got the scoring started with a one-yard touchdown run.

Sophomore Deagan Pasley followed with a one-yard rushing score of his own. Savannah also recovered a pair of Lafayette fumbles to beat the Irish 18-7.

The second quarter proved to be a tougher challenge for the Savages, as they took on Class 5 Central. The Indians held Savannah out of the end zone for awhile.

But with only a couple of plays left to run, junior quarterback Maddox Shoop threw a deep ball to sophomore Luke Rogers, who turned around to catch the pass in tight coverage, and back his way into the end zone to give Savannah a 6-0 win in the second quarter.

Each team ran 12 plays of offense per quarter.

Benton proved to be of little challenge for Savannah, as the Savages quickly scored a pair of touchdowns against the Cardinals.

Chappell ran one in from 18 yards out, while Shoop connected with Kegan Bechtold for an 11-yard touchdown to put the Savages up 12-0.

Every drive in Friday's jamboree started 35 yards away from the end zone. Benton's offense had trouble getting much past the 35.

In fact, on Benton's first offensive play against the Savannah defense, quarterback Jaxson Rich targeted Austin Zambrano-Saxton in the end zone, but senior Wyatt Jackson ripped the ball away for his own to come down with an athletic interception.

"That was a great play," Hays said. "Wyatt, I think, will be a good one. We have some good senior leadership and some young kids who played last year as sophomores. I was really impressed with coach (Caleb) Wiley's defense. The defensive staff has done a great job with those kids. They played with a lot of fire."

The Savages came away with a sweep against their St. Joseph opposition - their fans packing the bleachers on the north side.

"Our town loves football," Hays said. "We're appreciative for the support we have. It seemed like a natural fit with there only being three teams (in the jamboree). I'm very gracious to the St. Joseph schools for allowing us to be part of it. We're just 15 minutes north of here, so it seemed like a good fit. We'd love to be a part of it for as long as they allow us to."

"We bring something to the table as far as the atmosphere and packing the visitors' side (at Spratt Stadium). We could have that be our side. We'll pack it every single year. We're very grateful for our fan support."

Central got off to a strong start in the first quarter, defeating Benton 18-3. Junior running back Gabe Fields had a 35-yard touchdown run. He also caught an 18-yard touchdown pass from senior QB Caleb Aguilar.

Benton's Bryson Brown snagged an INT late in the period, which were the only points on the night for the Cardinals.

Lafayette's lone win Friday came against Benton in the second quarter by the score of 6-0. Senior quarterback Jackson Compton connected with fellow senior and receiver Drake Losson for a 33-yard touchdown throw in the second.

Compton and Losson also connected from 35 yards out in the first quarter against Savannah.

Central's offense moved methodically against Lafayette. Fields and junior Clarron Jackson each had touchdown runs against the Irish in the third. The Indians also picked up a fumble after a sack, giving the Indians a 15-0 win.

Central finished the night at 2-1, Lafayette was 1-2 and Benton, last year's jamboree winner, went 0-3.

Savannah will face Portageville at Ozark High School. Central is at Ruskin, Lafayette is at KC Center and Benton is home to Northeast KC next Friday to officially kick off the season.

You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692413228096.jpeg" alt="Maddox Shoop (14) threw for a pair of touchdowns as Savannah went 3-0 and won the 2023 St. Joseph city jamboree at Spratt Stadium. Photo by Matt Pike." />
 <figcaption>Maddox Shoop (14) threw for a pair of touchdowns as Savannah went 3-0 and won the 2023 St. Joseph city jamboree at Spratt Stadium. Photo by Matt Pike.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSavannah was the newest team in the field at the St. Joseph city jamboree at Spratt Stadium Friday.Now, they're the most recent winner of the event.The Savages, coming off of a 10-2 season last year, scored five offensive touchdowns and forced three turnovers in beating Lafayette, Central and Benton in the jamboree on Friday night.Savannah beat Lafayette 18-7, Central 6-0 and Benton 15-0."We just want to check a few boxes when we come to jamboree," Savannah head coach Anthony Hays said. "We want to get some reps in for our guys we'll rotate in on Friday night and our JV kids. I think we checked all of our boxes.""We want our kids, whether we're at practice, a jamboree or game, to play with great enthusiasm and energy and I feel like they really brought that today."The Savages had little trouble on offense in the first quarter, as senior and all-state running back Cade Chappell got the scoring started with a one-yard touchdown run.Sophomore Deagan Pasley followed with a one-yard rushing score of his own. Savannah also recovered a pair of Lafayette fumbles to beat the Irish 18-7.The second quarter proved to be a tougher challenge for the Savages, as they took on Class 5 Central. The Indians held Savannah out of the end zone for awhile.But with only a couple of plays left to run, junior quarterback Maddox Shoop threw a deep ball to sophomore Luke Rogers, who turned around to catch the pass in tight coverage, and back his way into the end zone to give Savannah a 6-0 win in the second quarter.Each team ran 12 plays of offense per quarter.Benton proved to be of little challenge for Savannah, as the Savages quickly scored a pair of touchdowns against the Cardinals.Chappell ran one in from 18 yards out, while Shoop connected with Kegan Bechtold for an 11-yard touchdown to put the Savages up 12-0.Every drive in Friday's jamboree started 35 yards away from the end zone. Benton's offense had trouble getting much past the 35.In fact, on Benton's first offensive play against the Savannah defense, quarterback Jaxson Rich targeted Austin Zambrano-Saxton in the end zone, but senior Wyatt Jackson ripped the ball away for his own to come down with an athletic interception."That was a great play," Hays said. "Wyatt, I think, will be a good one. We have some good senior leadership and some young kids who played last year as sophomores. I was really impressed with coach (Caleb) Wiley's defense. The defensive staff has done a great job with those kids. They played with a lot of fire."The Savages came away with a sweep against their St. Joseph opposition - their fans packing the bleachers on the north side."Our town loves football," Hays said. "We're appreciative for the support we have. It seemed like a natural fit with there only being three teams (in the jamboree). I'm very gracious to the St. Joseph schools for allowing us to be part of it. We're just 15 minutes north of here, so it seemed like a good fit. We'd love to be a part of it for as long as they allow us to.""We bring something to the table as far as the atmosphere and packing the visitors' side (at Spratt Stadium). We could have that be our side. We'll pack it every single year. We're very grateful for our fan support."Also in the first quarterCentral got off to a strong start in the first quarter, defeating Benton 18-3. Junior running back Gabe Fields had a 35-yard touchdown run. He also caught an 18-yard touchdown pass from senior QB Caleb Aguilar.Benton's Bryson Brown snagged an INT late in the period, which were the only points on the night for the Cardinals.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692415514966.jpeg" alt="Gabe Fields. Photo by Clifton Grooms." />
 <figcaption>Gabe Fields. Photo by Clifton Grooms.</figcaption>
 </figure>Also in the second quarterLafayette's lone win Friday came against Benton in the second quarter by the score of 6-0. Senior quarterback Jackson Compton connected with fellow senior and receiver Drake Losson for a 33-yard touchdown throw in the second.Compton and Losson also connected from 35 yards out in the first quarter against Savannah.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692415532909.jpeg" alt="Jackson Compton." />
 <figcaption>Jackson Compton.</figcaption>
 </figure>Also in the third quarterCentral's offense moved methodically against Lafayette. Fields and junior Clarron Jackson each had touchdown runs against the Irish in the third. The Indians also picked up a fumble after a sack, giving the Indians a 15-0 win.Central finished the night at 2-1, Lafayette was 1-2 and Benton, last year's jamboree winner, went 0-3.Week 1Savannah will face Portageville at Ozark High School. Central is at Ruskin, Lafayette is at KC Center and Benton is home to Northeast KC next Friday to officially kick off the season.Anthony Hays interview<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-sports/embed/episodes/Anthony-Hays---St--Joseph-jamboree-postgame-e2897p9" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692413251078.jpeg" alt="Cade Chappell." />
 <figcaption>Cade Chappell.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692415608228.jpeg" alt="Cadin Stout (27)." />
 <figcaption>Cadin Stout (27).</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692415641155.jpeg" alt="Kanon Wetlaufer (13)." />
 <figcaption>Kanon Wetlaufer (13).</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Savannah goes 3-0, wins the St. Joseph jamboree in their first time participating

CHICAGO (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. hit a go-ahead home run and Cole Ragans pitched six effective innings to help the Kansas City Royals end a three-game skid with a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday.

Ragans (4-4) struck out nine while allowing eight hits and all three Chicago runs. He struck out three straight batters to end his final inning.

The Cubs started the day 2 1/2 games behind Milwaukee in the NL Central standings and missed a chance to creep closer after striking out 13 times. Carlos Hernández, the last of four Royals relievers, pitched the ninth for his second save in five chances.

Jameson Taillon (7-8) was charged with two earned runs after allowing six hits and striking out three in the first six innings. Kansas City’s Matt Duffy reached on an error to start the sixth before Witt knocked his 24th homer of the season into center field.

The Royals took the lead in the third on Kyle Isbel’s RBI single and got another run an inning later on Salvador Perez’s sacrifice fly.

The Cubs answered with a three-run, five-hit fourth that included RBI singles from Jeimer Candelario and Christopher Morel.

Fans enjoyed more than just a mild, sunny afternoon on Chicago’s north side. Fighter jets and other military aircraft buzzed across the sky near Wrigley Field throughout the afternoon as pilots practiced for this weekend’s annual Chicago Air and Water Show.

Royals: 3B Maikel Garcia left the game in the middle of the fourth with what the club called left upper body discomfort. ... RHP Taylor Clarke (elbow inflammation) was activated from the 15-day injured list before the game. RHP Max Castillo was optioned to Triple-A Omaha on Thursday. ... INF Nick Pratto (left groin strain) made his first rehab appearance at Omaha on Thursday. He’s been on the 10-day injured list since July 28.

Royals RHP Brady Singer (8-8, 4.91) faces Cubs LHP Justin Steele (13-3, 2.79) on Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692395120901.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr., right, jumps up to celebrate his home run with Matt Duffy during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, Aug. 18, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr., right, jumps up to celebrate his home run with Matt Duffy during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, Aug. 18, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)</figcaption>
 </figure>CHICAGO (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. hit a go-ahead home run and Cole Ragans pitched six effective innings to help the Kansas City Royals end a three-game skid with a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday.Ragans (4-4) struck out nine while allowing eight hits and all three Chicago runs. He struck out three straight batters to end his final inning.The Cubs started the day 2 1/2 games behind Milwaukee in the NL Central standings and missed a chance to creep closer after striking out 13 times. Carlos Hernández, the last of four Royals relievers, pitched the ninth for his second save in five chances.Jameson Taillon (7-8) was charged with two earned runs after allowing six hits and striking out three in the first six innings. Kansas City’s Matt Duffy reached on an error to start the sixth before Witt knocked his 24th homer of the season into center field.The Royals took the lead in the third on Kyle Isbel’s RBI single and got another run an inning later on Salvador Perez’s sacrifice fly.The Cubs answered with a three-run, five-hit fourth that included RBI singles from Jeimer Candelario and Christopher Morel.IT GOT A LITTLE LOUDFans enjoyed more than just a mild, sunny afternoon on Chicago’s north side. Fighter jets and other military aircraft buzzed across the sky near Wrigley Field throughout the afternoon as pilots practiced for this weekend’s annual Chicago Air and Water Show.TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals: 3B Maikel Garcia left the game in the middle of the fourth with what the club called left upper body discomfort. ... RHP Taylor Clarke (elbow inflammation) was activated from the 15-day injured list before the game. RHP Max Castillo was optioned to Triple-A Omaha on Thursday. ... INF Nick Pratto (left groin strain) made his first rehab appearance at Omaha on Thursday. He’s been on the 10-day injured list since July 28.UP NEXTRoyals RHP Brady Singer (8-8, 4.91) faces Cubs LHP Justin Steele (13-3, 2.79) on Saturday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692393725373.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., left, tags out Chicago Cubs' Nico Hoerner, center, at second base during the ninth inning of a baseball game Friday, Aug. 18, 2023, in Chicago. Hoerner tried to stretch a single into a double. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., left, tags out Chicago Cubs' Nico Hoerner, center, at second base during the ninth inning of a baseball game Friday, Aug. 18, 2023, in Chicago. Hoerner tried to stretch a single into a double. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)</figcaption>
 </figure>

Bobby Witt Jr. hits go-ahead homer and Royals end skid with 4-3 win vs Cubs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Mariners had just squandered another opportunity on the basepaths, and seen their lead against the Royals disappear, when Julio Rodriguez stepped to the plate with two runners aboard in the eighth inning Thursday.

George Kirby knew something special was about to happen.

The Mariners' starting pitcher, whose day on the mound had long been done, proceeded to watch the 22-year-old All-Star rip the first pitch he saw from Kansas City reliever Carlos Hernandez over the left-field bullpen. The homer gave Rodriguez a career-best five hits to go with five RBIs and, more importantly, lifted the streaking Mariners to a 6-4 series-ending win that left them a half-game back of Toronto for the third AL wild card.

“Thank God for Julio,” Kirby said with a smirk, before adding: “I'd have hated to be the opposing pitcher this week.”

Rodriguez had 12 hits in the four-game set, setting a franchise record for any series, and joined some elite company in several ways: He's the fourth Mariners player with at least four hits in back-to-back games, the fifth player in club history with a five-hit, five-RBI game, and the first Seattle player with at least 20 homers in each of his first two seasons.

Oh, and to go with all those homers, Rodriguez already has 30 stolen bases this season. That puts him alongside Alex Rodriguez, Mike Cameron and Ruppert Jones as the only Mariners players in the 20-30 club.

“That's absolutely as good as you can do in this league,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “I don't care who you're facing.”

Cal Raleigh homered for the second straight game in the ninth inning to give Seattle's bullpen some breathing room, though it hardly needed it. Isaiah Campbell (3-0) earned the win with a scoreless seventh, Trent Thornton tossed a perfect eighth and Matt Brash breezed through the ninth to pick up his fourth save.

Carlos Hernandez (1-8) took the loss when Rodriguez pounded the first pitch he threw to left field.

“That's a great hitter,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “Put a pretty good swing on a good fastball.”

Nelson Velazquez homered for the fourth time in seven games since his arrival in a trade to Kansas City. MJ Melendez, Michael Massey and Freddy Fermin also drove in runs for the Royals during a fitting finish to a wacky series.

Each team had a player thrown out at the plate Thursday. Another was cut down on the basepaths, one was picked off first base and Seattle had a runner called out after inexplicably starting back to the dugout when an outfielder dropped his fly ball.

Velazquez's homer in the fourth tied the game 1-all, but the Mariners pulled back ahead as the chaos began in the sixth.

Royals reliever Max Castillo walked the first two batters and Rodriguez followed by scorching a liner to left. The ball cleared Melendez, who had misjudged its angle of approach, and wound up at the outfield wall. Cade Marlow scored easily but Dominic Canzone, who had entered as a pinch hitter, was thrown out trying to score from first.

Maikel Garcia was thrown out at the plate on Witt's double in the bottom of the inning, though the Royals' offense kept rolling. Massey tied the game with a single, Melendez atoned for his mistake with a go-ahead double and Fermin added a sacrifice fly — with the inning coming to a close when Melendez was thrown out at third base.

The biggest baserunning blunder came in the seventh, though.

Dylan Moore hit a flyball that Melendez raced in and laid out to catch. Moore thought he got it cleanly and, after touching first base, turned around and headed for the Seattle dugout. But the ball actually had bounced out of Melendez's glove, and he threw to first base, where the umpires ruled that Moore had given himself up.

“We screwed up. I'll be honest with you,” Servais said. “We need to tighten that up. There's no doubt about it.”

Fortunately for the Mariners, Rodriguez was there to rescue them one more time with his no-doubt shot the very next inning.

“Today was about Julio,” Servais said. “We're all real heavy on his back right now.”

Royals: Kowar was recalled from Triple-A Omaha for the fourth time and RHP James McArthur optioned to the same club.

Royals: 1B Nick Pratto (left groin strain) planned to begin a rehab assignment with Omaha on Thursday night. ... LHP Jake Brentz (elbow surgery) got two outs in his rehab assignment at the Arizona Complex League on Wednesday night. It was the first time Brentz had pitched since April 29, 2022.

The Royals begin a nine-game trip against the Cubs with LHP Cole Ragans (3-4, 4.21) starting Friday night's series opener.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692316536829.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals left fielder MJ Melendez catches a fly ball for the out on Seattle Mariners' Ty France during the second inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals left fielder MJ Melendez catches a fly ball for the out on Seattle Mariners' Ty France during the second inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Mariners had just squandered another opportunity on the basepaths, and seen their lead against the Royals disappear, when Julio Rodriguez stepped to the plate with two runners aboard in the eighth inning Thursday.George Kirby knew something special was about to happen.The Mariners' starting pitcher, whose day on the mound had long been done, proceeded to watch the 22-year-old All-Star rip the first pitch he saw from Kansas City reliever Carlos Hernandez over the left-field bullpen. The homer gave Rodriguez a career-best five hits to go with five RBIs and, more importantly, lifted the streaking Mariners to a 6-4 series-ending win that left them a half-game back of Toronto for the third AL wild card.“Thank God for Julio,” Kirby said with a smirk, before adding: “I'd have hated to be the opposing pitcher this week.”Rodriguez had 12 hits in the four-game set, setting a franchise record for any series, and joined some elite company in several ways: He's the fourth Mariners player with at least four hits in back-to-back games, the fifth player in club history with a five-hit, five-RBI game, and the first Seattle player with at least 20 homers in each of his first two seasons.Oh, and to go with all those homers, Rodriguez already has 30 stolen bases this season. That puts him alongside Alex Rodriguez, Mike Cameron and Ruppert Jones as the only Mariners players in the 20-30 club.“That's absolutely as good as you can do in this league,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “I don't care who you're facing.”Cal Raleigh homered for the second straight game in the ninth inning to give Seattle's bullpen some breathing room, though it hardly needed it. Isaiah Campbell (3-0) earned the win with a scoreless seventh, Trent Thornton tossed a perfect eighth and Matt Brash breezed through the ninth to pick up his fourth save.Carlos Hernandez (1-8) took the loss when Rodriguez pounded the first pitch he threw to left field.“That's a great hitter,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “Put a pretty good swing on a good fastball.”Nelson Velazquez homered for the fourth time in seven games since his arrival in a trade to Kansas City. MJ Melendez, Michael Massey and Freddy Fermin also drove in runs for the Royals during a fitting finish to a wacky series.Each team had a player thrown out at the plate Thursday. Another was cut down on the basepaths, one was picked off first base and Seattle had a runner called out after inexplicably starting back to the dugout when an outfielder dropped his fly ball.Velazquez's homer in the fourth tied the game 1-all, but the Mariners pulled back ahead as the chaos began in the sixth.Royals reliever Max Castillo walked the first two batters and Rodriguez followed by scorching a liner to left. The ball cleared Melendez, who had misjudged its angle of approach, and wound up at the outfield wall. Cade Marlow scored easily but Dominic Canzone, who had entered as a pinch hitter, was thrown out trying to score from first.It wasn't the last baserunning mistake.Maikel Garcia was thrown out at the plate on Witt's double in the bottom of the inning, though the Royals' offense kept rolling. Massey tied the game with a single, Melendez atoned for his mistake with a go-ahead double and Fermin added a sacrifice fly — with the inning coming to a close when Melendez was thrown out at third base.The biggest baserunning blunder came in the seventh, though.Dylan Moore hit a flyball that Melendez raced in and laid out to catch. Moore thought he got it cleanly and, after touching first base, turned around and headed for the Seattle dugout. But the ball actually had bounced out of Melendez's glove, and he threw to first base, where the umpires ruled that Moore had given himself up.“We screwed up. I'll be honest with you,” Servais said. “We need to tighten that up. There's no doubt about it.”Fortunately for the Mariners, Rodriguez was there to rescue them one more time with his no-doubt shot the very next inning.“Today was about Julio,” Servais said. “We're all real heavy on his back right now.”ROSTER MOVESRoyals: Kowar was recalled from Triple-A Omaha for the fourth time and RHP James McArthur optioned to the same club.TRAINER'S ROOMRoyals: 1B Nick Pratto (left groin strain) planned to begin a rehab assignment with Omaha on Thursday night. ... LHP Jake Brentz (elbow surgery) got two outs in his rehab assignment at the Arizona Complex League on Wednesday night. It was the first time Brentz had pitched since April 29, 2022.UP NEXTThe Royals begin a nine-game trip against the Cubs with LHP Cole Ragans (3-4, 4.21) starting Friday night's series opener.

Rodriguez has 5 hits, 5 RBIs and go-ahead 3-run shot in the eighth as Mariners beat Royals 6-4

The Benton volleyball team had its best season of the modern era last fall, going 24-10-1 and winning a district championship over Maryville.

The Cardinals are hopeful for more this year, as they only lost one senior from last year's squad in libero Berlin Smith.

Third-year head coach Lauryn Doolan says the combination of returning starters and newcomers has made for a lot of excitement at practice.

"We have a great group of returning players, but we also have a ton of new faces that have made it a lot more competitive as well," Doolan said. "All of that is exciting to see. It's exciting to see the competition."

Avery Morlock, Eliana Arumbula, Hollie and Cammie Peters, Emma Loehnig and Andrea Simmons are among the key starters and contributors back for the Cardinals this season.

These Cardinals believe there's a newfound confidence on a team that just won its first district title since 2017.

"I think it's given us confidence this year," Simmons said. "That we can do it and we can do it again if we just keep working hard and doing the little things right."

"If we've done it once, we should have the expectation and bar set high enough to get to that district championship," Peters added.

Indeed, the Cardinals are reloaded and have their eyes on bigger achievements this fall. Peters, a senior, says up and coming players like Simmons, a junior, have her excited to get back into the season.

"I'm very excited," Peters said. "Especially since we have Andrea coming up. She's so good. And this summer has been too long. I'm ready to get back into it."

Doolan says the key to another successful season is improving and building off of last year - not being satisfied with how last season ended, which was a loss in the state sectional round to Odessa.

"We have to play like we did last year and get better and grow new players to add in to help us out a little bit," Doolan said. "So, we are constantly reminding the girls that we can always get better. If you're happy with where you're at right now, that's not going to be good enough for a program. It's about growing every single day."

Benton will open the 2023 season at the Tarkio tournament on August 26th.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666664968216.jpeg" alt="Stock photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Stock photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Benton volleyball team had its best season of the modern era last fall, going 24-10-1 and winning a district championship over Maryville.The Cardinals are hopeful for more this year, as they only lost one senior from last year's squad in libero Berlin Smith.Third-year head coach Lauryn Doolan says the combination of returning starters and newcomers has made for a lot of excitement at practice."We have a great group of returning players, but we also have a ton of new faces that have made it a lot more competitive as well," Doolan said. "All of that is exciting to see. It's exciting to see the competition."Avery Morlock, Eliana Arumbula, Hollie and Cammie Peters, Emma Loehnig and Andrea Simmons are among the key starters and contributors back for the Cardinals this season.These Cardinals believe there's a newfound confidence on a team that just won its first district title since 2017."I think it's given us confidence this year," Simmons said. "That we can do it and we can do it again if we just keep working hard and doing the little things right.""If we've done it once, we should have the expectation and bar set high enough to get to that district championship," Peters added.Indeed, the Cardinals are reloaded and have their eyes on bigger achievements this fall. Peters, a senior, says up and coming players like Simmons, a junior, have her excited to get back into the season."I'm very excited," Peters said. "Especially since we have Andrea coming up. She's so good. And this summer has been too long. I'm ready to get back into it."Doolan says the key to another successful season is improving and building off of last year - not being satisfied with how last season ended, which was a loss in the state sectional round to Odessa."We have to play like we did last year and get better and grow new players to add in to help us out a little bit," Doolan said. "So, we are constantly reminding the girls that we can always get better. If you're happy with where you're at right now, that's not going to be good enough for a program. It's about growing every single day."Benton will open the 2023 season at the Tarkio tournament on August 26th.<figure>
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 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Post Preview: Benton volleyball ready to build off of their 2022 success

The Kansas City Chiefs concluded their 13th year of training camp in St. Joseph Thursday with a short, 10-10-10 practice at Missouri Western.

The Chiefs came down the hill an hour earlier than normal at 8 a.m. and worked for just over an hour in half pads.

Head coach Andy Reid has overseen 10 training camps in St. Joseph and was once again very complimentary of Missouri Western's hospitality.

That, and the energy of Chiefs' Kingdom, who sat out in the heat for the last three weeks just to watch practice.

"Thanks to Missouri Western State University here, man," Reid said. "They've been tremendous again for us. Treating us well, feeding us well and the hospitality is second to none."

"And the fans coming out here. They've been incredible every day."

The Chiefs had 19 total training camp practices in St. Joseph since July 23.

There was no official injury report after Thursday's practice. Kadarius Toney (knee), Nikko Remigio (shoulder), Nic Jones (hand), L'Jarius Sneed (knee), Chris Jones and Turk Wharton (knee) didn't practice.

Nick Allegretti (shoulder) was present, but didn't work. Receiver Kekoa Crawford was absent Thursday, but a Chiefs spokesperson said it wasn't due to an injury.

Tight end Jody Forston, who's on injured reserve, revealed on social media Wednesday that he has undergone a successful shoulder surgery.

Kansas City now turns its attention toward their second preseason game at Arizona, which comes up this Saturday at 7 p.m. Coach Reid says the starters will play most of the first half, with the "twos and threes" rotating in the second half.

Patrick Mahomes says he wants the first-team players to get off to a better start than they did this past Sunday when the Saints raced out to a 17-0 lead.

"I just think having a better urgency from the get-go and throughout the entire game," he said. "Not necessarily (about) the result, you obviously want to win, but you want to have that mentality throughout the entire game."

Overall, Mahomes says it was a productive camp for their unit and the entire team.

"We improved on a lot of stuff," he said. "We didn't add a lot of receivers, but getting those new receivers in and flying around. Those guys here for a second year, you could see the improvements in how they practice. I thought it was a good camp. Offense, defense, special teams. We just flew around and competed every day, which is what you always want."

"You started this foundation," Reid said, recounting his final message to the team as camp adjourned.

"This is where it starts. You're building this thing as it goes up. Every week is different. Every day is different in this thing. But, you've accomplished some things here that will help carry you through during the season in a positive way."

Saturday's game at Arizona can be heard on Q Country 92.7 FM and KFEQ (680, 95.3) in St. Joseph.

Mitch Holthus interview with KFEQ on training camp (8-11-23)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692287254136.jpeg" alt="Chiefs' linebacker Nick Bolton leaves the field after the final training camp practice Thursday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Chiefs' linebacker Nick Bolton leaves the field after the final training camp practice Thursday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Kansas City Chiefs concluded their 13th year of training camp in St. Joseph Thursday with a short, 10-10-10 practice at Missouri Western.The Chiefs came down the hill an hour earlier than normal at 8 a.m. and worked for just over an hour in half pads.Head coach Andy Reid has overseen 10 training camps in St. Joseph and was once again very complimentary of Missouri Western's hospitality.That, and the energy of Chiefs' Kingdom, who sat out in the heat for the last three weeks just to watch practice."Thanks to Missouri Western State University here, man," Reid said. "They've been tremendous again for us. Treating us well, feeding us well and the hospitality is second to none.""And the fans coming out here. They've been incredible every day."The Chiefs had 19 total training camp practices in St. Joseph since July 23.There was no official injury report after Thursday's practice. Kadarius Toney (knee), Nikko Remigio (shoulder), Nic Jones (hand), L'Jarius Sneed (knee), Chris Jones and Turk Wharton (knee) didn't practice.Nick Allegretti (shoulder) was present, but didn't work. Receiver Kekoa Crawford was absent Thursday, but a Chiefs spokesperson said it wasn't due to an injury.Tight end Jody Forston, who's on injured reserve, revealed on social media Wednesday that he has undergone a successful shoulder surgery.Kansas City now turns its attention toward their second preseason game at Arizona, which comes up this Saturday at 7 p.m. Coach Reid says the starters will play most of the first half, with the "twos and threes" rotating in the second half.Patrick Mahomes says he wants the first-team players to get off to a better start than they did this past Sunday when the Saints raced out to a 17-0 lead."I just think having a better urgency from the get-go and throughout the entire game," he said. "Not necessarily (about) the result, you obviously want to win, but you want to have that mentality throughout the entire game."Overall, Mahomes says it was a productive camp for their unit and the entire team."We improved on a lot of stuff," he said. "We didn't add a lot of receivers, but getting those new receivers in and flying around. Those guys here for a second year, you could see the improvements in how they practice. I thought it was a good camp. Offense, defense, special teams. We just flew around and competed every day, which is what you always want.""You started this foundation," Reid said, recounting his final message to the team as camp adjourned."This is where it starts. You're building this thing as it goes up. Every week is different. Every day is different in this thing. But, you've accomplished some things here that will help carry you through during the season in a positive way."Saturday's game at Arizona can be heard on Q Country 92.7 FM and KFEQ (680, 95.3) in St. Joseph.Mitch Holthus interview with KFEQ on training camp (8-11-23)<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-sports/embed/episodes/Voice-of-the-Chiefs-Mitch-Holthus---August-2023-e287ehe" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692291154510.jpeg" alt="Joe Thuney (left) waves as he leaves the practice field Thursday." />
 <figcaption>Joe Thuney (left) waves as he leaves the practice field Thursday.</figcaption>
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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692291180858.jpeg" alt="Jerick McKinnon signs autographs following Thursday's practice." />
 <figcaption>Jerick McKinnon signs autographs following Thursday's practice.</figcaption>
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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692291237087.jpeg" alt="Isiah Pacheco signs memorabilia for military personnel Thursday after practice. Thursday was Military Appreciation Day." />
 <figcaption>Isiah Pacheco signs memorabilia for military personnel Thursday after practice. Thursday was Military Appreciation Day.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Chiefs wrap another year of training camp in St. Joseph with short Thursday practice

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred threw his support behind a new stadium for the Royals on Wednesday, calling both of their potential sites near downtown Kansas City “unbelievably high quality” for the type of revenue-producing, multi-use districts that are necessary for small-market clubs to compete.

Manfred spoke for an hour at the Urban Youth Academy, which is designed to encourage inner-city youth in baseball, alongside Royals chairman John Sherman and Bob Kendrick, the president of the nearby Negro Leagues Baseball Museum — which itself is in the midst of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/negro-leagues-museum-baseball-052a989f39e338f0aa8ec9c225227ef7">a $25 million fundraising effort for a new home.</a>

The Royals plan to announce in September whether they will build a replacement for Kauffman Stadium in the East Village, an area near the T-Mobile Center and the existing Power &amp; Light District, or across the Missouri River in Clay County, where there is more land available for a potentially larger baseball village.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for this community — forget the Royals,” Manfred said. "Either of these sites are outstanding sites for a new ballpark. Either present the opportunity for entertainment district development around the ballpark.

“I think in our economic system,” Manfred said, “new facilities provide a ballclub with an opportunity for revenue generation that simply doesn't exist in older footprints. At some point — great ballpark here, but having said that, it is an older ballpark that does not have the kind of premier revenue-generating opportunities that you get in a new facility for a market this size.”

The Royals have said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-stadium-kansas-missouri-ddd25487770de16bcb48595a0eea550d">the new ballpark project will cost about $2 billion</a>. Most will be privately funded, but a portion of the money is expected to come from the renewal of a 3/8-cent sales tax that has been used the upkeep of Kauffman Stadium.

However, the sales tax was passed by voters in Jackson County, which is where the downtown ballpark location sits; if that location is chosen, the vote for it would likely occur in April. But the site across the river sits in Clay County, and that would potentially require a different funding structure than what has long been envisioned.

Another factor is that the Royals have shared that tax revenue with the Chiefs, because Kauffman Stadium shares the Truman Sports Complex with Arrowhead Stadium. But the NFL franchise prefers Arrowhead Stadium rather than build anew, and how those two franchises can continue to co-exist in different locations is not entirely clear.

Regardless of the choice of location, Sherman has said the new Royals stadium will take about three years to complete, which would mean opening day for the 2027 or 2028 season. He also said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-stadium-proposals-0a1e4314065597f9f17730bf5899b672">in a recent letter to fans</a>&nbsp;that the project would create about 20,000 jobs, produce roughly $1.4 billion in labor income and $2.8 billion in total economic output, while its inaugural season would “generate some $185 million more in regional economic output than The K does today.”

Much of that money would come from premier seating and club spaces that are not possible at Kauffman Stadium, which has long been one of the jewels of Major League Baseball, but is currently the sixth-oldest park still in operation.

“Our region is at a critical juncture, and I say that in a positive way,” Sherman said. “We have a new airport. The World Cup is coming (in 2026). We just hosted the NFL Draft. We have a women's soccer stadium coming out of the ground on the riverfront, the only one of its kind, and the Chiefs and Royals are talking about doing some really special things for this community.”

Manfred pointed to the way new stadiums for the Nationals and Braves have driven revitalization and revenue.

In the case of the Nationals, their new ballpark has sped up development of what was once a largely industrial neighborhood known as Navy Yard in Washington, D.C. In the case of the Braves, the glittering new Truist Park serves as the fulcrum of The Battery Atlanta, where restaurants and high-end residential areas have sprung from the ground.

“I lived in the District, worked in the District for 15 years. The Navy Yard, where Nationals Park sits, the time I lived there you wouldn't go there. Nobody went there,” Manfred said. “If you go there now, you have the ballpark, all this development, high-class housing, mixed-use development. ... (In Atlanta), they built a city where there was none. It has become one of the prime entertainment centers in the metropolitan area where there was nothing."

Both of the Kansas City sites are optimal for development in that they are riddled with old, vacant buildings and empty lots. But both also would require substantial investment in parking, ingress and egress, and other infrastructure.

“This process that we're in the middle of right now — evaluating — it's imperative we do this right now to find a new home, a new stadium, a new ballpark,” Sherman said, “but as importantly a new location where we can bring vibrancy and energy around the ballpark and do great things for this city.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692267539889.jpeg" alt="A fan dressed as a hot dog takes part in a race between innings of a baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the St. Louis Cardinals Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>A fan dressed as a hot dog takes part in a race between innings of a baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the St. Louis Cardinals Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred threw his support behind a new stadium for the Royals on Wednesday, calling both of their potential sites near downtown Kansas City “unbelievably high quality” for the type of revenue-producing, multi-use districts that are necessary for small-market clubs to compete.Manfred spoke for an hour at the Urban Youth Academy, which is designed to encourage inner-city youth in baseball, alongside Royals chairman John Sherman and Bob Kendrick, the president of the nearby Negro Leagues Baseball Museum — which itself is in the midst of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/negro-leagues-museum-baseball-052a989f39e338f0aa8ec9c225227ef7">a $25 million fundraising effort for a new home.</a>The Royals plan to announce in September whether they will build a replacement for Kauffman Stadium in the East Village, an area near the T-Mobile Center and the existing Power &amp; Light District, or across the Missouri River in Clay County, where there is more land available for a potentially larger baseball village.“This is a tremendous opportunity for this community — forget the Royals,” Manfred said. "Either of these sites are outstanding sites for a new ballpark. Either present the opportunity for entertainment district development around the ballpark.“I think in our economic system,” Manfred said, “new facilities provide a ballclub with an opportunity for revenue generation that simply doesn't exist in older footprints. At some point — great ballpark here, but having said that, it is an older ballpark that does not have the kind of premier revenue-generating opportunities that you get in a new facility for a market this size.”The Royals have said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-stadium-kansas-missouri-ddd25487770de16bcb48595a0eea550d">the new ballpark project will cost about $2 billion</a>. Most will be privately funded, but a portion of the money is expected to come from the renewal of a 3/8-cent sales tax that has been used the upkeep of Kauffman Stadium.However, the sales tax was passed by voters in Jackson County, which is where the downtown ballpark location sits; if that location is chosen, the vote for it would likely occur in April. But the site across the river sits in Clay County, and that would potentially require a different funding structure than what has long been envisioned.Another factor is that the Royals have shared that tax revenue with the Chiefs, because Kauffman Stadium shares the Truman Sports Complex with Arrowhead Stadium. But the NFL franchise prefers Arrowhead Stadium rather than build anew, and how those two franchises can continue to co-exist in different locations is not entirely clear.Regardless of the choice of location, Sherman has said the new Royals stadium will take about three years to complete, which would mean opening day for the 2027 or 2028 season. He also said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-stadium-proposals-0a1e4314065597f9f17730bf5899b672">in a recent letter to fans</a>&nbsp;that the project would create about 20,000 jobs, produce roughly $1.4 billion in labor income and $2.8 billion in total economic output, while its inaugural season would “generate some $185 million more in regional economic output than The K does today.”Much of that money would come from premier seating and club spaces that are not possible at Kauffman Stadium, which has long been one of the jewels of Major League Baseball, but is currently the sixth-oldest park still in operation.“Our region is at a critical juncture, and I say that in a positive way,” Sherman said. “We have a new airport. The World Cup is coming (in 2026). We just hosted the NFL Draft. We have a women's soccer stadium coming out of the ground on the riverfront, the only one of its kind, and the Chiefs and Royals are talking about doing some really special things for this community.”Manfred pointed to the way new stadiums for the Nationals and Braves have driven revitalization and revenue.In the case of the Nationals, their new ballpark has sped up development of what was once a largely industrial neighborhood known as Navy Yard in Washington, D.C. In the case of the Braves, the glittering new Truist Park serves as the fulcrum of The Battery Atlanta, where restaurants and high-end residential areas have sprung from the ground.“I lived in the District, worked in the District for 15 years. The Navy Yard, where Nationals Park sits, the time I lived there you wouldn't go there. Nobody went there,” Manfred said. “If you go there now, you have the ballpark, all this development, high-class housing, mixed-use development. ... (In Atlanta), they built a city where there was none. It has become one of the prime entertainment centers in the metropolitan area where there was nothing."Both of the Kansas City sites are optimal for development in that they are riddled with old, vacant buildings and empty lots. But both also would require substantial investment in parking, ingress and egress, and other infrastructure.“This process that we're in the middle of right now — evaluating — it's imperative we do this right now to find a new home, a new stadium, a new ballpark,” Sherman said, “but as importantly a new location where we can bring vibrancy and energy around the ballpark and do great things for this city.”

MLB commissioner throws support behind new stadium for the Kansas City Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Teoscar Hernandez hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the eighth inning and the Seattle Mariners beat the Kansas City Royals 6-5 on Wednesday night.

Julio Rodriguez had four hits for Seattle, including a ninth-inning single that provided an insurance run the Mariners wound up needing. Cal Raleigh added a home run and a double.

“Obviously Julio had a huge night for us,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “Probably the most impressive thing he did for us was take the (single) into right field in the ninth inning. We needed all the insurance runs we could get. That proved to be the winning run in the ballgame.”

Dylan Moore opened the eighth by reaching on an error and came around to score on Hernandez's fly to make it 5-4. The ball ended up close to the tarp down the right-field line, and Moore knew he was going.

“It was foul, so I was definitely tagging no matter what,” Moore said. “The closer it got to the tarp, I thought it might be a weird angle. It was definitely shallow, but I thought he might have to jump or get out of the way of something.”

Luis Castillo (9-7) allowed four runs on nine hits in seven innings. He walked one and struck out three.

“It was a really good effort by Luis Castillo,” Servais said. “He knew we needed him to get deep in the game. It took him a while to kind of get into his stuff, but we've seen that from Luis once in a while. He did find it and was able to get through seven.”

Matt Brash picked up his third save despite allowing Nelson Velazquez's homer in the ninth.

Dylan Coleman (0-1) took the loss for Kansas City. James McArthur, who made his first major league start as the opener for the Royals, allowed three runs on three hits in one inning.

The Mariners wasted no time in foiling the Royals' opener plan. Rodriguez led off with a double to the gap in right-center. He scored on Ty France's single, and France scored on Raleigh's two-run homer. Castillo had a three-run lead before he threw his first pitch.

Maikel Garcia extended his Royals rookie-record hitting streak to 18 games with a double on the first pitch from Castillo. It's the longest active streak in the majors. Garcia went to third on a groundout by Bobby Witt Jr. and scored on a sacrifice fly by Michael Massey.

The Mariners answered the Royals' run with another in the second. Rodriguez drove home Jose Caballero with a single.

The Royals got another run in the second on a sacrifice fly, this one by Kyle Isbel, scoring Drew Waters, who led off the inning with a triple. They drew within one in the third on a two-out double by MJ Melendez, scoring Salvador Perez from first.

“We weren't able to produce big numbers, but overall we did a good job,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said of his offense. “They had good at-bats right from the get-go. I was really pleased.”

The Royals loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth, but they only got the tying run. Velazquez grounded into a double play to squash the rally.

Royals: RHP Nick Wittgren was optioned to Triple-A Omaha following last night's game. RHP John McMillon was selected from Double-A Northwest Arkansas. The Royals also transferred RHP Brad Keller to 60-day Injured List.

The Mariners and Royals will compete their four-game series with a Thursday matinee. Seattle will send RHP George Kirby (10-8, 3.32 ERA) to the mound. Kansas City will counter with LHP Angel Zerpa (1-1, 7.71 ERA).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692243500572.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Maikel Garcia slides safely to second after hitting a double during the first inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Maikel Garcia slides safely to second after hitting a double during the first inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Teoscar Hernandez hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the eighth inning and the Seattle Mariners beat the Kansas City Royals 6-5 on Wednesday night.Julio Rodriguez had four hits for Seattle, including a ninth-inning single that provided an insurance run the Mariners wound up needing. Cal Raleigh added a home run and a double.“Obviously Julio had a huge night for us,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “Probably the most impressive thing he did for us was take the (single) into right field in the ninth inning. We needed all the insurance runs we could get. That proved to be the winning run in the ballgame.”Dylan Moore opened the eighth by reaching on an error and came around to score on Hernandez's fly to make it 5-4. The ball ended up close to the tarp down the right-field line, and Moore knew he was going.“It was foul, so I was definitely tagging no matter what,” Moore said. “The closer it got to the tarp, I thought it might be a weird angle. It was definitely shallow, but I thought he might have to jump or get out of the way of something.”Luis Castillo (9-7) allowed four runs on nine hits in seven innings. He walked one and struck out three.“It was a really good effort by Luis Castillo,” Servais said. “He knew we needed him to get deep in the game. It took him a while to kind of get into his stuff, but we've seen that from Luis once in a while. He did find it and was able to get through seven.”Matt Brash picked up his third save despite allowing Nelson Velazquez's homer in the ninth.Dylan Coleman (0-1) took the loss for Kansas City. James McArthur, who made his first major league start as the opener for the Royals, allowed three runs on three hits in one inning.The Mariners wasted no time in foiling the Royals' opener plan. Rodriguez led off with a double to the gap in right-center. He scored on Ty France's single, and France scored on Raleigh's two-run homer. Castillo had a three-run lead before he threw his first pitch.Maikel Garcia extended his Royals rookie-record hitting streak to 18 games with a double on the first pitch from Castillo. It's the longest active streak in the majors. Garcia went to third on a groundout by Bobby Witt Jr. and scored on a sacrifice fly by Michael Massey.The Mariners answered the Royals' run with another in the second. Rodriguez drove home Jose Caballero with a single.The Royals got another run in the second on a sacrifice fly, this one by Kyle Isbel, scoring Drew Waters, who led off the inning with a triple. They drew within one in the third on a two-out double by MJ Melendez, scoring Salvador Perez from first.“We weren't able to produce big numbers, but overall we did a good job,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said of his offense. “They had good at-bats right from the get-go. I was really pleased.”The Royals loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth, but they only got the tying run. Velazquez grounded into a double play to squash the rally.TRANSACTIONS:Royals: RHP Nick Wittgren was optioned to Triple-A Omaha following last night's game. RHP John McMillon was selected from Double-A Northwest Arkansas. The Royals also transferred RHP Brad Keller to 60-day Injured List.UP NEXT:The Mariners and Royals will compete their four-game series with a Thursday matinee. Seattle will send RHP George Kirby (10-8, 3.32 ERA) to the mound. Kansas City will counter with LHP Angel Zerpa (1-1, 7.71 ERA).

Hernandez hits sacrifice fly in the eighth to break a tie, Mariners edge Royals 6-5

The Plattsburg football team started the 2022 season with about 25 players. By the time they reached their first-round district game against top-ranked East Buchanan, the Tigers were down to 15.

The Tigers, last year, got outscored by an average of 56-7 and finished the year at 0-10.

After several team meetings in the offseason, Plattsburg administration decided the best path forward would be to switch to 8-man competition.

 The proposal was passed unanimously by the Plattsburg board of education this past January, and now the Tigers are getting set for their first season as an 8-man team.

Plattsburg head coach Brandon Boswell says the entire school, community and the KCI conference have been supportive of this change.

"For the most part, everybody has been really supportive of the move," Boswell told KFEQ Radio. "Hats off to our KCI conference members being supportive of it."

Plattsburg will play in 8-man for three seasons. The decision was largely based on numbers and participation rate.

As for making the adjustments on the field, Boswell says being an 8-man team doesn't mean that everything changes in terms of how they practice.

"We've been able to take what we've done in 11-man and use the same terminology and principles in 8-man," he said. "That's really what we want to do these three years in 8-man. What we do at our middle school level, we want to use the same terminology and a lot of the same things."

"So, as those kids come from middle school to high school, it's not really that different."

On offense, Boswell says there are several players coming back and joining the team that excite him.

"We're a spread team," he said. "We like to spread it out and throw the ball around. So, we're usually, most of the time, 10 personnel (one running back and four receivers) anyway. We do return a running back in Donte Bingham, who qualified for state in the 100 meter dash."

Senior and all-state basketball player Isaia Howard joins the team this year. He's listed as a quarterback and receiver on a MaxPreps roster.

Plattsburg also boast four seniors on their offensive line - Jon Fish, Braden Brown, Dakota Rankin and Korbin Dow. Junior Gavin Boyle also gives Plattsburg some more speed. Boyle qualified for state track in the 4x100 meter relay.

The Tigers have 28 total players out this fall. Plattsburg opens the season on Saturday, August 26 at home against Maysville. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m.

Plattsburg will also compete in the Braymer jamboree this Friday evening at 6 p.m.

Overall, Boswell says the support for this move to 8-man has been very strong throughout the community.

"In terms of making this transition, we've been very fortunate and owe a lot of thanks to our kids, parents, our community for being supportive in all of this. I have great administration here at Plattsburg."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692219184524.jpeg" alt="Photo via Clinton County Leader." />
 <figcaption>Photo via Clinton County Leader.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph Post&nbsp;The Plattsburg football team started the 2022 season with about 25 players. By the time they reached their first-round district game against top-ranked East Buchanan, the Tigers were down to 15.East Buchanan won 68-0.The Tigers, last year, got outscored by an average of 56-7 and finished the year at 0-10.After several team meetings in the offseason, Plattsburg administration decided the best path forward would be to switch to 8-man competition. The proposal was passed unanimously by the Plattsburg board of education this past January, and now the Tigers are getting set for their first season as an 8-man team.Plattsburg head coach Brandon Boswell says the entire school, community and the KCI conference have been supportive of this change."For the most part, everybody has been really supportive of the move," Boswell told KFEQ Radio. "Hats off to our KCI conference members being supportive of it."Plattsburg will play in 8-man for three seasons. The decision was largely based on numbers and participation rate.As for making the adjustments on the field, Boswell says being an 8-man team doesn't mean that everything changes in terms of how they practice."We've been able to take what we've done in 11-man and use the same terminology and principles in 8-man," he said. "That's really what we want to do these three years in 8-man. What we do at our middle school level, we want to use the same terminology and a lot of the same things.""So, as those kids come from middle school to high school, it's not really that different."On offense, Boswell says there are several players coming back and joining the team that excite him."We're a spread team," he said. "We like to spread it out and throw the ball around. So, we're usually, most of the time, 10 personnel (one running back and four receivers) anyway. We do return a running back in Donte Bingham, who qualified for state in the 100 meter dash."Senior and all-state basketball player Isaia Howard joins the team this year. He's listed as a quarterback and receiver on a MaxPreps roster.Plattsburg also boast four seniors on their offensive line - Jon Fish, Braden Brown, Dakota Rankin and Korbin Dow. Junior Gavin Boyle also gives Plattsburg some more speed. Boyle qualified for state track in the 4x100 meter relay.The Tigers have 28 total players out this fall. Plattsburg opens the season on Saturday, August 26 at home against Maysville. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m.Plattsburg will also compete in the Braymer jamboree this Friday evening at 6 p.m.Overall, Boswell says the support for this move to 8-man has been very strong throughout the community."In terms of making this transition, we've been very fortunate and owe a lot of thanks to our kids, parents, our community for being supportive in all of this. I have great administration here at Plattsburg."Brandon Boswell interview<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-sports/embed/episodes/Plattsburg-head-football-coach-Brandon-Boswell-e286ho7" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692219121351.jpeg" alt="Photo via Clinton County Leader." />
 <figcaption>Photo via Clinton County Leader.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Post Preview: Plattsburg embracing changes, challenges in switch to 8-man

Contributing on special teams is especially important for young players in the NFL trying to make the roster, or even the practice squad.

Several newcomers on the Kansas City Chiefs got to see their first game action this past Sunday in New Orleans during a preseason game with the Saints - many of them on special teams.

Special teams coach Dave Toub says several guys did solid work on the field.

"Nic Jones, I thought showed up, did a good job, but he hurt his hand obviously," Toub said. "He'll be back. Anthony Cook did a nice job. He showed up. These are some new faces. Cam Jones did a nice job."

Toub was also pleased with Richie James in punt return and Deneric Prince in kick return.

"Everybody played so we were happy with that," Toub said. "The effort was excellent. I thought the guys played extremely hard. In the return game, I'd like to see Prince get some more (reps)."

As for Wednesday's practice, receivers Ihmir-Smith Marsette and Justyn Ross were back to work after getting dinged up on Tuesday. Safety Mike Edwards was a full participant after being present without a helmet on Tuesday.

Receiver Kadarius Toney (knee), receiver Nikko Remigio (shoulder), corner Nic Jones (hand), defensive tackle Turk Wharton (knee) and corner L’Jarius Sneed (knee) remain sidelined.

Offensive guard Nick Allegretti left practice early Tuesday with a shoulder injury.

The Chiefs worked for about two hours in full pads on another pleasant, sunny day in St. Joseph with temperatures in the upper 60s by the start of practice.

The team did a heavy load of goal line and red zone scenarios, with periods of the first-team offense going against the second-team defense and vice versa.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire got the vast majority of snaps at running back with the first-team offense and performed well, scoring on a touchdown run and also catching a touchdown pass.

Receiver Richie James had strong reps with both the first and second-team offense.

During the final team period, it was ones vs. ones, as the offense lined up at the 20-yard line in a red zone scenario. On the first play of that drive, Jerick McKinnon got the carry and ran into a pile of linemen, where Joshua Williams and Mike Edwards tried to strip the ball out of his arms after the whistle.

Tight end Travis Kelce took exception to this, and he was seen getting into a shoving match with Williams, and then players from both sides intervened trying to break up the scrum.

The tussle was short lived, but it was fairly intense there for a moment, as Patrick Mahomes could be heard yelling 'Stop!' trying to break it up.

The Chiefs won’t cut any of their 91 players from the roster until August 29, when NFL teams are required to narrow down the active roster to 53 players and the practice squad to 16.

In the past, cuts were made on a week-to-week basis leading up to the regular season. This time, it’s only one big roster cut.

Chiefs assistant general manager Mike Borganzi says this benefits coaches, management and players in the evaluation period.

"It gives us another opportunity, another week to evaluate these guys," Borganzi said. "Where we had to move on from them before, but maybe they showed something in practice or in the preseason games, so I think it's good for everybody."

Borganzi says this evaluation period also means studying other teams and looking at other players that could be acquired.

"We're going to evaluate these next few weeks our roster and evaluate the entire league," he said. "We're going to add value to where we feel we need to. We're trying to get the best 53-man (roster) and best 16-man practice squad heading into the first game."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692214705232.jpeg" alt="Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostContributing on special teams is especially important for young players in the NFL trying to make the roster, or even the practice squad.Several newcomers on the Kansas City Chiefs got to see their first game action this past Sunday in New Orleans during a preseason game with the Saints - many of them on special teams.Special teams coach Dave Toub says several guys did solid work on the field."Nic Jones, I thought showed up, did a good job, but he hurt his hand obviously," Toub said. "He'll be back. Anthony Cook did a nice job. He showed up. These are some new faces. Cam Jones did a nice job."Toub was also pleased with Richie James in punt return and Deneric Prince in kick return."Everybody played so we were happy with that," Toub said. "The effort was excellent. I thought the guys played extremely hard. In the return game, I'd like to see Prince get some more (reps)."As for Wednesday's practice, receivers Ihmir-Smith Marsette and Justyn Ross were back to work after getting dinged up on Tuesday. Safety Mike Edwards was a full participant after being present without a helmet on Tuesday.Receiver Kadarius Toney (knee), receiver Nikko Remigio (shoulder), corner Nic Jones (hand), defensive tackle Turk Wharton (knee) and corner L’Jarius Sneed (knee) remain sidelined.Offensive guard Nick Allegretti left practice early Tuesday with a shoulder injury.Notes and observationsThe Chiefs worked for about two hours in full pads on another pleasant, sunny day in St. Joseph with temperatures in the upper 60s by the start of practice.The team did a heavy load of goal line and red zone scenarios, with periods of the first-team offense going against the second-team defense and vice versa.Clyde Edwards-Helaire got the vast majority of snaps at running back with the first-team offense and performed well, scoring on a touchdown run and also catching a touchdown pass.Receiver Richie James had strong reps with both the first and second-team offense.During the final team period, it was ones vs. ones, as the offense lined up at the 20-yard line in a red zone scenario. On the first play of that drive, Jerick McKinnon got the carry and ran into a pile of linemen, where Joshua Williams and Mike Edwards tried to strip the ball out of his arms after the whistle.Tight end Travis Kelce took exception to this, and he was seen getting into a shoving match with Williams, and then players from both sides intervened trying to break up the scrum.The tussle was short lived, but it was fairly intense there for a moment, as Patrick Mahomes could be heard yelling 'Stop!' trying to break it up.Roster evaluationThe Chiefs won’t cut any of their 91 players from the roster until August 29, when NFL teams are required to narrow down the active roster to 53 players and the practice squad to 16.In the past, cuts were made on a week-to-week basis leading up to the regular season. This time, it’s only one big roster cut.Chiefs assistant general manager Mike Borganzi says this benefits coaches, management and players in the evaluation period."It gives us another opportunity, another week to evaluate these guys," Borganzi said. "Where we had to move on from them before, but maybe they showed something in practice or in the preseason games, so I think it's good for everybody."Borganzi says this evaluation period also means studying other teams and looking at other players that could be acquired."We're going to evaluate these next few weeks our roster and evaluate the entire league," he said. "We're going to add value to where we feel we need to. We're trying to get the best 53-man (roster) and best 16-man practice squad heading into the first game."Waiting on Chris JonesThere’s one training camp practice to go, and there’s been no sign of Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, as he waits on a contract extension and pay raise from the front office.Communication and negotiations between the two parties have reportedly been at a lull, as Jones wasn’t seen during the first preseason game either.Chiefs defensive line coach Joe Cullen says he’s been in touch with Jones about various things and is anxious to get him back."Chris, in my opinion, was as good as, if not the best defensive player in the league last year," Cullen said. "I do stay in touch with Chris. I was expecting a million questions on Chris. He's working hard and we'll welcome him with open arms when he gets back here."Jones will be fined $50,000 for each training camp practice he missed. There’s no timeline or expectation as to when he may rejoin the team.What's nextThe Chiefs conclude their 2023 training camp schedule on Thursday with an early workout at 8:15 a.m. This will be a shorter 10-10-10 practice. It will also be Military Appreciation Day at camp. The Chiefs will have completed 19 training camp practices in St. Joseph.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692214676058.jpeg" alt="" />
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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692214727753.jpeg" alt="" />
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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692214744492.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692214765376.jpeg" alt="Richie James (17) makes a catch." />
 <figcaption>Richie James (17) makes a catch.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.