The Kansas City Chiefs wrapped up their 14th training camp practice Tuesday morning at Missouri Western in St. Joseph.

The Chiefs have just five practices left in all, and only two more before their first preseason game on Sunday at New Orleans.

Everyone wants to get a glimpse at the rookies and the new players in that game, especially since starters will be limited. However, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo says there’s one thing he watches for above all else in preseason.

"Particularly more interested in finding out where we are as a tackling group," Spagnuolo said. "Where we are at eliminating big plays. You have to do that stuff first before you even think about being any good."

The rookies on the Chiefs’ roster have a lot thrown at them during training camp. The coaches cycle them through a very large volume of plays. Then, come game time, the coaches scale back that number of plays, so the game feels slower to them.

Spagnuolo says the training camp challenge is more mental, and the challenge of the first preseason game is more physical.

"The mental part of it, we always want to challenge them here (in camp)," he said. "In these preseason games, to find out what they can do physically. We usually take some of that off of them. Otherwise, we won't know where they are athletically in this particular setting."

One rookie on defense many will be curious to watch is first-round pick, K-State alum, Kansas City native and defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah. Spags says Felix’s “pitch count” in practice has gone up in recent days.

On the offensive side, tight end Blake Bell is hopeful for a healthier preseason and regular season after a hip injury against Chicago in last year's preseason opener eventually landed him on injured reserve.

"Just trying to get back this offseason and stretch and keep my body loose a little bit," Bell said. "But, yeah. Feeling good. Such a freak injury. Doctors did a good job getting me fixed up. Trainers did a great job as well, so feeling great. Ready to roll."

Tight end Jody Forston (shoulder), receiver Kadarius Toney (shoulder) and corner L’Jarius Sneed (knee) are still injured.

Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire was out Tuesday with illness. Chris Jones hasn’t reported. Receiver Cornell Powell was back Tuesday after being absent Monday.

Conditions were quite pleasant with a mixture of clouds and sun and temperatures in the low-to-mid 70s. It was a somewhat longer practice, as it stretched more than two hours.

The Chiefs ran two long drive periods with first-team offense against first-team defense, running a series of 'third and long' scenarios.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Rashee Rice each had some nice catches on deep routes, while Travis Kelce leaped up in the air to snatch a ball away from Nick Bolton in tight coverage.

When the reserves came in, tight end Izaiah Gathings made an incredible catch, falling backwards on his back.

Noah Gray once again had a solid, consistent day catching the football. Running back Deneric Prince got the heavy load of carries with both the first and second-team offense, as Edwards-Helaire was out with illness.

The Chiefs ranked 19th in the NFL last season in pass defense, 16th in scoring defense and 11th in total defense.

Kansas City’s defense did manage 20 takeaways last season, but that tied for sixth fewest in the league.

This year in training camp, Chiefs players and coaches have stated that it’s their goal to be a top 10 defense in the NFL this season.

Linebacker Nick Bolton says the team is taking steps to get there. Right now, Bolton says communication is the biggest thing that’s improved compared to this time last year.

"Everybody is communicating and feeling more comfortable," Bolton said. "We can talk to each other and give each other hand signals and kind of know what each other is thinking. That helps us out a lot. If we keep doing that and building on that, I think we're in a good position."

The Chiefs practice again on Wednesday at 9:15 a.m. before a day off on Thursday. The Chiefs will practice again on Friday in St. Joseph before heading for New Orleans.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691521123959.jpeg" alt="Skyy Moore catches a pass at Chiefs camp in St. Joseph Tuesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Skyy Moore catches a pass at Chiefs camp in St. Joseph Tuesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Kansas City Chiefs wrapped up their 14th training camp practice Tuesday morning at Missouri Western in St. Joseph.The Chiefs have just five practices left in all, and only two more before their first preseason game on Sunday at New Orleans.Everyone wants to get a glimpse at the rookies and the new players in that game, especially since starters will be limited. However, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo says there’s one thing he watches for above all else in preseason."Particularly more interested in finding out where we are as a tackling group," Spagnuolo said. "Where we are at eliminating big plays. You have to do that stuff first before you even think about being any good."The rookies on the Chiefs’ roster have a lot thrown at them during training camp. The coaches cycle them through a very large volume of plays. Then, come game time, the coaches scale back that number of plays, so the game feels slower to them.Spagnuolo says the training camp challenge is more mental, and the challenge of the first preseason game is more physical."The mental part of it, we always want to challenge them here (in camp)," he said. "In these preseason games, to find out what they can do physically. We usually take some of that off of them. Otherwise, we won't know where they are athletically in this particular setting."One rookie on defense many will be curious to watch is first-round pick, K-State alum, Kansas City native and defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah. Spags says Felix’s “pitch count” in practice has gone up in recent days.On the offensive side, tight end Blake Bell is hopeful for a healthier preseason and regular season after a hip injury against Chicago in last year's preseason opener eventually landed him on injured reserve."Just trying to get back this offseason and stretch and keep my body loose a little bit," Bell said. "But, yeah. Feeling good. Such a freak injury. Doctors did a good job getting me fixed up. Trainers did a great job as well, so feeling great. Ready to roll."Injury reportTight end Jody Forston (shoulder), receiver Kadarius Toney (shoulder) and corner L’Jarius Sneed (knee) are still injured.Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire was out Tuesday with illness. Chris Jones hasn’t reported. Receiver Cornell Powell was back Tuesday after being absent Monday.Observations from TuesdayConditions were quite pleasant with a mixture of clouds and sun and temperatures in the low-to-mid 70s. It was a somewhat longer practice, as it stretched more than two hours.The Chiefs ran two long drive periods with first-team offense against first-team defense, running a series of 'third and long' scenarios.Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Rashee Rice each had some nice catches on deep routes, while Travis Kelce leaped up in the air to snatch a ball away from Nick Bolton in tight coverage.When the reserves came in, tight end Izaiah Gathings made an incredible catch, falling backwards on his back.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">You can add this to the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChiefsCamp?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChiefsCamp</a> highlight reel 😤 <a href="https://t.co/WmQuiOftXc">pic.twitter.com/WmQuiOftXc</a>&mdash; Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1688959858127646736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Noah Gray once again had a solid, consistent day catching the football. Running back Deneric Prince got the heavy load of carries with both the first and second-team offense, as Edwards-Helaire was out with illness.Defensive growthThe Chiefs ranked 19th in the NFL last season in pass defense, 16th in scoring defense and 11th in total defense.Kansas City’s defense did manage 20 takeaways last season, but that tied for sixth fewest in the league.This year in training camp, Chiefs players and coaches have stated that it’s their goal to be a top 10 defense in the NFL this season.Linebacker Nick Bolton says the team is taking steps to get there. Right now, Bolton says communication is the biggest thing that’s improved compared to this time last year."Everybody is communicating and feeling more comfortable," Bolton said. "We can talk to each other and give each other hand signals and kind of know what each other is thinking. That helps us out a lot. If we keep doing that and building on that, I think we're in a good position."What's nextThe Chiefs practice again on Wednesday at 9:15 a.m. before a day off on Thursday. The Chiefs will practice again on Friday in St. Joseph before heading for New Orleans.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691522957375.jpeg" alt="Marquez Valdes-Scantling (11)." />
 <figcaption>Marquez Valdes-Scantling (11).</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691522983759.jpeg" alt="Rashee Rice (4)." />
 <figcaption>Rashee Rice (4).</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691522996265.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Chiefs wrap a long practice Tuesday, inching closer to preseason

BOSTON (AP) — Pablo Reyes hit a walkoff grand slam to break a ninth-inning tie — his third hit of the night — and the Boston Red Sox recovered after blowing a two-run lead to beat the Kansas City Royals 6-2 on Monday night.

It was just Boston's second win in nine games, including a sweep over the weekend by the Toronto Blue Jays — the team they had hoped to pass in the AL wild-card race.

Kenley Jansen (3-5) pitched a perfect ninth for the win. Brayan Bello took a shutout into the seventh inning before the Royals scored twice to tie it.

It remained 2-2 until Rafael Devers one-hopped the short wall in right field beyond the Pesky Pole. Adam Duvall struck out — for the fourth time in the game — and Triston Casas was intentionally walked before Luis Urías, who had also struck out in his first three at-bats, walked on a checked-swing 3-2 pitch.

The Royals appealed to first base umpire Vic Carapazza, who signaled that Urías did not go around, and Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro was quickly ejected for arguing. With the bases loaded, Reyes hit a line drive off the Fisk foul pole, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

Carlos Hernández (1-7) was charged with four runs and two hits and two walks, striking out one. MJ Melendez singled three times off Bello.

Royals starter Cole Ragans struck out 11 batters in 6 2/3 innings, allowing one earned run and four hits with a walk. He gave up an unearned run in the first when Reyes singled, stole second and took third on a throwing error before scoring on a sacrifice fly. Reyes doubled in the fifth and scored on Connor Wong’s double to make it 2-0.

Bello took a shutout into the seventh inning and left with a 2-0 lead after giving up a two-out double to Kyle Isbel, who took second when Duvall – apparently thinking the ball was foul – was slow to recover and throw in.

Josh Winckowski came in and gave up a run-scoring single to Maikel Garcia and then an RBI double to Bobby Witt Jr. that tied it 2-2.

Bello allowed six hits and two walks, striking out two in 6 2/3 innings. He pitched out of a no out, first and third jam in the fifth when Drew Waters doubled and then stole third. (He was originally ruled out, but the tag was deemed late on video review.) After Dairon Blanco walked, Isbel popped up foul to the catcher and then Garcia hit into a double play to end the threat.

Royals RHP Brady Singer (7-8) faces Boston RHP Kutter Crawford (5-5) on Tuesday night in the second game of the four-game series.&nbsp; Pregame 5:30 pm and First Pitch 6:10 pm on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691461707777.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Cole Ragans delivers a pitch to a Boston Red Sox batter in the first inning of a baseball game, Monday, Aug. 7, 2023, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Cole Ragans delivers a pitch to a Boston Red Sox batter in the first inning of a baseball game, Monday, Aug. 7, 2023, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)</figcaption>
 </figure>BOSTON (AP) — Pablo Reyes hit a walkoff grand slam to break a ninth-inning tie — his third hit of the night — and the Boston Red Sox recovered after blowing a two-run lead to beat the Kansas City Royals 6-2 on Monday night.It was just Boston's second win in nine games, including a sweep over the weekend by the Toronto Blue Jays — the team they had hoped to pass in the AL wild-card race.Kenley Jansen (3-5) pitched a perfect ninth for the win. Brayan Bello took a shutout into the seventh inning before the Royals scored twice to tie it.It remained 2-2 until Rafael Devers one-hopped the short wall in right field beyond the Pesky Pole. Adam Duvall struck out — for the fourth time in the game — and Triston Casas was intentionally walked before Luis Urías, who had also struck out in his first three at-bats, walked on a checked-swing 3-2 pitch.The Royals appealed to first base umpire Vic Carapazza, who signaled that Urías did not go around, and Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro was quickly ejected for arguing. With the bases loaded, Reyes hit a line drive off the Fisk foul pole, sending the crowd into a frenzy.Carlos Hernández (1-7) was charged with four runs and two hits and two walks, striking out one. MJ Melendez singled three times off Bello.FOR STARTERSRoyals starter Cole Ragans struck out 11 batters in 6 2/3 innings, allowing one earned run and four hits with a walk. He gave up an unearned run in the first when Reyes singled, stole second and took third on a throwing error before scoring on a sacrifice fly. Reyes doubled in the fifth and scored on Connor Wong’s double to make it 2-0.Bello took a shutout into the seventh inning and left with a 2-0 lead after giving up a two-out double to Kyle Isbel, who took second when Duvall – apparently thinking the ball was foul – was slow to recover and throw in.Josh Winckowski came in and gave up a run-scoring single to Maikel Garcia and then an RBI double to Bobby Witt Jr. that tied it 2-2.Bello allowed six hits and two walks, striking out two in 6 2/3 innings. He pitched out of a no out, first and third jam in the fifth when Drew Waters doubled and then stole third. (He was originally ruled out, but the tag was deemed late on video review.) After Dairon Blanco walked, Isbel popped up foul to the catcher and then Garcia hit into a double play to end the threat.UP NEXTRoyals RHP Brady Singer (7-8) faces Boston RHP Kutter Crawford (5-5) on Tuesday night in the second game of the four-game series.&nbsp; Pregame 5:30 pm and First Pitch 6:10 pm on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM)

Reyes hits walkoff grand slam to lead Red Sox to 6-2 win over Royals

The Lafayette football program has had four winning seasons between 2016-2022. They also went through four different head coaches in that time.

Lafayette went through a change in leadership again this past offseason, when Scott Finley resigned the heading coaching job after just one year with the Irish.

That opened the door for Nate Daugherty to take over. An NCAA outdoor championship qualifier in discus at Missouri Western, Daugherty spent the 2022 season with Lafayette as the special teams coordinator.

Becoming a head coach is a lifelong dream fulfilled.

"It's a big step," Daugherty said. "I had to learn really, really fast, but it's been really nice. Learning fast and these kids have bought in to what I want and I'm bought into them. So, it's been a really good relationship with the team and I have a lot good coaches around me."

"They're helping me to push along, but also following along with all of the same standards I want for the kids."

It was a tough go for Lafayette last year, finishing the 2022 season at 0-10 overall. The Irish were outscored by an average margin of 50-8.

It was a young team that battled injuries and a tough schedule. Lafayette played five games last season against opponents that had eight or more wins.

With a clean slate and a fresh start, the Irish are simply focused on day-to-day improvement in 2023.

"We're trying to focus on winning every day and being 1-0 every day," senior quarterback Jackson Compton said. "Not really worrying about getting too far into the season, but worrying about every day."

Compton, along with every other senior on the Lafayette roster, are being led by their fourth different head coach in the last four years.

"It's hard to adjust to their different play styles," said senior corner and receiver Drake Losson. "There's always new plays, new formations and stuff like that. So, it's hard to adjust to."

While there's been a lot of change in recent years, Losson knows this senior class is hungry to go out on a high note. He's also confident the entire team is capable of bigger and better things this year.

"I think they have a big drive to go far," Losson noted. "Sometimes, you don't get that with players, and I think this group has that in them."

Lafayette will partake in the city jamboree on August 18 at Spratt Stadium along with Benton, Central and Savannah.

The Irish then officially open the season at KC Center on August 25.

Whatever happens this season, Daugherty wanted to convey a clear message to the team upon his hiring - he's here to stay.

"Just letting them know that I'm here for the long run," Daugherty said. "They know I care about them, because I was here last year. I have the relationships built with them. So, it was really nice. The seniors, this year, have jumped into being leaders really, really fast. They instantly, right off the bat, were bought in."

"I'm excited to start my senior year," Compton said. "I'm excited to work with the new coaching staff and the new team."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691456188184.jpeg" alt="Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Lafayette football program has had four winning seasons between 2016-2022. They also went through four different head coaches in that time.Lafayette went through a change in leadership again this past offseason, when Scott Finley resigned the heading coaching job after just one year with the Irish.That opened the door for Nate Daugherty to take over. An NCAA outdoor championship qualifier in discus at Missouri Western, Daugherty spent the 2022 season with Lafayette as the special teams coordinator.Becoming a head coach is a lifelong dream fulfilled."It's a big step," Daugherty said. "I had to learn really, really fast, but it's been really nice. Learning fast and these kids have bought in to what I want and I'm bought into them. So, it's been a really good relationship with the team and I have a lot good coaches around me.""They're helping me to push along, but also following along with all of the same standards I want for the kids."It was a tough go for Lafayette last year, finishing the 2022 season at 0-10 overall. The Irish were outscored by an average margin of 50-8.It was a young team that battled injuries and a tough schedule. Lafayette played five games last season against opponents that had eight or more wins.With a clean slate and a fresh start, the Irish are simply focused on day-to-day improvement in 2023."We're trying to focus on winning every day and being 1-0 every day," senior quarterback Jackson Compton said. "Not really worrying about getting too far into the season, but worrying about every day."Compton, along with every other senior on the Lafayette roster, are being led by their fourth different head coach in the last four years."It's hard to adjust to their different play styles," said senior corner and receiver Drake Losson. "There's always new plays, new formations and stuff like that. So, it's hard to adjust to."While there's been a lot of change in recent years, Losson knows this senior class is hungry to go out on a high note. He's also confident the entire team is capable of bigger and better things this year."I think they have a big drive to go far," Losson noted. "Sometimes, you don't get that with players, and I think this group has that in them."Lafayette will partake in the city jamboree on August 18 at Spratt Stadium along with Benton, Central and Savannah.The Irish then officially open the season at KC Center on August 25.Whatever happens this season, Daugherty wanted to convey a clear message to the team upon his hiring - he's here to stay."Just letting them know that I'm here for the long run," Daugherty said. "They know I care about them, because I was here last year. I have the relationships built with them. So, it was really nice. The seniors, this year, have jumped into being leaders really, really fast. They instantly, right off the bat, were bought in.""I'm excited to start my senior year," Compton said. "I'm excited to work with the new coaching staff and the new team."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691460208133.jpeg" alt="Nate Daugherty." />
 <figcaption>Nate Daugherty.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691460233599.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691460264792.jpeg" alt="Drake Losson (40) and Jackson Compton (7)." />
 <figcaption>Drake Losson (40) and Jackson Compton (7).</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691460284202.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Post Preview: Lafayette football seeks stability with Nate Daugherty as head coach

The Kansas City Chiefs took to the Mosaic Training Fields at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph Monday on a cool and cloudy morning.

The Chiefs, who had Sunday off, worked for about two hours in full pads in what was the 13th practice of training camp. It was a pleasant 68 degrees to start the workout, and there was a healthy crowd on hand.

Tight end and receiver autograph sessions following practice may have had something to do with the strong attendance.

Head coach Andy Reid is pleased with how the team is progressing with the first preseason game coming up this Sunday.

 "I like the way they're challenging themselves," Reid said of the players. "That's a part you never know, coming in, how it's going to be. You see it and hear it. They're getting after each other and doing it the right way. It's competitive out here and that's a good thing."

Corner L’Jarius Sneed (knee), receiver Kadarius Toney (knee) and tight end Jody Forston (shoulder) are still sidelined. Reid notes that Sneed is "progressing," but it still dealing with swelling in his knee.

Receiver Cornell Powell didn’t practice Monday, but he wasn't included in the injury report.

Defensive end Mike Danna was back to work after missing time with a calf injury. As for Chris Jones, Coach Reid said he doesn’t know when he’ll report.

"I don't know when he'll be here, but any work he can get will help him. It's a pretty fast game."

Skyy Moore had himself a strong day Monday with several great catches, including this one.

Defensive tackle Turk Wharton got his first real work on the field Monday, lining up with the first-team defense during 9-on-7 and also getting limited reps during 11-on-11.

Wharton was just activated from the PUP list this past Wednesday.

Tight end Matt Bushman has been getting an increased number of reps with the first-team offense and consistently making the most of it. He had several more grabs on Monday.

Trent McDuffie had a highlight moment for the defense when he picked off a pass intended for Moore during one-on-one drills.

Running back Isiah Pacheco has become a fan favorite after an electric rookie season in 2022. He since had offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum and a broken hand.

Pacheco has been at training camp every day working, but doing so in a yellow, no-contact jersey. He’s able to partake in 9-on-7 and 7-on-7 drills, but not yet the full-team, full-contact periods.

Pacheco says he’s ready for full contact when given the go-ahead.

 "Whenever they allow me to go, I'm ready to go," he said. "I'm just going to keep working and finding those ways to get better. Finding the little things to get better at. I have high standards, and I'm unsatisfied."

Andy Reid has been pleased with what he’s seen from Pacheco this camp.

"Telling (Pacheco) to go slow is a hard thing," Reid said. "He's got to have patience and he doesn't have a lot of it. He's doing great. We'll just have to see, as it goes on here, with the contact part here. But, he's getting good work in without that."

Pacheco rushed for 1,027 yards and six touchdowns last season.

Special teams drills may not always be the most thought of or talked about part of training camp, but Chiefs' special teams' coach Dave Toub expects the very best out of his unit.

Punter Tommy Townsend, entering his fourth season in Kansas City, says Toub demands perfection from the specialists and that makes the season a bit easier.

"That's one thing (Toub) takes pride in is making practice harder than the game," Townsend said. "I think he does a really good job of that. I do get a little nervous out here, especially the first few practices back. It's really nervy and getting everything going and just the speed of it and how he has our practices set up. It really gets you prepped and ready for the season."

Townsend dealt with a sprained ankle during camp last week and was limited for a day or two, but he has been back on the field working. Townsend described the ankle as "day-to-day" and says things are "progressing nicely" in the training room.

Coming off of a first-team All-Pro season in 2022, Townsend says this camp is all about building on the things he does well.

"Just trying to hold onto the ball as long as I can and really pull my leg straight through," Townsend said. "Trying to work on a bunch of different kicks. Trying to be a wizard with the football. Trying to be Harry Potter with the football."

Townsend finished the 2022 season with 53 punts for 2,672 net yards for a 50.42 average.

Numbers like that? You're a wizard, Tommy.

Last year's rookies, this year's veterans

The Chiefs entered the preseason in 2022 with a lot of young, capable rookies eager to prove themselves.

Not only that, but there were a lot of new players on the scene in general. Like Justin Reid, Marques Valdez-Scantling and so on.

Corner Trent McDuffie was one of the 10 new rookies last year. Now getting ready for this season, McDuffie says there’s a lot more familiarity compared to this time a year ago.

"Coming into training camp, it's felt like nothing has gone missing," McDuffie said. "Everybody has been building and building. I feel like last year we were on a different level. We were a little bit farther down, still trying to learn and work it out. This year, everyone has come in confident and excited and ready to play."

Kansas City plays its first preseason game this Sunday at New Orleans. Kickoff is set for noon. The game will be broadcast on both Q Country 92.7 FM and KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) in St. Joseph with pregame coverage starting at 11 a.m.

The Chiefs are back to work on Tuesday morning at 9:15. After Tuesday, there are just five training camp practices remaining.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691436885306.jpeg" alt="Stock photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Stock photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Kansas City Chiefs took to the Mosaic Training Fields at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph Monday on a cool and cloudy morning.The Chiefs, who had Sunday off, worked for about two hours in full pads in what was the 13th practice of training camp. It was a pleasant 68 degrees to start the workout, and there was a healthy crowd on hand.Tight end and receiver autograph sessions following practice may have had something to do with the strong attendance.Head coach Andy Reid is pleased with how the team is progressing with the first preseason game coming up this Sunday. "I like the way they're challenging themselves," Reid said of the players. "That's a part you never know, coming in, how it's going to be. You see it and hear it. They're getting after each other and doing it the right way. It's competitive out here and that's a good thing."Corner L’Jarius Sneed (knee), receiver Kadarius Toney (knee) and tight end Jody Forston (shoulder) are still sidelined. Reid notes that Sneed is "progressing," but it still dealing with swelling in his knee.Receiver Cornell Powell didn’t practice Monday, but he wasn't included in the injury report.Defensive end Mike Danna was back to work after missing time with a calf injury. As for Chris Jones, Coach Reid said he doesn’t know when he’ll report."I don't know when he'll be here, but any work he can get will help him. It's a pretty fast game."ObservationsSkyy Moore had himself a strong day Monday with several great catches, including this one.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Ready for Moore.<a href="https://twitter.com/PatrickMahomes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PatrickMahomes</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/skyymoore24?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@skyymoore24</a> <a href="https://t.co/V85O1monxr">pic.twitter.com/V85O1monxr</a>&mdash; Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1688604833278824450?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Defensive tackle Turk Wharton got his first real work on the field Monday, lining up with the first-team defense during 9-on-7 and also getting limited reps during 11-on-11.Wharton was just activated from the PUP list this past Wednesday.Tight end Matt Bushman has been getting an increased number of reps with the first-team offense and consistently making the most of it. He had several more grabs on Monday.Trent McDuffie had a highlight moment for the defense when he picked off a pass intended for Moore during one-on-one drills.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🔒⬇️ <a href="https://twitter.com/trent_mcduffie?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@trent_mcduffie</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ro9XFSjImi">pic.twitter.com/Ro9XFSjImi</a>&mdash; Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1688624448256008192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Pacheco itchin' to go full speedRunning back Isiah Pacheco has become a fan favorite after an electric rookie season in 2022. He since had offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum and a broken hand.Pacheco has been at training camp every day working, but doing so in a yellow, no-contact jersey. He’s able to partake in 9-on-7 and 7-on-7 drills, but not yet the full-team, full-contact periods.Pacheco says he’s ready for full contact when given the go-ahead. "Whenever they allow me to go, I'm ready to go," he said. "I'm just going to keep working and finding those ways to get better. Finding the little things to get better at. I have high standards, and I'm unsatisfied."Andy Reid has been pleased with what he’s seen from Pacheco this camp."Telling (Pacheco) to go slow is a hard thing," Reid said. "He's got to have patience and he doesn't have a lot of it. He's doing great. We'll just have to see, as it goes on here, with the contact part here. But, he's getting good work in without that."Pacheco rushed for 1,027 yards and six touchdowns last season.Dave Toub's training campSpecial teams drills may not always be the most thought of or talked about part of training camp, but Chiefs' special teams' coach Dave Toub expects the very best out of his unit.Punter Tommy Townsend, entering his fourth season in Kansas City, says Toub demands perfection from the specialists and that makes the season a bit easier."That's one thing (Toub) takes pride in is making practice harder than the game," Townsend said. "I think he does a really good job of that. I do get a little nervous out here, especially the first few practices back. It's really nervy and getting everything going and just the speed of it and how he has our practices set up. It really gets you prepped and ready for the season."Townsend dealt with a sprained ankle during camp last week and was limited for a day or two, but he has been back on the field working. Townsend described the ankle as "day-to-day" and says things are "progressing nicely" in the training room.Coming off of a first-team All-Pro season in 2022, Townsend says this camp is all about building on the things he does well."Just trying to hold onto the ball as long as I can and really pull my leg straight through," Townsend said. "Trying to work on a bunch of different kicks. Trying to be a wizard with the football. Trying to be Harry Potter with the football."Townsend finished the 2022 season with 53 punts for 2,672 net yards for a 50.42 average.Numbers like that? You're a wizard, Tommy.Last year's rookies, this year's veteransThe Chiefs entered the preseason in 2022 with a lot of young, capable rookies eager to prove themselves.Not only that, but there were a lot of new players on the scene in general. Like Justin Reid, Marques Valdez-Scantling and so on.Corner Trent McDuffie was one of the 10 new rookies last year. Now getting ready for this season, McDuffie says there’s a lot more familiarity compared to this time a year ago."Coming into training camp, it's felt like nothing has gone missing," McDuffie said. "Everybody has been building and building. I feel like last year we were on a different level. We were a little bit farther down, still trying to learn and work it out. This year, everyone has come in confident and excited and ready to play."Kansas City plays its first preseason game this Sunday at New Orleans. Kickoff is set for noon. The game will be broadcast on both Q Country 92.7 FM and KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) in St. Joseph with pregame coverage starting at 11 a.m.What's nextThe Chiefs are back to work on Tuesday morning at 9:15. After Tuesday, there are just five training camp practices remaining.You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Chiefs back on the field with a full training camp practice Monday

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bryson Stott, Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos homered, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Kansas City Royals 8-4 on Sunday.

Bryce Harper had two hits and drove in a run for the defending champion Phillies, who have won five of seven. Philadelphia began play in second in the NL wild-card standings.

“I felt like we did a really good job this whole series responding,” Schwarber said.

Taijuan Walker (13-4) recovered from a shaky first inning to become the first major league pitcher to reach 13 victories.

“He just competes even if he doesn't have his good stuff,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said.

The Phillies went ahead for good on Schwarber’s 28th homer in the second, a 421-foot drive to center off Zack Greinke (1-12) that made it 5-4. The two-run shot stopped an 0-for-19 skid.

“I always have confidence in him,” Thomson said.

Castellanos tacked on a two-run shot to left in the fifth, and Harper hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh.

Kansas City tagged Walker for three runs on five hits in the first, but the Phillies evened the score in the bottom half on Stott’s opposite-field drive to left with two down.

“That changed the momentum,” Thomson said.

After Melendez made it 4-3 in the second with a solo shot, Walker settled down and allowed just one more hit. The 30-year-old right-hander finished seven innings of seven-hit ball.

Walker is trying to figure out why his velocity has started slow in the last two outings, but his mentality remains the same.

“My job is to go out there and give the team the best chance to win,” he said.

The struggles continued for Greinke, a six-time All-Star. He left after surrendering five runs and seven hits in four innings.

Royals second baseman Michael Massey and shortstop Maikel Garcia combined on a sensational putout of Stott in the third inning. Massey snared Stott’s hard-hit grounder while diving to his right, flipped the ball out of his glove to Garcia, who fired to first base to just get the speedy Stott.

“Incredible,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said.

Stott responded with his own stellar defensive play two innings later, robbing Matt Beaty of an RBI hit with a diving grab.

Center fielder Kyle Isbel took extra bases away from Harper in the seventh with a leaping grab of his drive to the wall in center. The Phillies did score on the sacrifice fly.

Maikel Garcia made it 10 contests in a row with a hit when he singled in the first.

Kansas City has lost 30 of 34 series after dropping two of three to the Phillies. Still, Quatraro was pleased with the direction in which his club is headed. The Royals won seven in a row before Saturday's loss.

“They played well this series,” Quatraro said of his club.

Royals: C Salvador Pérez exited with a left hand contusion after being hit by a pitch from Walker in the second. X-rays after the game were negative, Quatraro said.

The Royals open a four-game series at Boston on Monday night. Royals LHP Cole Ragans (3-3, 4.33 ERA) opposes Red Sox RHP Brayan Bello (8-6, 3.79 ERA).&nbsp;&nbsp;Pregame 5:30 pm and First Pitch 6:10 pm on KFEQ (95.3FM/680AM).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691373937526.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' MJ Melendez, right, and Kyle Isbel celebrate after Melendez's home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Sunday, Aug. 6, 2023, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' MJ Melendez, right, and Kyle Isbel celebrate after Melendez's home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Sunday, Aug. 6, 2023, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)</figcaption>
 </figure>PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bryson Stott, Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos homered, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Kansas City Royals 8-4 on Sunday.Bryce Harper had two hits and drove in a run for the defending champion Phillies, who have won five of seven. Philadelphia began play in second in the NL wild-card standings.“I felt like we did a really good job this whole series responding,” Schwarber said.MJ Melendez homered for Kansas City.Taijuan Walker (13-4) recovered from a shaky first inning to become the first major league pitcher to reach 13 victories.“He just competes even if he doesn't have his good stuff,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said.The Phillies went ahead for good on Schwarber’s 28th homer in the second, a 421-foot drive to center off Zack Greinke (1-12) that made it 5-4. The two-run shot stopped an 0-for-19 skid.“I always have confidence in him,” Thomson said.Castellanos tacked on a two-run shot to left in the fifth, and Harper hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh.Kansas City tagged Walker for three runs on five hits in the first, but the Phillies evened the score in the bottom half on Stott’s opposite-field drive to left with two down.“That changed the momentum,” Thomson said.After Melendez made it 4-3 in the second with a solo shot, Walker settled down and allowed just one more hit. The 30-year-old right-hander finished seven innings of seven-hit ball.Walker is trying to figure out why his velocity has started slow in the last two outings, but his mentality remains the same.“My job is to go out there and give the team the best chance to win,” he said.The struggles continued for Greinke, a six-time All-Star. He left after surrendering five runs and seven hits in four innings.DAZZLING DEFENSERoyals second baseman Michael Massey and shortstop Maikel Garcia combined on a sensational putout of Stott in the third inning. Massey snared Stott’s hard-hit grounder while diving to his right, flipped the ball out of his glove to Garcia, who fired to first base to just get the speedy Stott.“Incredible,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said.Stott responded with his own stellar defensive play two innings later, robbing Matt Beaty of an RBI hit with a diving grab.Center fielder Kyle Isbel took extra bases away from Harper in the seventh with a leaping grab of his drive to the wall in center. The Phillies did score on the sacrifice fly.STILL STREAKINGMaikel Garcia made it 10 contests in a row with a hit when he singled in the first.SERIES-LY SPEAKINGKansas City has lost 30 of 34 series after dropping two of three to the Phillies. Still, Quatraro was pleased with the direction in which his club is headed. The Royals won seven in a row before Saturday's loss.“They played well this series,” Quatraro said of his club.TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals: C Salvador Pérez exited with a left hand contusion after being hit by a pitch from Walker in the second. X-rays after the game were negative, Quatraro said.UP NEXTThe Royals open a four-game series at Boston on Monday night. Royals LHP Cole Ragans (3-3, 4.33 ERA) opposes Red Sox RHP Brayan Bello (8-6, 3.79 ERA).&nbsp;&nbsp;Pregame 5:30 pm and First Pitch 6:10 pm on KFEQ (95.3FM/680AM).

Stott, Schwarber and Castellanos homer to help Phillies down Royals 8-4

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Lina Hurtig's converted her penalty and Sweden knocked the United States out of the World Cup 5-4 on penalties after a scoreless draw at the Women's World Cup.

U.S. goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher fruitlessly argued she had saved Hurtig's attempt, but it was ruled over the line. The stadium played Abba's "Dancing Queen" in the stadium as the Swedes celebrated.

The United States, which has a record four World Cup titles overall and was trying to win an unprecedented third consecutive title, was eliminated in the Round of 16 for the first time in team history.

Previously, the Americans' worst finish had been third place, three different times.

“I am proud of the women on the field," said U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski. “I know we were criticized for the way we played, and for different moments in the group stage. I think we came out today and showed the grit, the resilience, the fight. The bravery showed we did everything we could to win the game. And, unfortunately, soccer can be cruel sometimes.”

It was the first match at this World Cup to go to extra time.

Two-time World Cup participant Julie Ertz was in tears after the match.

“We didn't put anything in the back of the net,” she sobbed. “The penalties was tough as well. It's just emotional because it's probably my last game ever. It's just tough. It's an emotional time. It obviously sucks. Penalties are the worst.”

It was the fourth time a U.S. match at the World Cup went to extra time. All of the three previous matches went to penalties, including the 2011 final won by Japan. The U.S. won on penalties in a 2011 quarterfinal match against Brazil, and in the 1999 final at the Rose Bowl against China.

Sweden knocked the United States out of the 2016 Olympics in the quarterfinals on penalties.

Sweden goes on to the quarterfinals to play Japan, the 2011 World Cup winner, which defeated Norway 3-1 on Saturday night.

Sweden has never won a major international tournament, either the World Cup or the Olympics. The closest the team has come is World Cup runner-up in 2003. They finished third in the 1999, 2011 and 2019 editions, and won silver medals in the last two Olympics.

The Americans struggled through group play with just four goals in three matches.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-states-portugal-rose-lavelle-lynn-williams-rapinoe-9ab96954dd053ec7b91fc9aa45868cd6">They were nearly eliminated last Tuesday by first-timers Portugal, but eked out a 0-0 draw</a>&nbsp;to fall to second in their group for just the second time at a World Cup.

The Americans looked far better against Sweden, dominating possession and outshooting the Swedes 5-1 in the first half alone. Lindsey Horan’s first-half header hit the crossbar and a second-half blast was saved by goalkeeper Zecira Musovic, who had six saves in regulation.

Sweden won all three of their group games,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/womens-world-cup-sweden-italy-match-summary-39130a2c83404fb1b6ec8f475d28109c">including a 5-0 rout of Italy in its final group match.</a>&nbsp;Coach Peter Gerhardsson made nine lineup changes for the match, resting his starters in anticipation of the United States.

Naeher punched the ball away from a crowded goal on an early Sweden corner kick. Three of the Swedes’ goals against Italy came on set pieces.

Trinity Rodman’s shot from distance in the 18th minute was easily caught by Musovic, who stopped another chance by Rodman in the 27th.

Horan’s header off Andi Sullivan’s corner in the 34th hit the crossbar and skipped over the goal. Horan was on target in the 53rd minute but Musovic dove to push it wide. Horan crouched to the field in frustration while Musovic was swarmed by her teammates.

The United States was without Rose Lavelle, who picked up her second yellow card of the tournament in the group stage finale against Portugal and has to sit out against Sweden.

In Lavelle’s absence, Andonovski started Emily Sonnett, who was making her first start for the team since 2022. The addition of Sonnett allowed Horan to move up higher in the midfield.

Sweden pressed in the final 10 minutes of regulation. Sofia Jakobsson, who came in as a substitute in the 81st minute, nearly scored in the 85th but Naeher managed to catch it for her first save of the tournament.

Neither Caroline Seger or Megan Rapinoe started the match, but Rapinoe came in as a sub for Alex Morgan in the first overtime period.

Seger, whose 235 appearances for Sweden are the most for any woman in Europe, was on the bench to start the match. The 38-year-old has been struggling with a calf problem all year and trained alone in the two days of practice leading into the showdown with the U.S.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/womens-world-cup-united-states-rapinoe-665f43d32ff45c859422072fdb99dd60">Rapinoe, also 38, previously announced that this would be her last World Cup.</a>&nbsp;She has taken on a smaller role for the Americans in her final tournament. She was a substitute in the United States’ first and third games of group play and didn’t get off the bench in the middle match. She made her 200th appearance for the national team at the World Cup.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Lina Hurtig's converted her penalty and Sweden knocked the United States out of the World Cup 5-4 on penalties after a scoreless draw at the Women's World Cup.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Naeher saves it, but it&#39;s ruled over the line. Sweden advances. 🇺🇸 ✅✅✅ ❌ ❌ ✅ ❌ 🇸🇪 ✅✅❌ ❌ ✅ ✅ ✅&mdash; U.S. Women&#39;s National Soccer Team (@USWNT) <a href="https://twitter.com/USWNT/status/1688154109772460032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>U.S. goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher fruitlessly argued she had saved Hurtig's attempt, but it was ruled over the line. The stadium played Abba's "Dancing Queen" in the stadium as the Swedes celebrated.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Our time Down Under comes to an end. 💔<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USWNT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USWNT</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/Visa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Visa</a> <a href="https://t.co/X2g0NHqg38">pic.twitter.com/X2g0NHqg38</a>&mdash; U.S. Women&#39;s National Soccer Team (@USWNT) <a href="https://twitter.com/USWNT/status/1688155300904529920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The United States, which has a record four World Cup titles overall and was trying to win an unprecedented third consecutive title, was eliminated in the Round of 16 for the first time in team history.Previously, the Americans' worst finish had been third place, three different times.“I am proud of the women on the field," said U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski. “I know we were criticized for the way we played, and for different moments in the group stage. I think we came out today and showed the grit, the resilience, the fight. The bravery showed we did everything we could to win the game. And, unfortunately, soccer can be cruel sometimes.”It was the first match at this World Cup to go to extra time.Two-time World Cup participant Julie Ertz was in tears after the match.“We didn't put anything in the back of the net,” she sobbed. “The penalties was tough as well. It's just emotional because it's probably my last game ever. It's just tough. It's an emotional time. It obviously sucks. Penalties are the worst.”It was the fourth time a U.S. match at the World Cup went to extra time. All of the three previous matches went to penalties, including the 2011 final won by Japan. The U.S. won on penalties in a 2011 quarterfinal match against Brazil, and in the 1999 final at the Rose Bowl against China.Sweden knocked the United States out of the 2016 Olympics in the quarterfinals on penalties.Sweden goes on to the quarterfinals to play Japan, the 2011 World Cup winner, which defeated Norway 3-1 on Saturday night.Sweden has never won a major international tournament, either the World Cup or the Olympics. The closest the team has come is World Cup runner-up in 2003. They finished third in the 1999, 2011 and 2019 editions, and won silver medals in the last two Olympics.The Americans struggled through group play with just four goals in three matches.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-states-portugal-rose-lavelle-lynn-williams-rapinoe-9ab96954dd053ec7b91fc9aa45868cd6">They were nearly eliminated last Tuesday by first-timers Portugal, but eked out a 0-0 draw</a>&nbsp;to fall to second in their group for just the second time at a World Cup.The Americans looked far better against Sweden, dominating possession and outshooting the Swedes 5-1 in the first half alone. Lindsey Horan’s first-half header hit the crossbar and a second-half blast was saved by goalkeeper Zecira Musovic, who had six saves in regulation.Sweden won all three of their group games,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/womens-world-cup-sweden-italy-match-summary-39130a2c83404fb1b6ec8f475d28109c">including a 5-0 rout of Italy in its final group match.</a>&nbsp;Coach Peter Gerhardsson made nine lineup changes for the match, resting his starters in anticipation of the United States.It was tense from the opening whistle.Naeher punched the ball away from a crowded goal on an early Sweden corner kick. Three of the Swedes’ goals against Italy came on set pieces.Trinity Rodman’s shot from distance in the 18th minute was easily caught by Musovic, who stopped another chance by Rodman in the 27th.Horan’s header off Andi Sullivan’s corner in the 34th hit the crossbar and skipped over the goal. Horan was on target in the 53rd minute but Musovic dove to push it wide. Horan crouched to the field in frustration while Musovic was swarmed by her teammates.The United States was without Rose Lavelle, who picked up her second yellow card of the tournament in the group stage finale against Portugal and has to sit out against Sweden.In Lavelle’s absence, Andonovski started Emily Sonnett, who was making her first start for the team since 2022. The addition of Sonnett allowed Horan to move up higher in the midfield.Sweden pressed in the final 10 minutes of regulation. Sofia Jakobsson, who came in as a substitute in the 81st minute, nearly scored in the 85th but Naeher managed to catch it for her first save of the tournament.Neither Caroline Seger or Megan Rapinoe started the match, but Rapinoe came in as a sub for Alex Morgan in the first overtime period.Seger, whose 235 appearances for Sweden are the most for any woman in Europe, was on the bench to start the match. The 38-year-old has been struggling with a calf problem all year and trained alone in the two days of practice leading into the showdown with the U.S.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/womens-world-cup-united-states-rapinoe-665f43d32ff45c859422072fdb99dd60">Rapinoe, also 38, previously announced that this would be her last World Cup.</a>&nbsp;She has taken on a smaller role for the Americans in her final tournament. She was a substitute in the United States’ first and third games of group play and didn’t get off the bench in the middle match. She made her 200th appearance for the national team at the World Cup.

US loses to Sweden on penalty kicks in earliest Women's World Cup exit ever

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bryce Harper singled, doubled and homered, Trea Turner doubled, homered and drove in four runs and the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Kansas City Royals 9-6 on Saturday night.

Alec Bohm also went deep for defending NL champion Philadelphia, which entered holding the second wild-card spot.

Freddy Fermin homered twice for the Royals, who had won seven consecutive games.

Turner put Philadelphia ahead 8-6 with a three-run shot in the sixth off Angel Zerpa (0-1). It was Turner’s 11th drive of the season and first since July 8.

“Felt like what I’m used to, swings were good, fun game all around,” Turner said.

Rather than boo the slumping slugger, who signed an 11-year, $300 million deal in the offseason but was dropped to eighth in the lineup due to his struggles, Philadelphia’s notoriously tough fan base responded to a social media campaign to greet Turner at the start of a 10-game homestand on Friday night with a standing ovation before each at-bat.

After singling and driving in a run in Philadelphia’s 7-5 loss to the Royals on Friday, Turner thanked the fans. The Phillies faithful continued to pour support on Turner on Saturday, again giving him loud cheers before each at-bat and a standing ovation before his turn in the sixth.

J.T. Realmuto led off by reaching on a hit by pitch and Johan Rojas put runners on first and second with a bunt single. Turner sent the sellout crowd of 42,326 into a playoff-like frenzy by launching Zerpa’s first pitch, a 94 mph sinker, over the wall in left.

“Mentally, it just gives you reassurance that they have your back,” Turner said. “Just go out there, play the game, trust yourself and good things happen. I feel like the last two days the at-bats have been a lot better and going in the right direction.”

He took a curtain call, raising his Phillies helmet high into the air with his right hand and pumping his left hand to the fans, after the 383-foot drive.

“Curtain calls are special,” he said. “Means you did something big in a big moment.”

A little encouragement can go a long way.

“It’s impacted it quite a bit,” manager Rob Thomson said of the fan support of Turner. “I know he’s been grinding, he’s been working, he’s been trying to get back to where he normally is. I think it just maybe loosened him up a little bit, just let him do his thing.”

He followed that at-bat with an RBI double to the wall in left-center in the eighth. Turner also made two stellar defensive plays at shortstop, highlighted in the second inning by diving to his left before spinning around and throwing out Samad Taylor at first base.

Turner said the fans’ response on Friday night brought his mother to tears.

“It's a passionate fan base here,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “It's pretty cool what they've done the last two days for him.”

Phillies fans also were cheering after Harper’s one-out, two-run drive to left-center pulled the Phillies within 6-5 in the fifth. It was the sixth homer of the season for Harper, whose power numbers have been down this season since returning May 2 from offseason Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.

Needing a triple to reach the cycle, Harper struck out swinging in the seventh.

Matt Strahm (7-3) pitched two scoreless innings of relief, and Craig Kimbrel tossed a scoreless ninth for his 19th save in 21 chances.

Harper likely won’t play the outfield again this season.

The two-time NL MVP served strictly as Philadelphia’s designated hitter for most of last season after injuring his right throwing elbow on an outfield throw in April 2022. After surgery, Harper returned to his DH role on May 2 before debuting at first base for the first time in his career on July 21.

Since then, Thomson has been alternating Harper between first base and DH and that is likely the plan for the remainder of the season.

“I wouldn’t think so, not at this point, unless something changes,” Thomson said on Saturday, when asked if Harper would return to the outfield this season.

Seven-time All-Star Harper has played well at first base, making just one error in nine games over 80 innings. He was the DH on Saturday.

Both club’s starters struggled. Royals RHP Alec Marsh gave up three runs on six hits in four innings while Phillies LHP Cristopher Sánchez allowed six runs on six hits in five innings.

Kansas City’s seven-game streak was its longest since winning nine in a row from July 19-28, 2017.

Home-plate umpire Ben May ejected Dairon Blanco and Quatraro after both argued May's strike-three call on Blanco in the ninth that was the second out in the inning.

Phillies: CF Brandon Marsh exited the game with a left knee contusion after crashing into the center-field wall trying to catch Taylor’s triple leading off the fifth. Marsh limped off without putting much weight on his left leg. X-rays were negative and Marsh will have further tests on Sunday. … Left-handed reliever José Alvarado (left elbow inflammation) will throw a bullpen session on Monday. If all goes well, Alvarado will pitch in at least one minor league game before returning to the Phillies He has been sidelined since July 7.

Royals RHP Zack Greinke (1-11, 5.32) opposes Philadelphia RHP Taijuan Walker (12-4, 3.99) in the finale of the three-game series on Sunday. First pitch is set for 12:35, with pregame coverage starting at noon on 680 AM 95.3 FM KFEQ.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691320831367.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. dives back to first base after a fly out by Michael Massey during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. dives back to first base after a fly out by Michael Massey during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)</figcaption>
 </figure>PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bryce Harper singled, doubled and homered, Trea Turner doubled, homered and drove in four runs and the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Kansas City Royals 9-6 on Saturday night.Alec Bohm also went deep for defending NL champion Philadelphia, which entered holding the second wild-card spot.Freddy Fermin homered twice for the Royals, who had won seven consecutive games.Turner put Philadelphia ahead 8-6 with a three-run shot in the sixth off Angel Zerpa (0-1). It was Turner’s 11th drive of the season and first since July 8.“Felt like what I’m used to, swings were good, fun game all around,” Turner said.Rather than boo the slumping slugger, who signed an 11-year, $300 million deal in the offseason but was dropped to eighth in the lineup due to his struggles, Philadelphia’s notoriously tough fan base responded to a social media campaign to greet Turner at the start of a 10-game homestand on Friday night with a standing ovation before each at-bat.After singling and driving in a run in Philadelphia’s 7-5 loss to the Royals on Friday, Turner thanked the fans. The Phillies faithful continued to pour support on Turner on Saturday, again giving him loud cheers before each at-bat and a standing ovation before his turn in the sixth.J.T. Realmuto led off by reaching on a hit by pitch and Johan Rojas put runners on first and second with a bunt single. Turner sent the sellout crowd of 42,326 into a playoff-like frenzy by launching Zerpa’s first pitch, a 94 mph sinker, over the wall in left.“Mentally, it just gives you reassurance that they have your back,” Turner said. “Just go out there, play the game, trust yourself and good things happen. I feel like the last two days the at-bats have been a lot better and going in the right direction.”He took a curtain call, raising his Phillies helmet high into the air with his right hand and pumping his left hand to the fans, after the 383-foot drive.“Curtain calls are special,” he said. “Means you did something big in a big moment.”A little encouragement can go a long way.“It’s impacted it quite a bit,” manager Rob Thomson said of the fan support of Turner. “I know he’s been grinding, he’s been working, he’s been trying to get back to where he normally is. I think it just maybe loosened him up a little bit, just let him do his thing.”He followed that at-bat with an RBI double to the wall in left-center in the eighth. Turner also made two stellar defensive plays at shortstop, highlighted in the second inning by diving to his left before spinning around and throwing out Samad Taylor at first base.Turner said the fans’ response on Friday night brought his mother to tears.“It's a passionate fan base here,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “It's pretty cool what they've done the last two days for him.”Phillies fans also were cheering after Harper’s one-out, two-run drive to left-center pulled the Phillies within 6-5 in the fifth. It was the sixth homer of the season for Harper, whose power numbers have been down this season since returning May 2 from offseason Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.Needing a triple to reach the cycle, Harper struck out swinging in the seventh.Matt Strahm (7-3) pitched two scoreless innings of relief, and Craig Kimbrel tossed a scoreless ninth for his 19th save in 21 chances.HARPER HAPPENINGSHarper likely won’t play the outfield again this season.The two-time NL MVP served strictly as Philadelphia’s designated hitter for most of last season after injuring his right throwing elbow on an outfield throw in April 2022. After surgery, Harper returned to his DH role on May 2 before debuting at first base for the first time in his career on July 21.Since then, Thomson has been alternating Harper between first base and DH and that is likely the plan for the remainder of the season.“I wouldn’t think so, not at this point, unless something changes,” Thomson said on Saturday, when asked if Harper would return to the outfield this season.Seven-time All-Star Harper has played well at first base, making just one error in nine games over 80 innings. He was the DH on Saturday.FOR STARTERSBoth club’s starters struggled. Royals RHP Alec Marsh gave up three runs on six hits in four innings while Phillies LHP Cristopher Sánchez allowed six runs on six hits in five innings.STREAK SNAPPEDKansas City’s seven-game streak was its longest since winning nine in a row from July 19-28, 2017.Y'ER OUTTA HEREHome-plate umpire Ben May ejected Dairon Blanco and Quatraro after both argued May's strike-three call on Blanco in the ninth that was the second out in the inning.TRAINER’S ROOMPhillies: CF Brandon Marsh exited the game with a left knee contusion after crashing into the center-field wall trying to catch Taylor’s triple leading off the fifth. Marsh limped off without putting much weight on his left leg. X-rays were negative and Marsh will have further tests on Sunday. … Left-handed reliever José Alvarado (left elbow inflammation) will throw a bullpen session on Monday. If all goes well, Alvarado will pitch in at least one minor league game before returning to the Phillies He has been sidelined since July 7.UP NEXTRoyals RHP Zack Greinke (1-11, 5.32) opposes Philadelphia RHP Taijuan Walker (12-4, 3.99) in the finale of the three-game series on Sunday. First pitch is set for 12:35, with pregame coverage starting at noon on 680 AM 95.3 FM KFEQ.

Harper, Turner homer to help lift Phillies over Royals

The Kansas City Chiefs finally saw some sunshine in St. Joseph for their 12th training camp practice on Saturday morning after nearly a week straight of rain and overcast conditions.

It was a capacity crowd at Missouri Western State University, as it was Family Fun Day. The team worked for just over an hour in half pads in what’s known as a 10-10-10 practice.

A 10-10-10 features segments of 10 plays where the first-team offense goes against the second defense, the first defense goes against the second-team offense and then special teams periods as well.

There were no new injuries to report. Defensive tackle Charles Omenihu was back on the practice field after missing time with a calf injury, but had limited work. Omenihu can still participate in preseason games and practices, despite his six-game suspension from the NFL for his violation of the personal conduct policy.

Corner Reese Taylor was back after missing time with a hamstring injury and corner Jaylen Watson was back after an excused absence for personal reasons Friday.&nbsp;

Kadarius Toney (knee), L'Jarius Sneed (knee), Mike Danna (calf) and Jody Forston (shoulder) didn't practice. Chris Jones has not yet reported. Isaiah Moore and Nazeeh Johnson are on injured reserve.

It's hard to take away a lot of meaningful things from a 10-10-10 practice. Half pads means no full contact. First team vs. second team and so forth. These lighter practices are sprinkled int throughout camp, usually before or after a scheduled day off.

Patrick Mahomes a solid day throwing the ball. Surprise, surprise, right? Tight end Matt Bushman made nice plays with both the first and second-team offense. Joshua Williams snagged an INT from Blaine Gabbert on a deep ball intended for Cornell Powell.

Richie James caught a nice deep ball from Mahomes. George Karlaftis had a would-be sack on Gabbert.

But, the only play from Saturday that fans will be talking about is Mahomes' perfect behind the back pass to Skyy Moore in the backfield. Mahomes has been saying he wants to try it in an actual game.

We'll see if that happens, but he's obviously practicing it this camp.

We’re just a week away from the Chiefs’ first preseason game at New Orleans on August 13.

Special teams coordinator Dave Toub says the player he’s most excited to watch is rookie running back Deneric Prince, who's been the primary kick returner so far this camp.

"He'll start off as kick returner for us," Toub said of Prince. "I want to see him with live bullets and guys coming down the field. How it'll set up with blocks and how he'll hit it and be strong. Everything I've been seeing in practice I think I'll see in a game, but still gotta see it."

Toub also mentioned that corners Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams will be the primary "gunners" on kickoff coverage. Gunners are those who run at full speed down the sideline on kicks and punts to try and bring down the opposing returner as quickly as possible.

Toub was also asked about the NFL's new fair catch rule, which will take effect this season. If a player fair catches a ball on a kick return inside the 25-yard-line, that ball will then be placed at the 25.

Toub doubts there'll be hardly any fair catches in the preseason, as players try to prove their value on special teams during games and coaches evaluate them. Toub said the Chiefs "won't fair catch" this preseason.

Rookie offensive lineman Wanya Morris, a third-round pick from Oklahoma, looks forward to proving himself during the preseason.

"It's very breathtaking," Morris said. "Being able to step on that field and go out there and compete with my brothers and show everything I've got. It's not done until it's done. I haven't made the 53 (man roster) yet, so gotta go out there and ball."

Safety Justin Reid is now a sixth-year pro entering his second year with the Chiefs. As a starter, he'll see limited snaps in preseason. But, he remembers his first preseason game well.

It was August of 2018, when Houston played at Kansas City. On his very first play, he was charged with covering Travis Kelce, who caught a 13-yard pass on that first play.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691254448126.jpeg" alt="Stock photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Stock photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Kansas City Chiefs finally saw some sunshine in St. Joseph for their 12th training camp practice on Saturday morning after nearly a week straight of rain and overcast conditions.It was a capacity crowd at Missouri Western State University, as it was Family Fun Day. The team worked for just over an hour in half pads in what’s known as a 10-10-10 practice.A 10-10-10 features segments of 10 plays where the first-team offense goes against the second defense, the first defense goes against the second-team offense and then special teams periods as well.There were no new injuries to report. Defensive tackle Charles Omenihu was back on the practice field after missing time with a calf injury, but had limited work. Omenihu can still participate in preseason games and practices, despite his six-game suspension from the NFL for his violation of the personal conduct policy.Corner Reese Taylor was back after missing time with a hamstring injury and corner Jaylen Watson was back after an excused absence for personal reasons Friday.&nbsp;Kadarius Toney (knee), L'Jarius Sneed (knee), Mike Danna (calf) and Jody Forston (shoulder) didn't practice. Chris Jones has not yet reported. Isaiah Moore and Nazeeh Johnson are on injured reserve.ObservationsIt's hard to take away a lot of meaningful things from a 10-10-10 practice. Half pads means no full contact. First team vs. second team and so forth. These lighter practices are sprinkled int throughout camp, usually before or after a scheduled day off.Patrick Mahomes a solid day throwing the ball. Surprise, surprise, right? Tight end Matt Bushman made nice plays with both the first and second-team offense. Joshua Williams snagged an INT from Blaine Gabbert on a deep ball intended for Cornell Powell.Richie James caught a nice deep ball from Mahomes. George Karlaftis had a would-be sack on Gabbert.But, the only play from Saturday that fans will be talking about is Mahomes' perfect behind the back pass to Skyy Moore in the backfield. Mahomes has been saying he wants to try it in an actual game.We'll see if that happens, but he's obviously practicing it this camp.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">He’s just kidding… unless? 😳<a href="https://twitter.com/PatrickMahomes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PatrickMahomes</a> <a href="https://t.co/qu5UoMs4JA">pic.twitter.com/qu5UoMs4JA</a>&mdash; Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1687846046443909121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Preseason coming upWe’re just a week away from the Chiefs’ first preseason game at New Orleans on August 13.Special teams coordinator Dave Toub says the player he’s most excited to watch is rookie running back Deneric Prince, who's been the primary kick returner so far this camp."He'll start off as kick returner for us," Toub said of Prince. "I want to see him with live bullets and guys coming down the field. How it'll set up with blocks and how he'll hit it and be strong. Everything I've been seeing in practice I think I'll see in a game, but still gotta see it."Toub also mentioned that corners Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams will be the primary "gunners" on kickoff coverage. Gunners are those who run at full speed down the sideline on kicks and punts to try and bring down the opposing returner as quickly as possible.Toub was also asked about the NFL's new fair catch rule, which will take effect this season. If a player fair catches a ball on a kick return inside the 25-yard-line, that ball will then be placed at the 25.Toub doubts there'll be hardly any fair catches in the preseason, as players try to prove their value on special teams during games and coaches evaluate them. Toub said the Chiefs "won't fair catch" this preseason.Rookie offensive lineman Wanya Morris, a third-round pick from Oklahoma, looks forward to proving himself during the preseason."It's very breathtaking," Morris said. "Being able to step on that field and go out there and compete with my brothers and show everything I've got. It's not done until it's done. I haven't made the 53 (man roster) yet, so gotta go out there and ball."Safety Justin Reid is now a sixth-year pro entering his second year with the Chiefs. As a starter, he'll see limited snaps in preseason. But, he remembers his first preseason game well.It was August of 2018, when Houston played at Kansas City. On his very first play, he was charged with covering Travis Kelce, who caught a 13-yard pass on that first play.Now as a veteran, Reid wants the young players to succeed, but also wants to get back into his in-game routine."You just want guys to go out and play fast and see what they can do in a live setting," Reid said. "Difference now is, you know you're going to be starting. You want to make sure you're getting healthy and make sure your routines are right and you're ready to go."Defensive swaggerThe Chiefs’ rookie class last season made an immediate and significant impact, especially on defense.Joshua Williams, Trent McDuffie, Bryan Cook and Jaylen Watson in the defensive backfield and George Karlaftis on the defensive line. Linebacker Leo Chenal started eight games as a rookie last season as well, finishing with 41 total tackles and two sacks.Chenal says the growth on defense from last year to now has been noticeable in training camp. "The rookies we were last year, going into the season and how heavily we contributed last year, having that confidence in our job," Chenal said. "We're that much better. I think we're playing a lot faster and communicating a lot better than we were last year."Justin Reid says they’re now trying to help this year’s rookies get acclimated"Our room is all about helping each other learn it faster," he said. "So, guys ask questions, we answer them. We try to pull guys along as fast as we can. Through as many reps as we get out here on the practice field, they'll get better at it as time goes on."What's nextThe Chiefs are off Sunday and back to work on Monday morning at 9:15. We're down to seven total camp practices remaining.You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

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