WELLINGTON – Matt Cavanaugh’s seventh inning RBI single broke a scoreless tie and sparked a four-run inning Thursday as the Hays Larks picked up a 5-2 win over the Wellington Heat.

Larks starter Rustin Hays and Heat starter Dylan Grove each turned in six scoreless innings before the Larks scored four in the seventh.

Hays allowed just two runs over eight innings and struck out five while walking three. It’s the second straight start that Hays has worked eight innings and picked up the win.

In the Larks four-run inning George Southerland and Jarrod Belbin opened the inning with back-to-back singles. Cavanaugh singled home Southerland and after stealing third Belbin came into score an error by the Heat cather. Drake Angeron followed that with an RBI double that scored Cavanaugh. Mikey Gangwich singled home Angeron giving Hays a 4-0 lead through six and a half innings.

Wellington scored single runs in the bottom of the seventh and eighth innings but Hays got a run back on a wild pitch in the top of the ninth as the Larks earn the 5-2 win.

The Larks wrap up the two-game series in Wellington Friday night before traveling to McPherson for the first of two games on Saturday.

HAYS – The Hays Senior American Legion baseball team cruised to a 10-0 run-rule win over the Northern Colorado Roughnecks in their game of the Wild West Fest Tournament in Hays.

Hays pitchers Trey Riggs and Tate Garcia combined to allow just two hits and strikeout four in four scoreless innings.

The Eagles scored the game’s first run on an error and Jamison Martin added an RBI single giving Hays a 2-0 lead after one.

In the second inning Cody Petersen singled in a pair of runs and then scored on a wild pitch putting Hays up 5-0.

The Eagles pushed across five runs in the third to take a 10-0 lead. In the inning Hays scored on a wild pitch, a pair of errors and a ground error.

Cody Petersen drove in three runs.

The Eagles are 20-5 on the summer and will take on Smith Center at 8 p.m. Friday at Larks Park.

HAYS – Russell took advantage of three errors in the top of the 10th inning and then held off a late Eagles rally on their way to an 8-7 win over the Hays Eagles Junior American Legion team Thursday at Larks Park.

Hays took an early 2-0 lead scoring on a passed ball and a Garrett Wellbrock sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first.

Eagles starter Mason Robbins held Russell’s bats at bay for six innings before surrendering two runs in the inning. Robbins allowed just two runs in six and two-thirds innings. He struck out eight but did not factor into the decision.

Russell was able to put two runs across in the eighth inning but Hays answered right back to tie the game at four. Dawson Vonfeldt and Robbins had RBI singles in the inning.

A passed ball in the top of the ninth gave Russell a 5-4 lead but again the Eagles answered, they scored a run on an error in the bottom of the inning sending the game to the 10th inning.

In the 10th, Russell took a 7-5 lead on back-to-back errors and then added one more on an RBI single for an 8-5 lead.

The Eagles got two runs back in the 10th, scoring on a Vonfeldt single and a Remington Cox ground out but the potential runs were thrown out at third and second on back-to-back fielder’s choices as Russell earned the 8-7 win.

The Junior Eagles drop to 11-12-1 on the season. They will take on Beloit at 10 a.m. Friday at Larks Park.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Indians manager Terry Francona looked over at bench coach Brad Mills midway through Thursday’s game against the Royals and said, ‘Gosh, they’re letting us just hang around.”

It wasn’t long until Cleveland took advantage of it.

Francisco Lindor drove in the go-ahead runs during a six-run seventh inning, Jose Ramirez homered twice and Carlos Santana pushed his on-base streak to 27 games as the Indians rallied to beat bumbling Kansas City 8-4 on Thursday and complete a three-game sweep.

Tyler Naquin and Jason Kipnis also drove in runs for the suddenly red-hot Indians, who beat the Royals — losers of four straight and seven of eight — for the fifth time in six meetings.

“They were just letting us hang around and hang around,” Francona sad, “and all of a sudden some good things happen, and we have a big inning and it snowballs from there.”

Adam Cimber (4-2) tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings in relief as the Indians’ bullpen bailed out Zach Plesac. Their ineffective starter allowed three runs and three hits in just 2 2/3 innings.

Kansas City only managed three more hits in a game delayed 2½ hours at the start by rain.

“Cimber threw 30 pitches,” Francona said, “but I didn’t see any reason to take him out.”

Still, the Royals were clinging to a 3-2 lead in the seventh when Jorge Lopez (1-7) coughed up hits to the only four batters he faced. Kevin Plawecki and Bobby Bradley started the inning with singles, and Naquin doubled home Plawecki before Lindor laced a two-run single to give Cleveland the lead.

Lindor later scored as the Indians proceeded to score six times in the inning.

“I’ve got no excuse,” Lopez said. “I fell behind to the first guy. Threw a right-down-the-middle curveball. The next guy, tried to look for a ground ball, like I always try to get. Unfortunately, I didn’t have it. They found the holes and they kept going.”

The Royals’ meltdown wasted another solid start by Homer Bailey, who allowed two runs and six hits in five-plus innings. Bailey still has not lost a game since June 1.

“It’s not just Lopez,” Royals manager Ned Yost said of his bullpen. “They’ll have good outings then a not-good outing. We were trying to put it all together in our minds.”

Plesac faced the minimum through the first two innings, but he appeared to struggle with his grip when a muggy afternoon followed all the rain. At one point, Francona and a trainer came out with a towel so that Plesac could dry off his hands and arms.

It didn’t seem to do much for his ability to throw strikes.

Cam Gallagher singled in the third, Terrence Gore walked and Whit Merrifield singled before Adalberto Mondesi laid down a squeeze bunt that the fleet-footed shortstop turned into an RBI base hit.

Hunter Dozier walked later in the inning, and Jorge Soler’s bases-loaded walk gave the Royals a 3-1 lead and brought Francona to the mound again — this time to summon a reliever.

A.J. Cole and Tyler Clippard joined Cimber in keeping the Indians in the game, and their offense got them within a run in the fifth. Two innings later, that offense gave them the lead for good.

STATS AND STREAKS

The Indians have had five sweeps of at least three games this season. Three have come in their past six series. … Cleveland scored 21 runs on 33 hits during the series. … The Royals have led in 60 of 88 games but have blown a league-leading 30 of them. … Gallagher homered in the ninth.

SAL’S RECOVERY

Yost acknowledged catcher Salvador Perez (Tommy John surgery) is making progress in his recovery, and that “he’s itching to start catching sides.” Perez had surgery in spring training and is aiming to be back next spring. “There’s no throwing involved. He can’t,” Yost said.”

SOLER’S SNUB

Yost wasn’t surprised Soler was snubbed for next week’s All-Star Home Run Derby, despite having hit 23 this season. “You know that old saying, ‘Where there’s smoke, there’s fire?'” Yost asked. “I couldn’t smell no smoke. I wasn’t surprised. I thought he’d be a great pick for it, though.”

UP NEXT

The Royals wrap up their pre-All-Star break slate with three games in Washington starting Friday night, when RHP Brad Keller (4-9, 4.63 ERA) takes the mound. The Indians have Friday off before closing the first half with a pair of games in Cincinnati this weekend.

MANHATTAN – Former Kansas State guard Barry Brown Jr., has joined the Minnesota Timberwolves Summer League Team, which plays in the MGM Resorts NBA Summer League from July 5-15 at the Cox Pavilion and Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nev.

Brown will meet a familiar face in the first of Minnesota’s four preliminary round games on Friday, July 5, as the Timberwolves will play the Cleveland Cavaliers, along with former teammate Dean Wade, at 4 p.m., CT at Cox Pavilion on NBA TV. Wade enjoyed an impressive debut in his pro debut with the Cavaliers at the Salt Lake City Summer League on Monday night, posting 14 points on 6-of-13 field goals to go with 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists and 1 block in 28 minutes against the San Antonio Spurs.

The Timberwolves will follow with contests against the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday, July 7 at 4:30 p.m., CT at the Thomas and Mack Center on ESPN2, the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, July 8 at 8 p.m., CT at Cox Pavilion on ESPNU and the Miami Heat on Wednesday, July 10 at 6 p.m., CT at Cox Pavilion on NBA TV.

After the preliminary round, all 30 NBA teams, along with the Chinese and Croatian National Teams for the first time, will be seeded in a tournament that leads to the Championship Game on July 15. Each team will play at least five games in Las Vegas.

Brown, who will wear No. 15, will be joined on the 15-man summer league roster by 2018 NBA Draft picks Josh Okogie (Georgia Tech) and Keita Bates-Diop (Ohio State) as well as 2019 second-round pick Jaylen Nowell (Washington). Other notable rookies on the squad include Canyon Barry (Florida), Tyus Battle (Syracuse), Jordan McLaughlin (USC), Jordan Murphy (Minnesota), Brandon Randolph (Arizona) and Naz Reid(LSU).

Head coach Ryan Saunders will guide the team during its play in the MGM Resorts NBA Summer League.

The Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous All-Big 12 First Team selection, Brown led the Wildcats in nearly every statistical category in 2018-19, including scoring (14.6 ppg.), double-digit scoring games (28), 20-point games (seven), field goals made (184) and attempted (425), free throws made (88) and attempted (124) and steals (65). He connected on 43.3 percent (184-of-425) from the field, including 29.8 percent (42-of-141) from 3-point range, and shot 71 percent (88-of-124) from the free throw line.

Brown left K-State in the Top 10 in 13 career categories, including first in games played (139), consecutive games played (139) and steals (254), second in minutes played (4,472), third in field goals attempted (1,519), fourth in double-digit scoring games (91) and field goals made (633) and fifth in scoring (1,781).

In his 139-game career, Brown averaged 12.8 points on 41.7 percent shooting (633-of-1519), including 31.9 percent (173-of-542) from 3-point range, with 3.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.8 steals in 32.2 minutes per game.

Brown was part of a senior class that posted an 88-51 (.633) overall record, advanced to three NCAA Tournaments and won a share of the 2018-19 Big 12 regular season title.

—k-statesports.com—

HILL CITY – The TMP-Marian Monarchs 17U American Legion team ran their win streak to four games in-a-row Tuesday with a double-header sweep of Hill City, their second in less than a week.

In game one the Monarchs scored in all but the first inning in an 11-4 win. Ethan Atherton had three RBI’s in the win. Kade Harris allowed just two runs in four innings for the win.

Atherton got the scoring started with an RBI double in the top of the second. Two batters later Nick Herrman drove in Atherton to give the Monarchs a 2-0 lead.

Hays added three more in the top of the third scoring a run on an error, a bases loaded walk by Atherton and a wild pitch on a strike out putting the Monarchs up 5-0.

After Hill City got two runs back in the bottom of the third the Monarchs blew the game open with five in the top of the fourth.

The Monarchs scored a run on an error, a bases loaded walk by Atherton and a passed ball before Noah Gibson plated two with an RBI double giving Hays a 10-2 lead.

Hays added one more in the fifth on a wild pitch and Hill City scored two in the bottom of the inning as the Monarchs earned the 11-4 win in five innings.

In game two the Monarchs scored three in the first and four in the second in an 8-3 win.

In the first inning Hays’ Jace Wentling got the scoring started with an RBI single in the top of the first.

A Hill City error allowed the second run of the inning to score and then Atherton followed that with an RBI single.

In the four-run second the Monarchs scored their first run on an error. Mark Rack drove a ball to center for an RBI double and then Jace Wentling tripled to center scoring Rack to put Hays up 6-1. In the next at bat Atherton singled home Wentling to put the Monarchs up 7-1.

The Monarchs added another run in the top of the fifth when Wentling scored on a wild pitch as the Monarchs went on to the 8-3 win in five innings.

Rack earned the win on the mound for the Monarchs. He allowed two runs on four hits in two and a third innings.

Atherton and Wentling each collected two hits and drove in two runs.

The Monarchs are 10-8 on the summer.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Jake Bauers matched a career high with four hits while driving in three runs, the Cleveland bullpen bailed Trevor Bauer out of a late jam and the Indians held on to beat the Kansas City Royals 9-5 on Tuesday night.

Pitching a day after the death of his former teammate and friend Tyler Skaggs, Bauer (7-6) left nursing a 7-4 lead with the bases loaded and nobody out in the seventh. Oliver Perez managed an out before surrendering a sacrifice fly, and Adam Cimber used his sinker-style motion to induce the final two outs and preserve the Indians’ lead.

The Indians scored twice more before All-Star closer Brad Hand wrapped up the ninth inning.

Five others also drove in a run for the Indians, who have picked up in July right where they left off in June. They went 17-9 last month to match the Yankees for the best mark in the American League.

Most of their damage came against Jakob Junis (4-8), who matched a season high by allowing six earned runs over 4 2/3 innings. The right-hander is 0-3 with a 5.91 ERA over his last six starts.

He didn’t get a whole lot of help from his defense, either.

The Royals’ circus was summed up when Carlos Santana led off the fifth with a hard-hit ball to first base. It popped out of the glove of Cheslor Cuthbert and was fielded by second baseman Nicky Lopez, who then had his throw bounce out of the glove of Junis covering first.

Kansas City also committed an error during the Indians’ five-run third inning.

It began when Tyler Naquin and Francisco Lindor led off with singles, and continued when Santana walked to extend his league-leading on-base streak to 25 games. Jason Kipnis walked in a run, Jose Ramirez plated another with a fielder’s choice grounder, and Bauers added two more runs with a double.

Roberto Perez kept the inning going when he reached on an error by third baseman Hunter Dozier.

The only bright spots for the Royals were Jorge Soler and Adalberto Mondesi. Soler’s towering solo home run in the second traveled an estimated 451 feet, while Mondesi trumpeted his return from the injured list with a two-run homer in the fifth.

Dozier tried to add an inside-the-park homer in the sixth, running through the stop sign at third when the throw from the outfield went awry. Dozier was easily thrown out at the plate.

Soler promptly followed with a single that would have scored him anyway.

“TS45”

Bauer had Skaggs’ initials and No. 45 written on his cap and also scratched “TS45” into the dirt on the back of the mound before throwing his first pitch. He and Skaggs played together in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization. The 27-year-old Los Angeles Angels pitcher was found dead in his hotel room Monday.

ROYALS MOVES

The Royals recalled Mondesi (right groin strain) from a minor league rehab stint and RHP Jake Newberry from Triple-A Omaha. They also optioned RHP Scott Barlow and INF Humberto Arteaga to the same club. Mondesi had been sidelined since June 19.

INDIANS INJURIES

RHP Danny Salazar (right shoulder) will make another rehab start in Arizona after experiencing no problems in 1 2/3 innings Sunday. “The reason is they want to keep him as much as they can consistent,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. … RHP Bradly Zimmer (right shoulder) is throwing from 105 feet and RHP Corey Kluber (fractured right ulna) is throwing from 90 feet, Francona said.

UP NEXT

Indians RHP Mike Clevinger (1-2, 5.89 ERA) makes his second start since coming off the IL when he faces LHP Danny Duffy (3-4, 4.43) and the Royals on Wednesday night. Clevinger allowed seven runs over 1 2/3 innings against Baltimore last Friday.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – The Kansas City Royals have recalled shortstop Adalberto Mondesi from a minor league rehab stint and right-hander Jake Newberry from Triple-A Omaha.

The Royals also optioned right-hander Scott Barlow and infielder Humberto Arteaga to Omaha before their game against Cleveland on Tuesday night.

The 23-year-old Mondesi has been sidelined since June 19 with a right groin strain. He was leading the majors in stolen bases with 27 and triples with eight when he went down, and two weeks later he still leads the league in both categories.

Mondesi also has six homers and 44 RBIs while hitting .269 this season.

SALINA – The Hays Eagles Junior American Legion baseball team moved to .500 after a couple of one-run games in Salina Monday. The Eagles built a 6-1 lead then held on for a 6-5 win in the opener then rallied from an early 4-0 deficit to beat the Salina Hawks 5-4 in the second game.

The Eagles scored two runs in the first inning, two in the third and two more in the fourth to build a 6-1 lead. Salina took advantage of a hit batter, three walks and straight singles to score five in the fifth. Mason Robbins threw a runner out at the plate with the bases loaded for the second out then Garrett Wellbrock fielded a grounder for the force out at third to end the game.

Wellbrock allowed one unearned run on one hit with six strikeouts and two walks in 2 1/3 innings for the win.

The Hawks scored two in the first and two in the second to build a 4-1 lead in the second game but the Eagles rallied with two in the third then two in the top of the fifth to take the lead. Dawson VonFeldt doubled home a run then scored on a wild pitch in the third. Noah Weimer tied the game with a two-out double to left. VonFeldt was hit by a pitch to load the bases then Remington Cox drew a bases loaded walk to give the Eagles the lead.

Dawson VonFeldt then worked a 1-2-3 fifth to secure the win. VonFeldt pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief with five strikeouts and three walks for the win.

The Junior Eagles improve to 11-11-1. They will host the Russell Senior Legion at 5 p.m. Thursday in the Wild West Fest Tournament.

TORONTO (AP) – Backed by an offensive barrage, Blue Jays left-hander Clayton Richard had a relatively easy time ending the longest losing streak of his career.

Freddy Galvis hit a pair of solo home runs, rookie Cavan Biggio had four RBIs and Toronto beat the Kansas City Royals 11-4 on Monday.

Randal Grichuk had four hits and four RBIs and Teoscar Hernandez added a solo home run as the Blue Jays won for the 15th time in 19 regular-season home meetings with the Royals.

Richard (1-4) allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings to win for the first time since Aug. 18, 2018, when he beat Arizona while pitching for San Diego. He’d lost nine straight decisions since.

“It’s huge,” Richard said of earning his first win with Toronto. “That’s why we play the game, is to win. It feels a lot better doing that than the alternative.”

Richard has pitched six innings in back-to-back starts for the first time this season.

“That’s all we can ask: five, six good innings, and he gave us again that today,” Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said.

Wearing red caps and jerseys in honor of Canada Day, the Blue Jays scored in each of the first four innings and finished with a season-high 18 hits.

“I’m impressed with Toronto’s team, their young crop of hitters,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “They’re going to be really a good group that’s going to be able to put some runs on the board.”

Biggio, who went 3 for 5, hit his first career grand slam in Saturday’s 7-5 victory, the first time he had driven in four runs in a game.

Members of the Canadian Forces rappelled into the outfield from the open stadium roof before the game, before hundreds of servicemen and women unfurled a giant Canadian flag for the singing of “O Canada.”

“I can see how much it means to so many people, and I feel honored and privileged to be a part of it,” Richard said about pitching on Canada Day.

Royals right-hander Glenn Sparkman (2-4) allowed career highs of nine hits and eight runs in three innings.

“I just really didn’t have good command of anything and they jumped it,” Sparkman said.

Ahead 2-0 after one, the Blue Jays scored five in the second, doing so for the second straight game. On Sunday, Toronto immediately surrendered five runs in the third and lost 7-6 to Kansas City – the Royals’ only win in the four-game series.

Hernandez homered on the first pitch of the second, his eighth, and Galvis followed with a blast to center. It was the seventh time this season the Blue Jays have gone back-to-back.

Biggio added a two-run double and Grichuk capped the inning with an RBI single.

Galvis went deep again in the third, the third multihomer game of his career. He now has 14 home runs this season. Galvis doubled in the fifth and flied out in the seventh.

Jorge Soler, Cheslor Cuthbert and Humberto Arteaga hit consecutive RBI singles off Richard in the fourth, and Royals All-Star Whit Merrifield had an RBI single off David Phelps in the seventh.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: INF Adalberto Mondesi (strained right groin) started at shortstop and went 1 for 4 with a double in his second rehab game with Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Sunday night. Mondesi has been out since June 18.

NO HOMERS

Richard had allowed at least one homer in six straight starts. He kept it in the park Monday for the first time since a four-inning stint in his May 23 season debut against Boston.

BEASTLY EAST

The Royals are 6-15 against AL East opponents.

“It’s just a tough division,” Yost said. “It’s always been a slugger’s division, guys that can really swing the bats well. If you make mistakes, they’re going to capitalize on it and that’s exactly what happened today.”

ROSTER MOVE

After the game, the Royals released right-hander Brad Boxberger, who was designated for assignment last week. He went 1-3 with a 5.40 ERA and one save in 29 appearances.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Jakob Junis (4-7, 5.23 ERA) starts for Kansas City in the opener of a three-game home series against Cleveland, which beat Junis in his previous start. RHP Trevor Bauer (6-6, 3.55) starts for the Indians.

Blue Jays: RHP Trent Thornton (2-5, 4.60) starts the opener of a three-game series against Boston. Thornton allowed five runs against the Yankees in his previous start, matching a season worst. LHP David Price (5-2, 3.36) starts for the Red Sox.