By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post

The official start to Chiefs Training Camp is just around the corner as rookies and quarterbacks wrapped up their final practice today at Missouri Western State University.

Chiefs President Mark Donovan says it's exciting to be back in St. Joseph and on the Missouri Western campus for another year of camp.

"There's a lot of excitement within our organization, there's a lot of excitement around the team, the players, the coach's, etc., they're excited to be back," Donovan tells reporters. "And they're excited to be back in St. Joe who just treat us so well every single year, there's a reason we keep coming back."

As Chiefs Training Camp begins a looming question is will the reigning Super Bowl champions return to St. Joseph next year.

This is the last guaranteed year Missouri Western is under contract to host the Chiefs for training camp.

When asked if the Chiefs would like to return, Donovan counters with the question why wouldn't they?

"It's been a great partnership, it's been something that as I said we're proud to have been here 14 of the last 15 years, we expect that to continue," Donovan says. "We'll do what we always do, and it's a great relationship, because we will get through this camp (and) at the end of camp we'll sit down and talk about what went well, where are the challenges, what was better this year than last year, what was worse than last year, what can we do to improve?"

As for this year's camp, the first practice open to the public is on Sunday at 9:15. There will be a $5 admission fee and tickets must be acquired online.

Final practice for rookies and quarterbacks provides extra opportunity

Ahead of the official start to Chiefs Training Camp at Missouri Western rookies and quarterbacks had one final practice before the full team reports to campus.

Several veterans, including Patrick Mahomes and Carson Wentz, sat out today to give younger players valuable reps.

Quarterback Chris Oladokuen says while getting extra reps is great, everyone is critical.

"It's good to see live color and then go in there and get in the classroom and see and make those corrections," Oladokun tells reporters following practice. "It's really important for me especially, when Pat and Carson come back those reps get pretty short, so every rep is critical for me."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721414550934.jpeg" alt="Chiefs President Mark Donovan speaks to the media ahead of the 2024 Chiefs Training Camp (Brent Martin photo)" />
 <figcaption>Chiefs President Mark Donovan speaks to the media ahead of the 2024 Chiefs Training Camp (Brent Martin photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph PostThe official start to Chiefs Training Camp is just around the corner as rookies and quarterbacks wrapped up their final practice today at Missouri Western State University.Chiefs President Mark Donovan says it's exciting to be back in St. Joseph and on the Missouri Western campus for another year of camp."There's a lot of excitement within our organization, there's a lot of excitement around the team, the players, the coach's, etc., they're excited to be back," Donovan tells reporters. "And they're excited to be back in St. Joe who just treat us so well every single year, there's a reason we keep coming back."As Chiefs Training Camp begins a looming question is will the reigning Super Bowl champions return to St. Joseph next year.This is the last guaranteed year Missouri Western is under contract to host the Chiefs for training camp.When asked if the Chiefs would like to return, Donovan counters with the question why wouldn't they?"It's been a great partnership, it's been something that as I said we're proud to have been here 14 of the last 15 years, we expect that to continue," Donovan says. "We'll do what we always do, and it's a great relationship, because we will get through this camp (and) at the end of camp we'll sit down and talk about what went well, where are the challenges, what was better this year than last year, what was worse than last year, what can we do to improve?"<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721414540009.jpeg" alt="Chiefs President Mark Donovan speaks to the media ahead of the 2024 Chiefs Training Camp (Brent Martin photo)" />
 <figcaption>Chiefs President Mark Donovan speaks to the media ahead of the 2024 Chiefs Training Camp (Brent Martin photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>As for this year's camp, the first practice open to the public is on Sunday at 9:15. There will be a $5 admission fee and tickets must be acquired online.Final practice for rookies and quarterbacks provides extra opportunityAhead of the official start to Chiefs Training Camp at Missouri Western rookies and quarterbacks had one final practice before the full team reports to campus.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721414749613.jpeg" alt="Chris Oladokun/ Photo by Alexis Starks" />
 <figcaption>Chris Oladokun/ Photo by Alexis Starks</figcaption>
 </figure>Several veterans, including Patrick Mahomes and Carson Wentz, sat out today to give younger players valuable reps.Quarterback Chris Oladokuen says while getting extra reps is great, everyone is critical."It's good to see live color and then go in there and get in the classroom and see and make those corrections," Oladokun tells reporters following practice. "It's really important for me especially, when Pat and Carson come back those reps get pretty short, so every rep is critical for me."

🏈 Chiefs President says team excited to be in St. Joseph in final year of contract

🎥 Meet the Larks Logan LaPerriere

Friday, July 19
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Chicago White Sox, 6:30pm

Saturday, July 20
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Chicago White Sox, 5:30pm

Sunday, July 21
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Chicago White Sox, 12:30pm

Friday, July 19
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Chicago White Sox, 6:30pmSaturday, July 20
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Chicago White Sox, 5:30pmSunday, July 21
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Chicago White Sox, 12:30pm

🎧 Eagle Radio, Hull sports broadcast schedule

"My family and I are deeply saddened by the passing of Chiefs Hall of Famer Abner Haynes," Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said. "Abner was one of the first great stars of the Dallas Texans and the American Football League. In the league's first season in 1960, Abner earned Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year honors, and more importantly, he earned the respect and admiration of his teammates and fans alike. In addition to his on-the-field prowess, Abner was a man of courage and leadership from a very young age. He remained involved in the community well after his playing days were over, and his legacy extends far beyond the gridiron. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Guadalupe and his entire family during this difficult time."

An original Dallas Texan with the team beginning in the inaugural 1960 season, Haynes was an exciting running back and return specialist who owns or shares a number of franchise records, including most touchdowns in a rookie season (12), most points by a non-kicker in a rookie season (72), most points in a game (30), most touchdowns in a game (five) and most rushing touchdowns in a game (four).

With the club across 70 regular season games from 1960-64, he ranks sixth in team history with 8,473 career combined net yards and led the club in rushing four of his five seasons with the team (1960, 1961, 1962 and 1964). He became the franchise's first 1,000-yard rusher, accumulating 1,049 yards during the club's 1962 AFL Championship season. With the Texans/Chiefs, he totaled 793 rushes for 3,810 yards with 39 rushing touchdowns and added 199 receptions for 2,739 yards with 17 touchdowns. As a returner, he tallied 52 kickoff returns for 1,326 yards with one touchdown and 55 punt returns for 598 yards.

Under the guidance of PFHOF Head Coach Hank Stram, Haynes was named to the All-AFL squad in three consecutive seasons from 1960-62 and earned the American Football League's first Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors in 1960 when he led the league with 875 rushing yards. Following his five-year stay with the Texans/Chiefs, he went on to play with the Denver Broncos, New York Jets and Miami Dolphins.

The Denton, Texas, native attended North Texas State College (now the University of North Texas) where he was a college standout, earning All-Missouri Valley Conference honors twice and was named an All-American by&nbsp;Time&nbsp;magazine as a senior in 1959. In 1956, Haynes and teammate Leon King became the first Black student athletes to play on an integrated college football team in Texas, or anywhere in the South, when they joined the North Texas freshman team. Haynes was passionate about providing access to football for youth and was involved with Heroes of Football, an organization that worked to share stories of the players who shaped professional football as well as connect them to their communities. Haynes was inducted into the North Texas Athletic Hall of Fame in 1986 and was inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1991.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721390307397.png" alt="2024-07-19.png" />
 <figcaption>2024-07-19.png</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas City Chiefs"My family and I are deeply saddened by the passing of Chiefs Hall of Famer Abner Haynes," Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said. "Abner was one of the first great stars of the Dallas Texans and the American Football League. In the league's first season in 1960, Abner earned Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year honors, and more importantly, he earned the respect and admiration of his teammates and fans alike. In addition to his on-the-field prowess, Abner was a man of courage and leadership from a very young age. He remained involved in the community well after his playing days were over, and his legacy extends far beyond the gridiron. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Guadalupe and his entire family during this difficult time."An original Dallas Texan with the team beginning in the inaugural 1960 season, Haynes was an exciting running back and return specialist who owns or shares a number of franchise records, including most touchdowns in a rookie season (12), most points by a non-kicker in a rookie season (72), most points in a game (30), most touchdowns in a game (five) and most rushing touchdowns in a game (four).With the club across 70 regular season games from 1960-64, he ranks sixth in team history with 8,473 career combined net yards and led the club in rushing four of his five seasons with the team (1960, 1961, 1962 and 1964). He became the franchise's first 1,000-yard rusher, accumulating 1,049 yards during the club's 1962 AFL Championship season. With the Texans/Chiefs, he totaled 793 rushes for 3,810 yards with 39 rushing touchdowns and added 199 receptions for 2,739 yards with 17 touchdowns. As a returner, he tallied 52 kickoff returns for 1,326 yards with one touchdown and 55 punt returns for 598 yards.Under the guidance of PFHOF Head Coach Hank Stram, Haynes was named to the All-AFL squad in three consecutive seasons from 1960-62 and earned the American Football League's first Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors in 1960 when he led the league with 875 rushing yards. Following his five-year stay with the Texans/Chiefs, he went on to play with the Denver Broncos, New York Jets and Miami Dolphins.The Denton, Texas, native attended North Texas State College (now the University of North Texas) where he was a college standout, earning All-Missouri Valley Conference honors twice and was named an All-American by&nbsp;Time&nbsp;magazine as a senior in 1959. In 1956, Haynes and teammate Leon King became the first Black student athletes to play on an integrated college football team in Texas, or anywhere in the South, when they joined the North Texas freshman team. Haynes was passionate about providing access to football for youth and was involved with Heroes of Football, an organization that worked to share stories of the players who shaped professional football as well as connect them to their communities. Haynes was inducted into the North Texas Athletic Hall of Fame in 1986 and was inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1991.

🏈 Chiefs mourn the passing of former RB Abner Haynes

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Early practices in Chiefs training camp on the Missouri Western campus have been key for one rookie running back, transitioning to a new sport.

Louis Rees-Zammit is a former union rugby player from Wales that has long dreamed of playing in the NFL and is getting his chance with the Chiefs.

Rees-Zammit says a key for him right now is getting to know the playbook.

"Cause I'm playing catchup with a lot of people that have played American football since they were little kids, six years old, so there's no time to rest for me," Rees-Zammit tells the media following practice. "I've got to give this my all because ultimately this is my dream and to make it come true then I've got to play, I've got to be a step ahead of a lot of people."

Rees-Zammit says the first goal to consider his rookie campaign successful is to make the team and knows a big part of that will be contributing on special teams.

"Been working really hard on that with Coach (Dave) Toub and Coach (Andy) Hill, and just learning the playbook as I said," Rees-Zammit says. "Learning the running back roles, being able to learn pass protection, and then learning my routes off that, I think all of that adds up and the main way I'm going to make this team is by learning pass protection and being able to be a key role on special teams."

Entering a packed tight end room, the Chiefs fourth round pick has one goal in mind during his first Chiefs Training Camp.

Jared Wiley from TCU says his biggest goal this training camp is just to prove he can contribute

"I know what's in our room, we've got me, Irv (Smith Jr.), Noah (Gray), Gerrit (Prince), obviously Trav, we have a really talented group," Wiley explains. "So if I can find a way to come in and contribute as much as I possibly can, whether it's on special teams, anything they want me to do on offense, that'd be my biggest goal just to prove that i belong in that room and to be able to be on the field with those guys."

One more practice will be held for rookies and quarterbacks tomorrow. The full team reports to St. Joseph tomorrow evening, before the first full practice open to the public on Sunday where there will be a $5 admission fee.

Tickets must be purchased online to attend and can be found by clicking&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chiefs.com/trainingcamp/">HERE</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721325806548.jpeg" alt="Louis Rees-Zammit&nbsp;during runs down the field during the first Chiefs Training Camp practice. (Alexis Starks photo)" />
 <figcaption>Louis Rees-Zammit&nbsp;during runs down the field during the first Chiefs Training Camp practice. (Alexis Starks photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph PostST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Early practices in Chiefs training camp on the Missouri Western campus have been key for one rookie running back, transitioning to a new sport.Louis Rees-Zammit is a former union rugby player from Wales that has long dreamed of playing in the NFL and is getting his chance with the Chiefs.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721325905460.jpeg" alt="Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes makes a cut during the first Chiefs Training Camp practice as Louis Rees-Zammit looks on. (Alexis Starks photo)" />
 <figcaption>Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes makes a cut during the first Chiefs Training Camp practice as Louis Rees-Zammit looks on. (Alexis Starks photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>Rees-Zammit says a key for him right now is getting to know the playbook."Cause I'm playing catchup with a lot of people that have played American football since they were little kids, six years old, so there's no time to rest for me," Rees-Zammit tells the media following practice. "I've got to give this my all because ultimately this is my dream and to make it come true then I've got to play, I've got to be a step ahead of a lot of people."Rees-Zammit says the first goal to consider his rookie campaign successful is to make the team and knows a big part of that will be contributing on special teams."Been working really hard on that with Coach (Dave) Toub and Coach (Andy) Hill, and just learning the playbook as I said," Rees-Zammit says. "Learning the running back roles, being able to learn pass protection, and then learning my routes off that, I think all of that adds up and the main way I'm going to make this team is by learning pass protection and being able to be a key role on special teams."Entering a packed tight end room, the Chiefs fourth round pick has one goal in mind during his first Chiefs Training Camp.Jared Wiley from TCU says his biggest goal this training camp is just to prove he can contribute"I know what's in our room, we've got me, Irv (Smith Jr.), Noah (Gray), Gerrit (Prince), obviously Trav, we have a really talented group," Wiley explains. "So if I can find a way to come in and contribute as much as I possibly can, whether it's on special teams, anything they want me to do on offense, that'd be my biggest goal just to prove that i belong in that room and to be able to be on the field with those guys."One more practice will be held for rookies and quarterbacks tomorrow. The full team reports to St. Joseph tomorrow evening, before the first full practice open to the public on Sunday where there will be a $5 admission fee.Tickets must be purchased online to attend and can be found by clicking&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chiefs.com/trainingcamp/">HERE</a>

🏈 Rugby star begins quest of NFL dream at Chiefs Training Camp

🎥 Meet the Larks Wilbert Espinal

LIBERAL – The Hays Larks
raced out to an early lead then held off several Liberal rallies and beat the
Bee Jays 9-7 Wednesday night at Brent Gould Field to move within a half-game of
first place in the Rocky Mountain Baseball League.

The Larks (24-8, 19-6
RMBL) scored a run in the first inning, five in the second and two in the third
to build an 8-1 lead then held off a could of Bee Jay rallies.

Garrett Gruell gave the
Larks the early lead with a two-out RBI double in the top of the first. CJ Reid
added a bases-loaded, two-run single in the five-run second. Wilbert Espinal added
an RBI single. Hays also scored a run on a wild pitch and sac fly from Gruell.

Thomas Lyssy opened the
third with a solo homer. Kaleb Duncan’s two-out double scored Ried with what
proved to be the game-winning run which pushed the lead to 8-1.

The Bee Jays (22-6, 20-6
RMBL) rallied with three in the bottom of the third. The Larks added an insurance
run in the fifth when Taber Stokes singled, stole second and third then scored
on an error to go up 9-4.

Liberal added three more
runs in the seventh, but Adrian Najar closed the door with two hitless innings
of relief with four strikeouts and one walk and picked up the save.

Starter Nolan Wilson
(7-0) struck out seven over six innings and picked up the win. Wilson allowed
four runs on seven hits with one walk.

The Larks begin their
final homestand of the season Friday night when they host the Denver Cougars in
the first game of a three-game series. Friday and Saturday night’s games are league
contests with Sunday’s game a non-league affair.

Hays PostLIBERAL – The Hays Larks
raced out to an early lead then held off several Liberal rallies and beat the
Bee Jays 9-7 Wednesday night at Brent Gould Field to move within a half-game of
first place in the Rocky Mountain Baseball League.The Larks (24-8, 19-6
RMBL) scored a run in the first inning, five in the second and two in the third
to build an 8-1 lead then held off a could of Bee Jay rallies.Garrett Gruell gave the
Larks the early lead with a two-out RBI double in the top of the first. CJ Reid
added a bases-loaded, two-run single in the five-run second. Wilbert Espinal added
an RBI single. Hays also scored a run on a wild pitch and sac fly from Gruell.Thomas Lyssy opened the
third with a solo homer. Kaleb Duncan’s two-out double scored Ried with what
proved to be the game-winning run which pushed the lead to 8-1.The Bee Jays (22-6, 20-6
RMBL) rallied with three in the bottom of the third. The Larks added an insurance
run in the fifth when Taber Stokes singled, stole second and third then scored
on an error to go up 9-4.Liberal added three more
runs in the seventh, but Adrian Najar closed the door with two hitless innings
of relief with four strikeouts and one walk and picked up the save.Starter Nolan Wilson
(7-0) struck out seven over six innings and picked up the win. Wilson allowed
four runs on seven hits with one walk.UP NEXTThe Larks begin their
final homestand of the season Friday night when they host the Denver Cougars in
the first game of a three-game series. Friday and Saturday night’s games are league
contests with Sunday’s game a non-league affair.

⚾ Fast start lifts Larks past Bee Jays

The Hays Larks close out their regular season matchup against the Liberal Bee Jays Wednesday on the road in Liberal.

Hays is a game and a half behind the Bee Jays in the race for the RMBL title.

First pitch is set for&nbsp;for 7 p.m at Brent Gould Field in Liberal.

You can catch on the action on the<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQvbs95kP4M">&nbsp;Larks YouTube channel.</a>

Hays Larks baseball on HaysPost.com is courtesy of the Hays
Larks. The broadcast is produced by the Hays Larks

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1717183089670.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Hays Larks close out their regular season matchup against the Liberal Bee Jays Wednesday on the road in Liberal.Hays is a game and a half behind the Bee Jays in the race for the RMBL title.First pitch is set for&nbsp;for 7 p.m at Brent Gould Field in Liberal.You can catch on the action on the<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQvbs95kP4M">&nbsp;Larks YouTube channel.</a> Hays Larks baseball on HaysPost.com is courtesy of the Hays
Larks. The broadcast is produced by the Hays Larks

⚾🎥 WATCH LIVE Hays Larks wrap up series at Liberal

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Kansas City Chiefs quarterbacks and rookies hit the Mosaic practice fields at Missouri Western State University for the first training camp practice today.

Chiefs first round pick Xavier Worthy showed off his athleticism in the practice after missing much of the spring due to a hamstring injury.

Worthy says though with the play calling and route running he felt pretty good on day one.

"As my time off and even when I was off in OTA's, I took the time to really learn the playbook," Worthy tells the media following practice. "So asked the questions I need to ask and relied on Coach (Matt) Nagy, and I feel like that really helped me."

Another rookie in his first camp is second round pick offensive lineman Kingsley Suamataia who will compete with Wanya Morris for a starting job this camp.

Suamataia says despite that competition looming, he has a good relationship with Morris.

"I've known Wanya as a player, he's a great guy and he's friends with a lot of guys I know, we're boys on and off the field just trying to gain that job," Suamataia says. "We're both just working hard the best that we can and whoever comes out on top, you know still boys, but it's business out here."

Rookie safety Jaden Hicks has been utilized all over the defense by defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo

Hicks says Spagnuolo matches well with his skillset being able to utilize that versatility.

"He likes me to do whatever on the field, whether that's cover, playing zone, man, in the box, so it's very versatile," Hicks explains.

Two more practices will be held for the quarterbacks and rookies before the first full team practice on Sunday. Players take the field again tomorrow at 9:15.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721240895604.jpeg" alt="Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy speaks to the media following practice in St. Joseph Wednesday (Alexis Starks photo)" />
 <figcaption>Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy speaks to the media following practice in St. Joseph Wednesday (Alexis Starks photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph PostST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Kansas City Chiefs quarterbacks and rookies hit the Mosaic practice fields at Missouri Western State University for the first training camp practice today.Chiefs first round pick Xavier Worthy showed off his athleticism in the practice after missing much of the spring due to a hamstring injury.Worthy says though with the play calling and route running he felt pretty good on day one."As my time off and even when I was off in OTA's, I took the time to really learn the playbook," Worthy tells the media following practice. "So asked the questions I need to ask and relied on Coach (Matt) Nagy, and I feel like that really helped me."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721241019198.jpeg" alt="Members of the Chiefs offensive line at the opening practice at training camp in St. Joseph, Mo. (Alexis Starks photo)" />
 <figcaption>Members of the Chiefs offensive line at the opening practice at training camp in St. Joseph, Mo. (Alexis Starks photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>Another rookie in his first camp is second round pick offensive lineman Kingsley Suamataia who will compete with Wanya Morris for a starting job this camp.Suamataia says despite that competition looming, he has a good relationship with Morris."I've known Wanya as a player, he's a great guy and he's friends with a lot of guys I know, we're boys on and off the field just trying to gain that job," Suamataia says. "We're both just working hard the best that we can and whoever comes out on top, you know still boys, but it's business out here."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721241065237.jpeg" alt="Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and Special Teams Coordinator Dave Toub during the first official practice in St. Joseph (Alexis Starks photo)" />
 <figcaption>Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and Special Teams Coordinator Dave Toub during the first official practice in St. Joseph (Alexis Starks photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>Rookie safety Jaden Hicks has been utilized all over the defense by defensive coordinator Steve SpagnuoloHicks says Spagnuolo matches well with his skillset being able to utilize that versatility."He likes me to do whatever on the field, whether that's cover, playing zone, man, in the box, so it's very versatile," Hicks explains.Two more practices will be held for the quarterbacks and rookies before the first full team practice on Sunday. Players take the field again tomorrow at 9:15.

🏈 Chiefs rookies and QBs hit the field for first practice of Training Camp

STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Baseball Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Speedy Jarren Duran describes himself as a player who keeps his head down, works hard and never thinks of himself as being better than anybody else.

Duran turned some heads in his first All-Star Game,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/gameday/747298/video/jarren-duran-homers-1-on-a-fly-ball-to-right-center-field-anthony-santand">hitting a tiebreaking two-run homer</a>&nbsp;for the American League and being&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/gameday/747298/video/jarren-duran-is-named-the-2024-all-star-game-mvp">awarded the MVP trophy</a>&nbsp;named after Boston Red Sox legend Ted Williams.

“That's an honor. Who else would I want to try to follow in the footsteps of besides a guy like that, who is not just a great baseball player but a great human being,” Duran said after becoming the fifth Red Sox player selected All-Star Game MVP. “That guy was awesome, and I’m honored to be able to have his award.”

The decisive homer came in the fifth inning Tuesday night as the AL beat the National League 5-3 for its 10th win in the past 11 All-Star Games.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paul-skenes-allstars-6b6611f683a612ef2c263c6bfd5d6396">Pittsburgh rookie Paul Skenes</a>&nbsp;pitched a hitless first for the NL, twice hitting 100 mph, and Shohei Ohtani also went deep in Texas with a three-run homer for a 3-0 lead in the third.

Juan Soto hit a two-run double and scored on David Fry’s single to tie the score in the AL third, and Duran went deep off Cincinnati’s Hunter Greene.

“It’s a surreal moment. So I’m just thankful to be here,” said Duran, who was one of 39 first-time All-Stars this year.

Oakland right-hander Mason Miller got the win after throwing a 103.6 mph pitch, the fastest in the All-Star Game since tracking began in 2008. Hard-throwing Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase struck out two in the ninth for the save.

The 22-year-old Skenes, who has pitched only 11 big league games since being the No. 1 overall pick in the draft last July, became the first rookie starter since 1995 and had the fewest games played for any player to make an All-Star team. The right-hander threw a hitless first, with a two-out walk to Soto before his Yankees teammate Aaron Judge grounded into a forceout on the next pitch.

Skenes threw 11 of 16 pitches for strikes, with seven fastballs up to 100.1 mph.

“Frankly, I wish I’d had a few more pitches to do that today,” said Skenes, who has a good mix of pitches to go with the hard stuff. “It’s cool to bring eyes to the game.”

Ohtani, who has gone deep 29 times in the first season of his record $700 million, 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shohei-ohtani-allstars-d70046c8cf15a5d1b31aed95c1f73346">pulled a 400-foot drive to right</a>&nbsp;off Tanner Houck. That came after the Boston right-hander allowed singles to the first two batters he faced: No. 9 batter Jurickson Profar and leadoff hitter Ketel Marte.

“I haven’t really hit well in the All-Star Game, so I’m just relieved that I put the ball in play,” Ohtani said. “I just focused on having a regular at-bat as if I was in the regular season.”

When Ohtani went against Miller in the fifth, he struck out on an 89.2 mph slider well inside and out of the strike zone. That was after twice taking strikes on fastballs of more than 100 mph.

Ohtani’s first All-Star homer made him the first Dodgers player to go deep in the Midsummer Classic since Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza in 1996. Eleven days after his 30th birthday, Ohtani was an All-Star for the fourth time — his first with the NL.

Baltimore’s Anthony Santander, after taking over for Soto in right field, had a two-out single in the fifth before Duran’s 413-foot homer to right-center after he had replaced Judge in center. Duran took a 95.9 mph fastball before going deep on an 86 mph splitter.

“I knew he threw really hard so I was just praying he would throw me a first pitch fastball so I could see how hard it was. After that, I was hoping to get a pitch up,” Duran said. “He happened to leave a pitch up. I happened to put a good swing on it.”

The last Red Sox player to be the All-Star MVP was J.D. Drew in 2008, following Pedro Martinez in 1999, Roger Clemens in 1986 and Carl Yastrzemski in 1970.

Duran was voted by his peers as an All-Star after being the first AL player to go into the break with at least 100 hits, 10 triples, 10 homers and 20 stolen bases.

The AL has a 48-44-2 record in the All-Star Game, and had won nine in a row before the National League's 3-2 victory last year in Seattle.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/all-star-game-corbin-burnes-499fe81cf19ebe1fbf03f0a88bf93446">AL starter Corbin Burnes</a>&nbsp;arrived in Texas the morning of the game after spending time at home with his newborn twin daughters. The Baltimore right-hander allowed a walk and then a two-out double to Bryce Harper before getting out of his inning on a comebacker by William Contreras, his catcher last season in Milwaukee.

After his underhand toss of the ball to first base, Burnes had a big smile on his face when he kept jogging and wrapped his arm around Contreras on the baseline.

Played in 2 hours, 28 minutes, it was the shortest All-Star Game since 1988, a game that the AL won 2-1 in Cincinnati that took only two minutes less.

Bruce Bochy of the host Rangers became the first manager to win World Series titles and All-Star Games in both leagues. Bochy is now 2-3 as an All-Star manager, leading the NL to a win in 2011. He won the World Series three times with the NL's San Francisco Giants in 2010, 2012 and 2014, then led the Rangers to their first championship in his debut season with them last year.

The MLB regular series resumes Friday when 14 games are scheduled, with Milwaukee and Minnesota the only teams that won’t play until Saturday. Philadelphia (62-34) has the best record in the majors and Cleveland (58-37) has an AL-best .611 winning percentage, though Baltimore and the New York Yankees also have 58 wins.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721208842253.jpeg" alt="American League's Jarren Duran, of the Boston Red Sox, hits a home run during the fifth inning of the MLB All-Star baseball game, Tuesday, July 16, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. Anthony Santander, of the Baltimore Orioles, also scored. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)" />
 <figcaption>American League's Jarren Duran, of the Boston Red Sox, hits a home run during the fifth inning of the MLB All-Star baseball game, Tuesday, July 16, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. Anthony Santander, of the Baltimore Orioles, also scored. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)</figcaption>
 </figure>STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Baseball WriterARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Speedy Jarren Duran describes himself as a player who keeps his head down, works hard and never thinks of himself as being better than anybody else.Duran turned some heads in his first All-Star Game,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/gameday/747298/video/jarren-duran-homers-1-on-a-fly-ball-to-right-center-field-anthony-santand">hitting a tiebreaking two-run homer</a>&nbsp;for the American League and being&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/gameday/747298/video/jarren-duran-is-named-the-2024-all-star-game-mvp">awarded the MVP trophy</a>&nbsp;named after Boston Red Sox legend Ted Williams.“That's an honor. Who else would I want to try to follow in the footsteps of besides a guy like that, who is not just a great baseball player but a great human being,” Duran said after becoming the fifth Red Sox player selected All-Star Game MVP. “That guy was awesome, and I’m honored to be able to have his award.”The decisive homer came in the fifth inning Tuesday night as the AL beat the National League 5-3 for its 10th win in the past 11 All-Star Games.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paul-skenes-allstars-6b6611f683a612ef2c263c6bfd5d6396">Pittsburgh rookie Paul Skenes</a>&nbsp;pitched a hitless first for the NL, twice hitting 100 mph, and Shohei Ohtani also went deep in Texas with a three-run homer for a 3-0 lead in the third.Juan Soto hit a two-run double and scored on David Fry’s single to tie the score in the AL third, and Duran went deep off Cincinnati’s Hunter Greene.“It’s a surreal moment. So I’m just thankful to be here,” said Duran, who was one of 39 first-time All-Stars this year.Oakland right-hander Mason Miller got the win after throwing a 103.6 mph pitch, the fastest in the All-Star Game since tracking began in 2008. Hard-throwing Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase struck out two in the ninth for the save.The 22-year-old Skenes, who has pitched only 11 big league games since being the No. 1 overall pick in the draft last July, became the first rookie starter since 1995 and had the fewest games played for any player to make an All-Star team. The right-hander threw a hitless first, with a two-out walk to Soto before his Yankees teammate Aaron Judge grounded into a forceout on the next pitch.Skenes threw 11 of 16 pitches for strikes, with seven fastballs up to 100.1 mph.“Frankly, I wish I’d had a few more pitches to do that today,” said Skenes, who has a good mix of pitches to go with the hard stuff. “It’s cool to bring eyes to the game.”Ohtani, who has gone deep 29 times in the first season of his record $700 million, 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shohei-ohtani-allstars-d70046c8cf15a5d1b31aed95c1f73346">pulled a 400-foot drive to right</a>&nbsp;off Tanner Houck. That came after the Boston right-hander allowed singles to the first two batters he faced: No. 9 batter Jurickson Profar and leadoff hitter Ketel Marte.“I haven’t really hit well in the All-Star Game, so I’m just relieved that I put the ball in play,” Ohtani said. “I just focused on having a regular at-bat as if I was in the regular season.”When Ohtani went against Miller in the fifth, he struck out on an 89.2 mph slider well inside and out of the strike zone. That was after twice taking strikes on fastballs of more than 100 mph.Ohtani’s first All-Star homer made him the first Dodgers player to go deep in the Midsummer Classic since Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza in 1996. Eleven days after his 30th birthday, Ohtani was an All-Star for the fourth time — his first with the NL.Baltimore’s Anthony Santander, after taking over for Soto in right field, had a two-out single in the fifth before Duran’s 413-foot homer to right-center after he had replaced Judge in center. Duran took a 95.9 mph fastball before going deep on an 86 mph splitter.“I knew he threw really hard so I was just praying he would throw me a first pitch fastball so I could see how hard it was. After that, I was hoping to get a pitch up,” Duran said. “He happened to leave a pitch up. I happened to put a good swing on it.”The last Red Sox player to be the All-Star MVP was J.D. Drew in 2008, following Pedro Martinez in 1999, Roger Clemens in 1986 and Carl Yastrzemski in 1970.Duran was voted by his peers as an All-Star after being the first AL player to go into the break with at least 100 hits, 10 triples, 10 homers and 20 stolen bases.The AL has a 48-44-2 record in the All-Star Game, and had won nine in a row before the National League's 3-2 victory last year in Seattle.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/all-star-game-corbin-burnes-499fe81cf19ebe1fbf03f0a88bf93446">AL starter Corbin Burnes</a>&nbsp;arrived in Texas the morning of the game after spending time at home with his newborn twin daughters. The Baltimore right-hander allowed a walk and then a two-out double to Bryce Harper before getting out of his inning on a comebacker by William Contreras, his catcher last season in Milwaukee.After his underhand toss of the ball to first base, Burnes had a big smile on his face when he kept jogging and wrapped his arm around Contreras on the baseline.<h2>Quick game</h2>Played in 2 hours, 28 minutes, it was the shortest All-Star Game since 1988, a game that the AL won 2-1 in Cincinnati that took only two minutes less.<h2>Won in both leagues</h2>Bruce Bochy of the host Rangers became the first manager to win World Series titles and All-Star Games in both leagues. Bochy is now 2-3 as an All-Star manager, leading the NL to a win in 2011. He won the World Series three times with the NL's San Francisco Giants in 2010, 2012 and 2014, then led the Rangers to their first championship in his debut season with them last year.<h2>Up next</h2>The MLB regular series resumes Friday when 14 games are scheduled, with Milwaukee and Minnesota the only teams that won’t play until Saturday. Philadelphia (62-34) has the best record in the majors and Cleveland (58-37) has an AL-best .611 winning percentage, though Baltimore and the New York Yankees also have 58 wins.

⚾ Duran's homer leads AL to All-Star win

🎥 Meet the Larks Luuk ter Beek

LIBERAL – The Hays Larks moved within a game and a half of first place Liberal in the race for the Rocky Mountain Baseball League title Tuesday with an 8-5 win over the Bee Jays in six innings as the storms
moved in to southern Kansas. 

The Larks struck early and scored a pair of runs in the
first inning on an error and a bases loaded walk.

After Hays added another run in the second&nbsp;inning, for a 3-0 lead, Liberal hit a grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the third for a 5-3 lead.

Hays answered the five runs scored in the third inning by Liberal with
five of their own in the fourth inning building an 8-3 lead.

The Larks took advantage of a pair of errors and
back-to-back RBI singles for Tabor Stokes and Thomas Lyssy for the five runs. 

The Larks held off the Bee Jays the rest of the way before
the game was called after the sixth inning when the storms rolled into the Liberal
area.

Hays scored six unearned runs and Liberal committed four errors.


Hays is 23-8 overall and 18-6 in the RMBL.&nbsp; Liberal is 22-5 overall and 20-5 in the RMBL.

The same two teams will square off again Wednesday night in
the series finale, and the final match up between the two in Liberal.

Hays PostLIBERAL – The Hays Larks moved within a game and a half of first place Liberal in the race for the Rocky Mountain Baseball League title Tuesday with an 8-5 win over the Bee Jays in six innings as the storms
moved in to southern Kansas. The Larks struck early and scored a pair of runs in the
first inning on an error and a bases loaded walk.After Hays added another run in the second&nbsp;inning, for a 3-0 lead, Liberal hit a grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the third for a 5-3 lead.Hays answered the five runs scored in the third inning by Liberal with
five of their own in the fourth inning building an 8-3 lead.The Larks took advantage of a pair of errors and
back-to-back RBI singles for Tabor Stokes and Thomas Lyssy for the five runs. The Larks held off the Bee Jays the rest of the way before
the game was called after the sixth inning when the storms rolled into the Liberal
area.Hays scored six unearned runs and Liberal committed four errors.
Hays is 23-8 overall and 18-6 in the RMBL.&nbsp; Liberal is 22-5 overall and 20-5 in the RMBL.The same two teams will square off again Wednesday night in
the series finale, and the final match up between the two in Liberal.

⚾ Larks rally past 1st place Bee Jays in weather shortened contest

By BRENT MARTIN St. Joseph Post

Chiefs Training Camp is now open with quarterbacks and rookies
reporting to Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes says the Chiefs need to stay
hungry even though they are coming off back-to-back Super Bowl victories.

“We’re back in St. Joe, it’s time to get better,” Mahomes tells
reporters as training camp officials gets underway. “Every season starts
different. You’ve got to come in with the same mentality you had the year
before, even a higher intensity. Even though we won the Super Bowl last year,
we feel like we didn’t play our best football, especially offensively. It’s our
goal to be better that way and we have to come with that mentality every single
day.”

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid says training camp prepares the
team for a grueling season by sharpening their mental and physical abilities.

“If you’re fatigued then you’re going to be fatigued mentally.
If you’re fatigued physically that’s going to affect you mentally. And if you’re
fatigued period, then you can’t think and you can’t play, at least not to the best
of your ability,” Reid says during the news conference. “So, the objective here
is let’s get ourselves in shape, make sure we’re in football shape. They’re all
going to come back in shape, but let’s get ourselves in football shape.”

Mahomes says it’s important for the team to sequester itself
on the Missouri Western campus and focus on football.

“Being in the building and being at lunch together, being at
dinner together, always kind of being around the guys, you build this kind of
culture and this family-type brotherhood,” according to Mahomes. “I’m excited
to continue to do that with a lot of new faces and then with guys that have
been here before, because we know this is what it takes in order for us to go
out there and be great.”

Not all the team is in St. Joseph. This week, only the quarterbacks
and rookies attend practice. Practices this week are closed to the public. The
full team reports Sunday.

Reid values this time to bring the team together and prepare
for a tough football season.

“Listen, we look forward to being back here. We love the set
up here. The people here treat us great at Missouri Western State University; beautiful
facilities,” Reid tells reports standing outside Scanlon Hall, which will be
their home for the next few weeks. “It’s great to be able to get away from the
city and be able to house guys in the same dorm. I’m saying this as a coach and
they probably aren’t going to say this, but it builds a certain camaraderie.”

Chiefs Training Camp begins for the full team Sunday morning
with a 9:15am start at MWSU. There is a $5 admission fee for the practice on
Sunday, the first open to the public.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721167941490.jpeg" alt="Patrick Mahomes addresses the media at the opening of Chiefs Training Camp on the Missouri Western campus in St. Joseph (Alexis Starks photo)" />
 <figcaption>Patrick Mahomes addresses the media at the opening of Chiefs Training Camp on the Missouri Western campus in St. Joseph (Alexis Starks photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTIN St. Joseph PostChiefs Training Camp is now open with quarterbacks and rookies
reporting to Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph.Quarterback Patrick Mahomes says the Chiefs need to stay
hungry even though they are coming off back-to-back Super Bowl victories.“We’re back in St. Joe, it’s time to get better,” Mahomes tells
reporters as training camp officials gets underway. “Every season starts
different. You’ve got to come in with the same mentality you had the year
before, even a higher intensity. Even though we won the Super Bowl last year,
we feel like we didn’t play our best football, especially offensively. It’s our
goal to be better that way and we have to come with that mentality every single
day.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721168026141.jpeg" alt="Head Coach Andy Reid answers questions at the start of training camp. (Alexis Starks photo)" />
 <figcaption>Head Coach Andy Reid answers questions at the start of training camp. (Alexis Starks photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid says training camp prepares the
team for a grueling season by sharpening their mental and physical abilities.“If you’re fatigued then you’re going to be fatigued mentally.
If you’re fatigued physically that’s going to affect you mentally. And if you’re
fatigued period, then you can’t think and you can’t play, at least not to the best
of your ability,” Reid says during the news conference. “So, the objective here
is let’s get ourselves in shape, make sure we’re in football shape. They’re all
going to come back in shape, but let’s get ourselves in football shape.”Mahomes says it’s important for the team to sequester itself
on the Missouri Western campus and focus on football.“Being in the building and being at lunch together, being at
dinner together, always kind of being around the guys, you build this kind of
culture and this family-type brotherhood,” according to Mahomes. “I’m excited
to continue to do that with a lot of new faces and then with guys that have
been here before, because we know this is what it takes in order for us to go
out there and be great.”Not all the team is in St. Joseph. This week, only the quarterbacks
and rookies attend practice. Practices this week are closed to the public. The
full team reports Sunday.Reid values this time to bring the team together and prepare
for a tough football season.“Listen, we look forward to being back here. We love the set
up here. The people here treat us great at Missouri Western State University; beautiful
facilities,” Reid tells reports standing outside Scanlon Hall, which will be
their home for the next few weeks. “It’s great to be able to get away from the
city and be able to house guys in the same dorm. I’m saying this as a coach and
they probably aren’t going to say this, but it builds a certain camaraderie.”Chiefs Training Camp begins for the full team Sunday morning
with a 9:15am start at MWSU. There is a $5 admission fee for the practice on
Sunday, the first open to the public.

🏈 Chiefs return to St. Joseph seeking third straight Super Bowl

The Philadelphia Phillies selected Tegan Cain in the 13th
round of the Major League Baseball Draft Tuesday in Arlington, Texas.

Cain, the Ellis Native, finished his junior season at the
University of Kansas with a 1-2 record and a 5.64 ERA. In 33 1/3 innings
pitched Cain allowed 22 earned runs with 47 strikeouts and he surrendered just
18 walks in 27 appearances. 

Prior to attending Kansas, Cain spent two season at Barton
Community College where he finished with a 9-4 career record and a 4.31 ERA in
29 appearances.

At Ellis, in high school, Cain finished with a 20-2 record
and 2.12 ERA. In 102 1/3 innings pitched he had 50 walks and 203 career strikeouts.

Cain has one year of&nbsp;eligibility at Kansas and could return to Lawrence for his
senior season. 

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Lawrence → Philadelphia<a href="https://twitter.com/TeganCain10?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TeganCain10</a> has been selected in the 13th round by the <a href="https://twitter.com/Phillies?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Phillies</a>!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RockChalk?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RockChalk</a> <a href="https://t.co/v3pfMKYNvJ">pic.twitter.com/v3pfMKYNvJ</a>&mdash; Kansas Baseball (@KUBaseball) <a href="https://twitter.com/KUBaseball/status/1813294342716682584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Philadelphia Phillies selected Tegan Cain in the 13th
round of the Major League Baseball Draft Tuesday in Arlington, Texas.Cain, the Ellis Native, finished his junior season at the
University of Kansas with a 1-2 record and a 5.64 ERA. In 33 1/3 innings
pitched Cain allowed 22 earned runs with 47 strikeouts and he surrendered just
18 walks in 27 appearances. Prior to attending Kansas, Cain spent two season at Barton
Community College where he finished with a 9-4 career record and a 4.31 ERA in
29 appearances.At Ellis, in high school, Cain finished with a 20-2 record
and 2.12 ERA. In 102 1/3 innings pitched he had 50 walks and 203 career strikeouts.Cain has one year of&nbsp;eligibility at Kansas and could return to Lawrence for his
senior season.

⚾Phillies pick former Ellis standout Cain in MLB Draft

🎥 Meet the Larks Mack Ortner

STEVEN HAWKINS AP Baseball Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — When Teoscar Hernández needed a moment to calm down during the Home Run Derby, the Los Angeles Dodgers slugger got a boost from a former teammate who just happened to be last year's champion.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. wore a Blue Jays jersey with Hernández’s name and No. 37 on the back as he watched the competition, honoring his friend from their time as Toronto teammates from 2017-22.

“That was a surprise of the night,” Hernández said. “He brings my jersey from Toronto. And when he goes to home plate, he was trying to calm (me) down, and so he had passed two times, and it works. He said he wanted to help me going into the last round."

Hernández won the Home Run Derby when he beat local star Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals 14-13 in the final round Monday night.

The 31-year-old Hernández hit 49 homers over three rounds that totaled 3.98 miles and became the first Dodgers player to win the derby among 11 who have tried. While not participating in the derby this year, Guerrero gave Hernández advice during breaks.

“If I have to bet, it doesn't matter who I'm going against, I'm going to bet on myself,” Hernández said when asked if he felt like the underdog. “People maybe underestimate myself.”

Witt, needing one home run to tie with one out remaining, drove a ball to one of the deepest parts of Globe Life Field in left-center, where it hit halfway up the wall to the left of the 410-foot sign.

“When I hit it I knew I kind of — I didn’t hit it great. But, yeah, I just was trying to blow on it or something,” Witt said with a chuckle. "The first thing I thought was just no pop. ... We got to do a couple more curls or something.”

Kansas City has never had a derby winner.

Both finished their two-minute final round with 11 homers, before bonus swings were added. Witt came up short of his first two bonus swings, then hit two homers in a row — one a 457-foot drive that got him one more swing.

Witt was the No. 2 overall pick by the Royals in 2019 out of Colleyville Heritage High School, about 15 miles north of the Rangers' stadium. It was his first time in the derby, but he was the high school home run champion in Washington in 2018 — and is the only player to compete in both contests.

The 24-year-old Witt finished with 50 homers overall that traveled 3.8 miles.

Witt had knocked out Cleveland switch-hitter José Ramírez 17-12 in the semifinals. Hernández beat Philadelphia's Alec Bohm 16-15 after a tiebreaker when both got three swings — Hernández hit two out, and Bohm one. They were tied at 14 after the three-minute segment and their bonus rounds, and Bohm came close to avoiding that, but the last ball he hit then landed on the warning track in left-center field.

Ramírez and Bohm both hit 21 homers to pace the first round. Witt started with 20 homers and Hernández had 19.

The New York Mets' Pete Alonso fell short in his bid to join Ken Griffey Jr. as a three-time derby champion when he hit only 12 homers in the first round.

Instead of a single-elimination bracket like last year, the four hitters with the most homers in the first round advanced to the semifinal round. It then became a bracket-style competition.

Alonso hit a 428-foot homer to left-centerfield on his first swing, but couldn't get into a rhythm. The others knocked out after the first round were hometown favorite Adolis García of Texas, Atlanta's Marcell Ozuna and Baltimore's Gunnar Henderson.

“It's disappointing, but for me, I think it's really just a blessing and it's just fun being out there,” said Alonso who has 207 homers in his five derby appearances. “At the end of the day, it wasn't my day.”

Ozuna did have the longest homer of the night at 473 feet. The longest homers hit during games at the stadium were 472 feet — by Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels in 2022, and Oakland's Seth Brown in 2021.

Bohm, one of a franchise-record eight Phillies named All-Stars, has only 11 homers this season — the fewest among the eight derby competitors. He said he was going to try to hit as many balls as he could to left field and did — pulling all 21 of his homers that way in the first round.

It still felt like 100 degrees (38 Celsius) outside the ballpark when the derby began, but the retractable roof was closed on the stadium that opened in 2020. When the Rangers hosted the 1995 All-Star Game across the street in their old stadium without a roof, the derby wasn't yet a prime-time event and was held in the sweltering mid-afternoon heat.

Frank Thomas won in 1995 with 15 homers over three rounds in a different format. Albert Belle finished with a total of 16, then a Home Run Derby record, but Thomas beat him 3-2 in the final round.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721121273932.jpeg" alt="American League's Bobby Witt Jr., of the Kansas City Royals, connects during the MLB baseball All-Star Home Run Derby, Monday, July 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)" />
 <figcaption>American League's Bobby Witt Jr., of the Kansas City Royals, connects during the MLB baseball All-Star Home Run Derby, Monday, July 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)</figcaption>
 </figure>STEVEN HAWKINS AP Baseball WriterARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — When Teoscar Hernández needed a moment to calm down during the Home Run Derby, the Los Angeles Dodgers slugger got a boost from a former teammate who just happened to be last year's champion.Vladimir Guerrero Jr. wore a Blue Jays jersey with Hernández’s name and No. 37 on the back as he watched the competition, honoring his friend from their time as Toronto teammates from 2017-22.“That was a surprise of the night,” Hernández said. “He brings my jersey from Toronto. And when he goes to home plate, he was trying to calm (me) down, and so he had passed two times, and it works. He said he wanted to help me going into the last round."Hernández won the Home Run Derby when he beat local star Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals 14-13 in the final round Monday night.The 31-year-old Hernández hit 49 homers over three rounds that totaled 3.98 miles and became the first Dodgers player to win the derby among 11 who have tried. While not participating in the derby this year, Guerrero gave Hernández advice during breaks.“If I have to bet, it doesn't matter who I'm going against, I'm going to bet on myself,” Hernández said when asked if he felt like the underdog. “People maybe underestimate myself.”Witt, needing one home run to tie with one out remaining, drove a ball to one of the deepest parts of Globe Life Field in left-center, where it hit halfway up the wall to the left of the 410-foot sign.“When I hit it I knew I kind of — I didn’t hit it great. But, yeah, I just was trying to blow on it or something,” Witt said with a chuckle. "The first thing I thought was just no pop. ... We got to do a couple more curls or something.”Kansas City has never had a derby winner.Both finished their two-minute final round with 11 homers, before bonus swings were added. Witt came up short of his first two bonus swings, then hit two homers in a row — one a 457-foot drive that got him one more swing.Witt was the No. 2 overall pick by the Royals in 2019 out of Colleyville Heritage High School, about 15 miles north of the Rangers' stadium. It was his first time in the derby, but he was the high school home run champion in Washington in 2018 — and is the only player to compete in both contests.The 24-year-old Witt finished with 50 homers overall that traveled 3.8 miles.Witt had knocked out Cleveland switch-hitter José Ramírez 17-12 in the semifinals. Hernández beat Philadelphia's Alec Bohm 16-15 after a tiebreaker when both got three swings — Hernández hit two out, and Bohm one. They were tied at 14 after the three-minute segment and their bonus rounds, and Bohm came close to avoiding that, but the last ball he hit then landed on the warning track in left-center field.Ramírez and Bohm both hit 21 homers to pace the first round. Witt started with 20 homers and Hernández had 19.The New York Mets' Pete Alonso fell short in his bid to join Ken Griffey Jr. as a three-time derby champion when he hit only 12 homers in the first round.Instead of a single-elimination bracket like last year, the four hitters with the most homers in the first round advanced to the semifinal round. It then became a bracket-style competition.Alonso hit a 428-foot homer to left-centerfield on his first swing, but couldn't get into a rhythm. The others knocked out after the first round were hometown favorite Adolis García of Texas, Atlanta's Marcell Ozuna and Baltimore's Gunnar Henderson.“It's disappointing, but for me, I think it's really just a blessing and it's just fun being out there,” said Alonso who has 207 homers in his five derby appearances. “At the end of the day, it wasn't my day.”Ozuna did have the longest homer of the night at 473 feet. The longest homers hit during games at the stadium were 472 feet — by Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels in 2022, and Oakland's Seth Brown in 2021.Bohm, one of a franchise-record eight Phillies named All-Stars, has only 11 homers this season — the fewest among the eight derby competitors. He said he was going to try to hit as many balls as he could to left field and did — pulling all 21 of his homers that way in the first round.It still felt like 100 degrees (38 Celsius) outside the ballpark when the derby began, but the retractable roof was closed on the stadium that opened in 2020. When the Rangers hosted the 1995 All-Star Game across the street in their old stadium without a roof, the derby wasn't yet a prime-time event and was held in the sweltering mid-afternoon heat.Frank Thomas won in 1995 with 15 homers over three rounds in a different format. Albert Belle finished with a total of 16, then a Home Run Derby record, but Thomas beat him 3-2 in the final round.

⚾ Dodgers' Hernández beats Royals' Witt for HR Derby title

🎥 Meet the Larks Nicklas Helget

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post

Former Hays High and Tennessee Volunteer standout Dylan Dreiling
was selected in the second round of the MLB Draft Sunday by the Texas Rangers.

Dreiling was the 65th overall pick, the final
pick of the second round.

Dreiling spent much of the first day of the MLB draft with
his family and friends, watching the first round and almost the entire second
round go by before his name was called just before 10 p.m. central time.

But when his name was called, he was excited.

"It means a lot. I'm excited to go to the Rangers," Dreiling
said. "Obviously, it's a good program, and (they) won a World Series last year,
so that's pretty big. I'm excited to get down there and get to work."

Dreiling said he had been talking with representatives from the Rangers organization quite a bit over the last couple of days leading up to the
draft.

"Not really anything baseball-wise, just about the person I
am," Dreiling said. "I didn't know that they were going to pick me or that I
was even in their draft considerations, but it was cool to experience that."

This is not the first go-around for Dreiling in the draft
process. Going into his senior season at Hays High, Dreiling was among a number
of high school standouts who found themselves with a chance to be drafted
straight out of high school. 

However, Dreiling suffered a hamstring injury early in the season. Despite the injury, he was named the Kansas 5A player of the year. However, he did not hear his name called in the 2022 MLB draft, and he headed to the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

After splitting time as a freshman for the Volunteers, Dreiling
cemented his role in the starting lineup this past season in Knoxville, finishing
with a .341 average with 23 homeruns and a team-best 75 RBIs while being named
to the first-team All-SEC.

But it was what Dreiling did on the way to the Volunteers
winning the College World Series title in Omaha that earned him the title of “Mr.
Clutch.”

In the six CWS games, Dreiling batted .541 with 11 RBIs and
three homeruns. All three of those homeruns came in the CWS finals against
Texas A&amp;M. He is the first player to ever accomplish that feat. He was
named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2024 College World Series.

Dreiling said his ascent to stardom after the injury and his freshman season showed his drive to win.

"It shows that I'm a hard worker and that I'm willing to do
whatever to get better," Dreiling said. "I'm a winner. I want to win as bad as
anybody."

For Dreiling, the last few weeks have been “crazy.”

After helping to lead the Volunteers to the program's first CWS
Championship in Omaha, he returned to Hays and said he had been overwhelmed by
the community's support.

"The support from the community was unreal since I've been
home, and it's just been really cool to see," Dreiling said.

Dreiling was honored Saturday at Larks Park during the team's matchup with the Fort Collins Foxes. A proclamation from the Hays mayor declared Sunday, July 14, Dylan Dreiling Day in the city.

Dreiling was one of four Tennessee Volunteers taken in the first
two rounds of the MLB, a new program record.

“It’s the best place to develop in college baseball, hands
down,” Dreiling said. “We just have so many coaches that help developmentally
and just keep you on the right path.”

Dylan added, “I looked at it, the draft, as a high schooler, and going to Tennessee was the best decision I ever made.”

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">With the 65th pick of the 2024 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MLBDraft?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MLBDraft</a>, the Texas Rangers select OF Dylan Dreiling from <a href="https://twitter.com/Vol_Baseball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Vol_Baseball</a>. <a href="https://t.co/FpFtLygNUA">pic.twitter.com/FpFtLygNUA</a>&mdash; Texas Rangers (@Rangers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Rangers/status/1812681946511601833?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721047584346.jpeg" alt="Dylan Dreiling and his brothers before the Wild West Festival in Hays. Photo by Cristina Janney" />
 <figcaption>Dylan Dreiling and his brothers before the Wild West Festival in Hays. Photo by Cristina Janney</figcaption>
 </figure>By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays PostFormer Hays High and Tennessee Volunteer standout Dylan Dreiling
was selected in the second round of the MLB Draft Sunday by the Texas Rangers.Dreiling was the 65th overall pick, the final
pick of the second round.Dreiling spent much of the first day of the MLB draft with
his family and friends, watching the first round and almost the entire second
round go by before his name was called just before 10 p.m. central time.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721047515278.jpeg" alt="Dreiling and his brothers at the Wild West Festival parade. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Dreiling and his brothers at the Wild West Festival parade. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>But when his name was called, he was excited."It means a lot. I'm excited to go to the Rangers," Dreiling
said. "Obviously, it's a good program, and (they) won a World Series last year,
so that's pretty big. I'm excited to get down there and get to work."Dreiling said he had been talking with representatives from the Rangers organization quite a bit over the last couple of days leading up to the
draft."Not really anything baseball-wise, just about the person I
am," Dreiling said. "I didn't know that they were going to pick me or that I
was even in their draft considerations, but it was cool to experience that."This is not the first go-around for Dreiling in the draft
process. Going into his senior season at Hays High, Dreiling was among a number
of high school standouts who found themselves with a chance to be drafted
straight out of high school. However, Dreiling suffered a hamstring injury early in the season. Despite the injury, he was named the Kansas 5A player of the year. However, he did not hear his name called in the 2022 MLB draft, and he headed to the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.After splitting time as a freshman for the Volunteers, Dreiling
cemented his role in the starting lineup this past season in Knoxville, finishing
with a .341 average with 23 homeruns and a team-best 75 RBIs while being named
to the first-team All-SEC.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Mr. Clutch knows a thing or two about winning titles. Should fit right in with the reigning World Series Champs!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GBO?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GBO</a> // <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MLBDraft?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MLBDraft</a> <a href="https://t.co/fwHb3qQCcu">pic.twitter.com/fwHb3qQCcu</a>&mdash; Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) <a href="https://twitter.com/Vol_Baseball/status/1812683778520658407?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>But it was what Dreiling did on the way to the Volunteers
winning the College World Series title in Omaha that earned him the title of “Mr.
Clutch.”In the six CWS games, Dreiling batted .541 with 11 RBIs and
three homeruns. All three of those homeruns came in the CWS finals against
Texas A&amp;M. He is the first player to ever accomplish that feat. He was
named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2024 College World Series.Dreiling said his ascent to stardom after the injury and his freshman season showed his drive to win."It shows that I'm a hard worker and that I'm willing to do
whatever to get better," Dreiling said. "I'm a winner. I want to win as bad as
anybody."For Dreiling, the last few weeks have been “crazy.”After helping to lead the Volunteers to the program's first CWS
Championship in Omaha, he returned to Hays and said he had been overwhelmed by
the community's support."The support from the community was unreal since I've been
home, and it's just been really cool to see," Dreiling said.Dreiling was honored Saturday at Larks Park during the team's matchup with the Fort Collins Foxes. A proclamation from the Hays mayor declared Sunday, July 14, Dylan Dreiling Day in the city.Dreiling was one of four Tennessee Volunteers taken in the first
two rounds of the MLB, a new program record.“It’s the best place to develop in college baseball, hands
down,” Dreiling said. “We just have so many coaches that help developmentally
and just keep you on the right path.”Dylan added, “I looked at it, the draft, as a high schooler, and going to Tennessee was the best decision I ever made.”

⚾ Rangers pick former Hays High standout Dreiling in MLB draft

BOSTON (AP) — Rafael Devers hit a two-run homer that broke a seat deep in right field at Fenway Park, Dominic Smith also had a two-run shot and the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 on Sunday to take the series.

The Red Sox won their second straight after losing the opener. Boston improved to a major league-best 9-3 in July and is 20-8 since June 12.

All-Star Devers sent a first-inning slider from Brady Singer (5-6) with an estimated exit velocity of 114.7 mph a projected 439 feet, crashing into the top of a seat and loosening up the top support. The Red Sox posted a “&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/RedSox/status/1812556309239369974">Fenway Facilities Incident Report</a>&nbsp;” that had a picture of the broken red seat on their social media sites.

Adam Frazier opened the game with a homer into the Royals’ bullpen and All-Star Salvador Perez, who was selected for his ninth Midsummer Classic, added a solo shot into the Green Monster seats for Kansas City.

First-time All-Star Jarren Duran had four hits for the Red Sox, who improved to a majors’ best 15-1 on Sundays. Boston enters the All-Star break surprisingly 4 ½ games out of first in the AL East after finishing in the basement three of the last four years.

Brayan Bello (10-5) overcame his struggles at home, going 6 1/3 innings, allowing three runs and seven hits. He had posted a 6.55 ERA in his seven starts in Fenway.

Kenley Jansen got the final six outs, striking out three, for his 19th save, the 439th of his career. He gave up a run in the ninth but got Nick Loftin to ground out with a runner on second to end it.

Smith’s shot went an estimated 431 feet, traveling over Boston’s bullpen to make it 4-1 in the second. He added a key RBI single that made it 5-3 in the seventh.

Singer had allowed just one run in each of his previous four starts but was tagged for four runs and eight hits in 2 2/3 innings.

The Royals go into the break with 52 victories, three off the most before the All-Star Game in team history behind the 1973 club.

Royals: OF MJ Melendez limped out of the game with a sprained left ankle after beating out a fielder’s choice grounder that drove in a run in the fourth. … C Perez was the DH for the second straight game after leaving Friday’s early due to cramping.

BOSTON (AP) — Rafael Devers hit a two-run homer that broke a seat deep in right field at Fenway Park, Dominic Smith also had a two-run shot and the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 on Sunday to take the series.The Red Sox won their second straight after losing the opener. Boston improved to a major league-best 9-3 in July and is 20-8 since June 12.All-Star Devers sent a first-inning slider from Brady Singer (5-6) with an estimated exit velocity of 114.7 mph a projected 439 feet, crashing into the top of a seat and loosening up the top support. The Red Sox posted a “&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/RedSox/status/1812556309239369974">Fenway Facilities Incident Report</a>&nbsp;” that had a picture of the broken red seat on their social media sites.Adam Frazier opened the game with a homer into the Royals’ bullpen and All-Star Salvador Perez, who was selected for his ninth Midsummer Classic, added a solo shot into the Green Monster seats for Kansas City.First-time All-Star Jarren Duran had four hits for the Red Sox, who improved to a majors’ best 15-1 on Sundays. Boston enters the All-Star break surprisingly 4 ½ games out of first in the AL East after finishing in the basement three of the last four years.Brayan Bello (10-5) overcame his struggles at home, going 6 1/3 innings, allowing three runs and seven hits. He had posted a 6.55 ERA in his seven starts in Fenway.Kenley Jansen got the final six outs, striking out three, for his 19th save, the 439th of his career. He gave up a run in the ninth but got Nick Loftin to ground out with a runner on second to end it.Smith’s shot went an estimated 431 feet, traveling over Boston’s bullpen to make it 4-1 in the second. He added a key RBI single that made it 5-3 in the seventh.Singer had allowed just one run in each of his previous four starts but was tagged for four runs and eight hits in 2 2/3 innings.The Royals go into the break with 52 victories, three off the most before the All-Star Game in team history behind the 1973 club.TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals: OF MJ Melendez limped out of the game with a sprained left ankle after beating out a fielder’s choice grounder that drove in a run in the fourth. … C Perez was the DH for the second straight game after leaving Friday’s early due to cramping.Red Sox: OF Tyler O’Neill was back in the lineup after getting Saturday off.UP NEXTRoyals: Begin a nine-game homestand following the All-Star break, starting with the Chicago White Sox on Friday.Red Sox: Open a six-game road trip after the break, with the first of three at the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday.

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