Guardians Defeat Rangers, Maintain AL Central Lead

The Kansas City Royals completed a doubleheader sweep against the Cleveland Guardians, winning 9-4 in the second game, with Salvador Perez hitting a grand slam and driving in six runs, pulling the Royals within one game of first in the AL Central. The Royals had earlier won the first game 4-3, highlighted by Bobby Witt Jr.'s eighth-inning homer, showcasing their strong performance since the All-Star break. The Guardians, who have struggled in doubleheaders this season, remain resilient according to manager Stephen Vogt, despite dropping to 0-8 in such matchups. Cleveland had previously secured a 4-2 victory against the Texas Rangers, supported by Matthew Boyd's effective pitching and Jhonkensy Noel's impressive home run performance, matching a franchise record for a rookie. Emmanuel Clase continued his dominance with his 38th save, maintaining an impressive ERA. The Guardians are currently leading the AL Central, but the Royals are closing in, setting up an exciting race for the division title.