By Greg Halbleib
Local success on the links in the Country Youth Classic, which concluded Wednesday in Bloomington-Normal. Ali Schrock of Pontiac set records in the 14-15-year-old girls division with a day 2 score of 73 and overall score of 153 at Ironwood Golf Course. Parker Wisdom of Bloomington set records in the 14-15-year-old boys division at Prairie Vista Golf Course with a day 2 score of 68 and overall score of 143.
The Cardinals squandered 9th and 10th inning rallies in a 3-2 12-inning loss to the Royals. Alcides Escobar put Kansas City ahead in the 12th with a double just inside the right field line. The Cards send Mike Leake to the hill tonight as the Royals counter with Chris Young, both right-handers.
The Cubs completed a three-game sweep at Cincinnati with a 9-2 win. Anthony Rizzo hustled out an inside-the-park home run and Albert Almora Junior hit his first big league homer. The Cubs face the Mets tonight in New York as right-hander John Lackey is on the mound against Mets lefty Steven Matz.
The White Sox hit three homers to support James Shields’ first win with the club, a 9-6 victory over the Twins. The series concludes this afternoon at U.S. Cellular Field as lefties duel, Tommy Milone for Minnesota and Carlos Rodon for the South Siders.
The CornBelters were one out away from their third straight win, but that potential out was dropped by Jesus Solorzano in his Belters debut to allow the tying run to score as Traverse City plated three more unearned runs to steal a 7-4 win. Solorzano was 4-for-5 with 3 runs and a homer. The rubber game of the series and the end of the brief home stand is tonight at the Corn Crib at 6:35, 6:20 on WJBC.com.
Former Illinois State and Normal West pitcher Brock Stewart lost his major league debut in a five-inning start as the Brewers beat the Dodgers 7-0. Stewart retired the first four batters he faced but gave up five runs in the second inning.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck has accepted a six-year, $140 million contract extension, the richest deal in NFL history.
Michael Phelps is heading back to the Olympics. Phelps won the 200-meter butterfly at the U.S. swimming trials. The most decorated athlete in Olympic history held up all five fingers on his right hand following the event to signify his fifth trip to the Summer Games.
There’s still no winner in the College World Series after Coastal Carolina and Arizona were postponed by rain and lightning. The third and deciding game of the finals is now slated for today in Omaha.