KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Yordan Alvarez became the first player to hit a grand slam and multi-run homer in the first inning of an MLB game, pulling off the feat for the Houston Astros in a 10-8 win over the Kansas City Royals on Friday night.
He became the eighth player to hit a grand slam and a multi-run homer in an inning and the first since Angels slugger Kendrys Morales did it against Texas in 2012, according to Sportradar.
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Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez celebrates in the dugout after hitting a grand slam during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez, left, celebrates with Isaac Paredes (15) after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez (44) celebrates with Jeremy Pena (3) after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez celebrates in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run hit during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez hits a two-run home run hit during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez watches his grand slam against the Athletics during the second inning of a baseball game, Saturday, June 6, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
The left-handed Alvarez drove in two runs with an opposite-field homer early in the inning and cleared the bases with a two-out shot to center, giving him six RBIs in Houston's nine-run inning.
With his two-homer inning, Alvarez moved into a tie with Philadelphia's Kyle Schwarber for the MLB lead at 24.
The 28-year-old designated hitter, who is from Cuba, was the AL rookie of the year in 2019 with Houston. The three-time All-Star was the AL Championship Series MVP in 2021 and led the Astros with six RBIs the next year when they won the World Series.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez celebrates in the dugout after hitting a grand slam during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez, left, celebrates with Isaac Paredes (15) after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez (44) celebrates with Jeremy Pena (3) after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez celebrates in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run hit during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez hits a two-run home run hit during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez watches his grand slam against the Athletics during the second inning of a baseball game, Saturday, June 6, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
After years of preparation, a supersized World Cup has finally arrived.
This year's tournament — which is hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico — was expanded to 48 teams that will play in 16 stadiums in a record 104 matches over the 39-day tournament.
Mexico gets the World Cup started Thursday and will be a heavy favorite when it hosts South Africa in Mexico City. The second game of the day will be between South Korea and the Czech Republic in Guadalajara, Mexico. All four teams are part of Group A.
Canada and the United States will host their first games Friday. The Canadians will play Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto while the Americans face Paraguay in Inglewood, California.
Fox is the exclusive U.S. broadcaster of the World Cup with all 104 matches in English on Fox or FS1. All matches are also available on the Fox One app. Telemundo and Universo will broadcast all of the matches in Spanish. Peacock is the streaming home for Spanish language broadcasts while Telemundo also has an app that includes all the matches.
Boosted by a home crowd and a star-studded opening ceremony with performances that include Andrea Bocelli and homegrown talent like Alejandro Fernández and Maná, Mexico hopes to play better in this World Cup than in 2022, when it failed to advance out of the group stage for the first time since 1978. El Tri will be led by veteran Raúl Jiménez and 17-year-old midfielder Gilberto Mora. Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa will be competing in the World Cup for a record sixth time. South Africa is playing in its fourth World Cup and first since it hosted the tournament in 2010.
The games in Mexico will be played at high elevation. The Azteca stadium in Mexico City is at roughly 7,300 feet while Guadalajara sits at 5,138 feet, meaning visiting teams will have to make a significant adjustment to the altitude.
South Korea is one of the best teams in Asia and has qualified for 11 tournaments in a row since 1986. The Koreans made it to the round of 16 in 2022 before losing to Brazil. Son Hueng-min, 33, is the captain and might be playing in his last World Cup. The Czech Republic is back in soccer's biggest showcase for the first time in 20 years.
FIFA has faced pressure for sky-high World Cup ticket prices and sales tactics that fans say left them with worse deals than they wanted.
The attorneys general in New York and New Jersey, which is hosting eight World Cup matches including the final, announced last month that they are investigating whether FIFA’s ticketing practices violated consumer protection laws.
Some seats for the July 19 final are going for nearly $33,000.
In the deeply polarized U.S., few things unite elected leaders outside the White House quite like skepticism of Gianni Infantino and FIFA, the governing body for the world’s most popular sport.
It’s a sentiment that cuts across the divide and spans from Washington to state capitals and city halls.
There are mayors like Zohran Mamdani of New York and Karen Bass of Los Angeles, Democrats who’ve balked at ticket prices. Republican Sen. Todd Young of Indiana, who played Division 1 soccer at the U.S. Naval Academy, said FIFA has been “detached from regular people around the world.”
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
Paraguay's Miguel Almiron reacts after the United States scored a third goal during the World Cup Group D soccer match in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Paraguay fans watch the World Cup Group D soccer match between the United States and Paraguay in Asuncion, Paraguay Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)
United States celebrates after an own goal by Paraguay's Damian Bobadilla during the World Cup Group D soccer match in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)
Paraguay's Junior Alonso, right, and United States' Sergino Dest battle for the ball during the World Cup Group D soccer match in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)
United States' Folarin Balogun (20) celebrates scoring his side's third goal against Paraguay with teamate Chris Richards during the World Cup Group D soccer match in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)
Canada goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau punches the ball clear as Bosnia's Tarik Muharemovic attempts to head the ball during the World Cup Group B soccer match between Canada and Bosnia in Toronto, Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Canada's Cyle Larin (9) celebrates after scoring his sides first goal of the game in the second half of the World Cup Group B soccer match between Canada and Bosnia, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Toronto. ( (AP Photo/Sam Balkansky)
Canada's Cyle Larin (9) celebrates with teammates Alistair Johnston (2) and Promise David (24) after scoring his sides first goal of the game in the second half of the World Cup Group B soccer match between Canada and Bosnia, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Bosnia's Jovo Lukic, left, celebrates after he scores the opening goal during the World Cup Group B soccer match between Canada and Bosnia in Toronto, Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Bosnia's Esmir Bajraktarevic, left vies for the ball with Canada's Richie Laryea during the World Cup Group B soccer match between Canada and Bosnia in Toronto, Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Czechia's Tomas Soucek celebrates a goal that was called back during the World Cup Group A soccer match against South Korea in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)
South Korea's Seol Young-woo (22) celebrates with his team after a goal during the World Cup Group A soccer against Czechia in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)
Mexico fans celebrate in the second half during the World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
South Africa's Nkosinathi Sibisi, right, and Mexico's Raul Jimenez battle for the ball in the second half during the World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
Mexico's Raul Jimenez hugs teammate Roberto Alvarado, right, after scoring his side's second goal during the World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Mexico's Raul Jimenez celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
United States defender Chris Richards, front left, gives autographs to fans after the nationall team's first practice at its World Cup soccer tournament training base in Irvine, Calif., Monday, June 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Greg Beacham)
Canada's Cyle Larin speaks to media during a World Cup soccer training session in Toronto, Tuesday, June 9, 2026. (Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press via AP)
People chant and cheer during a protest in reaction to FIFA's ban of Iran's pre-revolutionary flag inside World Cup stadiums Sunday, June 7, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Benjamin Hanson)
Marktweg Street in The Hague, Netherlands, is decorated ahead of the start of the soccer World Cup, Tuesday, June 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Patrick Post)
A dancer performs along Reforma Avenue in Mexico City, Saturday, June 6, 2026 ahead of the FIFA World Cup. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
