DETROIT (AP) — Michael Massey hit a go-ahead, two-run homer with two outs in the eighth inning and the Kansas City Royals held on to beat the Detroit Tigers 5-4 on Sunday.
The Royals led 3-0 through four innings, fell behind after giving up four runs in the fifth before going back ahead on Massey's blast to right.
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Kansas City Royals designated hitter Salvador Perez reacts after being hit by a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Sunday, July 26, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)
Detroit Tigers' Kevin McGonigle singles during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Sunday, July 26, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)
Detroit Tigers' Riley Greene slides and scores during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Sunday, July 26, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Luinder Avila throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Sunday, July 26, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)
Kansas City Royals' Michael Massey (19) is congratulated by teammates after hitting a two-run home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Sunday, July 26, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)
Nate Pearson (2-0) threw a scoreless inning. Steven Cruz pitched the ninth for his second save after giving up a walk and hit to the first two batters, closing the game by striking out Riley Greene.
Drew Sommers (0-1) allowed two runs on two hits over 1 1/3 innings.
Dillon Dingler hit a go-ahead, two-run single in a four-run fifth inning for the Tigers, but they failed to maintain the lead and lost a second straight game to the last-place team in the AL Central.
The Tigers have a week to decide whether to keep ace Tarik Skubal or to trade him ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
Lane Thomas led off the game with a homer and Luke Maile had an RBI double in the fourth, giving the Royals a 3-0 lead.
Matt Strahm entered to face Greene in the fifth and he hit a ball up the middle that could have been fielded by shifting shortstop Tyler Tolbert or second baseman Andrew Velazquez, who was charged with an error, and two Tigers scored.
Dingler followed with a shot that went behind Strahm's head to give Detroit a 4-3 lead that wasn't large enough.
Tigers RHP Keider Montero (7-5, 3.14) and Baltimore RHP Kyle Bradish (7-9, 3.49) are scheduled to pitch on Monday night at Comerica Park.
The Royals have not announced who their probable pitcher on Tuesday night at Minnesota.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Kansas City Royals designated hitter Salvador Perez reacts after being hit by a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Sunday, July 26, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)
Detroit Tigers' Kevin McGonigle singles during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Sunday, July 26, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)
Detroit Tigers' Riley Greene slides and scores during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Sunday, July 26, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Luinder Avila throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Sunday, July 26, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)
Kansas City Royals' Michael Massey (19) is congratulated by teammates after hitting a two-run home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Sunday, July 26, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)
CAIRO (AP) — The United States and Iran paused their attacks for a second straight day Sunday, as efforts continued to bring them back to negotiations on an interim ceasefire deal largely undermined by recent exchanges of fire.
It was not clear why the U.S. has paused after targeting Iranian coastal areas and infrastructure in a nearly two-week escalation sparked by Iran’s firing at ships trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz. The Pentagon did not respond to questions.
U.S. President Donald Trump is “giving talks some space. He’s giving it a little bit of room," Mike Waltz, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, told Fox News. "We’ve had both Oman and Iran, and a number of our other negotiators, engaged at every level, from the most senior levels all the way down to the technical level over the past few weeks, and particularly in the past few days."
Waltz dismissed the idea that the U.S. stockpile of interceptors crucial in defending against Iranian attacks is running low, but experts have questioned how long both the U.S. and Iran can afford to keep up attacks.
Since the U.S. has halted attacks for the past two nights, Iran has as well, its army spokesperson told Iran’s state TV on Sunday. Tehran in recent days has counterattacked against countries in the region hosting U.S. military forces, killing at least three service members at a base in Jordan and one in Iraq.
The 60-day period that began when the interim deal was signed by both countries in mid-June is now well into its second half, and major issues that were meant to be negotiated -– notably Iran’s nuclear program at the heart of tensions -– remain set aside as mediators try to keep both sides talking.
A regional official involved in mediation efforts said diplomacy was underway and that a pause in U.S. and Iranian strikes was a “positive signal that helps their efforts to de-escalate.”
The official said both countries want to return to the interim ceasefire deal and that a compromise being negotiated centers on having Iran run vessel transit through the Strait of Hormuz with fewer restrictions on ships. The official was not authorized to discuss the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Concerns continued about shipping on the strait and now on another crucial waterway in the region, the Bab al-Mandeb strait to the Red Sea. Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen last week threatened a blockade of Saudi shipping there.
Global energy supplies and the economy remain in the balance as gasoline prices have risen again.
Commercial shipping traffic on the Strait of Hormuz was at a three-week low, a maritime body overseen by the U.S. Navy said Sunday, adding that no new attacks had been confirmed in the past 72 hours. It said traffic remained steady through the Bab el-Mandeb.
Iran on Sunday said it continued to speak with Oman about managing the safe passage of ships on the Strait of Hormuz, which passes between the countries. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, said talks had made progress and continued.
Baghaei also said the strait's status remained unchanged. Tehran has asserted that the interim deal with the U.S. allows it to manage shipping on the waterway for now, and it has objected to U.S. efforts to support a route through the strait that passes close to Oman instead. The strait was considered an international waterway before the war.
The U.S. military on Saturday said its recently reimposed naval blockade against Iran continued, with a dozen commercial ships redirected, two disabled and two boarded. U.S. forces “remain highly vigilant, focused, lethal, and ready,” it added.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to travel to the United States and meet with Trump in Washington on Tuesday, his office has said. They last met in Washington in February, weeks before they launched the war on Iran that killed senior leaders including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The Iranian-backed Hezbollah fired at Israel two days after the war began, and Israel responded with airstrikes and ground forces in southern Lebanon. Since then, the U.S. has supported landmark direct talks between Lebanon and Israel to try to calm that front and find a way to disarm Hezbollah.
Netanyahu on Sunday told Fox News he “fully” backs Trump's efforts to weaken Iran and press it to end its nuclear program, adding: “If he can do so without returning to intense military fighting, that’s fine. Why not?”
The prime minister indicated he would not present new information to “our good friend” Trump and instead would listen to “what he has in mind, because I think in many ways, it’s his decision.”
But Netanyahu warned that if Iran again attacks Israel, directly or with armed proxies, “it will make a terrible mistake.”
Anna reported from Lowville, New York. Associated Press writers Darlene Superville and Ben Finley in Washington contributed.
Lebanese soldiers deploy in the village of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, southern Lebanon, Sunday, July 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahmad Mantash)
A Lebanese woman clears debris of her destroyed house in the village of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, southern Lebanon, Sunday, July 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahmad Mantash)
People walk through the village of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh after the Lebanese army deployed to the village in southern Lebanon, Sunday, July 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahmad Mantash)
A Lebanese soldier looks through the binoculars of an anti-tank launcher in front of a destroyed mosque after deploying in the village of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, southern Lebanon, Sunday, July 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahmad Mantash)
Two men wade in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz with vessels anchored in the background, off Bandar Abbas, Iran, Sunday, July 12, 2026. (Razieh Poudat/ISNA via AP)
