KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — John Rave hit a tiebreaking, bases-clearing double during a seven-run eighth inning, and the Kansas City Royals rallied past the Athletics 9-7 on Wednesday night.
Rave entered the game in the fifth as a pinch-hitter for Jac Caglianone, who exited with right ankle soreness. In the eighth, he came up with the bases loaded and two outs after an intentional walk to Bobby Witt Jr. and hit a line drive to the corner in right off Drew Rom (1-1) to make it 8-5.
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Athletics' Donovan Walton slides home to score on an RBI single hit by Henry Bolte during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Athletics' Henry Bolte warms up before a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Athletics' Jeff McNeil watches his RBI single during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez celebrates on second after hitting an RBI double during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Kansas City Royals' John Rave (16) celebrates in the dugout after scoring on a single by Miakel Garcia during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Kansas City trailed 5-2 entering the eighth. Maikel Garcia opened the inning with a triple off Hayden Juenger, who did not record an out. Vinnie Pasquantino followed with an RBI single.
Kyle Isbel's run-scoring single off Rom got the Royals within 5-4, and Isaac Collins tied it with a sacrifice fly. Garcia made it 9-5 with his second hit of the inning.
Pasquantino homered in the sixth.
Craig Kimbrel (1-2) worked a scoreless eighth. Steven Cruz allowed a two-run homer to Max Muncy in the ninth.
Jeff McNeil and Zack Gelof each drove in two runs for the Athletics, who have lost the first three of their four-game series at Kansas City and 16 of 20 overall.
Royals starter Seth Lugo allowed five runs on nine hits in six innings. Jeffrey Springs worked 5 2/3 innings for the A's and departed with a 5-2 lead.
LHP Gage Jump (5-7, 4.50 ERA) starts for the Athletics on Thursday as they try to avoid a sweep. RHP Randy Dobnak (2-1, 1.73) takes the mound for the Royals.
See AP’s full MLB coverage here
Athletics' Donovan Walton slides home to score on an RBI single hit by Henry Bolte during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Athletics' Henry Bolte warms up before a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Athletics' Jeff McNeil watches his RBI single during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez celebrates on second after hitting an RBI double during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Kansas City Royals' John Rave (16) celebrates in the dugout after scoring on a single by Miakel Garcia during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
The Israeli military said Wednesday it will conduct criminal investigations into the killings of a 5-year-old Palestinian girl and her family and the separate killings of 15 paramedics, following a review of troop conduct during the war in Gaza.
Meanwhile, France announced it will expel two Iranian diplomats in response to the expulsion of French diplomats from the Islamic Republic this week. And the Iranian parliament speaker and chief negotiator landed in neighboring Iraq for a three-day visit.
Here’s a look at the latest developments in the Iran war and the wider Middle East on Wednesday. Full coverage can be found here.
The Israeli military said it would investigate the killings of 5-year-old Hind Rajab and her family members in February 2024, and the killing of 15 Palestinian medics in March 2025. Both drew international attention.
The announcement followed reviews of 150 incidents of troop conduct during the war in Gaza. The military said it would not launch criminal investigations into three other attacks that killed aid workers from World Central Kitchen and Doctors Without Borders.
Rajab was killed when Israeli troops opened fire on a vehicle that also was carrying her aunt, uncle and four cousins as they tried to flee Gaza City amid an Israeli offensive.
The 15 paramedics were killed when Israeli troops opened fire on their vehicles in the southern city of Rafah, then bulldozed over the bodies and buried them in a mass grave. Troops first shot at an ambulance that was driving to retrieve casualties from an Israeli offensive, then fired on several other emergency vehicles that went out to look for the first one, according to phone footage and the sole survivor.
At least 10 people were killed Wednesday in two airstrikes in Gaza, according to local hospitals and the Palestinian Red Crescent.
The attacks cast further doubt on whether new U.S. efforts can advance a tenuous ceasefire in the Palestinian territory.
Just two days after U.S. negotiators reportedly asked Israel to draw down attacks in Gaza, Israeli troops also crossed the ceasefire line in southern Gaza and detained a Hamas police colonel at dawn, two witnesses and a Hamas official said. They spoke on condition of anonymity for their safety.
— Samy Magdy and Wafaa Shurafa
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf arrived in Iraq for a three-day visit where he will meet with Iraqi officials and leaders of an Iran-backed political coalition.
Iran-backed Iraqi militias have launched drone attacks on U.S. military and diplomatic targets both within Iraq and abroad, piling pressure on Baghdad, which for years has delicately tried to maintain strong ties with both Washington and Tehran.
Qalibaf praised the country’s Tehran-backed militias, which he called the “resistance in Iraq," describing them as a “key component of the country’s national power.”
His comments came even as the Iraqi government has been trying to disarm the militias that have long operated on their own even though they were nominally under state command.
Iraq is asking Iran to grant special status to Iraqi oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz because the country has been affected greatly by Iran's war with the U.S. and needs to guard its economic interests, according to a statement from Iraqi Parliament Speaker Haibet al-Halbousi.
Iraq relies on oil revenues for roughly 90% of its budget, and most of its oil is exported through the strait. Since the war erupted and Iran asserted control over the strait, halting most shipping traffic, Iraq has turned to alternate routes, including sending oil over land to Syria, which is less efficient and more expensive.
France announced it will expel two staff members of the Iranian Embassy in France, in response to what the French Foreign Ministry described as an assault by Iranian security forces against two French diplomatic staff in the Islamic Republic last month.
Iran accused the French pair of taking part in a secret meeting with “suspects in a major case involving foreign infiltration and interference,” Iran’s state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported. The French diplomats were expelled on Monday.
Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot slammed the Iranian authorities for not investigating what he called a “premeditated and deliberate attack.” He called the allegations fabricated and said the two Iranians will leave Paris in the coming days.
Associated Press writers Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut, Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Sylvie Corbet in Paris and Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad contributed to this report.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf visits the site where Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani was killed in a U.S. drone strike near Baghdad International Airport, during an official visit to Baghdad, Iraq, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026.(AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
An Iraqi security officer stands guard at the site near Baghdad International Airport where Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani was killed in a U.S. drone strike, during a visit by Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf in Baghdad, Iraq, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
Iraqi security officers stand guard at the site near Baghdad International Airport where Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani was killed in a U.S. drone strike, during a visit by Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf in Baghdad, Iraq, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf visits the site near Baghdad International Airport where Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani was killed in a U.S. drone strike, in Baghdad, Iraq, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026.(AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf addresses attendees at the site near Baghdad International Airport where Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani was killed in a U.S. drone strike, in Baghdad, Iraq, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026.(AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
