Paul DeJong homers as Royals catch Guardians atop AL Central with 6-1 win in game delayed by rain

CLEVELAND (AP) — Paul DeJong hit a two-run homer and the Kansas City Royals caught Cleveland atop the AL Central by beating the Guardians 6-1 on Tuesday night in a game delayed more than two hours by rain.

The Royals, who lost 106 games last season, improved to a league-best 23-13 since the All-Star break, when they trailed the Guardians by seven games.

Cleveland had been sitting alone in first in the division since April 14 before dropping the first three games in this series, which concludes with a matinee Wednesday. The Guardians have lost nine of 12 and are just 17-21 since the break.

DeJong connected in the second inning off Gavin Williams (2-7), and the Royals tacked on three runs in the seventh off Scott Barlow on RBI singles by Maikel Garcia and Michael Massey, to go along with a wild pitch.

James McArthur (5-5) struck out four in two innings, and the Royals' solid bullpen closed with five perfect innings in the combined three-hitter.

Kansas City's win came with a minor scare.

All-Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. got hit on the right hand by a pitch from Pedro Avila in the seventh inning. Witt grabbed his arm in pain, but the majors' leader in average, hits and runs stayed in the game and ripped a double in the ninth.

Cleveland was coming to bat in the bottom of the fifth — and three outs from making the game official — when the ballpark's grounds crew rolled out the tarp at 8:06 p.m. to cover the infield before the rain hit.

When it finally came and lightning raced across the sky above Progressive Field, fans retreated for protection in the concourses. The game was delayed for 2 hours, 14 minutes before resuming at 10:20 p.m. with few thousand die-hards on hand.

DeJong's fifth homer since joining the Royals in a July 30 trade from the White Sox made it 2-0 in the second.

Salvador Perez led off with a single, and one out later, DeJong clobbered the first pitch from Williams over the wall in right-center. DeJong also homered in Monday's doubleheader sweep and has 23 this season.

Royals starter Mchael Lorenzen left in the second after straining his left hamstring while covering first base.

With two runners on, Lorenzen got rookie Daniel Schneemann to hit a grounder to first. The right-hander broke for the bag and took the relay throw from second before sitting down in the dirt.

Lorenzen got up slowly and went to the mound before throwing several warmup pitches while manager Matt Quatraro and a trainer looked on. He stayed in the game and struck out Thomas.

However, after Lorenzen threw one ball to Bo Naylor, Perez signaled from behind the plate to the dugout.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Royals: OF Hunter Renfroe (strained right hamstring) continues to undergo treatment and Quatraro said the hope is “to get him back out there as quickly as we can.” Renfroe was placed on the 10-day injured list on Sunday after his leg tightened against Philadelphia.

Guardians: RHP Alex Cobb (broken fingernail) threw three simulated innings in a live batting practice against minor leaguers before the game. Cobb is eligible to come off the injured list on Sunday. Manager Stephen Vogt said the team is still determining whether to have him go on a minor league rehab assignment.

UP NEXT

Guardians RHP Tanner Bibee (10-6, 3.46 ERA) starts the series finale against Royals RHP Michael Wacha (11-6, 3.23 ERA), who is 7-0 with a 2.40 ERA in 10 starts since June 22.

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Kansas City Royals' Maikel Garcia, right, celebrates his single with first base coach Damon Hollins (39) in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Rain bounces off a railing at Progressive Field during a rain delay in the fifth inning of a baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the Cleveland Guardians, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Kansas City Royals' Maikel Garcia hits a single in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Kansas City Royals' Paul DeJong (15) flips his bat in front of Cleveland Guardians fourth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' David Fry, right, scores behind Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez, left, on a single hit by Lane Thomas in the fourth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians second baseman Andres Gimenez fields a ground ball hit for an out by Kansas City Royals' Vinnie Pasquantino in the first inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' Gavin Williams pitches in the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

The Cleveland Guardians grounds crew rolls out the tarp for a rain delay after the fifth inning of a baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the Cleveland Guardians, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

The Cleveland Guardians grounds crew brings out the tarp for a rain delay after the fifth inning of a baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the Cleveland Guardians Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Kansas City Royals center fielder Kyle Isbel (28) crashes into the outfield wall behind teammate Adam Frazier (26) after catching a fly ball hit for an out by Cleveland Guardians' Josh Naylor in the fourth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Kansas City Royals' Paul DeJong celebrates his home run in the second inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Kansas City Royals' Paul DeJong watches his home run in the second inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

WINDER, Ga. (AP) — A Georgia county's emergency call center was overwhelmed by calls on Sept. 4 about a school shooting at Apalachee High School, records released Friday by Barrow County show.

Local news organizations report many of the 911 phone calls were not released under public record requests because state law exempts from release calls recording the voice of someone younger than 18 years old. That exemption would cover calls from most of the 1,900 students at the school in Winder, northeast of Atlanta.

Calls spiked around 10:20 a.m., when authorities have said that 14-year-old Colt Gray began shooting. Many calls were answered with automated message saying there was a “high call volume," WAGA-TV reported.

One man called 911 after receiving text messages from a girlfriend. He was put on hold for just over 10 minutes because of an influx of calls at the time of the shooting, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

“She hears people yelling outside, so I don’t know if that’s officers in the building or that’s — I don’t know,” he said, adding that she was eventually evacuated out of the school.

Other adults also called 911 after their children contacted them.

“My daughter calling me crying. Somebody go ‘boom, boom, boom, boom,’ ” one mother said. The 911 operator responded: “Ma’am we have officers out there, OK?”

Parents of students at an elementary school and middle school neighboring Apalachee also flooded 911 seeking information.

“Sir, my daughter goes to school next door to Apalachee. Is there a school shooter?" one caller asked.

“We do have an active situation (at) Apalachee High School right now," the operator responded. "We have a lot of calls coming in.”

More than 500 radio messages between emergency personnel were also released Friday.

“Active shooter!” an officer yells in one audio clip while speaking with a dispatcher, CNN reported. Another officer responds, “Correct. We have an active shooter at Apalachee High School.”

The shooting killed teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53, as well as students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14. Another teacher and eight more students were wounded, with seven of those hit by gunfire.

Colt Gray is charged as an adult with four counts of murder, and District Attorney Brad Smith has said more charges are likely to be filed against him in connection with the wounded. Authorities have also charged his father, Colin Gray, alleging that he gave his son access to the gun when he knew or should have known that the teen was a danger to himself and others.

The 13,000 students at Barrow County’s other schools returned to class Tuesday. The 1,900 students who attend Apalachee are supposed to start returning the week of Sept. 23, officials said Friday.

Mourners listen to a speaker during a candlelight vigil for the slain students and teachers at Apalachee High School, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

A memorial is seen at Apalachee High School after the Wednesday school shooting, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

This combo of images show shooting victims, from left, Christian Angulo, Mason Schermerhorn, Cristina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall, displayed at a memorial outside Apalachee High School, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Charlotte Kramon)

Two students view a memorial as the flags fly half-staff after a shooting Wednesday at Apalachee High School, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

911 calls overwhelmed operators after shooting at Georgia's Apalachee High School

911 calls overwhelmed operators after shooting at Georgia's Apalachee High School

Students and parents walk off campus at Apalachee High School, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder, Ga. A shooting at the Georgia high school Wednesday caused an unknown number of injuries and a suspect was arrested in a chaotic scene. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)