FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Germany defender Marina Hegering is retiring from the women's national soccer team after winning an Olympic bronze medal last month.
The 34-year-old defender, who played 42 games for Germany, is set to continue playing for her club Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga and Champions League. Wolfsburg said she has a contract until the end of the season and will then join its coaching staff.
Hegering was a starter in the German team which was runner-up to England in the Euro 2022 final and also played at two World Cups, despite only making her national-team debut in 2019 at the age of 28 after years of injuries.
“I have been able to play 42 international games and if someone had told me that 10 years ago, I'd have thought they were crazy,” Hegering said. “I really can call myself a national-team player and fills me with pure happiness and pride.”
Hegering is the latest from Germany's Olympic squad to retire from international soccer as the team starts a new era under incoming coach Christian Wück.
Goalkeeper Merle Frohms, Hegering's teammate at Wolfsburg, announced her international retirement last week after she was surprisingly benched at the Olympics.
Germany plays England and Australia in friendlies next month, its first games since the Olympics.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
FILE - Germany's Marina Hegering runs for the ball during the women's Group B soccer match between Germany and Australia at the Velodrome stadium, during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, July 25, 2024, in Marseille, France. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole, File)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Parker Meadows hit a broken-bat single in the 10th inning to give Detroit the lead, moments after Trey Sweeney had been given third base because of a balk, and the Tigers went on to beat the Kansas City Royals 3-1 on Tuesday night.
Tyler Holton (7-1) retired all six Royals he faced, striking out a pair in the ninth to force extra innings. Jason Foley took care of the Royals in the 10th, earning the save for the second straight night and 25th time this season.
“Pitching and defense, it goes together, and we hung in there in some really difficult situations,” said Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, whose club has won 24 of its last 34 games, its best stretch of that length in more than a decade.
“It was kind of all hands on deck,” Hinch said, “and they responded.”
Riley Greene added an RBI single off Lucas Erceg (2-6) later in the 10th for the Tigers, helping them to remain 1 1/2 games back of the Twins for the final AL wild-card spot. Minnesota beat the Guardians earlier Tuesday night.
The Royals stayed 2 1/2 games behind Baltimore for the first wild-card spot. They are 1 1/2 ahead of Minnesota.
“There were some good pitchers on the other side that are trying to keep us from doing things offensively," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “That was a classic pitching duel the whole night.”
Cole Ragans allowed one run on four hits and four walks with six strikeouts over seven innings for Kansas City, and Casey Mize allowed one run on six hits and four walks while pitching into the fifth for Detroit.
“We found a way,” Mize said, “and that's obviously the most important thing right now.”
Ragans struggled with his control from the onset, hitting Andy Ibáñez to start the game — Matt Vierling followed with an RBI double — and walking a pair in the fourth inning. But with a combination of groundballs and strikeouts, the hard-throwing left-hander was able to keep the Tigers from capitalizing on his mistakes.
Freddy Fermín also threw out a pair of runners trying to steal second.
Mize allowed plenty of traffic on the bases, too. But it was his defense that kept Kansas City from a big inning. The Tigers turned double plays in the third, fourth and fifth, the last after Mize had walked the bases loaded and Shelby Miller got Michael Massey to ground into the double play on the first pitch he threw.
Miller loaded the bases again in the sixth but got Tommy Pham to pop out and end the inning.
“Shelby bailed me out of a huge spot,” Mize said. “Our team is just resilient and that's what is important.”
WONDERFUL WITT
The Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. became the first shortstop in major league history with multiple seasons of at least 30 homers and 30 steals when the All-Star swiped second base in the first inning. Witt has 31 home runs this season, including a grand slam in the series opener Monday night, to go with 30 steals. The 24-year-old superstar had 49 steals and 30 homers last season.
ROSTER MOVES
Royals RHP James McArthur went on the injured list with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow, though Quatraro believes he could be back for the playoffs. “The hope is it's not a season-ending injury,” Quatraro said. RHP Steven Cruz was recalled from Triple-A Omaha to take his place in the bullpen.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Royals RHP Michael Lorenzen (left hamstring strain) and LHP Will Smith (lower back spasms) could make the next step in their rehab this weekend when they pitch against each other in live batting practice. There still is no date for their return.
UP NEXT
Tigers: LHP Tarik Skubal (16-4, 2.50) tries to match the Braves' Chris Sale with his major league-best 17th win in the series finale against Kansas City on Wednesday night. Skubal has won his last four decisions.
Royals: RHP Alec Marsh (8-8, 4.42) is on the mound against Detroit after striking out a career-best 11 in 5 1/3 innings last Friday night against Pittsburgh. Marsh pitched six innings of three-hit ball against Detroit on May 21.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Detroit Tigers' Matt Vierling celebrates on second after hitting an RBI double during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Detroit Tigers' Andy Ibanez beats the tag by Kansas City Royals catcher Freddy Fermin (34) to score on a double by Matt Vierling during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Casey Mize throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Kansas City Royals left fielder Tommy Pham fields an RBI double hit by Detroit Tigers' Matt Vierling during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Detroit Tigers' Andy Ibanez is hit by a pitch thrown by Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Cole Ragans during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. slides home to score on a single by Michael Massey during the third inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
