LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky says Ben Jordan, a right-handed pitcher who played last season on the men’s basketball team because of a shortage of players, has died. He was 22 years old.

The school announced Jordan’s death on Monday in a release and a Kentucky baseball spokesman said coach Nick Mingione has spoken with the player’s family. The school release did not specify a cause of death.

Mingione said in a release Tuesday that the program was devastated to learn of Jordan’s passing.

“There are no words to express the shock and heartache our team is feeling with the loss of Ben,” the coach said. “He was an absolute joy to coach and be around. ... We are all hurting and will find a way carry Ben’s legacy forward and keep him in our heart always.”

The 6-foot-9, 250-pound Jordan joined Kentucky’s basketball team last season when it lacked enough players for practice. He played just one minute in two games, but practicing against 6-11 Nick Richards was cited in helping Richards become a first-team All-Southeastern Conference selection by The Associated Press and coaches.

“Ben impacted our team last season in so many ways with his kind heart, his big smile and his wonderful personality,” coach John Calipari said in a release. “He cared so deeply about this place and it meant so much to him to be a part of this team.”

The Olive Hill, Kentucky, native had a 7.27 earned run average in 2019 after pitching 8 2/3 innings over 10 games and allowed eight hits, eight runs (seven earned), 12 walks with eight strikeouts. Jordan redshirted his 2018 freshman season while recovering from an injury.

Jordan was on Kentucky’s 35-man baseball active roster last spring but had not joined the team because of his basketball obligations before the season was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic. He also made the SEC spring sports Academic Honor Roll.

CINCINNATI (AP) — Michael Hermosillo homered for the first time since 2018, Ian Happ and Sergio Alcántara also went deep, and the depleted Chicago Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds 7-1 on Wednesday, taking two of three from their playoff-contending NL Central rivals.

“If you can come out of there with a series win you feel really good, and it feels like it’s been a little while since we’ve done that,” Cubs manager David Ross said. “That was really just a good offensive team. Our pitching showed up.”

Frank Schwindel and Rafael Ortega also drove in runs for the Cubs, who ended a 12-game skid a day earlier. Schwindel, Chicago’s regular first baseman since Anthony Rizzo was dealt to the Yankees at the deadline, had six hits in the series and is batting .329.

Adrian Sampson, called up from Triple-A Iowa earlier in the day to pitch in the majors for the first time since 2019, held the suddenly quiet Reds to one run and five hits in four innings.

Relievers Manuel Rodríguez (1-2), Rowan Wick, Adam Morgan and Trevor Megill blanked Cincinnati over the final five innings, allowing one hit.

Reds starter Tyler Mahle (10-4) gave up five runs and eight hits in five innings. Jeff Hoffman came on in the sixth and promptly surrendered Alcántara’s homer.

After exploding for 14 runs in the series opener Monday night, Cincinnati managed a single run in each of the last two games.

The Cubs banged out 12 hits and won for the fourth time in 19 games since trading stars Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Javier Báez and Craig Kimbrel.

Happ’s first-inning homer was his second in as many games. Hermosillo, called up from Triple-A on Tuesday, slammed a 441-foot, two-run bomb into the upper deck in left field during a four-run second.

Tyler Naquin homered in the second, the only time Cincinnati got a runner past second base. The top five Reds hitters combined to go 1-for-19.

“We know every game takes our best,” Reds manager David Bell said. “Today (Sampson) pitched a good game against us. He threw the ball inside, and did a good job against the top of our lineup.”

BATTLING FOR A ROLE

Sampson said he knew when he was called up that he could stake his claim for a spot in Chicago’s rotation.

“Right now it’s almost ‘Game of Thrones’-esque,” he said. “We’re being asked what kind of role do we want to play in this organization going forward. It’s ours for the taking. If you want it, you got to go get it. I really want this job, and I’m going to do everything I can to be successful.”

IMAGINE THAT

Hermosillo’s only other major league homer was on Sept. 28, 2018, when he was with the Los Angeles Angels. The opposing pitcher for Texas was Sampson.

“I didn’t feel like that was something I should bring up,” Hermosillo said. Sampson said he didn’t realize it until Wednesday.

SHORTSTOP OF THE FUTURE?

The Reds are getting their first good look this season at their top minor league prospect, Jose Barrero, who had been tearing it up in the minors. Barrero — then known as Jose Garcia — was with the major league club last season for 24 games but hit poorly. The 23-year-old was recalled Tuesday after hitting .303 with 17 home runs and 62 RBIs at Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Louisville. He got the start Wednesday and went 2 for 3 with a walk, including a ninth-inning double.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cubs: RHP Adbert Alzolay (hamstring) threw a bullpen session Wednesday.

UP NEXT

Cubs: After a day off, Chicago returns to Wrigley Field to open a weekend series Friday against the Kansas City Royals.

Reds: Right-hander Luis Castillo (6-12, 4.51 ERA) is set to go as Cincinnati opens a four-game set with the Miami Marlins.

NEW YORK (AP) — Trevor Bauer’s administrative leave has been extended through Aug. 20 by Major League Baseball and the players’ association while the sport’s investigators check into allegations of sexual misconduct against the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher.

Bauer was placed on seven days’ paid leave July 2 under the joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy adopted by MLB and the players’ union in 2015. MLB and the union have agreed to several extensions.

Police in Pasadena, California, and MLB are investigating the allegations made against Bauer by a woman who says the pitcher choked her to the point where she lost consciousness and punched her during two sexual encounters this year.

The pitcher’s agents have disputed the allegations.

NEW YORK (AP) — Trevor Bauer’s administrative leave was extended by nearly two weeks through July 27 by Major League Baseball and the players’ association while the sport’s investigators check into allegations of sexual misconduct against the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher.

Bauer was placed on seven days’ paid leave on July 2 under the joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy adopted by MLB and the players’ union in 2015. This first extension had been through July 15.

Police in Pasadena, California, and MLB are investigating the allegations made against Bauer by a Southern California woman who says the pitcher choked her to the point where she lost consciousness and punched her during two sexual encounters earlier this year. The woman obtained a protection order against Bauer last month under the Domestic Violence Prevention Act.

According to the woman’s declaration attached to the request for the protection order, she suffered injuries as a result of the second encounter, including two black eyes, a bloodied swollen lip, significant bruising and scratching to one side of her face.

The pitcher’s agents, Jon Fetterolf and Rachel Luba, have disputed the allegations and Fetterolf has said his client’s interactions with the woman were wholly consensual. A hearing related to the protection order is scheduled for July 23 and Bauer’s lawyers plan to refute the allegations..

Bauer agreed to a $102 million, three-year contract to join his hometown Dodgers earlier this year after winning his first Cy Young with the Cincinnati Reds last season. Bauer is 8-5 with a 2.59 ERA in 17 starts this season.

CINCINNATI (AP) — Guillermo Heredia homered, doubled and made a defensive gem before crashing into the wall in the eighth inning in his return to Atlanta’s lineup, helping the Braves beat the Cincinnati Reds 3-2 on Friday night.

The game’s first run came in the fifth when Atlanta’s Freddie Freeman doubled home Ronald Acuña Jr. for his 900th career RBI.

Acuña returned to the lineup after missing two games with lower back tightness.

Dansby Swanson hit a solo homer in the sixth and Heredia added a solo shot in the seventh, both off Reds rookie Vladimir Gutiérrez (3-2).

Gutiérrez got some defensive help in the fourth. With runners on second and third and two outs, Eugenio Suárez made a diving stop of William Contreras’ bouncer down the line and threw to first from his knees to end the inning.

Suárez also hit a solo home run off Luke Jackson in the seventh.

Drew Smyly (1-1) exited after six innings with a 3-1 lead. And the bullpen made things interesting.

Heredia, who returned to the lineup after being available off the bench the last two games due to right wrist inflammation, robbed Jesse Winker of an extra-base hit leading off the eighth. He collided with the wall and appeared to hurt his right shoulder on the play, but remained in the game after being attended to by training staff.

Will Smith worked the ninth and picked up his 16th save.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Reds: After being scratched from his minor-league rehab start on Thursday due to a stiff back, right-hander Sonny Gray is confident he can make his scheduled start on Saturday, keeping him on track to rejoin the Reds rotation next week. Outfielder Nick Senzel (left knee) and infielder Mike Moustakas (right heel) aren’t expected back until after the All-Star break.

UP NEXT

After posting a 7.22 ERA in his first 11 starts. Reds right-hander Luis Castillo (2-10, 5.61 ERA) has a 2.19 ERA in four starts since. He’ll be opposed by right-hander Ian Anderson (5-3, 3.33 ERA), who is making his first career start against the Reds.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Cincinnati right-hander Sonny Gray is set to make his first start of the season Saturday at Cleveland, a welcome boost for a Reds staff that’s struggled at times.

Gray began spring training as the Reds’ possible opening day starter. But he experienced back spasms, made just one Cactus League start and opened the regular season on the 10-day injured list.

The 31-year-old Gray is an obvious asset to the Reds’ starting rotation. The two-time All-Star has a 75-63 record and a 3.54 ERA in eight seasons, including 5-3 with a 3.70 ERA last year.

“I’m very much looking forward to coming back and helping these guys win some games,” Gray said in a video interview.

The Reds led the NL Central with a 7-4 record as Wednesday began, but their 4.33 team ERA ranked ninth in the league. Cincinnati earned an NL wild-card spot last year, but lost Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer to the Los Angeles Dodgers in free agency.

Gray’s return promoted the Reds to move right-hander José De León from the rotation to the bullpen. DeLeon was 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA in two starts.

“I think it could be an exciting opportunity for him,” manager David Bell said. “I think he has a real chance to help us out of the bullpen. He could always go right back in the rotation if needed. He’s very built up and that’s not going to go away any time in the next few weeks.”

DeLeon’s move to the bullpen assured right-hander Jeff Hoffman of remaining in the rotation, at least for the immediate future. Hoffman is 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA in two starts.

“I’m just here to help the team win and whatever capacity that is, I’m game for it,” Hoffman said.