diff --git a/src/base_classes/baseball.py b/src/base_classes/baseball.py
index 83b90a24..ac84bfb7 100644
--- a/src/base_classes/baseball.py
+++ b/src/base_classes/baseball.py
@@ -151,7 +151,12 @@ class Baseball(SportsCore):
 
             # Only log detailed information for favorite teams
             if is_favorite_game:
-                self.logger.debug(f"Full status data: {game_event['status']}")
+                # Use the validated competition-level `status` here too. MiLB
+                # events carry no event-level one, so this debug line raised a
+                # KeyError and dropped the very games it was meant to help
+                # diagnose -- and only for favourites, which is the worst way
+                # for it to fail.
+                self.logger.debug(f"Full status data: {status}")
                 self.logger.debug(f"Status type: {game_status}, State: {status_state}")
                 self.logger.debug(f"Status detail: {status['type'].get('detail', '')}")
                 self.logger.debug(
diff --git a/test/test_sports_base_characterization.py b/test/test_sports_base_characterization.py
index 980446f7..42c7f427 100644
--- a/test/test_sports_base_characterization.py
+++ b/test/test_sports_base_characterization.py
@@ -363,6 +363,20 @@ class TestExtractGameDetailsContract:
         assert details is not None
         assert details["inning"] == 7
 
+    def test_baseball_live_without_top_level_status_extracts_for_favorites(self):
+        # The favourite-team branch logs the status payload for diagnostics and
+        # read the same event top-level key the test above proves can be
+        # absent. So the identical MiLB event that extracts fine for a
+        # non-favourite raised KeyError and was dropped once the team WAS a
+        # favourite -- the worst shape for the bug, since it only hit the games
+        # the user cared most about, and only on the diagnostic path that was
+        # supposed to help debug them.
+        event = make_event("413", "in", "2026-07-16T23:05:00Z", period=7)
+        del event["status"]
+        details = extract(Baseball, event, favorites=["TB"])
+        assert details is not None
+        assert details["inning"] == 7
+
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # 2. update() flow on concrete subclasses (offline, cache-fed)