WASHINGTON (AP) — Yadier Molina hit a grand slam, Marcell Ozuna homered twice and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Washington Nationals 11-8. Molina provided a cushion for St. Louis via his sixth career slam, which made it 11-5 with two outs in the ninth. The Cardinals, who occupy the second NL wild card spot, hit five homers overall as they stopped a three-game skid.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Mike Clevinger struck out 10, Francisco Lindor homered leading off the first and the Cleveland Indians rolled over the Kansas City Royals 9-3 to snap a three-game losing streak. Yandy Diaz hit his first major league homer and Jason Kipnis drove in two runs as the Indians moved closer to their third straight AL Central title. Royals starter Danny Duffy left in the first inning with a sore left shoulder and afterward said his season is over.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs have signed backup offensive lineman Cam Erving to a two-year contract extension, one year after acquiring the former first-round draft pick in a trade with Cleveland.
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Sporting Kansas City has signed four of its All-Star players, including longtime star Graham Zusi and defender Matt Besler, to multi-year contract extensions. Midfielders Roger Espinoza and Ilie Sanchez also signed extensions, ensuring that four of the club’s most popular and important players will remain its foundation for at least the next couple years.
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — New blood helped bring new results for Oklahoma’s defense against Florida Atlantic. Freshmen Ronnie Perkins, Brendan Radley-Hiles, Justin Broiles and Ryan Jones were key contributors in the seventh-ranked Sooners’ 63-14 win in the season opener. The youngsters will be tested again on Saturday when the Sooners host UCLA and coach Chip Kelly.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas coach Tom Herman won’t change quarterbacks after a season-opening loss and still insists his team is better than in 2017. Herman said Monday his players were trying too hard early in a road loss to Maryland. He compared the Longhorns to the character Lennie in the classic novel “Of Mice and Men.” Herman says the Longhorns wanted to win so badly they killed their chance to do it.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia linebacker Charlie Benton will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury. Coach Dana Holgorsen says Benton will have season-ending surgery. Benton injured his left knee in the second quarter of West Virginia’s 40-14 win Saturday over Tennessee.
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — While much of the spotlight from Oklahoma State’s season-opening 58-17 victory over Missouri State shone on the offense and new quarterback Taylor Cornelius, the contest also featured the Cowboy debut of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and his new 4-2-5 scheme. Overall, the Oklahoma State defense had a fairly successful showing.
National Headlines
NEW YORK (AP) — Serena Williams has reached the U.S. Open women’s semifinals as she seeks her 24th Grand Slam title. Williams fell behind a break before posting a 6-4, 6-3 win over eighth seed Karolina Pliskova. Next up for Williams is Anastasia Sevastova, who upset defending champion Sloane Stephens, 6-2, 6-3.
NEW YORK (AP) — John Isner ended his bid to become the first American since Andy Roddick in 2006 to reach the U.S. Open men’s semifinals. The 11th seed was eliminated with a 6-7, 6-3, 7-6, 6-2 loss to Juan Martin del Potro, who made just 14 unforced errors compared to Isner’s 52.
UNDATED (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig began his two-game suspension on Tuesday after losing his appeal of the punishment. Puig was involved in an altercation with San Francisco’s Nick Hundley during an Aug. 14 game, taking an open-handed swipe at the catcher’s mask. He is eligible to return for Friday’s series opener at Colorado.
WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. (AP) — Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau have been selected as three of Jim Furyk’s four captain’s picks for the Ryder Cup later this month. Woods will return to the Cup as a player for the first time in six years, Mickelson will make a record 12th straight appearance in the event and DeChambeau has won the first two FedEx Cup playoff events to rise to No. 7 in the world. Furyk’s final captain’s pick will be announced Monday after the BMW Championship.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana Pacers have signed coach Nate McMillan to a multi-year contract extension. McMillan is 90-74 in two years as head coach after serving as the associate head coach for three seasons under Frank Vogel. He finished sixth in Coach of the Year balloting after the Pacers surprised nearly everyone in earning the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 48-34 record last season.
Tuesday Scores
INTERLEAGUE
Final Boston 5 Atlanta 1
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final Tampa Bay 4 Toronto 0
Final Cleveland 9 Kansas City 3
Final Texas 4 L-A Angels 2
Final Detroit 8 Chi White Sox 3
Final Houston 5 Minnesota 2
Final N-Y Yankees 5 Oakland 1
Final Baltimore 5 Seattle 3
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final St. Louis 11 Washington 8
Final Pittsburgh 7 Cincinnati 3
Final Philadelphia 9 Miami 4
Final Milwaukee 11 Chi Cubs 1
Final Colorado 6 San Francisco 2
Final Arizona 6 San Diego 0
Final L-A Dodgers 11 N-Y Mets 4