Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Fourth-line grinder Tyler Motte scored two breakaway goals to power the Vancouver Canucks to a come-from-behind 4-3 win over the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday night. The Canucks lead the best-of-seven opening-round series 3-2 and can send the defending Stanley Cup champions packing from the post-season with a win Friday night.
CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 to earn a split of a doubleheader. David Bote hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the seventh and final inning of Wednesday's nightcap, sending the Cubs to their third win in four games. Reliever Jeremy Jeffress earned the win and Craig Kimbrel worked the seventh for his first save of the season. In the opener, Matt Carpenter belted a first-inning grand slam and the Cardinals beat the Cubs 9-3. St. Louis held Chicago to two hits in the seven-inning game even though shaky starter Jack Flaherty recorded only five outs.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Trevor Bauer pitched seven innings of one-hit ball, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Kansas City Royals 5-0 to split a doubleheader marked by strong starting pitching. In the opener of the two seven-inning games, Brad Keller didn't allow a hit until the sixth and extended his shutout streak, leading the Royals past the Reds 4-0. Bauer allowed only a single by Adalberto Mondesi in the fifth inning. He walked three and struck out nine, lowering his ERA to 0.68. After the game's final out, Bauer unbuttoned his jersey to reveal a T-shirt depicting him throwing the ball over the center field wall in his final start before Cleveland traded him away.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Reds broadcaster Thom Brennaman has been suspended from working Cincinnati's games after using an anti-gay slur on air. Brennaman used the slur moments after the Fox Sports Ohio feed returned from a commercial break before the top of the seventh inning in the first game of a doubleheader at Kansas City. Brennaman did not seem to realize he was already on air and later apologized. The 56-year-old Brennaman was pulled from the broadcast in the fifth inning of the second game. The Reds say they will "be addressing our broadcasting team in the coming days."
UNDATED (AP) — After facing a week of backlash from players, their parents, fans and others, Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren attempted to elaborate on the decision to postpone football season until spring. The first-year commissioner has been criticized for a lack of transparency in how the decision to call off football this fall was made. He said the vote by the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors was overwhelmingly in support of postponing fall sports and will not be revisited. Warren wrote that transmission rates continue to rise at an alarming rate, there is too much unknown about the virus, recovery from infection and long-term effects and that there are concerns about contact tracing.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs will be without starting cornerback Bashaud Breeland for the first four games of the season because of off-the-field issues earlier this year, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The person confirmed the league intends to suspend Breeland on the condition of anonymity because the announcement had not been made. The news, which was first reported by ESPN.com, has long been assumed after Breeland was arrested in April on multiple charges that included resisting arrest, marijuana possession and driving without a license.
RIDGEDALE, Mo. (AP) — Tom Lehman had four birdies in a late five-hole stretch for a 7-under 64 and a share of the first-round lead with Shane Bertsch on Wednesday in the Charles Schwab Series at Bass Pro Shops Big Cedar Lodge. Coming off a 43rd-place tie at 13 over last week at Firestone in the Senior Players Championship, the 61-year-old Lehman birdied Nos. 4, 5, 6 and 8 and closed with a par at Buffalo Ridge in the first of two 54-hole events at Big Cedar Lodge. The 50-year-old Bertsch is making his second senior start. Darren Clarke, Tim Petrovic and Wes Short Jr. shot 66.
Update on the latest sports
NHL PLAYOFFS
Lightning, Bruins, Avalanche, Flyers look to clinch their series
UNDATED (AP) — The Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche and Philadelphia Flyers are one win away from advancing in the NHL playoffs. Those teams are up 3-1 in their respective first-round series and have up to three opportunities to close out best-of-seven matchups against lower-seeded opponents.
Tampa Bay can close out the Columbus Blue Jackets today, Boston can oust the Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado can eliminate the Arizona Coyotes and Flyers will try to advance against the Montreal Canadiens.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Cole tries to extend 20-game win streak
UNDATED (AP) — Yankees ace Gerrit Cole can set an AL record by winning his 21st consecutive regular season start when New York hosts the AL East rival Rays.
Cole's 20-game run matches Roger Clemens for the best in AL history, and Hall of Famer Carl Hubbell holds the major league record at 24. Cole hasn't lost a decision in the regular season since May 22, 2019, against the White Sox while with Houston.
The Rays send Tyler Glasnow to the mound.
Elsewhere in the majors:
— The Red Sox have lost nine in a row, their worst skid since dropping 10 straight in 2014. Michael Chavis struck out five times in a 13-6 loss to Philadelphia last night. Lefty Kyle Hart will try to end the slump and earn his first big league win when he starts against Jake Arrieta and the Phillies today at Fenway Park.
— The Dodgers have won seven in a row and own the best record in the majors at 18-7. They sent the Mariners to their seventh straight loss Tuesday. Then the teams went straight from Dodger Stadium, where it was 102 degrees for the first pitch, to the airport for the two-hour flight to Seattle, where Los Angeles sends Julio Urías against Taijuan Walker.
— Matt Harvey is set to make his debut for the Kansas City Royals, trying to resurrect a career that's been filled with starts and stops for the former All-Star. The 31-year-old Harvey is scheduled to start the second game of a seven-inning doubleheader against Cincinnati at Kauffman Stadium. The Reds have been out of action since a player returned a positive test Friday night. Once dominant with the Mets, Harvey did well enough for the Reds in 2018, but was 3-5 with a 7.09 ERA for the Angels last year. Harvey pitched in the minors for Oakland late last season and signed with the Royals last month.
— The Tigers will debut another prized pitching prospect when Casey Mize starts against the White Sox. A night after left-hander Tarik Skubal allowed four runs in two innings in his first big league appearance, Mize will try to do better. The right-hander was the first overall pick in the 2018 draft and helped form a dominant rotation at Double-A Erie with Skubal last year.
— The Astros have won a season-high six straight after beating Colorado 2-1 at Minute Maid Park. The clubs now open a series at Coors Field when Houston's Framber Valdez opposes Ryan Castellani.
NFL-NEWS
Florida appeals court rules secret videos can't be used in Kraft massage case
UNDATED (AP) — A Florida appeals court has ruled that police violated the rights of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and others when they secretly video recorded them paying for massage parlor sex acts.
The decision Wednesday by the 4th District Court of Appeal bars the tapes' use at trial and could deal a potentially deadly blow to the prosecution. The court decided that Kraft's rights were violated under the 4th Amendment to the Constitution, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures.
Prosecutors could appeal to the state Supreme Court but if this ruling stands, charges against Kraft and others might be dropped.
In other NFL news:
— Miami Dolphins linebacker Vince Biegel suffered a significant right leg injury in practice. Coach Brian Flores said Wednesday that the team was still awaiting test results after Biegel was carted off the field Tuesday. Last year Biegel started 10 games, led the Dolphins with 13 quarterback hurries and tied for the team lead with seven tackles for a loss. He had 2½ sacks and also played on special teams.