CINCINNATI (AP) — Sonny Gray struck out 10 while pitching five scoreless innings, and the Cincinnati Reds held off the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1. Gray, Robert Stephenson, Michael Lorenzen and Raisel Iglesias combined for a two-hitter. Iglesias surrendered Kolten Wong’s check-swing RBI double in the ninth before retiring pinch-hitter Matt Wieters on a fly ball to center to finish his 24th save.
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — Of all the things the Kansas City Chiefs wanted to accomplish during their three-week getaway to training camp at Missouri Western, returning home with everyone healthy probably topped the list. Not only did they accomplish that, they actually improved their roster depth. Now the trick is to remain healthy while preparing for the regular season back in Kansas City, where the Chiefs will resume their camp next week.
UNDATED (AP) — USA Football is piloting the game’s first long-term development program in the hopes of growing the game and catching up to other sports around the world. The sport’s governing body has launched its Football Development Model. Six youth leagues will team up with USA Football in the hopes of attracting more young players and improving skills. The leagues will experiment with new ways to coach fundamentals in practice and different ways to play the game.
National Headlines
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) _ Luis Arraez hit the first of three more homers by the Minnesota Twins in a 13-6 rout of the Texas Rangers. Miguel Sanó and Eddie Rosario also went deep for the Twins, whose 236 home runs are 31 off the record set by the Yankees last season. Marwin Gonzalez had a pair of RBI singles among his four hits.
NEW YORK (AP) _ Jose Ramirez and Carlos Santana each hit two of the Indians’ seven home runs in a 19-5 thrashing of the Yankees. Ramirez belted his first career grand slam in a seven-run first, and Greg Allen and Santana went back-to-back in a five-run eighth against rookie designated hitter Mike Ford. Every Cleveland starter had at least two of the team’s 24 hits as the Indians cut the Yankees’ lead in the AL East to 9 ½ games over Tampa Bay.
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) _ Matt Chapman hit two home runs for the second straight day and Matt Olson added a pair of round-trippers as the Athletics powered past the Astros, 7-6. Chapman broke a 6-6 deadlock with an eighth inning blast, one of 10 homers hit by the two teams. Michael Brantley and Carlos Correa connected for the Astros, who pace the AL West by 8 ½ games over Oakland.
UNDATED (AP) _ The Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals remain tied for the NL Central lead after both teams lost on Thursday. Bryce Harper blasted a grand slam with one out in the ninth inning to cap a six-run rally that sent the Philadelphia Phillies past the Cubs, 7-5. The Cardinals were 2-1 losers to the Reds as Sonny Gray and three Cincinnati relievers combined on a two-hitter.
ATLANTA (AP) _ The New York Mets avoided a three-game sweep as rookie Pete Alonso had five hits and six RBIs, including a three-run homer in a 10-8 victory in Atlanta. Amed Rosario’s career-high five hits included two doubles, two singles and a triple as the Mets cut the Braves’ lead in the NL East to 5 ½ games over Washington. Wilson Ramos had four of New York’s season-high 23 hits.
ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. (AP) _ Former NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. is safe and being evaluated in a hospital after his plane crashed in east Tennessee, according to his sister. Kelley Earnhardt Miller tweeted that Earnhardt’swife and 15-month-old daughter, also were on the plane along with two pilots, and that all are safe. Federal Aviation Administration officials said a Cessna Citation rolled off the end of a runway and caught fire after landing at Elizabethton Municipal Airport this afternoon.
MASON, Ohio (AP) _ Roger Federer suffered his quickest loss on the ATP Tour since 2003. Federer made numerous mistakes during the 62-minute match, a 6-3, 6-4 loss to 21-year-old qualifier Andre Rublev at the Western & Southern Open near Cincinnati. Federer has won the tournament a record seven times, but he fell to an opponent who has just one other victory against a top-five opponent.
MEDINAH, Ill. (AP) _ Justin Thomas and Jason Kokrak tied the course record while grabbing a share of the first-round lead at the PGA’s BMW Championship in Medinah, Illinois. Thomas and Kokrak opened with 7-under 65s for a one-shot advantage over Jim Furyk, Brandt Snedeker, Lucas Glover, Patrick Cantlay and Joel Dahmen. Rickie Fowler, Tony Finau and Adam Scott are among a group at minus-5.
Thursday Scores
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final Seattle 7 Detroit 2
Final Cleveland 19 N-Y Yankees 5
Final Minnesota 13 Texas 6
Final Oakland 7 Houston 6
Final L-A Angels 8 Chi White Sox 7
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Miami 13 L-A Dodgers 7
Final Cincinnati 2 St. Louis 1
Final Philadelphia 7 Chi Cubs 5
Final N-Y Mets 10 Atlanta 8
Final San Francisco 7 Arizona 0