ST. LOUIS (AP) — Andrew Miller and Ryan Helsley were hit hard as St. Louis’ bullpen stumbled during an 8-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs, but the Cardinals’ magic number for clinching the NL Central dropped to two. Miller, Helsley and Giovanny Gallegos allowed each of Chicago’s runs after Dakota Hudson struck out 10 in five scoreless innings.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Minnesota Twins became the record fourth team in the major leagues to win 100 games this season, beating the Kansas City Royals 6-2 behind two-run homers from Miguel Sanó and Ryan LaMarre in a game shortened to 6½ innings because of rain. Minnesota reached the century mark in wins for just the second time in franchise history. The 1965 Twins went 102-60, then lost the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games. The Royals are among a record-tying four teams with 100 losses.
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — No. 24 Kansas State goes on the road Saturday for its Big 12 opener. It’s also the first conference game for first-year head coach Chris Klieman, whose Wildcats are 3-0. They expect a big test from Oklahoma State, which is 3-1 and coming off a six-point loss at Texas. Oklahoma State has the nation’s top rusher in Chuba Hubbard.
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Kansas is still looking for its first Big 12 under Les Miles that long road losing streak no longer hangs over the Jayhawks. Kansas is playing Saturday at TCU. When they Jayhawks last played on the road two weeks ago, they won at Boston College, ending a streak of 48 consecutive road losses against power conference teams. They then lost at home to West Virginia in their Big 12 opener under Miles. Kansas’ only Big 12 win the past two seasons was at home against TCU last year.
WACO, Texas (AP) — Iowa State coach Matt Campbell is measuring the progress of the Cyclones in terms of three weeks. Baylor’s Matt Rhule can’t help but think of where his Bears have come over three seasons going into the Big 12 opener for both teams Saturday. Baylor is unbeaten through three games for the first time under Rhule. Iowa State has steadily improved since a shaky opening win over Northern Iowa. That progress includes a one-point loss to Iowa.
National Headlines
UNDATED (AP) _ The Oakland Athletics and Tampa Bay Rays wrapped up the two AL wild-card berths with help from the Cleveland Indians’ 8-2 loss at Washington. The A’s lead the Rays by one game after J.P. Crawford delivered a walk-off double in the bottom of the ninth to give Seattle a 4-3 win against Oakland. Tommy Pham hit a two-run blast and Austin Meadows added his 33nd home run of the season to power the Rays past Toronto, 6-2.
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) _ No. 12 Penn State is 40-2-1 all-time against Maryland after Sean Clifford threw for 398 yards and three touchdowns in the Nittany Lions’ 59-0 laugher at College Park. Clifford also had a TD run for the Nittany Lions, who led 38-0 at halftime and finished with 619 yards in their Big Ten opener. Penn State improved to 4-0 this season and has outscored the Terrapins 201-20 over their last four meetings.
BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) _ Eno Benjamin scored his third touchdown of the game on a 3-yard run with 4:41 remaining to lead Arizona State to a 24-17 victory over No. 15 California. Jayden Daniels added 174 yards passing and 84 more on the ground as the Sun Devils earned their second road win this season against a ranked team. The Golden Bears lost quarterback Chase Garbers to a right shoulder injury, spoiling their highest ranking in a decade.
CONCORD, N.C. (AP) _ William Byron and Alex Bowman led Hendrick Motorsports to a sweep of the front row in qualifying for the first elimination race in NASCAR’s playoffs. Byron went 103.198 mph around the hybrid road course/oval track at Charlotte Motor Speedway that was reconfigured last season to spice up the playoff stop. The bottom four in the playoff standings are Bowman, Clint Bowyer, Kurt Busch and Erik Jones, who dropped to last in the 16-driver field when his car failed post-race inspection last weekend at Richmond.
Friday Scores
INTERLEAGUE
Final Washington 8 Cleveland 2
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Detroit 0 Chi White Sox 0 (canceled)
Final Minnesota 6 Kansas City 2 (7 Innings)
Final Tampa Bay 6 Toronto 2
Final Baltimore 4 Boston 1
Final N-Y Yankees 14 Texas 7
Final Houston 4 L-A Angels 0
Final Seattle 4 Oakland 3
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Pittsburgh 6 Cincinnati 5
Final N-Y Mets 4 Atlanta 2
Final Colorado 11 Milwaukee 7
Final Philadelphia 5 Miami 4 (15 Innings)
Final Chi Cubs 8 St. Louis 2
Final Arizona 6 San Diego 3
Final L-A Dodgers 9 San Francisco 2
TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Final (12)Penn St. 59 Maryland 0
Final Arizona St. 24 (15)California 17