Update on the latest sports

MLB-SCHEDULE

Wisdom’s 3-run blast out of Wrigley leads Cubs past Rockies

UNDATED (AP) — Patrick Wisdom cracked a tiebreaking three-run homer in the fifth inning, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Colorado Rockies 5-2 in the first game of a doubleheader on Wednesday.

Wisdom launched a 1-1 slider from Austin Gomber over the left-field bleachers and onto Waveland Avenue for his 21st home run. Wisdom entered the year with four homers in 48 games over three seasons with the Cardinals, Rangers and Cubs.

David Bote and Austin Romine also homered for Chicago, which won its second straight at Wrigley Field after a team-record 13-game home losing streak. C.J. Cron hit his team-leading 22nd homer for the Rockies.

in other MLB action:

— Paul Goldschmidt homered twice and scored the game-ending run on Lars Nootbaar’s single in the 10th inning as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Detroit Tigers 3-2. Goldschmidt was intentionally walked to open the 10th and executed a one-out double steal with automatic runner Tommy Edman. Nolan Arenado was intentionally walked. After a fielder’s choice for the second out, Nootbaar lined a single to right field off Michael Fulmer and St. Louis improved to 11-5 in extra innings. Harold Castro tied it for Detroit in the ninth with a soft single to center off Cardinals closer Alex Reyes.

— Alex Bregman had two hits and an RBI in his first action in more than two months, and he scored the winning run in the 10th inning on a groundout by Jake Meyers to lift the Houston Astros to a 6-5 win over the Kansas City Royals. Kyle Tucker singled with no outs in the 10th to send automatic runner Bregman to third. Meyers then hit a comebacker that struck pitcher Joel Payamps and pulled him toward first base. Payamps tossed the ball to first for the meaningless out as Bregman slid home. Whit Merrifield hit a grand slam in the seventh inning for the Royals.

MLB-NEWS

2022 Season will be Molina’s last

UNDATED (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina’s 19th season will be his last. The 39-year-old made the announcement a day after agreeing to a $10 million deal for 2022 that represents a $1 million raise.

The 10-time All Star has spent his entire career in the Cardinals organization since the team selected him in the fourth round of the 2000 amateur draft.

He helped St. Louis win the World Series in 2006 and 2011.

Molina this season joined Yogi Berra and Johnny Bench as the only catchers in major league history to record 2,000 hits and play in 2,000 games with one team. His 18 seasons catching for the Cardinals are the most by any catcher with the same team.

In other MLB news:

— Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman has been activated from the disabled list after missing more than two months with a strained left quadriceps. Bregman was playing third and batting sixth in the lineup as the Astros wrapped up a series against the Kansas City Royals after splitting the first two games. The 27-year-old hasn’t played since he was injured running to first base on June 16.

— Mets ace Jacob deGrom played catch at Citi Field on Wednesday after an MRI showed improvement with the right forearm tightness that has sidelined him since July 7. Meanwhile, Noah Syndergaard will begin a minor league rehab assignment with High-A Brooklyn on Thursday. It was the first time deGrom played catch since being shut down from throwing entirely four weeks ago. DeGrom was transferred to the 60-day injured list last weekend and isn’t eligible to return until Sept. 13. He is 7-2 with a 1.08 ERA in 15 starts this year.

— Cleveland Indians right-handed pitcher Triston McKenzie has been placed on the 10-day injured list because of shoulder fatigue. The 24-year-old rookie dominated in his last two starts. McKenzie struck out Shohei Ohtani three times Saturday and held the Angels to two hits in seven innings. Left-hander Logan Allen was recalled from Triple-A Columbus to take McKenzie’s place on the roster.

— Game 7 of the World Series is scheduled for Nov. 3, its latest since 2009. The World Series is scheduled to start on Oct. 26 at the home of the pennant winner with the better regular-season record. The latest a World Series game has been played is Nov. 4, in 2001 and again in 2009.

NFL-NEWS

Only vaccinated personnel in locker rooms on NFL game days

UNDATED (AP) — The NFL is mandating that only fully vaccinated personnel, with a maximum of 50 people, will have access to locker rooms while players are present on game days.

In a memo sent to the 32 teams and obtained by The Associated Press, the policy becomes effective immediately. The personnel covered by the policy includes coaches, athletic trainers, equipment staffers, one general manager, one team security representative, three club communications media workers and one clubhouse support staffer.

Players are not required to be vaccinated against COVID-19, but the NFL has reported that more than 90% of them are.

In other NFL news:

— The Dallas Cowboys are still losing ground in a COVID-19 outbreak that was discovered just 90 minutes before their most recent preseason game. Coach Mike McCarthy isn’t sure how to assess the meaning two weeks before the Sept. 9 opener at Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay. Two projected starters in left guard Connor Williams and safety Damontae Kazee have been added to the COVID-19 list. Undrafted rookie safety Israel Mukuamu has returned. The others sidelined are receiver CeeDee Lamb, defensive tackle Carlos Watkins and safety Malik Hooker along with defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.

— The Los Angeles Rams have acquired running back Sony Michel from the New England Patriots for undisclosed 2022 draft picks. Michel brings some help to a Rams offense that was running low on healthy options with the regular season fast approaching. He was drafted by the Patriots in the first round in 2018 and entered the preseason at a pivotal point of his injury-plagued career. New England declined to pick up his fifth-year option in May, clearing the way for him to become a free agent.

— Green Bay Packers wide receiver Devin Funchess has gone on injured reserve after hurting his hamstring in a joint practice with the New York Jets last week. The move ends the season for Funchess. He hasn’t played a regular-season game since September 2019. Funchess caught a total of 21 touchdown passes over his first four NFL seasons with the Carolina Panthers. He joined the Indianapolis Colts in 2019 but fractured his collarbone in the opening week of that season. He signed with Green Bay in 2020 but opted out of last season.

— Veteran tight end Kyle Rudolph is finally getting on the field with the New York Giants. The Giants have announced that Rudolph has passed his physical and was taken off the physically unable to perform/active list. He will practice on a limited basis this week. Rudolph had offseason foot surgery and had been unable to practice since training camp started. One of the team’s biggest acquisitions in free agency, it is uncertain whether the former Minnesota Viking will be ready for the season opener on Sept. 12 at home against Denver.

— The Buffalo Bills have signed receiver Steven Sims to address an injury- and coronavirus-depleted position. Sims spent his first two NFL seasons in Washington. He had 61 catches for 575 yards and scored seven touchdowns in 28 career games. Cole Beasley and Gabriel Davis must spend five days in self-quarantine after being placed on the COVID-19/Reserve list on Tuesday.

— Trevor Lawrence will start Jacksonville’s season opener at Houston on Sept. 12. Coach Urban Meyer gave Lawrence the nod over third-year pro Gardner Minshew after two preseason games and a month of training camp. Lawrence, the top pick in the 2021 NFL draft, and Minshew, a two-year starter in Jacksonville, split first-team repetitions during camp.

— The Denver Broncos are going with Teddy Bridgewater over Drew Lock as their starting quarterback. Coach Vic Fangio informed his team of the decision Wednesday morning, a day after saying the quarterback competition was too close to call. Bridgewater was acquired from Carolina for a sixth-round draft pick in April.

— Tight end Luke Willson said he’s stepping away from football one day after re-signing with the Seattle Seahawks. In a lengthy statement on social media, Willson says he realized it was time to move on after being back in the building and participating in practice with the Seahawks. Willson said he spent time in the hospital during the offseason due to a pericardial effusion. He said the hospitalization changed his perspective on his life.

NBA-GRIZZLIES-ROCKIES TRADE

T-wolves seal deal with Grizzlies for ace defender Beverley

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves have finalized their acquisition of ace defender Patrick Beverley. They’re sending 2019 first-round draft pick Jarrett Culver and backup forward Juancho Hernangómez to the Memphis Grizzlies.

The trade was agreed to in principle last week after the Grizzlies got the 33-year-old Beverley from the Los Angeles Clippers. Beverley came with veteran guard Rajon Rondo and young center Daniel Oturu in a swap for versatile guard Eric Bledsoe. The 6-foot-1 Beverley will bring feistiness and experience to a Timberwolves team short on both attributes. He has three NBA All-Defensive team selections on his resume.

Beverley is in the final year of his contract, set to make about $14.3 million.

TENNIS-US OPEN-SERENA WILLIAMS OUT

Serena Williams pulls out of US Open, citing torn hamstring

UNDATED (AP) — Serena Williams has added herself to the list of big-name withdrawals from the U.S. Open. She pulled out of the year’s last Grand Slam tournament because of a torn hamstring.

Williams announced her decision in a social media post. She hasn’t competed since injuring her right leg during her first-round match at Wimbledon in late June.

The American joins Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in sitting out the competition in Flushing Meadows. Williams owns 23 Grand Slam titles. The American turns 40 next month. The draw for the U.S. Open is Thursday. Play begins next Monday.

In other news:

— Spectators will not be required to wear masks or show proof of their vaccination status to attend matches at the U.S. Open when the tennis tournament returns at full capacity next week. The year’s last Grand Slam tournament starts Monday in New York. Its virus protocols are based on what has been laid out by the CDC and the New York City Department of Public Health.