Update on the latest sports

MLB-SCHEDULE

Bregman returns to lead Astros to comeback win

UNDATED (AP) — The Houston Astros have added another half-game to their lead in the American League West by earning a comeback win over the Kansas City Royals.

Alex Bregman had two hits and one RBI before scoring the winning run in the 10th inning of the Astros’ 6-5 victory. Bregman came home on a groundout by Jake Meyers to give Houston the rubber match of the three-game set.

Bregman was activated just before the game after missing two months with a strained left quadriceps.

Pinch-hitter Michael Brantley’s RBI single with two out in the eighth inning tied it at 5. Martín Maldonado and Yordan Alvarez hit solo homers to help Houston withstand Whit Merrifield’s grand slam in the seventh, which gave the Royals a 5-3 lead.

The Astros pace their division by five games over the idle Oakland Athletics.

Checking out Wednesday’s other major league action:

— Paul Goldschmidt homered twice and scored the game-ending run on Lars Nootbaar’s single in the 10th inning of the Cardinals’ 3-2 decision over the Tigers. St. Louis starter Jon Lester allowed one run on seven hits and two walks with four strikeouts in five innings. The Redbirds were one out from a 2-1 victory until Miguel Cabrera doubled and scored on pinch-hitter Harold Castro’s soft single.

— Patrick Wisdom slammed a tiebreaking, three-run homer in the fifth inning to send the Cubs past the Rockies, 5-2 in Game 1 of a doubleheader. The 29-year-old Wisdom has hit 21 home runs this season after belting just four in 48 games over his first three major league seasons. David Bote (BOH’-tee) and Austin Romine also homered for Chicago, which has won two straight at Wrigley Field since a team-record 13-game home losing streak.

MLB-NEWS

2022 Season will be Molina’s last

UNDATED (AP) — Yadier (YAH’-dee-ehr) Molina says he will end his major league playing career when his current contract expires after next season.

Molina announced the decision a day after he accepted a one-year, $10 million contract extension for the 2022 season.

The 10-time All Star and nine-time Gold Glove winner has spent his entire career in the Cardinals organization since the team drafted him in the fourth round of the 2000 MLB draft.

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.

Also around the majors:

— 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.

— The Indians have placed right-handed pitcher Triston McKenzie on the 10-day injured list because of shoulder fatigue. McKenzie dominated in winning his last two starts, allowing one run and three hits with 19 strikeouts in 15 innings. He came within four outs of a perfect game against the Tigers on Aug. 15.

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 Rams have acquired running back Sony Michel from the 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.

— Packers wide receiver Devin Funchess has gone on injured reserve after hurting his hamstring in a joint practice with the Jets last week. The move ends the season for Funchess, who hasn’t played a regular-season game since September 2019.

— Veteran tight end Kyle Rudolph is finally on the field with the New York Giants after passing his physical. Rudolph was taken off the physically unable to perform/active list and will practice on a limited basis this week after recovering from offseason foot surgery.

— 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 was the first player taken in this year’s draft.

— The Broncos are going with Teddy Bridgewater over Drew Lock as their starting quarterback. 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 Seahawks. In a lengthy statement on social media, 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.

— Jets defensive end Vinny Curry says he has a rare blood disorder that required his spleen to be removed. The 33-year-old Curry wrote in posts on Twitter and Instagram that Jets team doctors discovered the disorder last month, but he didn’t specify the condition ailing him.

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

In other NBA news:

— A diversity report found the leagues continues to lead men’s professional sports in racial and gender hiring practices, fueled by more general managers and assistant coaches of color in the league. The report card from The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at Central Florida assigned an overall B-plus grade, with an A for racial hiring and a B for gender hiring. The report annually examines positions for franchises as well as in league leadership, with this edition using data from early in the 2020-21 season.

TENNIS-US OPEN-SERENA WILLIAMS OUT

Serena Williams pulls out of US Open, citing torn hamstring

UNDATED (AP) — The U.S. Open will be played without Serena Williams, who has pulled out of the year’s last Grand Slam tournament because of a torn hamstring.

Williams hasn’t competed since injuring her right leg during her first-round match at Wimbledon in late June. She turns 40 next month.

The American joins Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in sitting out the competition in Flushing Meadows.