Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — After no-hit bids into the late innings helped the Nationals take a 2-0 lead over the Cardinals in the NL Championship Series, postseason star Stephen Strasburg takes the mound for Washington in Game 3 and 23-year-old ace Jack Flaherty for St. Louis. The Cardinals have just four hits and one run through the first two games. St. Louis is sending 23-year-old ace Jack Flaherty to the mound in Game 3.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Deshaun Watson threw for 280 yards and a touchdown while running for two more, outdueling Chiefs counterpart Patrick Mahomes and leading the Texans to a 31-24 victory Sunday. Carlos Hyde added 116 yards rushing and a touchdown against the team that traded him to Houston before the start of the season. Mahomes finished with 273 yards passing and three touchdowns, two of them to returning star Tyreek Hill.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The first finger that Andy Reid points after the Kansas City Chiefs lose a game is at himself, regardless of the score, the opponent or whatever may have transpired on the field. He probably deserved much of it Sunday. The Chiefs lost 31-24 to the Texans in a game punctuated by a laundry basket full of yellow flags, more dropped passes than in a Pop Warner football matchup, and questionable decisions by Reid throughout the game.

UNDATED (AP) — A review of college football statistics at midseason shows a lot of familiar names at or near the top of the charts and a few surprises, too. Oklahoma is on track to lead the nation in offense for a third straight year. LSU, which has ranked in the top 50 in offense only three other seasons since 2009, is producing points and yards at unprecedented rates. Wisconsin has posted four shutouts in six games, and Penn State, Ohio State and Iowa give the Big Ten four of the top five defenses.