ST. LOUIS (AP) – St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols was held out of the starting lineup Sunday against the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Manager Tony La Russa said he felt Pujols needed a day off.   The Cardinals are off Monday, giving Pujols a two-day break.  The three-time NL MVP has been a healthy scratch twice this season, the last on July 20 against the New York Mets.  Lance Berkman made his 16th start at first on Sunday.  Pujols, who has started 113 games at first this season, missed 13 games with a fractured wrist from June 20-July 4.

     KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Todd Haley has complete confidence the Kansas City Chiefs can figure out a way to get their offense going in the right direction.  Even if they  manage to score once in a while going the wrong way.  The Chiefs’ high-profile starters struggled in their third consecutive preseason defeat Friday night, this time to the St.
Louis Rams. The first team’s only scoring drive came after an interception set up prime field position, and it went one yard backward before Ryan Succop kicked a short field goal.  With one preseason game left, time is running out to get things straightened out.

ST. LOUIS (AP) – Kyle Lohse went a workmanlike five innings for his 100th career win and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Lohse (12-8) gave up four runs, two of them earned. He allowed six hits, struck out four and walked two.  Lohse also put the Cardinals ahead to stay, getting an infield single in the fourth and scoring on Allen Craig’s sacrifice fly for a 5-4 lead.  Pittsburgh has lost four of its last six. The Pirates fell a season-high 18 games behind NL Central-leading Milwaukee.  Lohse became the 36th active pitcher to reach the 100-win mark.  He has 106 losses in his nine-year career.  Jason Motte picked up his first save of the season with a perfect ninth.  Jeff Karstens (9-8) gave up five earned runs in 3 2-3 innings.

Adair-Casey 21-18-15, Coon Rapids-Bayard 14-21-6
Adair-Casey 21-21, Ankeny Christian Academy 13-13
Adair-Casey 21-21, East Greene 15-17
Adair-Casey 25-25, St. Mary, Storm Lake 18-21
Bedford 21-21, Lamoni 16-16
Bedford 21-21, Martensdale-St Marys 18-18
Bedford 21-21, Mount Pleasant 19-16
Bedford 25-25, Clarke, Osceola 18-23
Cedar Falls 25-22-15, Lewis Central 17-25-9
Coon Rapids-Bayard 21-21, Ankeny Christian Academy 7-14
Coon Rapids-Bayard 21-21, East Greene 7-10
Coon Rapids-Bayard 25-12-15, Iowa Christian Academy 15-25-10
Coon Rapids-Bayard 25-29, Adair-Casey 13-27
East Greene 21-21, Ankeny Christian Academy 16-4
East Union 25-24-15, Bedford 15-26-10
Fort Dodge 16-25-17, IKM-Manning 25-16-15
IKM-Manning 16-25-15, Des Moines, East 25-18-7
Iowa Christian Academy 25-25, Paton-Churdan 12-12
Iowa Christian Academy 25-25, St. Mary, Storm Lake 23-22
Lewis Central 18-22-15, IKM-Manning 21-20-8
Lewis Central 21-21, Mason City 9-15
Mason City 22-21, IKM-Manning 20-6
Paton-Churdan 25-20-15, Ankeny Christian Academy 21-25-12