MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa State football team showed up in storm-ravaged Marshalltown to help residents clean up two days after a destructive tornado swept through the city. The entire Cyclones roster traveled from Ames to Marshalltown, making quick work out of a number of tasks on Saturday before catching a breather at a local schoolyard, The Marshalltown Times-Republican reported.

Players did everything from clearing tree limbs and debris, raking yards, moving remnants of houses, rooftops and garages, and removing furniture from damaged homes and businesses.

“I don’t have words for it, you know what I mean?” said redshirt freshman offensive lineman Colin Newell. “You just put yourself in that position for a second and you’re like, ‘wow.’ “We had some guys come up here (Friday) and help out, and they said we’ve got to get more guys up here and do what we can to help out. We’ve got a lot of people with us, so we can bring a lot of manpower with us and get out here and help these people out.”

One of the group’s first undertakings of the day was to help a family move its car out of the driveway and a truck out from under a garage that fallenon it. A tearful owner offered hugs to any Cyclone football player who crossed her path — and some pledged their fandom to Iowa State, even if only for a day. “Just doing it for the community makes it all worth it, too, just helping out Iowa and Marshalltown get back to where they were at,” said redshirt freshman offensive lineman Alex Kleinow.

Both Newell and Kleinow have dealt indirectly with flood damage to their own hometowns, but that was nothing compared with what Marshalltown experienced during the tornado. “This is really eye-opening,” Kleinow said.

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

CHICAGO (AP) — Matt Carpenter homered for the sixth consecutive game and Paul DeJong hit a tiebreaking double in St. Louis’ three-run ninth inning, helping the Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 6-3 to split their day-night doubleheader. Carpenter also had a solo shot in the opener after he went 5 for 5 with three homers and seven RBIs while playing just six innings in St. Louis’ 18-5 victory on Friday.

CHICAGO (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals have placed right-hander Carlos Martinez on the 10-day disabled list with a strained right side. The move comes a day after Martinez struggled through five innings in a 9-6 loss to the Chicago Cubs. Martinez has dropped his last two starts. General manager Michael Girsch says he hopes Martinez misses only one start.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez homered, reliever Brian Flynn picked up the win with three scoreless innings and the Kansas City Royals beat the Minnesota Twins 4-2. The Royals won back-to-back games for the first time since May 29-30.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs have a new quarterback in Patrick Mahomes II, new assistant coaches and open jobs on both sides of the ball. Still, the way Mahomes takes over for the departed Alex Smith is the big storyline as the Chiefs report to the campus of Missouri Western for the start of training camp.

CHICAGO (AP) — Matt Carpenter homered for the sixth consecutive game and Paul DeJong hit a tiebreaking double in St. Louis’ three-run ninth inning, helping the Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 6-3 on Saturday to split their day-night doubleheader.

Carpenter entered as a defensive replacement in the sixth and hit a solo drive in the seventh for his fifth homer in the past two days. He also had a solo shot in the opener after he went 5 for 5 with three homers and seven RBIs while playing just six innings in St. Louis’ 18-5 victory on Friday.

Carpenter became the first player in Cardinals history to homer in six consecutive games during one season. He matched the club record held by Mark McGwire, who connected in six straight games over two years.

The Cardinals trailed 3-2 before Yairo Munoz hit a tying single with two outs in the eighth. DeJong came up with runners on first and second in the ninth and doubled to left field against Steve Cishek.

Tommy Pham added a two-run double as St. Louis improved to 7-5 against NL Central-leading Chicago this season. Sam Tuivailala (2-3) pitched a scoreless eighth for the win and Bud Norris got three outs for his 18th save on a blustery day at Wrigley Field.

It was one sweet swing for DeJong, who committed a costly error in Chicago’s three-run sixth. He also bounced into a critical double play during St. Louis’ 7-2 loss in the opener.

Anthony Rizzo had four hits from the leadoff spot and Mike Montgomery pitched six effective innings, but the Cubs’ bullpen was unable to close it out. Justin Wilson (3-3) took the loss after walking the first two batters in the ninth.

Rizzo also reached four times in Game 1, including three walks and a leadoff triple. The big first baseman is batting .542 (13 for 24) in seven games since manager Joe Maddon put him in the leadoff spot to try to jolt him out of a slump.

The Cubs grabbed the opener behind Tyler Chatwood (4-5), who pitched into the sixth inning for his first win since May 11. Ben Zobrist went 4 for 4, Javier Baez had three hits and two RBIs, and Tommy La Stella also drove in two runs in the makeup of an April 16 rainout.

UP NEXT

Mikolas (10-3, 2.79 ERA) and Quintana (8-6, 3.96 ERA) pitch in the finale of the five-game set. Mikolas is 2-0 with a 3.94 ERA in three July starts. Quintana is 3-2 with a 2.81 ERA in six career starts against St. Louis.

CLASS 1A Quarterfinals @ Principal Park in Des Moines:

Lisbon 2, Don Bosco 1

North Linn/Troy Mills 6, Remsen/St. Mary’s 3

1A Semifinals on Thursday, 7/26 @ Principal Park in Des Moines:

11-a.m. Mason City/Newman Catholic vs. Martensdale-St. Marys

1:30-p.m. Lisbon vs. North Linn/Troy Mills.

CLASS 2A Quarterfinals, Monday (7/23) @ Principal Park in Des Moines:

11-a.m. Iowa City/Regina vs. Treynor

1:30-p.m. Van Meter vs. Alta/Aurelia

5-p.m. Estherville/Lincoln Central vs. Centerville

7:30-p.m. Wilton vs. Denver

The Class 3A and 4A Quarterfinals will be held Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, also at Principal Park in Des Moines.

Tyler Chatwood picked up his first victory in two months by working into the sixth inning of the Cubs’ 7-2 decision over the Cardinals in Game 1 of a doubleheader. Chatwood hit a batter and issued six walks, but he allowed just one hit over 5 1/3 innings. Ben Zobrist went 4-for-4 and scored twice for Chicago, while Javier Baez had three hits and two RBIs.

The Cardinals placed right-hander Carlos Martinez on the 10-day disabled list with a right oblique strain. St. Louis also activated right-hander Miles Mikolas from the paternity list and recalled reliever John Brebbia from Triple-A Memphis. Right-hander Luke Weaver was added to the roster as the 26th man for Saturday’s day-night doubleheader at Wrigley Field.

Class 3A Third Place Game
2:30 p.m. – Diamond 2
Humboldt 5,  Albia 4

Class 3A Championship
3:30 p.m. – Buena Vista University Diamond
Davenport Assumption 4, Roland-Story 2

Class 4A Third Place
4:45 p.m. – Diamond 2
Newton 7, Sergeant Bluff-Luton 6 (8 innings)

Class 4A Championship
5:45 p.m. – Buena Vista University Diamond
Des Moines Hoover 8, ADM 3

Class 5A Third Place
7:00 p.m. – Diamond 2
Cedar Rapids Jefferson 2, West Des Moines Valley 0

Class 5A Championship
8:00 p.m. – Buena Vista University Diamond
Pleasant Valley 3, Indianola 0

CLASS 1A
Quarterfinals – Friday, July 20

Newman Catholic, Mason City 10, Tri-Center, Neola 0 (5 innings)

Martensdale-St. Marys 3 St. Albert, Council Bluffs 2

CHICAGO (AP) — Matt Carpenter hit three home runs and two doubles in just six innings, tying the major league record for extra-base hits in a game, and the St. Louis Cardinals hammered the Chicago Cubs 18-5 Friday.

Carpenter went 5 for 5 and drove in seven runs at Wrigley Field. He led off the game with a home run and was pulled after adding a three-run drive in the sixth.

Carpenter became the 14th player with five extra-base hits in a game, and the first to do it for the Cardinals.

Trailing 15-1 after Carpenter’s third homer, the Cubs used three position players to pitch the rest of the way — infielder Tommy La Stella, backup catcher Victor Caratini and versatile Ian Happ. La Stella and Caratini gave up homers as the Cubs became the first team since the 1979 Milwaukee Brewers to use three position players on the mound in a game.

The NL Central-leading Cubs lost for just the fourth time in their last 17 games.

Carpenter joined Cubs star Kris Bryant as the only players in the majors to hit three home runs and two doubles in a game. Bryant homered in this game, too, as did teammate Willson Contreras.

Carpenter has homered in four straight games. During that stretch, he is 9 for 16 with six home runs, three doubles and 10 RBIs.

The leadoff homer by Carpenter was his team-record sixth of the season and 21st of his career, matching the club mark held by Hall of Famer Lou Brock.

Carpenter hit a two-run homer in the second inning off Jon Lester (12-3). Carpenter doubled twice in the fourth and hit a three-run drive, his 23rd this year, off reliever Brian Duensing in the sixth.

Carpenter has faced Lester more than any other pitcher during his career, but was just 7 for 50 (.140) with 14 strikeouts and one home run against the lefty until breaking loose.

Lester (12-3) was tagged for a season-high eight runs on seven hits and five walks in three innings. It was his first loss since a 1-0 loss to Cleveland on May 23.

The Cardinals tied a season high with 18 hits as they bounced back after dropping the first game of the five-game series. The teams play a day-night doubleheader on Saturday and in order to save his bullpen, Cubs manager Joe Maddon used other parts of his roster.

It was the first time two position players were used to pitch for the Cubs since at least 1907, according to Cubs historian Ed Hartig.

La Stella allowed one run in 1 1-3 innings, a homer by Greg Garcia. Caratini gave up a pinch-hit, two-run homer to Yairo Munoz in the eighth and Happ pitched a scoreless ninth.

Cardinals starter Jack Flaherty (4-4) pitched five innings. He allowed one run and two hits, while pitching around four walks with nine strikeouts.

UP NEXT

Cardinals interim manager Mike Shildt is scheduled to start RHP Luke Weaver (0-1) in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader with RHP John Gant (3-3) starting the nightcap. Gant has made two starts in the majors this season. He allowed 10 runs in eight innings.

Maddon said RHP Tyler Chatwood (3-5) will start the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader and LHP Mike Montgomery (3-3) will start the second game. Chatwood is 0-3 against the Cardinals with a 6.41 ERA, three games as a starter and three games as a reliever.

CHICAGO (AP) — The All-Star break is over. It’s right about now when the Chicago Cubs usually take off.

Jason Heyward had three hits and two RBIs, Ian Happ belted a two-run homer and the Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 9-6 on Thursday night for their fourth consecutive victory.

Chicago and St. Louis returned a day earlier than the rest of the majors, but it sure looked like business as usual for the NL Central leaders. The Cubs improved 150-73 after the All-Star break since 2015, baseball’s best such record over that stretch.

Anthony Rizzo added two doubles from the leadoff spot as Chicago moved a season-high 18 games over .500. Victor Caratini had three hits and scored three times in the opener of a five-game series, and Ben Zobrist delivered a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the Cubs’ five-run fifth inning.

With the abbreviated break, Maddon held All-Stars Willson Contreras and Javier Baez out of the starting lineup. Caratini and Zobrist picked up the slack quite nicely as Chicago increased its advantage to a season-high three games over idle Milwaukee.

Yadier Molina matched a career high with four hits for St. Louis, but interim manager Mike Shildt was handed his first loss in his second game in charge after Mike Matheny was fired Saturday night. Tommy Pham and Matt Carpenter each hit a solo homer.

The Cardinals had a 3-1 lead before the Cubs started teeing off on Carlos Martinez (6-6) in the fifth.

Martinez allowed six runs, five earned, and seven hits in five innings. The right-hander went 3-1 with a 2.63 ERA in his previous four starts.

Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks also struggled, yielding nine hits in 4 2/3 innings. But he wiggled out of a couple jams while limiting the Cardinals to three runs.

UP NEXT

Cubs ace Jon Lester and Cardinals right-hander Jack Flaherty get the ball on Friday afternoon. Lester (12-2, 2.58 ERA) is 8-0 with a 2.80 ERA in his last nine starts. Flaherty (3-4, 3.24 ERA) pitched five shutout innings in a no-decision against Cincinnati in his previous start on Saturday.

The State Baseball Tournament gets underway today for a few Class 1A teams at Principal Park in Des Moines. Tri-Center and St. Albert will be playing today in the first two Class 1A Quarterfinal round games. The final two 1A Quarters will be contested on Saturday.

Class 1A Quarterfinals – Friday, July 20
11:00—#1 Newman Catholic, Mason City (37-1) vs. #8 Tri-Center, Neola (21-1)

1:30—#4 Martensdale-St. Marys (36-6) vs. #5 St. Albert, Council Bluffs (31-9)

Quarterfinals – Saturday, July 21
11:00—#2 Lisbon (34-0) vs. #7 Don Bosco, Gilbertville (25-8)

1:30—#3 North Linn, Troy Mills (40-3) vs. #6 St. Mary’s, Remsen (27-3)