ST. LOUIS (AP) – David Freese had a go-ahead two-run single in the fifth and Matt Holliday hit a three-run homer, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to an 8-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday night.  The Cardinals ended a three-game losing streak and moved within 9 1/2 games of idle Milwaukee in the NL Central.  Pittsburgh lost for the sixth time in nine games.  Freese blooped a bases-loaded hit down the right-field line with one out to put St. Louis in front to stay, 5-4. Allen Craig began the inning with a single. Pittsburgh starter Charlie Morton (9-7) then walked Albert Pujols and Lance Berkman.  Holliday hit a three-run homer in the eighth off reliever Tony Watson.
     St. Louis starter Edwin Jackson (10-9) allowed one earned run and struck out two in six innings.

     SMU wants to join an automatic qualifying BCS conference and believes the Big 12 would be the best fit.  SMU athletic director Steve Orsini says he’s had informal talks
with Big 12 officials for some time to inform them of the school’s improvements and growth.  He says it’s been SMU’s goal to join a BCS conference since it wasn’t included in the Southwest Conference’s merger with the Big 8. With Texas A&M looking to leave the Big 12 for the SEC, he felt it was time to promote SMU, currently in Conference USA, as a possible replacement.  The Big 12’s BCS status is the biggest draw for the Mustangs, but Orsini says getting to rekindle regional rivalries from the Southwest Conference also makes the Big 12 an attractive option.

Council Bluffs St. Albert 19, Council Bluffs Lewis Central 14

Bedford 34, Leon Central Decatur 14

     KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – The Kansas City Chiefs and St. Louis Rams meet in their annual Governor’s Cup showdown on Friday night at Arrowhead Stadium.  Starters figure to get their most playing time, while backups will have their last chance to impress their coaches in a game before the first round of cuts Aug. 30.  Off the field, the teams are also raising awareness of the recovery efforts in Joplin, Mo., which was devastated by a tornado earlier this year. Coaches will be wearing special shirts and hats, donations will be accepted and rescuers and volunteers will be honored during the game.  Says Rams coach Steve Spanguolo: “The guys know that even though it’s not a regular season game there is some importance to it.”

     AMES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads says backup safety Earl Brooks is out for the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.  Brooks, who played in all 12 games last season as a reserve, entered fall camp as the backup to Ter’Ran Benton.  Iowa State also released its latest depth chart Thursday, which  offered few surprises from the one the Cyclones opened camp with earlier this month.  One of the biggest changes is that freshman C.J. Morgan and sophomore Deon Broomfield are listed as co-starters at linebacker.  Morgan and Broomfield had been listed as safeties, an indication that the Cyclones are stacking their defense to combat the pass-happy attacks prevalent in the Big 12.  Iowa State hosts Northern Iowa in its opener on Sept. 3.

w/ Jim Field

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ST. LOUIS (AP) – Juan Rivera homered and knocked in three runs and the Los Angeles Dodgers scored an early knockout of the St. Louis Cardinals for the second straight day, completing their first road sweep of the season with a 9-4 victory on Wednesday.  The Cardinals were outscored 24-7 in the Dodgers’ first three-game sweep in St. Louis since Aug. 20-22, 1993, and have dropped seven of nine overall. They failed to take advantage of a rare loss by NL Central-leading Milwaukee, remaining 10 games back with 32 to go.  Hiroki Kuroda (10-14) worked seven solid innings and A.J. Ellis hit his first career homer off of Jaime Garcia (10-7) to give the Dodgers a two-day total of six long balls. Matt Kemp had two singles and two RBIs and James Loney had three hits with a pair of doubles and an RBI.

     KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – There may be no more important piece to the Kansas City Chiefs’ puzzle this season than quarterback Matt Cassel.  After paying his dues at USC and with the New England Patriots, Cassel was given a chance to shine when he was traded to the Chiefs. His first season was one of progress, but his tremendous growth last year was a big reason the Chiefs went 10-6 and won the AFC West.  Coach Todd Haley understands that the team’s fortunes again rest on Cassel’s right arm.  Haley said the biggest thing that Cassel needs to do is understand his own players, and the match-ups they create. That has been difficult with wide receivers Jonathan Baldwin and Steve Breaston missing time because of injuries.

     ST. LOUIS (AP) – Lance Berkman would like to stay in St. Louis, no matter how the Cardinals finish the season.  The Cardinals signed Berkman to a one-year, $8 million free
agent contract last December and he’s having a big comeback year with 29 homers, 78 RBIs and a .290 average. He’s been healthy, too, appearing in 114 games and making routine plays in right field.  Berkman said Wednesday he believes the Cardinals are not far away from being contenders, although they’re fast running out of time this year. The Cardinals are 10-13 since acquiring Edwin Jackson and Rafael Furcal at the trade deadline and are 10 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers, who are on a 24-5 tear.