ST. LOUIS (AP) — Joe Kelly tossed six strong innings and Matt Holliday drove in a run for a seventh straight game, lifting the St. Louis Cardinals to a 6-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night. St. Louis has won six of its last seven, including the first two games of this three-game set. The first-place Cardinals have won eight of their last 10 against the third-place Reds and lead them by 4 ½ games in the NL Central.

Shin-Soo Choo homered for Cincinnati, which lost for the fourth time in five games. Kelly, who allowed one run on eight hits, improved to 6-0 in nine starts since rejoining the starting rotation on July 6. Mat Latos gave up four runs and nine hits in six-plus innings. He struck out four and did not walk a batter.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – The Kansas City Chiefs have waived wide receiver Jamar Newsome ahead of Tuesday’s deadline to reach the 75-man roster limit.  The Chiefs cut 14 players on Sunday night but still needed to make one more move.  They wound up keeping an extra tight end in part because of uncertain health at the position. Tight end Tony Moeaki has a fractured shoulder and Travis Kelce has been out with a bruised knee.

Newsome had five catches for 73 yards in six games last season. He’s played in eight career games with the Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars. The Chiefs play the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night at Arrowhead Stadium. They’ll have to trim their roster to 53 players by Saturday.

Jim Field and Chris Parks have the call of the season opening game played at Adair-Casey High School.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Former Iowa Western Community College Quarterback Jake Waters will be under center when defending Big 12 champion Kansas State opens its season Friday night against defending FCS national champion North Dakota State.

Wildcats coach Bill Snyder said on the Big 12’s media teleconference Monday the junior college transfer was more consistent throughout fall camp than Daniel Sams, who backed up departed Heisman Trophy finalist Collin Klein last season. Snyder did say that both quarterbacks will play against the Bison.

Waters is considered the more polished passer after throwing for more than 3,500 yards, 39 touchdowns and only three interceptions for Iowa Western last season. Sams is considered the better runner. He had 235 yards and three touchdowns on the ground while playing in parts of eight games last year.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Allen Craig hit his first career grand slam with two out in the seventh inning, helping the St. Louis Cardinals rally for an 8-6 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night. Matt Holliday also had a long three-run homer as St. Louis moved into sole possession of first place in the NL Central for the first time since July 29. The Cardinals lead idle Pittsburgh by a half-game and Cincinnati by 3½ games in the top-heavy division.

Rookie Carlos Martinez pitched two innings for his first major league win and Edward Mujica worked a perfect ninth for his 35th save. Zack Cozart had two hits and three RBIs for the Reds, who blew leads of 4-0 and 5-3. Jay Bruce hit his 25th homer in the eighth.