KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – The Chiefs have waived veteran kicker Ryan Succop and placed quarterback Tyler Bray and wide receiver Kyle Williams on injured reserve as they trimmed to the 53-man roster limit. Succop was engaged in a heated competition for the kicking job with undrafted free agent Cairo Santos.  Ultimately, Succop’s contract may have played a big part in the decision. He was due $2 million this season while Santos will make just $422,000 with the Chiefs. Bray and Williams were hurt in the Chiefs’ preseason finale against Green Bay.

Other players cut Saturday were defensive backs Malcolm Bronson, Jonathon Amaya, DeMarcus Van Dyke and Justin Rogers; linebackers Alonzo Highsmith, Devan Walker and Nico Johnson; defensive linemen Kyle Love, Kona Schwenke and Dominique Hamilton; offensive linemen Ricky Henry and J’Marcus Webb; wide receivers Mark Harrison and Fred Williams; fullback Jordan Campbell; and running back Charcandrick West.

ST. LOUIS (AP) – Starlin Castro hit one of Chicago’s three solo homers and Felix Doubront pitched seven strong innings in his National League debut, sending the Cubs to a 5-1 victory over the slumping St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a day-night doubleheader Saturday.

Logan Watkins and Chris Valaika also connected for Chicago in the makeup of a May 14 rainout. The last-place Cubs hit four home runs Friday, giving them seven in two games against the Cardinals.

St. Louis has lost four in a row for the second time this season. The Cardinals began the day one game ahead of Atlanta and 1 1/2 up on Pittsburgh for the second NL wild card.

The Cubs have won nine of 13.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — John Crockett ran for 138 yards and three touchdowns and FCS power North Dakota State opened the season with its 25th straight victory, beating Iowa State 34-14 on Saturday. The Bison lost 12 starters and their head coach after winning their third straight FCS championship last season, but they looked just as efficient as ever under new coach Chris Klieman, rallying from a 14-0 deficit for their fifth consecutive victory against FCS competition.

Crockett charged through a hole in the middle of the line and sped 80 yards for his team’s first touchdown early in the second quarter — the longest run of his career — and the Bison dominated from then on. Carson Wentz, the backup quarterback the last two seasons, showed impressive poise as he picked apart an inexperienced Iowa State defense and finished 18 of 28 for 204 yards with no interceptions.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Jake Rudock threw for 250 yards and two touchdowns and Iowa hung to beat Northern Iowa 31-23 on Saturday. Kevonte Martin-Manley added eight catches for the Hawkeyes (1-0), who survived despite allowing 203 yards receiving to Panthers running back David Johnson. Iowa moved ahead by eight with 6:50 left on a 12-yard touchdown reception from Rudock to Damond Powell. Greg Mabin’s late interception sealed the win for the Hawkeyes.

Sawyer Kollmorgen had 380 yards passing for the Panthers (0-1), who fell to 1-16 against the rival Hawkeyes. Iowa opened the second half with a slim 17-13 lead and in need of a boost, when Tevaun Smith took a reverse to the left sideline and cut back across the field, avoiding a slew of charging Panthers for a 35-yard gain. He then caught a Rudock pass in the back of the end zone with one hand to put Iowa ahead 24-13.