ST. LOUIS (AP) – The Milwaukee Brewers were eliminated from playoff contention Saturday when they squandered a six-run lead in a 7-6 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals, handing baseball’s final postseason spot to the Colorado Rockies. Brewers reliever Anthony Swarzak gave up a two-run single to Stephen Piscotty that tied it in the eighth inning and a go-ahead single to Harrison Bader. Milwaukee tried to rally and save its season in the bottom half, but Brett Phillips struck out with a runner on second to end it.

Milwaukee’s loss clinched the second NL wild card for Colorado, which will play at NL West rival Arizona in the wild-card game Wednesday.  The Brewers began the day needing to win their last two regular-season games in St. Louis while the Rockies dropped their final two at home to the Los Angeles Dodgers to force a tiebreaker Monday.

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) – Brian Lewerke threw two touchdown passes to Felton Davis in the first quarter, and Michigan State held on for a 17-10 victory over Iowa on Saturday. The Spartans (3-1, 1-0 Big Ten) dominated early, and their defense forced two crucial turnovers in the third quarter. Iowa (3-2, 0-2) managed only 19 yards rushing and has now lost its first two conference games for the first time since 2008. Davis surpassed his career high in receptions before halftime and finished with nine for 114 yards. His touchdown catches of 22 and 6 yards gave Michigan State a 14-0 lead, and that was enough for the Spartans to come away with an important home victory. Akrum Wadley scored for Iowa on a 9-yard run in the second quarter, but he was held to 30 yards on 17 carries.

The Hawkeyes trailed 17-7 at halftime but were on the verge of scoring on the first drive of the third quarter. After a successful fake field goal, Iowa was inside the 10-yard line, but quarterback Nate Stanley had the ball slip out of his hand as he began a throwing motion, and linebacker Joe Bachie came diving in to catch it out of the air. Brandon Smith fumbled the ball away in Michigan State territory on Iowa’s next possession. The Spartans held on at the end after Lewerke scrambled for a first down on third-and-12 with under 4:00 to play. By the time Iowa got the ball back, the Hawkeyes were back at their own 16 with 45 seconds remaining.

The Hawkeyes lost to Penn State on the final play last weekend, but they were outgained badly in that game, and their inability to move the ball against Michigan State is cause for concern. The last time Iowa started 0-2 in Big Ten play, the Hawkeyes did rebound quickly, winning five of their final six conference games. Up Next for Iowa: The Hawkeyes host Illinois next Saturday.

CARBONDALE, Ill. (AP) – Eli Dunne was 26-of-36 passing for 266 yards and three touchdowns and the Northern Iowa defense forced three fourth-quarter turnovers to help Panthers beat Southern Illinois 24-17 on Saturday night in the Missouri Valley Conference opener for both teams. Daurice Fountain had seven catches for 106 yards and a score and Trevor Allen had 75 yards rushing on 18 carries and added an 11-yard touchdown reception for Northern Iowa (2-2).

Sam Drysdale kicked a 45-yard field goal to give Northern Iowa a 3-0 lead with 4:01 left in the first quarter and, after the Salukis went three-and-out, Dunne’s 11-yard touchdown pass to Fountain made it 10-0 early in the second. Matt Sotiropoulos hit a 32-yard field goal put Southern Illinois on the board with 4:24 left in the half, but a 42-yard reception by Fountain set up a 4-yard TD catch by Elias Nessen that made it 17-3 at the break.

Kyron Watson forced, and then recovered, a fumble by Allen and, four plays later, Sam Straub hit Jacob Varble for a 5-yard touchdown that pulled the Salukis to 24-17 with 11:17 to play, but the Panthers forced turnovers on each of Southern Illinois’ next three possessions – including an interception by Jake Hartford at the 3 with 1:47 remaining.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Grant Kraemer threw two touchdown passes and Drake took an early lead and held it, beating Butler 27-16 on Saturday.

Kraemer was 27 of 40 for 329 yards passing for the Bulldogs (3-2, 2-0 Pioneer League). Tyler Updegraff ran for 69 yards and a score and Danny Donley kicked two field goals.

Kraemer threw his two touchdowns in the second quarter, the first to Steven Doran for 28 yards and the second to Connor Ostrander for 15 yards, boosting Drake’s 7-6 first-quarter edge to 21-6 with 7:34 left in the half.

Anthony Scaccia ran six yards for Butler’s only touchdown late in the second quarter and Drake led 21-13 at the break. In the second half, Donley kicked a 19-yard field goal with 10:34 to go in the third quarter and another from 38 yards late in the fourth to seal the win. Will Marty threw for 197 yards for Butler (2-3, 0-2). Drew Bevelhimer kicked three field goals.