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

MIAMI (AP) — Rookie Dakota Hudson allowed one run in a career-high seven innings, and the St. Louis Cardinals handed the Miami Marlins their sixth consecutive defeat, 7-1. Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina returned after missing 11 games because of a strained right thumb and went 2 for 5 with a single and double. Marcell Ozuna punctuated the victory with a ninth-inning homer, his 18th.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jorge Soler had the tying RBI double in the eighth inning and Cheslor Cuthbert followed with the go-ahead run-scoring single to lead the Kansas City Royals to a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers. Adalberto Mondesi started the rally with his third hit of the game, a double with one out off Daniel Stumpf, and scored on Soler’s ensuing hit off Victor Alcantara. Terrance Gore ran for Soler and stole third before scoring on Cuthbert’s single between three fielders in right field.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Defensive tackle Chris Jones chose to skip the beginning of the Kansas City Chiefs’ mandatory three-day minicamp, the latest step in the growing discord over his looming contract situation. Jones is hoping to parlay the finest season of his career into a massive payday as he enters the final year of his rookie contract. But with negotiations seemingly going nowhere, the affable 24-year-old defensive tackle opted against participating in the Chiefs’ voluntary workouts.

MIAMI (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina has been activated from the 10-day injured list, and the team optioned rookie catcher Andrew Knizner to Triple-A Memphis. The moves were made before the Cardinals’ game at Miami. Molina missed 11 games after being sidelined May 29 with a strained right thumb tendon.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Former Michigan wide receiver Oliver Martin has transferred to Iowa, his hometown school. The Hawkeyes have announced that Martin, a former four-star recruit from Iowa City West High who originally spurned them for the Wolverines, has joined the program as a redshirt sophomore. The 6-foot-1 Martin caught 11 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown last season for Michigan before entering the transfer portal.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The St. Louis Blues were mired in last place six months ago, but a bond was forged during a midseason stretch of 70 days without consecutive home games. Season-defining moments soon began piling up and the team advanced all the way to the Stanley Cup Final against Boston. Players point to a pivotal moment in the playoffs, too: Coach Craig Berube told them to forget about a missed call that went against them during a loss to San Jose. It helped steel their resolve to face the Bruins.
BOSTON (AP) — From January to March, the St. Louis Blues didn’t play more than one consecutive home game at a time. It was a lot like a 70-day road trip. It forced a team with a half-dozen new faces to come together. All of that has helped St. Louis to a 9-3 record on the road in the playoffs. They feel comfortable playing in Boston in Game 7 on Wednesday night, with the winner getting the Stanley Cup.
BOSTON (AP) — If the Boston Bruins seemed like something of an afterthought at times this season, maybe it was understandable. They played in the Atlantic Division shadow of the Tampa Bay Lightning, which won the President’s Trophy. But only three teams won more games this season than Boston. The Bruins advanced all the way to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final against St. Louis.