The Cardinals completed a four-game season sweep of the Royals to pull within one game of the NL Central-leading Cubs. Dexter Fowler crushed a grand slam in the seventh inning to send St. Louis past Kansas City, 8-5. Fowler also supplied an RBI double that sparked a game-tying, three-run sixth in the Redbirds’ sixth consecutive win.

The Twins vaulted over Kansas City in the AL Central standings by earning their fifth consecutive win, 7-2 at Milwaukee. Byron Buxton and Joe Mauer had three hits apiece and combined for three RBIs to help Minnesota complete a sweep of the home-and-home, four-game set with the Brewers. Zach Davies was tagged for seven runs and a career-high 11 hits over 5 2/3 innings as the Brewers dropped their fifth in a row to fall two games behind the NL Central-leading Cubs.

PAPILLION, Neb. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals will play the Omaha Storm Chasers in an exhibition next March to kick off the 50th year of the Royals having their top farm club in the Omaha area. The Storm Chasers announced on Thursday that the game is March 26 at Werner Park. It will be the first time the Royals have visited their Triple-A affiliate since 2000. The Storm Chasers franchise has been Kansas City’s top farm club since 1969. No other major-league team has had its Triple-A affiliate in the same location as long. Tickets for the exhibition go on sale Sept. 1.