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

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jack Flaherty pitched seven solid innings, Paul DeJong hit a two-run homer and the St. Louis Cardinals opened the season by beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-4. Tyler O’Neill and Dexter Fowler added solo homers for St. Louis in the first game of an unprecedented 60-game season shortened due to the coronavirus pandemic. Flaherty, who went 7-2 with an 0.91 ERA over his final 15 regular season starts last year, did not give up a run until Jacob Stallings hit two-out, two-run single just under the glove of first baseman Paul Goldschmidt in the seventh.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Shane Bieber dominated Kansas City’s hitters, striking out 14 in six innings as the Cleveland Indians beat the Royals 2-0 in their delayed home opener. Bieber has become Cleveland’s ace in no time. The 25-year-old began last season as the club’s No. 5 stater but appears ready to take over as the staff leader after two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber was traded last winter. Oscar Mercado and César Hernández drove in runs for the Indians. Cleveland’s players wore their blue road jerseys to make a statement for minorities as the Indians consider changing their name after 105 years.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif of the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs became the first player to opt out of the upcoming NFL season due to the coronavirus pandemic. Duvernay-Tardif chose to put his medical degree to use on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. He has been working to fulfill his requirements to become a doctor in the offseason and has spent this summer working at a clinic in his native Canada. He said that experience helped him decide that if he was going to take any risks with his health, it would be to help patients dealing with the virus.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Austin Hill dominated the longest green-flag run all the way to the checkered flag to win the opening race of the first NASCAR Truck Series doubleheader at Kansas Speedway on Friday night. Brett Moffitt won the opening stage before finishing second, nearly three seconds behind the winner. Grant Enfinger was third, reigning series champ Matt Crafton came across fourth and Derek Kraus finished fifth.