PITTSBURGH (AP) — Andrew McCutchen clubbed his 15th homer of the season and the Pittsburgh Pirates completed a doubleheader sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals with 6-0 victory on Tuesday night. Brandon Cumpton allowed three hits over seven innings to pick up his first major league win. The sweep propelled the Pirates into first place in the NL Central. Pittsburgh is a season-high 22 games over .500.

Tyler Lyons gave up four runs, three earned, in six innings. The rookie struck out five and walked one but received no help from a reeling offense. The Cardinals have dropped six straight and have scored five runs in their last 56 innings. St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina left in the fourth inning with a right knee strain.

CLASS 4-A Quarter-Finals:  @ Principal Park, Des Moines

12:00 pm – Johnston vs. Linn-Mar

2:00 pm – Des Moines East vs. Davenport North

6:00 pm – Sioux City East vs. Cedar Rapids Xavier

8:00 pm – Ankeny vs. Clinton

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) – Jamaal Charles has never caught more than 45 passes in a season, but the Kansas City Chiefs’ Pro Bowl running back expects that to change under new coach Andy Reid. Charles has been catching balls out of the backfield and even lining up at wide receiver early on in training camp, showing some versatility not unlike Brian Westbrook and LeSean McCoy did when they played for Reid with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Charles ran for more than 1,500 yards last season in his return from a major knee injury, but he wasn’t used nearly as much in the passing game as he had been earlier in his career.  Still, he said after practice Tuesday that he relishes the chance to show what he can do.

The coast-to-coast fundraising marathon that passed through Iowa earlier this month is nearing the finish line and more Iowans are joining the effort. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he’ll take part in one mile of the relay run tomorrow (Wednesday) morning as it winds through the nation’s capitol. “We’re going to meet at the Washington Monument at 6 o’clock,” Grassley says. “It’s for raising money for cancer. It’s bringing attention to a group coming across the country.”

Grassley says he usually runs three miles a day, four days a week, so he may hardly break a sweat on this short jaunt, yet he’s pleased to get the opportunity. “An Iowan who invited me is Steve Falck,” Grassley says. “He is a former state legislator from up in northeast Iowa. It’s part of Coast to Coast for Cancer.”

The Million Dollar Marathon is going four-thousand miles across the U-S and it’s being run by 160 cancer survivors who are each running a 26-point-two-mile leg. Grassley, who will turn 80 in September, says he’ll have his wife, Barbara, on his mind during tomorrow’s trek.  Grassley says, “I’ll be there because I run but I’ll be there also because my wife is a 25 or 26-year survivor of breast cancer.”

The senator takes part in a number of cancer fundraisers each year, including the Race For The Cure, held in Des Moines each October. Learn more about the run and make a contribution to the effort at www.aboveandbeyondcancer.org.

(Radio Iowa)

w/ Chris Parks

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CLASS 2A Quarterfinals at Principal Park in Des Moines:

Beckman Catholic, Dyersville 3, Columbus Catholic, Waterloo 2
Kuemper Catholic, Carroll 5, Spirit Lake 1
North Polk, Alleman 2, Albia 1 (13 innings)
Roland-Story, Story City 2, Mount Vernon 1

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Francisco Liriano allowed one run over seven dominant innings, Pedro Alvarez hit his NL-leading 27th home run and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the St. Louis Cardinals 9-2 Monday night. Liriano struck out eight and walked just two to win his fifth straight start. The Pirates kicked off the key series at PNC Park by sending the Cardinals to their fourth straight loss to pull within a half-game of the lead in the NL Central. Clint Barmes doubled twice and drove in two runs for Pittsburgh. Andrew McCutchen added two hits and an RBI.

Jake Westbrook continued to struggle against the Pirates. He fell to 1-8 against Pittsburgh in his career after surrendering four first-inning runs. Matt Carpenter and Shane Robinson hit RBI singles for St. Louis, which has scored just four runs during its longest losing streak of the season.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt says he’s pleased with setup of training camp at Missouri Western State University and would be in favor of extending the team’s stay beyond next season. The Chiefs are in the fourth year of a five-year deal to stage training camp in St. Joseph, Mo., about a 90-minute drive north from Arrowhead Stadium.

Many teams have eschewed going away for camp as they build gleaming new practice digs, but Hunt said he appreciates the camaraderie that is built through players living in dorms. Hunt said it would be possible to have camp in Kansas City, but there would be hurdles to overcome. Dining facilities are limited and there’s less room for fans. Hunt said the Chiefs will evaluate their future in St. Joseph after this year.

CLASS 3-A Quarter-Finals: @ Principal Park, Des Moines

12:00 pm – Boone vs. Davenport Assumption

2:00 pm – Bishop Heelan Catholic vs. Williamsburg

6:00 pm – Chariton vs. Clear Lake

8:00 pm – Harlan vs. Dallas Center-Grimes