Broadcast of game on September 2, 2011.

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ST. LOUIS (AP) – Juan Francisco capped a career-best four-hit day with the go-ahead hit in the 10th inning and the Cincinnati Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 on Sunday, taking two of three from a team desperately trying to stay in contention. Jon Jay homered and Daniel Descalso had an RBI triple for the Cardinals, who fell 9 1/2 games behind NL Central-leading Milwaukee heading into a three-game series with the Brewers starting Monday night. St. Louis was 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position and 2 for 20 with men on base. Francisco Cordero went through the heart of St. Louis’ order for his 30th save in 35 chances and 13th in a row, also giving him seven 30-save seasons.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Greg Bennett cruised to a 30-second victory in the Hy-Vee Triathlon in Des Moines on Sunday, joining wife Laura as a champion of the event. The 39-year-old Bennett earned $151,500 for the victory, part of a $1.1 million purse that’s the richest in the sport. American Hunter Kemper was second, followed by Britain’s Stuart Hayes. Laura Bennett, who won in Iowa in 2007, finished fifth Sunday. Sweden’s Lisa Norden took top honors in the women’s elite race, beating Australian Mirinda Carfrae by eight seconds. The event, which moved from downtown Des Moines to nearby West Des Moines because of flooding in 2008, returned to downtown this year and was pushed back from June to Labor Day weekend.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – The Kansas City Chiefs have put Tony Moeaki on injured reserve after the second-year tight end was hurt in their final preseason game against the Green Bay Packers. The Chiefs also put linebacker Gabe Miller on IR on Saturday and waived 25 other players to reach the 53-man roster limit before the NFL deadline. Unlike most other teams, the Chiefs played their starters for much of their final preseason game Thursday night. Moeaki limped off the field in Green Bay with a reported knee injury. His loss is a significant blow to the defending AFC West champions. Moeaki caught 47 passes for 556 yards and three touchdowns last season. That leaves tight ends Leonard Pope, Jake O’Connell and Anthony Becht to fill in, though Kansas City could add someone else off waivers.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – The only thing that could slow down Iowa in its impressive season opener was the weather, which only delayed the inevitable. James Vandenberg threw for 219 yards and a pair of touchdowns to Marvin McNutt and Iowa pounded Tennessee Tech 34-7 on Saturday for its 11th straight win in a home opener. McNutt had 140 yards receiving for the Hawkeyes, who along with Tennessee Tech had to wait through an 84-minute delay because of lightning. “We’re pleased to get the win. Needless to say it was pretty unusual circumstances,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. “I give our players credit for doing a good job of handling that.” Iowa overwhelmed the Golden Eagles of the FCS with 24 points during a dry second quarter. McNutt took a Vandenberg pass 88 yards for a touchdown, and Shaun Prater returned an interception 89 yards for a TD late in the first half to put the Hawkeyes ahead 27-0.

Vandenberg’s 19-yard TD pass to McNutt gave Iowa a 34-0 lead with 6:19 left in the third quarter, as McNutt wove through Tennessee Tech’s defense off a screen pass. The game was delayed shortly thereafter and the stadium was cleared – but by then all that was left to do was run out the clock. “It was nasty out there,” Vandenberg said. “I remember gripping down the laces and … just kind of shot-putting it out there to make sure I wasn’t messing it up.” Dontey Gay rushed for 108 yards for Tennessee Tech, including a 1-yard TD run with 5:02 left. The game kicked off in a driving rain, which led to three first-quarter fumbles.

The clouds parted to start the second, allowing the Hawkeyes to impose their will on the overmatched Golden Eagles. Wide receiver Keenan Davis, who the Hawkeyes are counting on to take pressure off of McNutt, leapt over Tennessee Tech’s Richmond Tooley, tipped the ball and caught it at the 1-yard line. Vandenberg’s plunge put Iowa up 10-0 early in the second quarter. Vandenberg then floated a pass to McNutt in coverage, and McNutt sprinted past the Golden Eagles’ secondary for the sixth-longest TD reception in school history, making it 17-0 just over three minutes later.

Tech quarterback Tre Lamb, whose interception to Iowa linebacker James Morris set up Mike Meyer’s 20-yard field goal, tried to force the ball to the sidelines late in the first half. Prater, an All-Big Ten pick in 2010, was waiting for it, and he saw little resistance on an 89-yard TD return that gave the Hawkeyes a 27-0 lead with 10 seconds left in the second quarter. Lamb finished 14-of-24 passing for 128 yards and those two costly picks. Vandenberg, a junior in his first start since taking over for Ricky Stanzi, was 13-of-21 passing, including a few drops from his receivers. The rain returned right around the time Vandenberg and McNutt hooked up for their second touchdown. It brought some hail and the threat of lightning with it, and Kinnick Stadium was cleared as officials and players waited out the weather.

“We hadn’t had one drop of rain in preseason, and I am just dumb enough to never work with a wet football. Well, we don’t have to worry about it the rest of the year. We got plenty of wet football work (Saturday),” Tennessee Tech coach Watson Brown said. About the only hiccup for Iowa besides the conditions came from its running backs – a source of considerable consternation for the Hawkeyes of late. Coker, last seen ripping apart Missouri’s defense for 219 yards and two TDs in the Insight Bowl, fumbled the ball away on Iowa’s opening possession. He put it on the ground again in the first quarter and was subbed out for freshman Mika’il McCall – whose debut was impressive but brief. McCall, the son of former heavyweight boxing champion Oliver McCall, rushed for a team-high 61 yards on nine carries before breaking his ankle late in the first quarter. Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said after the game that McCall will miss the rest of the season.

“We’re all disappointed,” Ferentz said. “He’s just a really tremendous young guy with a great attitude, great spirit.” Coker finished with 41 yards on 11 carries. The Hawkeyes are coming off one of their most disappointing seasons in recent memory. Picked by many to contend for the Big Ten title in 2010, Iowa stumbled to an 8-5 finish and just 4-4 in league play. The Hawkeyes have just 10 starters back on offense and defense. But that didn’t matter against the Golden Eagles, who simply couldn’t match up with them.

Iowa’s first true test comes next Saturday at rival Iowa State. “We’re 1-0 and have a lot of work to do. Pretty much simple as that,” Ferentz said.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Sioux City prep football star who has committed to playing football next year for Iowa is expected to change his not guilty plea to four misdemeanor charges in Nebraska. Court documents in Dakota County, Neb., show a plea and sentencing hearing for Michael Malloy is set for Sept. 12. Malloy is charged with obstructing a peace officer, trespassing, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving without headlights. He was arrested on Aug. 15 in connection with an incident early on July 31 in South Sioux City, Neb. A police office says in an affidavit that Malloy ran from a vehicle that the officer had pulled over. Malloy is a senior running back at Bishop Heelan High School.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State will open its third season under coach Paul Rhoads on Saturday night against Northern Iowa. Rhoads says the Panthers are faster than his Cyclones. The Panthers are the prohibitive favorites to win the Missouri Valley Football conference this season and are among a handful of teams in serious contention for the FCS title. Iowa State beat Northern Iowa 27-0 last season.

Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi spent the past two seasons handing off to a revolving door of talented running backs. The Hawkeyes are hoping new starter James Vandenberg can spend the next two years handing off to Marcus Coker and getting the heck out of the way. Iowa’s new backfield duo of Vandenberg and Coker will make its debut on Saturday when the Hawkeyes host FCS school Tennessee Tech in the opener. Vandenberg will be making his fourth career start, and Coker his fifth. They’ve never started at the same time, but Iowa is confident the pair will emerge as focal points for its rebuilt offense in 2011.

 By The Associated Press
     Tennessee Tech (0-0) vs. Iowa (0-0), 11 a.m. (BTN)
     Series Record: First meeting.
     WHAT’S AT STAKE
     Saturday’s opener will allow junior James Vandenberg to settle
into his new role as the Hawkeyes starting quarterback. Iowa also
has six new starters on defense, which won’t have much time to gel
with a trip to Iowa State looming. The most important thing for the
Hawkeyes will be to survive the game without any major injuries.
Tennessee Tech is hoping to push for the Ohio Valley title, and a
decent showing against a Big Ten team could help them do just that.
     KEY MATCHUP
     Tennessee Tech’s front seven vs. Iowa RB Marcus Coker. Coker is
one of the more physical backs in the country, and the Golden
Eagles won’t likely see anyone like him all year. The Hawkeyes will
have an easy afternoon if they can just give it to Coker between
the tackles and let he and his offensive line march down the field.
     PLAYERS TO WATCH
     Iowa: WR Keenan Davis. It’s now or never for Davis, who’s in
line to be the Hawkeyes’ second option next to star Marvin McNutt.
     Tennessee Tech: WR Tim Benford. He ranks second in school
history with 151 receptions and is third with 2,174 yards
receiving.
     FACTS & FIGURES
     Iowa has won its last 10 openers by an average of 31.5 points
and is 17-4 at Kinnick Stadium since 2008…Tennessee Tech’s alumni
include Atlanta Falcons coach Mike Smith, who spent 12 seasons with
the Golden Eagles from 1987-98…The Hawkeyes could have as many as
eight new starters, including Davis and safety Collin Sleeper.