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

NEW YORK (AP) — Yoenis Cespedes drove in three runs and newcomer Adrian Gonzalez hit a go-ahead double to lead Noah Syndergaard and the New York Mets past the St. Louis Cardinals 9-4 in their opener. Syndergaard struck out 10 and walked none in six innings after missing most of last season with a torn lat muscle.

NEW YORK (AP) — A person familiar with the deal says All-Star closer Greg Holland and the St. Louis Cardinals have agreed to a $14 million, one-year contract. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement was pending a physical and had not been announced.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Matt Davidson hit three homers and drove in five runs, Tim Anderson went deep twice and the Chicago White Sox routed the Kansas City Royals 14-7 on opening day. Jose Abreu also homered for the White Sox, who picked up right-hander James Shields after a shaky first inning. Danny Duffy took the loss for Kansas City, getting bounced after four innings.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals have placed All-Star catcher Salvador Perez, right-hander Nate Karns and two others on the disabled list as part of a series of roster moves ahead of their opener against the White Sox. Infielder Adalberto Mondesi and outfielder Bubba Starling also went on the DL while veteran pitcher Wily Peralta and top prospect Ryan Zimmer were designated for assignment.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Virginia’s Tony Bennett isn’t wavering from his foundation in the aftermath of the Cavaliers’ historic NCAA Tournament loss to UMBC. In an interview with The Associated Press, Bennett says his team’s body of work should be celebrated even as the players work to move past the sting of the season-ending loss. Bennett was named the AP men’s college basketball coach of the year Thursday after a 31-win season that included a dominating run through the Atlantic Coast Conference.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — NCAA leaders expect to receive recommendations for reforming college basketball in late April and have pledged to quickly implement changes while preserving amateurism as currently defined. NCAA President Mark Emmert said during his state of the association news conference ahead of the Final Four that the commission on college basketball, led by former Sec. of State Condoleezza Rice, will present its report to the Division I Board of Directors and Board of Governors on April 25.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Loyola-Chicago is determined to keep alive its unlikely NCAA Tournament run when the Ramblers play in the Final Four this weekend. The underdogs went through their first workout at the Alamodome in San Antonio on the same day as traditional powers Kansas, Villanova and Michigan. The teams and their legions of fans arrived in a city decked out in vibrant colors heading into the first two games this weekend.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Active big men give Final Four teams an advantage in era of positionless basketball. All four remaining teams rely on their big men to help space the floor for the variety of shooters on their rosters. They keep defenses honest, grab rebounds and protect the rim with all those smaller guys out there.

NEW YORK (AP) — Yoenis Cespedes drove in three runs and newcomer Adrian Gonzalez hit a go-ahead double to lead Noah Syndergaard and the New York Mets past the St. Louis Cardinals 9-4 in their opener Thursday.Syndergaard (1-0) struck out 10 and walked none in six innings after missing most of last season with a torn lat muscle. Leadoff man Brandon Nimmo, subbing for injured All-Star Michael Conforto, reached safely four times and scored twice as the Mets chased a furious Carlos Martinez in the fifth inning to make Mickey Callaway a winner in his first game as a manager.

The 35-year-old Gonzalez also was on base four times with two hits and two walks in his New York debut. The five-time All-Star first baseman was signed for the major league minimum during the offseason after struggling with a bad back last year with the Dodgers.

Yadier Molina hit an early two-run homer for St. Louis that clanged off the left-field foul pole. Jose Martinez also went deep against Syndergaard and knocked in two but committed a run-scoring throwing error at first base.

New York got hitless relief from Robert Gsellman, newcomer Anthony Swarzak and closer Jeurys Familia to win an opener played only hours after the death of former Mets star Rusty Staub.

Todd Frazier, also making his Mets debut, drew a one-out walk from Martinez (0-1) in the fifth and scored from first on Gonzalez’s double into the right-field corner for a 4-3 lead.

Syndergaard, who threw his first three pitches 99 mph, helped himself with a sacrifice bunt, and young shortstop Amed Rosario — batting ninth behind the pitcher — delivered a two-run single.

Cespedes, who had a two-run single in the second, chased Martinez with an RBI single, and the two-time All-Star pitcher went wild once he got to the bench, knocking over a bucket of bubble gum.

Jay Bruce, back after the Mets traded him to Cleveland last August, added an RBI single off Matt Bowman to cap a five-run outburst.

New York catcher Kevin Plawecki also had two walks and two hits, including a late RBI single.

HELP ON THE WAY

Less than two hours before the first pitch, the Cardinals landed a closer. Greg Holland agreed to a $14 million, one-year contract with the team, according to a person familiar with the deal. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement was pending a physical and had not been announced. A three-time All-Star, Holland was a free agent after leading the National League with 41 saves last year for Colorado. His addition would be a major boost to an unsettled Cardinals bullpen lacking a proven closer in the wake of several injuries.

UP NEXT

Cardinals RHP Michael Wacha (12-9, 4.13 ERA) starts the second game of the season Saturday afternoon against RHP Jacob deGrom (15-10, 3.53 ERA), the Mets’ initial choice for opening day before his schedule was slowed at the outset of spring training by a stiff back and the birth of his child.

NEW YORK (AP) — Less than two hours before the start of their season, the St. Louis Cardinals found a closer.

Greg Holland and the Cardinals agreed to a $14 million, one-year contract Thursday, according to a person familiar with the deal. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement was pending a physical and had not been announced.

A three-time All-Star, Holland was a free agent after leading the National League with 41 saves last year for Colorado. His addition would be a major boost to an unsettled Cardinals bullpen lacking a proven closer in the wake of several injuries.

Holland turned down a $17.4 million, one-year qualifying offer from the Rockies last fall. If the Cardinals complete the deal, they will forfeit their second-highest draft pick in June, currently No. 43, and $500,000 of international signing bonus allocation for the 2018-19 signing period.

St. Louis had planned to use newcomer Luke Gregerson in the ninth inning, but he strained his left hamstring late in spring training and began the season on the 10-day disabled list with no timetable for his return.

It also was thought that young fireballer Alex Reyes might ease his way into the closer role when he comes back from Tommy John surgery, perhaps in early May.

But in the meantime, manager Mike Matheny plans to mix and match with a closer-by-committee. Right-hander Dominic Leone, lefty Tyler Lyons and righty Bud Norris, who earned the first 19 saves of his career with the Angels last season, could be candidates for late work, along with flame-throwing rookie Jordan Hicks.

Gregerson, signed in the offseason to an $11 million, two-year contract, saved 31 games for Houston in 2015 and 15 more the next season.

Holland is in a different class when healthy.

The right-hander has 186 saves in 370 relief appearances over seven major league seasons and was a key part of a stingy Kansas City bullpen that helped the Royals win consecutive AL pennants in 2014 and 2015. He was diagnosed with a torn elbow ligament late in 2015 and missed the postseason as his teammates went on to win the World Series.

Holland sat out the 2016 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He was 3-6 with a 3.61 ERA in 61 games for the Rockies last year, striking out 70 and walking 26 in 57 1/3 innings. He had four blown saves.

Holland’s deal was first reported by The Athletic less than two hours before the first pitch of St. Louis’ opener against the New York Mets.