The prospects of a Major League Soccer franchise ever calling St. Louis home appeared to have died two years ago when voters turned down the use of a business tax to finance a new downtown…

The NHL isn’t a copycat league. It’s a response league. After the big and gritty St. Louis Blues muscled their way to the Stanley Cup, division rivals have responded in different ways. The Nashville Predators…

HOUSTON (AP) — Justin Verlander pitched a two-hitter and lost, allowing homers to John Hicks and Ronny Rodriguez as the Detroit Tigers beat the Houston Astros 2-1 on Wednesday night. Hicks led off the ninth…

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Mike Moustakas stopped short of calling Milwaukee’s rain-shortened victory over the St. Louis Cardinals a must win. “But it was pretty important,” he said. Moustakas homered and Keston Hiura drove in…

NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Conforto hit a tiebreaking homer moments after an embarrassing error by Cleveland Indians left fielder Oscar Mercado, and the resurgent New York Mets rolled from there to a 9-2 victory…

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Dexter Fowler was focused more on his team getting a win rather than his own production. Fowler hit a bases-loaded double and drove in four runs, leading the St. Louis Cardinals…

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Dakota Hudson and two relievers combined on a one-hitter, and Paul DeJong homered to lead the St. Louis Cardinals over the Milwaukee Brewers 3-0 Monday night in a series opener between…

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Le’Veon Bell wants his teammates to hit him. Nothing too hard or violent, but just enough for him to feel it. The New York Jets running back isn’t playing during…

The Raiders’ worldwide tour gets started in the preseason when they play a “home” exhibition against Green Bay in Canada. The Raiders will be the first team to play games in three countries in one…

HOBART, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers wide receiver J’Mon Moore has been cited for driving too fast for conditions after he lost control of his car in heavy rainfall and collided with a pickup…

Antonio Brown is right about one thing: Helmets are important. The way Brown has been toying with his new team makes you wonder if he has ever worn one. The latest from Raider Nation on…

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — When the Dallas Cowboys announced a contract extension for Jaylon Smith, it was first a celebration of the linebacker’s journey from a career-threatening knee injury in college to one of the…

NEW YORK (AP) — Needing a break, the New York Mets watched Cleveland hand it to them — Brad Hand, especially. The Indians All-Star closer failed to cover first base on what could’ve been a…

HOUSTON (AP) — Justin Verlander pitched a two-hitter and lost, allowing homers to John Hicks and Ronny Rodriguez as the Detroit Tigers beat the Houston Astros 2-1 on Wednesday night. Hicks led off the ninth…

A look at what’s happening around the majors today: WELCOME BACK, MAD MAX Nationals ace Max Scherzer comes off the injured list to start at last-place Pittsburgh. The three-time Cy Young Award winner is 9-5…

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tied in extra innings at home, the Los Angeles Dodgers always expect to win. “Who it’s going to be is always a question,” manager Dave Roberts said. It was Max Muncy’s…

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — When slugger Khris Davis cleared the fences again at last, he gave it an animated trot around the bases complete with a salute approaching third before celebrating with his teammates back…

GRAND MARAIS, Minn. (AP) — Mark Pavelich, a forward on the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” U.S. Olympic hockey team who went on to play for the New York Rangers and two other NHL teams, has…

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Maybe it’s good the Browns and Giants won’t play this season. They’re already trash-talking. Comments by brash Cleveland quarterback Baker Mayfield and star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. created a stir at…

The prospects of a Major League Soccer franchise ever calling St. Louis home appeared to have died two years ago when voters turned down the use of a business tax to finance a new downtown…

CHICAGO (AP) — Chad Bruner is a huge football fan. One day last December, he was sitting in a big leather chair in his Oklahoma City home when the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl caught his…

ELMONT, N.Y. (AP) — The New York state board responsible for economic development has approved a $1.3 billion project to build a 19,000-seat arena for the New York Islanders hockey team at Belmont Park. Newsday…

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — CC Sabathia spent a day off handing out his 50,000th backpack to first-graders and second-graders at home in Vallejo as kids returned to school. The veteran major leaguer has been doing…

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Larry Bird likes the mural but not the tats. An artist says she’ll remove most tattoos from a large painting of the former NBA star on an Indianapolis multi-family residence. The tattoos…

Red, white and blue. The colors of USA Basketball. Except this summer, green — Celtics green, to be precise — would work on that palette as well. The Boston Celtics will have at least three…

LOS ANGELES (AP) — As good as he felt last week in Miami striking out 10 in seven scoreless innings, Clayton Kershaw felt equally as bad back home at Dodger Stadium. “It’s a humbling game,”…

FLINT, Mich. (AP) — The Latest on the trial of Mateen Cleaves (all times local): 6:10 p.m. Former Michigan State basketball star and NBA player Mateen Cleaves is thanking jurors for “giving me my life…