PITTSBURGH (AP) — Rookie Dylan Carlson hit a three-run homer to cap a six-run outburst to help the St. Louis Cardinals earn a doubleheader sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 7-2 victory in the nightcap. The Pirates committed three errors in the sixth, paving the way for Carlson’s second career home run. St. Louis took the opening game 6-5 behind home runs from Kolten Wong and Tyler O’Neill. The Cardinals moved back to .500 with the victory while playing their third doubleheader in five days. 

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bryce Harper hit a tying, two-run double and scored the go-ahead run on an error following Alec Bohm’s infield single, helping the Philadelphia Phillies rally to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-7 and earn their first doubleheader sweep in eight years. Zach Eflin struck out nine in a four-hitter and Harper went deep in Philadelphia’s 7-0 win in the opener.  The Phillies came back twice in the nightcap.  Rafael Marchan hit his first career homer as a professional, a three-run drive in the fourth that tied it at 5-5. 

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner says his balky left ankle is heading in the right direction. Conner missed most of Pittsburgh’s season-opening win over the New York Giants after feeling discomfort in the ankle during the first half. Conner sat out one day of practice but was a full participant late in the week as Pittsburgh prepared to host Denver. Conner says he’s not concerned about whether he enters the game as the starter. Conner says backups Benny Snell Jr. and Jaylen Samuels have also earned the right to have playing time.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jared McCann is sticking with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The team announced it has re-signed the 24-year-old forward to a two-year contract that runs through the 2021-22 season. The deal carries an average annual value of $2.94 million. McCann tied a career high with 35 points during the 2020-21 season, collecting 14 goals and 21 assists in 66 games. He added one assist in Pittsburgh’s four-game loss to Montreal in the qualifying round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields says he felt distraught watching college football on TV last weekend. With the Big Ten’s decision to scrap fall sports in the name of player safety because of the coronavirus pandemic, Fields and his Buckeye teammates were sidelined. That changed this week when the Big Ten reversed course and announced that beginning Oct. 23-24. Fields says the players are grateful the season has been saved and are having fun being on the field together again. Wisconsin quarterback Jack Coan said getting the season back “means everything.”

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Jim Furyk birdied four of the last six holes for an 8-under 64 and the first-round lead Friday in the PGA Tour Champions’ Pure Insurance Championship. Trying to join Arnold Palmer and Bruce Fleisher as the only players to win their first two starts on the senior tour, Furyk had a one-stroke lead over Ernie Els, Cameron Beckman and Stephen Leaney. Furyk won The Ally Championship last month in Michigan in his tour debut. Els had his third hole-in-one of the season, using a 6-iron on the 201-yard 12th hole.