Monday September 23rd Local Sports

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Nelson Cruz hit his 400th career home run, Miguel Sanó connected twice and the Minnesota Twins powered past the Kansas City Royals 12-8. Minnesota piled up six runs in the first inning and rolled from there after starting the day with a four-game lead over Cleveland for first place in the AL Central. Cruz became the 57th player with 400 homers. His fourth-inning solo shot was also his 40th homer of the season. The Twins retained their four-game lead over the Indians after Cleveland’s 10-1 win over Philadelphia. Minnesota has today off and finishes the regular season on the road with three games in Detroit and three games in Kansas City. 5:40 is the first pitch in Detroit on Tuesday and Wednesday nights with the pre-game starting at 5 o’clock on AM-1300 KGLO, with Thursday’s game being a 12:10 first pitch with an 11:30 pre-game show.

AMES — Iowa State prepares for the start of Big 12 play after rolling to a 72-20 win over Louisiana-Monroe. Quarterback Brock Purdy set a school record with 510 yards of offense and accounted for six touchdowns.

Cyclone coach Matt Campbell. Purdy passed for three touchdowns and rushed for three as ISU improved to 2-1 on the season.

Purdy and the Cyclones overcame turnovers on their first two possessions and would blow it open by scoring 45 points in the second half.

Iowa State opens the league race with a visit to Baylor.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — Will McElvain passed 17 yards to Isaiah Weston for the game’s only touchdown early in the fourth quarter and lifted Northern Iowa to a 13-6 victory over Idaho State on Saturday.

McElvain scrambled to his right then back across the field before finding Weston in the left end of the end zone with 14:14 remaining.

Austin Evans and Bryce Flater picked off passes later in the quarter to thwart the Bengals (1-2). Omar Brown also had an interception for the FCS No. 8 Panthers (2-1) and Elerson Smith collected three sacks including one on Idaho State’s final possession.

Kevin Ryan kicked two field goals for the Bengals before Matthew Cook hit one for the Panthers to cut Idaho State’s lead to 6-3 at halftime. Cook added a 20-yarder with 2:11 remaining in the game. He is perfect on eight attempts this season.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — NFL rushing leader Dalvin Cook cruised past the 100-yard mark for the third straight game, Kirk Cousins rebounded from a rattled performance the week before with a turnover-free afternoon, and the Minnesota Vikings beat the Oakland Raiders 34-14. The defense had plenty to do with the victory, too, with an interception by Harrison Smith to set up one of two touchdowns by Adam Thielen and two of the team’s four sacks by sub Eric Wilson. The Vikings improved to 2-1, and the Raiders fell to 1-2.

GALENA, Ill. – NIACC sophomore Zach Martin shot a 76-70 – 146 to win the Clarke University Fall Invitational on Saturday at the Eagle Ridge Golf Club in Galena, Illinois.

Martin was in fifth place after Friday’s opening round 76 and then responded with a career-low 70 to earn individual medalist honors. Martin’s previous career low was a 74, twice.

NIACC, which shot a 325 on Friday, shot a 310 on Saturday, which was the lowest team round of day for its 635 total, to place third in the tournament.

St. Ambrose won the tournament with a 299-316 – 615 and the University of Dubuque placed second with a 315-316 – 631. Iowa Central was fourth with a 315-326 – 641.

Also for NIACC on Saturday, Austin Eckenrod shot 77, Matthew Heinemann shot 81, Beau Thompson shot 82 and Jackson Hamlin shot 84.

Eckenrod finished with a 80-77 – 157, Hamlin shot 82-84 – 166, Heinemann shot 87-81 – 168 and Thompson shot 88-82 – 170.

NIACC continues its fall season Thursday at the Hawkeye Community College Redtail Shootout.

NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The No. 10 (NJCAA Division I) NIACC men’s cross country team placed fourth at the St. Olaf College Invitational on Saturday with 72 points.

Host St. Olaf was the team champion with 25 points and Wisconsin-Eau Claire was second with 44 points.

NIACC was led by freshman Jorge Ruiz, who was 20th in a time of 27 minutes, 54 seconds on the 8-kilometer course. Wisconsin-Eau Claire’s Connor Dolan was the individual champion in 26:24.

NIACC’s Janvier Irakoze was 23rd in 28:11. Other counting scores for the Trojans were Evan Wilson (26th in 28:22), Aidan Bauermeister (30th in 28:25) and Dawson Schmidt (32nd in 28:33).

Also for the Trojans, Ben Ellis (40th in 29:06), Jalen Peterson was 56th (29:48), Ellis Regan (58th in 29:51), Stephen Ringo (64th in 30:02), Matthew Dibbern (68th in 30:13), Sam Pedelty (80th in 30:43) and Alexander Levad (118th in 35:23).

NIACC returns to action Oct. 5 at the University of Arkansas Chile Pepper Festival in Fayetteville, Ark.