Last Update on June 18, 2013 05:38 GMT

PIRATES-REDS

CINCINNATI (AP) -- Zack Cozart and Todd Frazier hit upper-deck homers off left-hander Francisco Liriano, and the Cincinnati Reds moved a season-high 15 games over .500 by beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-1 on Monday night.

The Reds hit four solo homers in all, extending their best start since 1995, the last time they won a playoff series.

Cozart connected in the fourth and Frazier in the sixth off Liriano (5-3), who hadn't allowed a homer in his seven previous starts. He opened the season on the disabled list, recovering from a broken right arm last December.

Joey Votto and Jay Bruce connected in the eighth off Bryan Morris.

Mike Leake (7-3) extended the best stretch of his four-year career, giving up six hits -- including Russell Martin's RBI double -- in seven innings.

ROYALS-INDIANS

CLEVELAND (AP) -- Pinch-runner Elliot Johnson scored from third base on a wild pitch by reliever Matt Albers in the ninth inning, giving the Kansas City Royals a 2-1 win over the Cleveland Indians on Monday night.

Johnson sprinted home and slid in safely after Albers' pitch got under catcher Carlos Santana and went all the way to the backstop.

The Royals have won 11 of 13 and in getting to .500 for the first time since May 21 moved past Cleveland into second place in the AL Central.

Aaron Crow (3-2) struck out two after putting the potential go-ahead run at third in the eighth. Greg Holland stranded the tying run at third in the ninth for his 15th save in 17 tries.

CHAD JOHNSON-ARREST

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) -- Former NFL star Chad Johnson is being released immediately from jail after apologizing to a judge for lack of respect when he slapped his attorney on the backside in court last week.

Broward County Circuit Judge Kathleen McHugh accepted Johnson's apology Monday and reduced his jail term from 30 days to seven days. Attorney Adam Swickle said the rear-end slap was just a football player's way of saying thanks.

The 35-year-old formerly known as Chad Ochocinco was in court because of a probation violation stemming from a domestic altercation he had with his then-wife, TV reality star Evelyn Lozada.

Johnson was cut by the Miami Dolphins after that. He played most of his 11 NFL seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals and a year with the New England Patriots.

Last Update on June 18, 2013 13:09 GMT

NHL-STANLEY CUP FINALS

BOSTON (AP) -- Daniel Paille (PY'-ay) entered the Stanley Cup Finals with just two goals in 16 postseasons games. He's managed to double that total by netting the game-winner in each of the last two contests to help the Boston Bruins take a two-games-to-one lead over the Chicago Blackhawks.

Paille scored in the second period and Tuukka (TOO'-kah) Rask turned back 28 shots as the Bruins blanked the Hawks 2-0. The game was scoreless until Paille tallied 2:13 into the middle period, two nights after providing the overtime goal in Boston's 2-1 victory at Chicago.

Patrice Bergeron (BEHR'-zur-ahn) doubled the Bruins' lead with 5:55 left in the period.

Rask posted his third shutout of the playoffs and lowered his goals-against average in the finals to 1.22. Bryan Bickell nearly ended the shutout bid, beating Rask but hitting the right post with 42 seconds left.

The Blackhawks played without forward Marian Hossa (HOH'-sah), who was scratched after being hit by a puck during warm-ups.

Game 4 is Wednesday night in Boston.

MLB-SCHEDULE

UNDATED (AP) -- Max Scherzer is a perfect 10.

The Detroit Tigers pitcher has improved to 10-0 by limiting Baltimore to a run and seven hits while striking out 10 in six innings of a 5-1 victory over the Orioles. According to STATS, Scherzer is the first pitcher to begin a season 10-0 in his starts since Roger Clemens went 11-0 for the 1997 Blue Jays.

Scherzer also is the American League's first 10-game winner of the season, and the second in the majors.

Miguel Cabrera hit a two-run homer as the Tigers stretched their lead in the AL Central to five games over Kansas City.

Orioles slugger Chris Davis smacked his major league-leading 24th homer but struck out with the bases loaded in the fifth inning with the Birds down by two runs.

In other major league action, Kansas City has 11 wins in its last 13 games after pinch-runner Elliott Johnson scored the tiebreaking run on a wild pitch in the ninth inning as the Royals downed Cleveland 2-1. Eric Hosmer tied the game with an RBI double in the eighth, two innings after Carlos Santana homered for the Indians.

Dillon Gee was two outs from a four-hit shutout until Freddie Freeman launched a walkoff, two-run homer to give the Braves a 2-1 win over the New York Mets. Freeman finished a triple shy of the cycle after the start of the game was delayed almost four hours by rain.

Dayan Viciedo's (dy-AHN vih-see-EH'-dohz) bases-loaded triple highlighted a four-run sixth that gave the Chicago White Sox a 4-2 triumph at Houston. The victory snapped a four-game losing streak for the White Sox and allowed them to avoid being swept in a four-game series for the first time in five years.

Nelson Cruz homered twice and A.J. Pierzynski (peer-ZIHN'-skee) had three RBIs as Texas outscored Oakland 8-7 to end a six-game losing streak. The Rangers trailed 6-4 in the fifth until Pierzynski hit an RBI double and scored on Cruz's blast.

Josh Hamilton socked a two-run homer and Jason Vargas struck out nine over seven innings as the Angels clobbered Seattle 11-3. Albert Pujols (PO'-hols) and Alberto Callaspo (ky-AS'-poh) each had four of the Angels' 21 hits.

Shelby Miller waited out a two-hour rain delay before tossing five scoreless innings in the Cardinals' 5-2 win over the Cubs in St. Louis. Yadier (YAH'-dee-ehr) Molina had a two-run double for the Cardinals.

Cincinnati is a season-high 15-games over .500 after Zack Cozart and Todd Frazier hit upper-deck homers off left-hander Francisco Liriano to power the Reds past Pittsburgh 4-1. Joey Votto (VAH'-toh) and Jay Bruce also hit solo homers to support Mike Leake, who's 7-3 after allowing one run in seven innings.

Philadelphia beat Washington 5-4 on Domonic Brown's run-scoring single in the bottom of the ninth, a half-inning after Chad Tracy knotted the score with a two-out homer. Ryan Howard belted a solo homer and had two RBIS, and Delmon Young lined a two-run double for the Phillies' other offense.

Giancarlo Stanton smacked a two-run homer before adding a tiebreaking, solo shot in the ninth inning of Miami's 3-2 triumph at Arizona. Diamondbacks starter Patrick Corbin remains 9-0 after allowing two hits in eight innings, including Stanton's game-tying, two-run blast in the sixth.

Padres pitcher Andrew Cashner won a game as a pinch-hitter, delivering a tiebreaking, RBI single in the 13th inning before San Diego completed a 5-3 win at San Francisco. Chris Denorfia was 3-for-6 with an RBI and two runs scored for the surprising Padres, who've won seven straight to climb within one game of the NL West-leading Diamondbacks.

Josh Johnson combined with two relievers on a five-hitter and Maicer Izturis (MY'-sur his-TOOR'-ihs) hit a two-run single in the eighth inning as Toronto blanked Colorado 2-0. Johnson had to settle for a no-decision after holding the Rockies to five hits while striking out a season-high 10 in 7 1/3 innings.

MLB-NEWS

UNDATED (AP) -- The Arizona Diamondbacks are spending the next week and a-half without pitcher Ian Kennedy.

He has dropped his appeal and begun serving his 10-day suspension for his role in last week's brawl with the Dodgers. Kennedy got the most severe of the six suspensions stemming from the brawl. He was suspended after hitting Yasiel Puig (YAH'-see-ul pweeg) and Zack Greinke (GREHN'-kee) with high inside pitches, the latter one triggering the bench-clearing melee.

Kennedy started Sunday's game in San Diego, leaving with no decision in a 4-1 Arizona loss.

Also in the majors, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman says he is leaning toward putting first baseman Mark Teixeira (teh-SHEHR'-uh) back on the disabled list. Teixeira missed the first 53 games of the season because of an injured right wrist. The All-Star slugger is hitting just .151 with three home runs and 12 RBIs in 53 at-bats.

Struggling Texas Rangers designated hitter Lance Berkman is not in the lineup for the second straight day. Berkman is hitting only .192 over the past 21 games, dropping to a season-low .266. He has only three RBIs and one extra-base hit the past 18 games.

Phillies pitcher John Lannan started against the Washington Nationals after being activated earlier in the day. The former National is 0-1 with a 6.14 ERA and has been out since April 17 because of a strained tendon in his left knee. Philadelphia made roster room by putting reliever Jeremy Horst on the 15-day DL with a strained left elbow.

Slumping Indians first baseman Nick Swisher will miss the next few games because of a sore left shoulder. Cleveland manager Terry Francona says Swisher received a cortisone shot after an MRI revealed no structural damage. Francona said Swisher possibly could return Friday when the Indians open a three-game set against Minnesota.

The Detroit Tigers have placed right-hander Anibal (AH'-nih-bahl) Sanchez and catcher Alex Avila (AH'-vee-lah) on the 15-day disabled list. Sanchez is expected to miss two starts because of a strained right shoulder and Avila will be out with a bruised left forearm.

NBA FINALS

MIAMI (AP) -- The San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat have left San Antonio for Miami. The Spurs top the best of seven series 3-2 with Game 6 tonight.

If the Heat win that one, Game 7 will be Thursday night in Miami.

NBA-NEWS

Nuggets fill GM post; coach next

DENVER (AP) -- The Denver Nuggets have hired Tim Connelly as executive vice president of basketball operations. Connelly has been the assistant GM with the New Orleans Pelicans since 2010. His first order of business with the Nuggets will be finding a replacement for George Karl after the longtime coach was fired nearly two weeks ago.

COLLEGE WORLD SERIES

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- Oregon State stayed alive in the College World Series by scoring seven times in the fourth inning of an 11-4 romp over Louisville. Max Gordon had two hits and two RBIs out of the No. 9 hole as the Beavers eliminated the Cardinals.

The second game had Mississippi State beating Indiana 5-3.