AP Thursday Sports Roundup

Royals take 2-0 lead with rout of Mets

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Johnny Cueto gave the type of postseason performance the Kansas City Royals had hoped to receive when they acquired him from Cincinnati at the trade deadline.

The Royals own a 2-0 lead in the World Series after Cueto tossed a neat two-hitter in a 7-1 rout of the New York Mets. The right-hander didn't allow a hit after Lucas Duda's RBI single gave the Mets a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning. Duda had the Mets' only hit off Cueto, who has been the lone Royals starter to go more than six innings in this postseason.

It's the first postseason complete game by a Royals hurler since Bret Saberhagen's five-hitter in an 11-0 pounding of the Cardinals in Game 7 of the 1985 World Series. Cueto's performance came one start after he was torched for eight runs over two innings in Game 3 of the ALCS.

Mets starter and loser Jacob deGrom carried a one-hit shutout into the fifth before the Royals turned a leadoff walk and five singles into a 4-1 lead. DeGrom elected to pitch to Eric Hosmer with first base open and two out in a 1-1 game, and the Royals' first baseman responded with a two-run single before scoring on a base hit by Mike Moustakas.

DeGrom was reached for four runs and six hits with just two strikeouts in five innings to fall to 3-1 in the postseason.

Hosmer and Alcides Escobar each had two hits and two RBIs. Escobar capped the Royals' three-run eighth with an RBI triple that scored Alex Gordon, who hit a run-scoring double earlier in the rally.

The Royals have fanned just four times against Mets starters over the first two games. They'll next face Noah Syndergaard in Game 3 on Friday in New York. Yordano Ventura will start for Kansas City.

Royals pitcher Edinson Volquez is in the Dominican Republic to attend his father's funeral, but he plans to rejoin the team when it heads to New York later in the week. Daniel Volquez died of heart failure at age 63 on Tuesday, shortly before Edinson started Game 1 of the World Series.

NBA-SCHEDULE

Back-to-back wins for Bulls

UNDATED (AP) — The Chicago Bulls have opened their NBA schedule with back-to-back victories as they followed an impressive win over Cleveland with a triumph at Brooklyn.

Jimmy Butler poured in 24 points and Nikola Mirotic had 18 as the Bulls dumped the Nets 115-100. Pau Gasol added 16 points for the Bulls, who jumped out to a 28-12 lead just a night after their two-point win over the Cavaliers.

Brook Lopez paced the Nets with 26 points.

Elsewhere in the NBA:

— The Cavs bounced back from their season-opening loss to Chicago as Kevin Love had 17 points and 13 rebounds in a 106-76 laugher over the Grizzlies in Memphis. Richard Jefferson had 14 points on 5 of 6 shooting, including a 3-for-3 mark on three-point tries.

— Billy Donovan won his NBA coaching debut as Russell Westbrook scored 33 points and had 10 assists in Oklahoma City's 112-106 triumph over San Antonio. Kevin Durant shot just 6 of 19 from the field, but he drained a pair of critical free throws with 11 1/2 seconds left and finished with 22 points.

— Danilo Gallinari scored 23 points and Denver never trailed in a 105-85 pounding of the Rockets in Houston. James Harden led Houston with 22 points, but made just 6 of 21 shots and was 2 of 12 from 3-point range.

— The Los Angeles Clippers were 111-104 winners over Sacramento behind Blake Griffin's 33 points and seven rebounds. Chris Paul contributed 18 points and 11 assists for the Clippers, while DeAndre Jordan chipped in 12 rebounds.

— Dallas had eight players score in double figures as the Mavericks thumped the Suns 111-95 in Phoenix. Raymond Felton had a team-high 18 points for the Mavericks, and Zaza Pachulia added 10 and 10 rebounds.

— Washington scored the last six points and beat Orlando 88-87 on John Wall's floater with 12.7 seconds left. Bradley Beal led the Wizards with 24 points and Wall had 22.

— Toronto beat Indiana 106-99 as Jonas Valanciunas had 21 points and 15 rebounds in the victory. DeMar DeRozan finished with 25 points for the Raptors, two more than teammate Kyle Lowry.

— Chris Bosh scored 21 points in his first game since getting sick last February, helping Miami knock off Charlotte 104-94. Dwyane Wade finished with 20 points and helped the Heat put together a 26-6 run in the second quarter.

— Isaiah Thomas had 27 points and seven assists off the bench to lead Boston's 112-95 victory over Philadelphia. Thomas helped the Celtics' reserves outscore the 76ers' bench 67-15.

— Derrick Williams scored 24 points and 20-year-old Kristaps Porzingis had 16 in his NBA debut to highlight New York's 122-97 rout of the Bucks in Milwaukee. The Knicks won with ease despite a poor shooting night by Carmelo Anthony who had 11 points on 4 of 16 from the floor in 29 minutes.

— Reggie Jackson delivered a go-ahead layup with 17 seconds left to guide Detroit past Detroit 92-87. Andre Drummond had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Pistons, who are two games over .500 for the first time since March 2009.

— C.J. McCollum shot 6-for-9 from 3-point range and finished with a career-high 37 points as Portland whipped New Orleans 112-94. Damian Lillard delivered 21 points and 11 assists for the Trail Blazers, who outscored the Pelicans 43-18 in the first quarter en route to their NBA-record 15th consecutive home-opening victory.

— Ricky Rubio dropped in 28 points and had 14 assists in Minnesota's 112-111 verdict over the Lakers in Los Angeles. Kevin Martin had 23 points off the bench and helped the Timberwolves outscore the Lakers 24-18 in the final period.

NHL-SCHEDULE

Penguins stifle Caps

UNDATED (AP) — The Pittsburgh Penguins were able to pick up a much-needed road win while cooling off a bitter rival.

Phil Kessel scored the game-winner in the third period as the Penguins beat Washington 3-1, ending the Capitals' five-game winning streak. The Capitals led 1-0 until Beau Bennett and Kessel tallied 1:57 apart early in the third. Bennett's goal came just 24 seconds after Evgeny Kuznetsov beat Marc-Andre Fleury.

Nick Bonino added an empty-net goal for the Pens, who won despite another quiet night from Sidney Crosby. The Pittsburgh captain has been held scoreless in eight of his nine games this season, but the Penguins have won five of their last six since a season-opening, three-game losing streak.

Elsewhere on ice:

— Calle Jarnkrok snapped a 1-1 tie in the third period and Pekka Rinne (PEK'-uh REE'-nay) stopped 20 shots as Nashville beat San Jose 2-1 to improve to 7-1-1. Eric Nystrom also scored for the Western Conference leaders.

— Ottawa picked up its first home win as Mika Zibanejad scored the shootout winner in a 5-4 decision over Calgary. Craig Anderson made 34 saves as the Senators halted a four-game skid and sent the reeling Flames to their eighth loss in 10 games.

NFL-MANZIEL

QB has meeting coming up with league

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Browns coach Mike Pettine says quarterback Johnny Manziel has an "imminent" meeting scheduled with NFL investigators.

The league is looking into whether Manziel violated the league's personal conduct policy after an incident involving his girlfriend. According to a police report, Colleen Crowley accused Manziel of hitting her and pushing her head against his car's window during an argument.

Pettine says Manziel's status for Sunday's game against Arizona is uncertain.

The Browns may need the second-year pro as starter Josh McCown is suffering from a sore right shoulder.

NFL-COWBOYS-BRYANT

Bryant practices on limited basis, could play Sunday

IRVING, Texas (AP) — Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant could be back in the lineup Sunday against Seattle after missing five games with a broken right foot. Bryant practiced today for the first time in almost seven weeks, although he was limited. The Cowboys are 1-4 since he was injured in the opener against the Giants.

NFL-BROWNS-JIM BROWN'S RING

Jim Brown gets title ring back

NEW YORK (AP) — Cleveland Browns Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown and his championship ring will be reunited nearly half a century after it was stolen from his home.

Brown will get back the 1964 championship ring after settling a lawsuit he brought against a memorabilia dealer. Except for the return of the ring, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The dealer ended up with the ring decades after someone stole it from Brown's Cleveland home in 1966.

Brown said he plans to give the ring to one of his children, perhaps for Christmas.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL-LOUISVILLE

Louisville player says Pitino staying as coach

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Louisville graduate transfer Trey Lewis says athletic director Tom Jurich has assured players that Hall of Famer Rick Pitino will remain the Cardinals coach amid escort allegations. Speaking during the Atlantic Coast Conference media day, Lewis said Jurich explained to the players that Pitino is going to be coach for "a long time."

Allegations emerged earlier this month that an ex-staffer hired an escort and other dancers to strip and have sex with players and recruits from 2010-14.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL-MINNESOTA

Coach steps down

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota football coach Jerry Kill has announced his retirement because of health reasons. Kill has epilepsy and had to take a leave of absence from the team in 2013 while dealing with seizures. His five-year record at Minnesota was 29-29 while overall he is 156-102.

Defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys has been named interim head coach.

The Golden Gophers host Michigan Saturday night.

SOCCER

Visa tells FIFA to shape up

LONDON (AP) — FIFA sponsor Visa has threatened to cut its ties with the scandal-tarnished governing body of soccer if the credit card company isn't satisfied with reforms. A Visa executive appeared alongside representatives from McDonald's, Coca-Cola and Budweiser brewer Anheuser-Busch at a British parliamentary hearing into FIFA.