A big first inning led the Colorado Rockies to a second-straight win over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field. The Rockies scored four times in the first inning on their way to an 8-4 victory. Jordan Pacheco, Wilin Rosario, Andrew Brown and DJ LeMahieu had run-scoring hits off of Chris Capuano to put the Rockies out front early. Rosario would add two more hits, including his team-leading 22^nd home run, and two more RBI to his ledger. Brown, the former Husker, also had a three-hit night, a career high for him. Rockies starting pitcher Tyler Chatwood worked five strong innings, allowing just two runs on five hits and striking out four. The Rockies go for a sweep of the Dodgers this afternoon. ESPN Radio 1410 has the call from Coors Field, with the pregame show at 1:30 and the first pitch at 2:10.

NEW YORK (AP) – A person with knowledge of the deal says Major League Baseball and ESPN have extended their television contract through 2021.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the official announcement had not yet been made. MLB and the network scheduled a conference call for Tuesday afternoon.

The deal combines rights for TV, radio, digital and international that had been separate. The new single contract adds new rights to air a wild-card game, along with additional rights to highlights and digital content. It also gives the network more flexibility to show games involving popular teams.

The previous contracts were worth close to $360 million a year combined. The new combined deal with the additional rights will be worth about $700 million a year over eight years.

The extension was first reported by SportsBusiness Daily.

PITTSBURGH (AP) – With less than two weeks before the start of the regular season, Pro Bowl wide receiver Mike Wallace reported to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Wallace was at the team facility Tuesday morning. A restricted free agent, he had yet to sign his one-year contract tender worth approximately $2.7 million.

He also will undergo routine medical exams, but will not practice with his teammates until next week.

The Steelers conclude their preseason at home against the Carolina Panthers on Thursday and open their regular season Sept. 9 at the Denver Broncos.

Last season, Wallace has 72 receptions for 1,193 yards and eight touchdowns. He has 24 receiving touchdowns in his three-season career.

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) – Tony Stewart says he doesn’t expect any drama between himself and Matt Kenseth, despite throwing his helmet at Kenseth’s car at Bristol over the weekend.

Although the three-time NASCAR champion was joking Tuesday about his two-handed toss of his helmet, he said he wasn’t proud of losing his temper Saturday night. Stewart and Kenseth had contact while racing for the lead at Bristol, and it led to a spin that damaged Stewart’s car.

Stewart said he and Kenseth have raced against each other with respect for a long time and he expects it to stay that way. The two have not spoken about Saturday night.

And as for that post-wreck promise Stewart made to run over Kenseth every chance he gets this season? Stewart said the racing will be clean.

UNDATED (AP) – Chicago White Sox hurler Chris Sale goes his 16th win tonight when the AL Central-leading White Sox visit the Orioles in Baltimore. The Chi-Sox enter with a two-game lead over second-place Detroit. The O’s are just 3 1/2 games back of the Yankees in the AL East.

The Yankees host the Blue Jays, while the Tigers are in Kansas City.

Tampa Bay and Texas play game two of their series tonight in Arlington. The Rangers won last night, 6-5, allowing them to maintain their 5 1/2 game lead over the Athletics in the AL West. The Rays are 4 games back of the Yankees and a half-game back of the Orioles in that AL East race. The Athletics are in Cleveland for the second game of their series with the Indians.

Another young pitcher gunning for his 16th win is Washington’s Stephen Strasburg. He and the Nationals are in Miami tonight for a game against the Marlins. Strasburg is 15-5 with 183 strikeouts.

The Nats top Atlanta by 5 games in the National League East and tonight the Braves are in San Diego for the second game of their series with the Padres.

Johnny Cueto tries to become the majors’ first 17-game winner when the Reds visit Arizona. The Reds have opened a six-game lead over St. Louis in the NL Central.

The last divisional race to check is the NL West, where the Giants top the Dodgers by 2 1/2 games. LA is in Denver tonight to meet the Rockies, while the Giants are facing the Astros in the opener of a three-game series in Houston.

The remaining games tonight have Seattle at Minnesota, Boston in Anaheim against the Angels, the Phillies at home to the Mets, Milwaukee at Chicago and St. Louis at Pittsburgh.

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Chi White Sox at Baltimore 6:05 p.m.
Oakland at Cleveland 6:05 p.m.
Toronto at N-Y Yankees 6:05 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Texas 7:05 p.m.
Detroit at Kansas City 7:10 p.m.
Seattle at Minnesota 7:10 p.m.
Boston at L.A. Angels 9:05 p.m.

NATIONAL LEAGUE
N-Y Mets at Philadelphia 6:05 p.m.
St. Louis at Pittsburgh 6:05 p.m.
Washington at Miami 6:10 p.m.
Milwaukee at Chi Cubs 7:05 p.m.
San Francisco at Houston 7:05 p.m.
L.A. Dodgers at Colorado 7:40 p.m.
Cincinnati at Arizona 8:40 p.m.
Atlanta at San Diego 9:05 p.m.

Birds win, inch closer to AL East lead…Beltre leads Rangers again

UNDATED (AP) – Nate McLouth provided a blast that allowed the Baltimore Orioles to inch a game closer to the New York Yankees in the American League East standings. The Birds also cut into Chicago’s lead in the AL Central while moving into a tie with Oakland for the top two wild-card berths.

McLouth had three RBIs, including a go-ahead, two-run homer in the eighth inning of the Orioles’ 4-3 comeback over the White Sox. Chicago was within five outs of a seventh straight win until McLouth went deep following a one-out walk by Brett Myers.

Lew Ford also homered and Bruce Chen worked six strong innings as the O’s trimmed the White Sox’s division lead to two games over Detroit.

Baltimore is within 3 1/2 games of the Yanks after getting a little help from the Blue Jays in the Bronx. Derek Lowe’s wild pick-off throw set up the go-ahead grounder in the 11th inning of Toronto’s 8-7 win over New York. Derek Jeter tied it with a solo homer in the bottom of the ninth, a half-inning after Colby Rasmus gave the Jays their first lead with a three-run blast off Rafael Soriano.

Tampa Bay remains four games behind the Yanks after 16-game winner David Price was tagged for six runs and 10 hits in four-plus innings of the Rays’ 6-5 loss at Texas. Reigning AL Player of the Week Adrian Beltre (BEHL’-tray) was 3-for-3 with a homer and four RBI’s, including the go-ahead single in the fifth inning.

Nelson Cruz also homered for the Rangers, who still lead the AL West by 5 1/2 games over Oakland.

Brett Anderson pitched two-hit ball over seven innings as the Athletics blanked the Indians 3-0 in Cleveland. Josh Reddick homered and made a terrific catch in right field to help the Athletics pick up their ninth victory in 11 games.

Also in the AL, Felix Hernandez has followed his perfect-game performance against Tampa Bay by tossing a five-hitter in Seattle’s 1-0 win at Minnesota. Liam Hendricks went the distance on a three-hitter but gave up an eighth-inning homer by Eric Thames (tihmz)

Daisuke Matsuzaka worked seven innings of Boston’s 5-1 victory over Kansas City. Cody Ross had three RBIs and Jacoby Ellsbury homered to support Matsuzaka, who allowed an unearned run and five hits in his first appearance since early July. Matsuzaka had been on the disabled list with a strained neck muscle.

Over to the National League, where Josh Beckett didn’t exactly have a stellar debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Pitching for the first time since being acquired from Boston on Saturday, Beckett gave up a homer to Tyler Colvin on his second pitch of the Dodgers’ 10-0 loss at Colorado. Beckett surrendered three runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings as the Dodgers fell 2 1/2 games behind the West-leading San Francisco Giants.

The Dodgers are also 2 1/2 games behind St. Louis for the final NL wild-card berth after the Cardinals topped the Pirates 4-3 in Pittsburgh. Matt Holliday broke a 2-2 tie with a leadoff homer in the sixth to help Kyle Lohse (lohsh) pick up his eighth straight win and improve to 13-2. Lohse worked five innings and was pulled following a 34-minute rain delay.

A.J. Burnett fell to 15-5, and the Pirates slid three games behind the Redbirds.

Cincinnati still enjoys a six-game cushion over St. Louis in the NL Central after pitcher Bronson Arroyo launched a solo homer to break a 2-2 tie in the Reds’ 3-2 victory at Arizona. Arroyo also allowed two runs and five hits in six innings.

Atlanta’s 3-0 loss at San Diego puts the Braves five games behind the East-leading Nationals. Yasmani Grandal hit a two-run homer and drove in all three runs to back Casey Kelly, who held the Braves to three hits in six innings to win his major league debut.

In other National League action, Ryan Braun, Aramis (ah-RAH’-mihs) Ramirez and Corey Hart hit consecutive homers to jumpstart a nine-run ninth in Milwaukee’s 15-4 laugher against the Chicago Cubs. Braun was 4-for-5 with five RBIS and three runs scored, and Ramirez added three hits and four ribbies.

Women’s defending champ wins

NEW YORK (AP) – Defending women’s champion Samantha Stosur (STOH’-sur), top seed Victoria Azarenka (as-ah-REHN’-kuh) and No. 3 Maria Sharapova were among Monday’s winners at the U.S. Open. So were three-time champion Kim Clijsters (KLY’-sturz) and men’s top seed Roger Federer.

The seventh-seed Stosur (STOH’-sur) needed just 51 minutes to beat Petra Martic of Croatia 6-1, 6-1 in the tournament’s first match at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Stosur stunned Serena Williams in last year’s final at Flushing Meadows with a straight-set win for her first Grand Slam title.

Azarenka had 20 winners while allowing only two in a 6-love, 6-1 win over Alexandra Panova. The current Australian Open champ has never reached the quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows.

Clijsters picked up her 22nd consecutive Open victory by downing 16-year-old qualifier Victoria Duval 6-3, 6-1. Clijsters has won the event each of the last three times she’s entered. She missed last year’s Open due to an injured stomach muscle.

Sharapova reached Round 2 with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Melinda Czink. The reigning French Open champ is seeking her fifth Grand Slam title.

Also reaching the second round are ninth seed Li Na (LEE’-nah), fifth seed Petra Kvitova (kuh-VIH’-toh-vah) and No. 11 Marion Bartoli.

Federer headed the list of first-round winners on the men’s side, improving to 62-7 in the tournament by trouncing Donald Young 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. Federer finished with seven aces and needed only 1 hour, 34 minutes to dispatch Young.

Olympic gold medalist and men’s third seed Andy Murray opened with a 6-2, 6-4, 6-1 win over Alex Blogomolov Jr.

No. 23 Mardy Fish advanced with a three-set match that included tiebreakers in the first two sets. James Blake also advanced, as did fellow unseeded Americans Jack Sock and Tim Smyczek. Sock moved on after 22nd seed Florian Mayer retired trailing 6-3, 6-2, 3-2.

Wallace still AWOL…cuts and PUPs

PITTSBURGH (AP) – Wide receiver Mike Wallace still hasn’t reported to Pittsburgh Steelers training camp despite reports he was expected to end his holdout on Monday. Wallace refused to accept the team’s one-year, $2.7 million tender before camp started, and the Steelers suspended negotiations with him on a long-term contract when he was a no-show at the start of camp. Wallace had 2,450 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns the past two seasons.

UNDATED (AP) – Several prominent NFL players were either released or placed on the physically unable to perform list as teams tried to get to the 75-man roster limit by Monday’s deadline.

Among those cut were Buffalo quarterback Vince Young, Carolina kicker Olindo Mare (oh-LIHN’-doh MAHR’-ay), Washington kicker Neil Rackers, San Diego receiver and kick returner Roscoe Parrish and Denver long snapper Lonie Paxton. The Patriots released a pair of veteran wide receivers: Jabar Gaffney and Donte Stallworth.

Baltimore linebacker and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Terrell Suggs has landed on the PUP list, as have Detroit running back Jahvid (JAH’-vihd) Best, Giants defensive tackle Chris Canty and Washington right tackle Jammal Brown, which means they will miss at least the first six weeks of the season.

Jets send Hunter to Rams for Smith

NEW YORK (AP) – The Jets and Rams have swapped disappointing right tackles, with St. Louis receiving Wayne Hunter for Jason Smith. Hunter’s agent says the trade is pending physicals.

Both players had lost their starting spots in preseason.

Saints change plans as Isaac approaches

METAIRIE, La. (AP) – The New Orleans Saints have changed their practice and travel plans, heading for Cincinnati as Tropical Storm Isaac headed for the Gulf Coast.

Interim coach Joe Vitt called off practice and meetings so players could evacuate their families. The Saints also contacted the Cincinnati Bengals and got approval to practice at Paul Brown Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.

The Saints are scheduled to play their final preseason game Thursday in Tennessee.

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Boston 5, Kansas City 1
Baltimore 4, Chicago White Sox 3
Oakland 3, Cleveland 0
Toronto 8, N.Y. Yankees 7, 11 innings
Texas 6, Tampa Bay 5
Seattle 1, Minnesota 0

NATIONAL LEAGUE
St. Louis 4, Pittsburgh 3
Milwaukee 15, Chicago Cubs 4
Colorado 10, L.A. Dodgers 0
Cincinnati 3, Arizona 2
San Diego 3, Atlanta 0

The North Platte Lady Bulldogs are back on the diamond tonight. It’s the home opener at the Dowhower Softball Complex as the Lexington Minutemaids come to town. The Lady Bulldogs haven’t played since splitting their first two games in Hastings last Thursday. A scheduled tournament in Lincoln on Saturday was rained out. The visiting Minutemaids are 2-4 on the year and come off two wins at their own invite on Saturday. ESPN Radio 1410 will have the broadcast of tonight’s game. Pregame coverage will begin at 6:15 with the game scheduled to start at 6:30.

Tyler Colvin and Wilin Rosario homered as the Colorado Rockies defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-0 in the first game of their three-game set at Coors Field. Colvin’s homer led off the game and was part of a three RBI night, while Rosario’s two-run blast capped off a seven-run eighth inning. Jeff Francis earned the win on the mound for the Rockies, hurling five shutout innings and striking out six. Chris Nelson and Jonathan Herrera had three hits each as part of Colorado’s 13-hit attack. First pitch for tonight’s game two is set for 7:40.

Husker head coach Bo Pelini isn’t one to spill many major details about his depth chart in the week leading up to his team’s season opener. But yesterday at his weekly press conference, he did let slip that senior Justin Jackson has the inside track on the starting center job. Jackson, a walk-on from Norris High School, has apparently beaten out Cole Pensick and Mark Pelini for the starting nod. Jackson’s presence would mean that three of the five starting lineman for the Huskers would be former walk-ons. Seung-Hoon Choi and Spencer Long have already secured both guard positions. Pelini also says he hasn’t yet decided who his backup quarterback will be, as Brion Carnes and true freshman Tommy Armstrong have both impressed.

On the strength of three wins to open their season, including a five-set triumph over previously top-ranked UCLA, the Husker volleyball team ascended to number one in the newest AVCA poll released yesterday. The Huskers earned 32 of the 60 first place votes and will enjoy the number one ranking for the 83^rd week in program history. Nebraska also beat St. Louis and Notre Dame on their opening weekend. Taking home individual honors from the weekend was senior setter Lauren Cook. Cook was named the Big Ten Setter of the Week and was also the conference’s Co-Player of the Week. She tallied 118 assists in the three matches, including 56 against her former Bruin teammates, and also notched double-figures in digs in all three matches. The Huskers are in Irvine, California this Saturday for matches against Colgate and UC-Irvine.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos have released veteran long-snapper Lonie Paxton in their first round of roster cuts. Former coach Josh McDaniels brought Paxton with him to Denver from New England in 2009, signing him to a five-year, $5.53 million deal that called for him to make $875,000 this season and $885,000 next year. The 13-year pro was supplanted by rookie Aaron Brewer, a 6-foot-5 undrafted free agent from San Diego State.

The Broncos also waived wide receivers Mark Dell and Cameron Kenney, tight end Anthony Miller, running back Xavier Omon, fullback Austin Sylvester, tackle Mike Remmers, guard Austin Wuebbels, linebacker Eliot Coffey, defensive end Cyril Obiozor, safety Anthony Perkins and cornerback Ramzee Robinson.

Defensive end Jason Hunter was placed on injured reserve with a torn right triceps.

NEW YORK (AP) – The U.S. Open is under way with Samantha Stosur beginning the defense of her title.

Stosur, seeded seventh, kicked off the tournament Monday, playing the day’s first match in Arthur Ashe Stadium against 64th-ranked Petra Martic of Croatia.

Other players starting Monday include third-seeded Andy Murray of Britain, coming off his Olympic gold medal at the London Olympics. He faces Alex Bogomolov Jr. of Russia. Top-seeded Roger Federer plays American Donald Young in the night session.

Also playing in Ashe are No. 3 Maria Sharapova, against Melinda Czink of Hungary, and No. 23 Kim Clijsters, opening the final tournament of her career with a first-round match against American Victoria Duval.

Clijsters missed last year with an injury, but has won the tournament the past three times she’s entered – in 2005, 2009 and 2010.

BOSTON (AP) – The Boston Red Sox have placed designated hitter David Ortiz back on the 15-day disabled list Monday due to lingering problems with a strained right Achilles.

Ortiz, who suffered the injury in mid-July, returned to action in Friday’s win over Kansas City, getting two hits and two RBIs, but has not played since due to discomfort.

Ortiz said he’ll have an injection in the next day or so and hopes to return this season. He will be a free agent at the end of the season.

Manager Bobby Valentine said the injection would have sidelined him for about seven days so the club decided to put him on the DL.

NEW YORK (AP) – The Jets have cut veteran kicker Josh Brown, giving Nick Folk the job after a tight competition.

Brown, signed in May after being released by St. Louis, was 21 for 28 on field goals last season. Folk, entering his third season with the Jets, was re-signed in March after going 19 for 25.

The move Monday allows Brown to potentially hook on with another team before the end of the preseason schedule this week.

Brown wished the Jets luck on Twitter and added: “Thanks for one of the most memorable camps in 10 yrs. GREAT GROUP OF GUYS!!”

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Forget about the possibility of suspended wide receiver Da’Rick Rogers playing for Tennessee this season.

Amid reports that Rogers had transferred to Tennessee Tech, Tennessee coach Derek Dooley indicated Monday that the star receiver was no longer part of the Volunteers’ roster.

Dooley says Rogers “is not a part of our team, as expected.”

Tennessee Tech spokesman Rob Schabert says he couldn’t confirm reports of Rogers’ arrival. Because Tennessee Tech is a Football Championship Subdivision school, Rogers could transfer there without having to sit out a year.

Rogers caught 67 passes for 1,040 yards and nine touchdowns to earn all-Southeastern Conference honors for Tennessee last season. He was indefinitely suspended Thursday for a violation of team rules.

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Kansas City at Boston 12:35 p.m.
Chi White Sox at Baltimore 6:05 p.m.
Oakland at Cleveland 6:05 p.m.
Toronto at N-Y Yankees 6:05 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Texas 7:05 p.m.
Seattle at Minnesota 7:10 p.m.

NATIONAL LEAGUE
St. Louis at Pittsburgh 6:05 p.m.
Milwaukee at Chi Cubs 7:05 p.m.
L.A. Dodgers at Colorado 7:40 p.m. (LISTEN LIVE on ESPN Radio 1410)
Cincinnati at Arizona 8:40 p.m.
Atlanta at San Diego 9:05 p.m.