SUNDAY SPORTS

Madison Bumgarner pitched shutout ball into the eighth inning and the San Francisco Giants combined just enough hitting with a couple of defensive flubs by St. Louis to beat the Cardinals 3-0. San Fran now leads the NLCS 1-0. Bumgarner set a major league post-season record with 26 and two-thirds consecutive scoreless innings on the road. The Giants lefty was in complete command while 20-game winner Adam Wainwright failed to last even five innings for the Cardinals.

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The Kansas City Royals are the hottest team in baseball — and their timing couldn’t be better. Alcides Escobar doubled in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning as Kansas City toppled Baltimore 6-4 to take a 2-0 lead in the American League Championship Series.

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Kevin Glenn threw three touchdown passes, including one for 60 yards to Ernest Jackson, as the B-C Lions hammered the Ottawa Redblacks 41-3. The Lions ended a three-game losing streak while improving to 8-and-7. The Redblacks fell to 2-and-12 as they remained winless on the road.

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The New York Islanders are off to an encouraging 2-0 start after completing a sweep of the Carolina Hurricanes.

Brock Nelson and John Tavares each had a goal and an assist as the Isles topped the ‘Canes 4-3. Nelson already has six points this season, one more than Tavares.

Josh Bailey scored the eventual game-winner and Chad Johnson stopped 21 shots to help the Islanders win their final home opener at Nassau Coliseum.

The Hurricanes lost despite Jiri Tlusty’s hat trick.

Elsewhere on ice:

– Chris Higgins scored the only goal of the shootout to give the Vancouver Canucks a 5-4 win over the Edmonton Oilers. Higgins beat Viktor Fasth in the third round before Canucks goalie Ryan Miller stopped Benoit Pouliot on Edmonton’s last shot.

– Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby each had a goal and two assists in Pittsburgh’s 5-2 verdict over Toronto.

– Montreal erased a 3-0 deficit in the third period before Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau scored the lone shootout goal in the fourth round to give the Canadiens a 4-3 victory against Philadelphia.

– Columbus was a 5-2 winner over the New York Rangers as Cam Atkinson scored twice while Nick Foligno and Marko Dano each had a goal and an assist.

– Alex Ovechkin scored twice and Braden Holtby stopped 29 shots as Washington blanked Boston 4-0 for Barry Trotz’s first win as the Capitals’ head coach.

– Kevin Shattenkirk and Paul Stastny each had three assists and David Backes and Alex Pietrangelo scored power-play goals as St. Louis topped Calgary 4-1.

– Ryan Getzlaf scored his second goal of the night with 24 seconds left to give Anaheim a 3-2 comeback win at Detroit.

– New Jersey is 2-0 after Eric Gelinas and Damon Severson each had a goal and an assist in the Devils’ 5-1 trouncing of Florida.

– Ottawa beat Tampa Bay 3-2 behind shootout goals by Kyle Turris and Mika Zibanejad.

– The defending Stanley Cup champs are still seeking their first win after Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored a power-play goal at 4:46 of overtime to lift Arizona past Los Angeles 3-2.

– Eric Nystrom had a goal and two assists in the third period of Nashville’s 4-1 victory against Dallas.

– Darcy Kuemper already has two shutouts in two games against the Avalanche this season after stopping 30 shots in Minnesota’s 3-0 win at Colorado.

– Chicago and Buffalo were tied 2-2 until Patrick Kane collected a goal and two assists while the Blackhawks were scoring four unanswered goals in the third period to beat the Sabres 6-2.

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Arizona coach Bruce Arians says he still hasn’t decided on a quarterback for Sunday’s game against the Washington Redskins. Arians says Carson Palmer, Drew Stanton and Logan Thomas all participated in Saturday’s workout, although Palmer and Stanton were listed as limited in practice. Palmer hasn’t played since the season opener because of a shoulder injury, and Stanton suffered a concussion in last Sunday’s loss to Denver.

In other NFL news:

– Minnesota Vikings safety Antone Exum has been fined $22,050 by the league for an illegal blindside block against the Green Bay Packers last week. Tampa Bay wide receiver Louis Murphy was docked $11,025 for using abusive language toward an opponent. Seattle right tackle Justin Britt was fined $8,268 for a late hit against Washington’s Bashaud Breeland, while Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin was fined $5,512 for a violation of league uniform rules.

– Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams will miss his second straight game with a high ankle sprain, leaving in question who will handle the rushing duties Sunday against Cincinnati. Coach Ron Rivera isn’t sure if backup Jonathan Stewart will be available after missing the last two games with a sprained knee. If he’s not, Darrin Reaves, Fozzy Whittaker and Chris Ogbonnaya will split carries.

– Jacksonville running back Toby Gerhart won’t play Sunday at Tennessee because of a sprained right foot. Coach Gus Bradley says backup Denard Robinson, rookie Storm Johnson and journeyman Jordan Todman will split carries against the Titans.

– Titans quarterback Jake Locker has missed his third straight practice with an injured right thumb and is questionable for Sunday’s game with Jacksonville. Backup quarterback Charlie Whitehurst again took first-team reps for 1-4 Tennessee.

– Buffalo starting offensive guard Chris Williams and backup receiver Marcus Easley have been ruled out from playing against the New England Patriots on Sunday. Williams has a back injury and Easley has an injured left leg. Both will miss their third straight game.

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Bradley Wright-Phillips scored his MLS-leading 25th goal of the season to help the New York Red Bulls to a 3-1 decision over Toronto F-C. Earlier, Marco Di Vaio struck twice as the Montreal Impact played to a 2-2 draw with New England.

(Canadian Press)