This Hour: Latest Illinois sports

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CUBS-CARDINALS

Samardzija pitches Cubs past Cardinals 4-2

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Ryan Sweeney and Cody Ransom hit back-to-back homers in a four-run first inning and that was plenty for Jeff Samardzija, who pitched the Chicago Cubs over the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 last night.

Chicago started fast against Adam Wainwright (10-4) and broke a 5-game losing streak in St. Louis.

Carlos Beltran hit his team-high 17th homer for the Cardinals, who lost for the third time in five games but still lead the majors with a 45-26 record.

WHITE SOX-TWINS

Mauer, Doumit lead Twins over White Sox

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Ryan Doumit hit a go-ahead double in the eighth inning, leading the Minnesota Twins over the Chicago White Sox 7-5 last night.

Joe Mauer homered and Trevor Plouffe had an RBI single in Minnesota's four-run first inning off Dylan Axelrod.

The White Sox came back to tie it at 5 in the eighth when Alex Rios worked a leadoff walk from reliever Jared Burton (1-4), stole second and scored on Paul Konerko's single that bounced off the pitcher's mound and into center field.

Clete Thomas walked with two outs against Ramon Troncoso (0-2) in the eighth. Mauer followed with a single - his third hit of the game - and Doumit doubled. Doumit also had three hits.

STANLEY CUP

Surprise Hossa scratch part of NHL injury culture

BOSTON (AP) - Marian Hossa is 1 of the Chicago Blackhawks' top scorers, with three game-winning goals already this postseason.

And then, suddenly, he wasn't in the lineup for a team that needs all the scoring it can get. His absence is part of a long-running cat & mouse game NHL teams play on the theory that any information about injuries is a competitive disadvantage.

Hossa was a late scratch for Monday night's third game of the Stanley Cup finals against Boston. The Bruins won 2-0 to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-7 series. Game 4 is tonight.

Various in-game reports said Hossa was hit by a puck during the pregame skate. But coach Joel Quenneville denied that after the game. Teams are only required to say whether an injury is to the upper or lower body, thus Quenneville's one-word answer: "Upper."

Blackhawks forward Patrick Sharp says, "It's all part of being this close to the ultimate goal."

STANLEY CUP-RATINGS

Stanley Cup Game 3 draws record viewers for NBCSN

STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) - The Stanley Cup finals' Game 3 drew the most viewers for the NHL on NBC Sports Network since the cable channel started televising the league in 2006.

The Bruins' 2-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday night averaged just over 4 million viewers, topping the 3.96 million for Boston's overtime victory in Game 2. It's nearly double the close to 2.1 million for the second finals game on the network last year, Game 4 between the Devils and Kings.

ILLINOIS-LUNT

Illinois makes Lunt transfer official

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) - Illinois football coach Tim Beckman says quarterback Wes Lunt's transfer from Oklahoma State is official.

Beckman said yesterday that the sophomore-to-be signed paperwork to transfer to Illinois. Lunt held a news conference in his hometown, Rochester, to announce his plans to join the Illini.

Beckman said in a news release that he was thrilled to add Lunt.

The quarterback started five games as a freshman for the Cowboys. But injury knocked him out of the lineup and he announced plans to leave Oklahoma State after the season.

Lunt will have to sit out 2013 under NCAA transfer rules.

He's a 6-4, strong-armed pocket passer and considered an upgrade for the Illini. He threw for more than 7,000 yards while leading Rochester to two state titles.

EVANSVILLE-NELSON LEAVES

Evansville guard looking to transfer

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) - Guard Jordan Nelson is leaving Evansville and will try to continue his basketball career at another school.

Coach Marty Simmons issued a statement yesterday afternoon announcing the move. Simmons says Nelson wants to pursue "other educational opportunities."

As a sophomore last season, Nelson averaged 7.8 minutes and 2.2 points in 27 games. The 6-foot sophomore from Lincoln, Ill., didn't get much time as a freshman, either. In 27 games, he averaged 6.4 minutes and finished the season with 12 3-pointers.

The Purple Aces finished 21-15 last season and won three games in the CIT tournament before losing to East Carolina in the semifinals.

RAMS-DOME

St. Louis CVC pays $2M to Rams for legal fees

ST. LOUIS (AP) - The St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission has paid $2 million to the St. Louis Rams to cover the team's legal fees for the dispute over upgrades to the Edward Jones Dome.

CVC spokeswoman Donna Andrews yesterday confirmed payment was made May 20. Rams spokesman Artis Twyman confirmed the payment.

The CVC operates the taxpayer-funded dome that the Rams have played in since moving to St. Louis in 1995. The lease agreement allows the team to leave after 2014 if the dome is not deemed among the top quarter of NFL stadiums.

The two sides were far apart on how to get to that level. Arbitrators sided with the Rams' more expensive upgrade plan and ordered the CVC to pay the team's legal expenses.