Pujols hits club-record 4th slam in Cards' 7-4 win

CINCINNATI (AP) -- Albert Pujols hit his club-record fourth grand slam of the season, and Jarrett Hoffpauir drove in the go-ahead runs in the ninth inning with his first career hit as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Cincinnati Reds 7-4 on Friday.

Hoffpauir was playing his first major league game after being recalled Wednesday from Triple-A Memphis. He capitalized on shortstop Paul Janish's two-out error with a bases-loaded single off Daniel Ray Herrera to snap a 4-4 tie.

The win gave the Cardinals sole possession of first place in the NL Central, a game ahead of Milwaukee.

Pujols gave the Cardinals a 4-3 lead in the eighth with his 10th career slam, also a team record, but the Reds tied it on Ramon Hernandez's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning.

Reds put IF Richar on DL, activate IF Encarnacion

CINCINNATI (AP) -- The Reds activated third baseman Edwin Encarnacion from the 60-day disabled list Friday to replace infielder Danny Richar, who went on the 15-day disabled list with a torn labrum in his left shoulder.

Wilkin Castillo, who had surgery Wednesday to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder, was moved from the 15-day DL to the 60-day to make room for Encarnacion on the 40-man roster.

Encarnacion, who'd been on the disabled list since April 28 with a chip fracture in his left wrist, was not in Friday's starting lineup. He was hitting .127 with one homer and six RBIs in 19 games when he was injured.

He hit .270 with two home runs and eight RBIs in 11 rehab appearances at Triple-A Louisville.

Richar was injured when he slid headfirst into home in the third inning of Cincinnati's 1-0 loss to Arizona on Wednesday. That was his seventh game since being called up on June 20.

ATHLETICS-INDIANS

Choo drives in seven; Indians snap five-game losing streak with 15-3 win over A's

CLEVELAND (AP) -- Shin-Soo Choo homered twice and drove in a career-high seven runs to lead the Cleveland Indians to a 15-3 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Friday, snapping their five-game losing streak.

Choo had an RBI single, two-run double, three-run homer and capped his night with a solo shot, his 12th. It was Choo's second career multihomer game and the most RBIs by a Cleveland player since Grady Sizemore drove in seven Aug. 21 against Kansas City.

Cleveland, with the worst record in the AL at 32-49, won for only the third time in 16 games. Asdrubal Cabrera had three RBIs in the Indians' biggest output since a 22-4 win at Yankee Stadium on April 18. They totaled only 13 runs and batted .195 during their five-game losing skid.

Diaz, Kemp share Farr lead

SYLVANIA, Ohio (AP) -- With a surprised hop, Laura Diaz tied Sarah Kemp for the second-round lead Friday in the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic.

Diaz looked discouraged with the putt halfway to the final hole but then hopped in celebration when the 12-foot birdie try went in, giving her a 4-under 67 and a share of the lead with Kemp at 11-under 131. Kemp had never led in her year and a half as a pro, while Diaz is winless since two victories in 2002.

Morgan Pressel was a shot back, and Natalie Gulbis , Seon Hwa Lee and Jiyai Shin followed at 9 under.

Michelle Wie, seeking her first professional victory, three-putted the final hole for double bogey and a 69, leaving her three strokes behind along with Suzann Pettersen , Lindsey Wright , Kyeong Bae and Eunjung Yi .

Creamer says she'll play at US Open next week

SYLVANIA, Ohio (AP) -- Paula Creamer plans to play in the U.S. Women's Open next week despite a sore thumb.

Creamer is resting her injured left thumb after getting two anti-inflammatory shots ahead of the U.S. Open at Saucon Valley in Bethlehem, Pa.

Creamer, the defending champion of the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic, withdrew before Thursday's first round because of the thumb. She received a cortisone shot on Monday and another on Thursday and wore a small bandage on it.

Creamer says her thumb was swollen after hitting balls on Thursday, and she decided to pull out of the tournament so she wouldn't risk further injury.

Nash re-ups with Jackets for 8 years

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Rick Nash and the Columbus Blue Jackets have reached agreement on an eight-year contract extension through the 2017-18 season.

Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson confirmed the signing to The Associated Press on Friday night. The Canadian Press first reported the signing, saying the deal is worth $62.4 million. Nash will make $7 million in 2009-10.

Nash, who would have been an unrestricted free agent after next season, set career and team highs last season with his 79 points in 78 games in leading Columbus to its first trip to the playoffs in the franchise's eighth season.

The 25-year-old left wing from Brampton, Ontario, tied for the NHL lead in goals with 41 in the 2003-04 season.