Mauricio Dubon and Jose Altuve hit back-to-back home runs on two different occasions to help power the Houston Astros to a 13-6 rout of the Texas Rangers in Monday's opener of a pivotal three-game series between American League West rivals.

Yanier Diaz added a three-run homer, part of a 16-hit barrage that enabled the defending World Series champions to bounce back after being swept at home by the New York Yankees in a three-game series over the weekend.

The win moved the Astros in a virtual tie with Seattle for first place in the AL West after the Mariners lost at Cincinnati on Monday. Texas, which is in the midst of a 4-13 stretch since mid-August, is one game back in the standings.

Houston trailed 3-0 after four innings before scoring three times in the fifth, highlighted by Alex Bregman's game-tying two-run single. After the Rangers went back ahead in the bottom of the inning on Corey Seager's second home run of the game, Dubon and Altuve each homered off Glenn Otto in the sixth to give the Astros a 5-4 edge.

Texas drew back even in the bottom of the sixth on Mitch Garver's solo homer, but the Astros scored six runs in the seventh to put the game out of reach.

After Seager's error allowed two runs to score to put Houston up 8-5, Diaz launched his 21st homer of the season to extend the margin to six runs.

Dubon and Altuve again went back-to-back in the ninth. The hit was Altuve's fourth of the day and he finished with three runs scored.

Seager ended 3 for 5 with three RBIs and Garver went 2 for 3 with two RBIs for Texas, which also got a solo homer from Josh Smith.

Steer's three-run homer helps Reds down Mariners

The Astros got help in their chase for the AL West lead from the Cincinnati Reds, who scored five early runs en route to a 6-3 win over the Seattle Mariners.

Spencer Steer delivered the big blow for Cincinnati with a three-run homer off Bryan Woo in the second inning that staked the Reds to a 5-0 lead. Elly De La Cruz and Hunter Renfroe drove in the first two runs with RBI singles in the first.

While Seattle lost sole possession of first place in the AL West with its third loss in four games, the Reds moved into a tie with Arizona for the National League's final wild card spot. The Diamondbacks kept pace with a 4-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies behind 12 strikeouts from starting pitcher Merrill Kelly. 

Renfroe and Tyler Stephenson each had two hits and an RBI to help Cincinnati withstand solo homers from Julio Rodriguez and Mike Ford.

Woo was handed the loss after surrendering five runs over a five-inning stint in which he walked three batters and hit three others.

Steele dominates Giants as Cubs gain ground in NL Central

Justin Steele allowed just two hits over eight scoreless innings to earn his 16th win of the season and lead the Chicago Cubs to a 5-0 victory over the San Francisco Giants in the opener of another key September three-game series.

Steele (16-3) struck out a career-high 12 while issuing only two walks to win his seventh straight decision and tie Atlanta's Spencer Strider for the major league lead in victories.

The left-hander's show-stopping performance also enabled the Cubs to pull within 2 1/2 games of first-place Milwaukee in the NL Central after the Brewers were dealt a 4-2 loss by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Seiya Suzuki supplied the offence for Chicago with a solo homer in the second inning, an RBI double in the seventh and a run-scoring fielder's choice in the eighth.

Slumping San Francisco was shut out for a second straight game and has now lost four in a row to fall out of a tie for the NL's final wild card spot. The Giants now trail both Cincinnati and Arizona by one game.

Giants starter Logan Webb lasted 6 2/3 innings but lost a third straight start after being charged with three runs on five hits.

Britain’s Jack Draper’s run at Flushing Meadows was ended by Russian eighth seed Andrey Rublev.

Wimbledon champion Martketa Vodrousova is through to the quarter-finals and will face Madison Keys.

But Ons Jabeur, last year’s runner-up, bowed out 6-2 6-4 to China’s Qinwen Zheng, who will play new world number one Aryna Sabalenka.

Here, the PA news agency looks back at day eight at the US Open.

Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova moved a step closer to back-to-back grand slam titles by beating Peyton Stearns to quarter-finals.

The 24-year-old Czech, seeded ninth here two months after becoming the first unseeded woman to win at SW19, fell a set behind to Stearns.

But the American youngster, whose powerful forehand accounted for Britain’s Katie Boulter in round three, won just five more games as Vondrousova triumphed 6-7 (3) 6-3 6-2.

Jack Draper’s breakthrough run came to an end in the fourth round after a four-set defeat by Russian Rublev.

The British number four, in the second week of a grand slam for the first time, fell 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-4

But Draper’s performances this week will hopefully point to an upward curve in such a promising career hindered by fitness issues.

Forty and counting…

Women: Jessica Pegula (3), Ons Jabeur (5), Daria Kasatkina (13).
Men: Alex De Minaur (13).

The quarter-finals begin with Coco Gauff taking on Iga Swiatek’s conqueror Jelena Ostapenko. Novak Djokovic follows against Taylor Fritz, while in the night session there is an all-American showdown to savour between Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton.

Aryna Sabalenka has achieved one ambition already at the US Open, and now she has the chance to fulfil another dream.

Belarusian Sabalenka, the second seed, found out she will become world number one for the first time next week after Iga Swiatek’s defeat by Jelena Ostapenko on Sunday.

The 25-year-old then moved into the quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows after a 6-1 6-3 victory over Daria Kasatkina.

“I had no doubt that Iga was going to make it to the final. I was sad that she lost, but becoming number one means a lot to me,” said Sabalenka.

“I’ve been pushing myself a lot this year to make this goal and I still can’t believe it, but I didn’t want to be distracted for tonight.”

Swiatek’s defeat also means there will be a new women’s champion this year, with Sabalenka the hot favourite.

She will face China’s Qinwen Zheng, who ended the hopes of last year’s runner-up Ons Jabeur, in the last eight.

Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova moved a step closer to back-to-back grand slam titles by beating Peyton Stearns.

The 24-year-old Czech, seeded ninth here two months after becoming the first unseeded woman to win at SW19, fell a set behind to Stearns.

But the American youngster, whose powerful forehand accounted for Britain’s Katie Boulter in round three, won just five more games as Vondrousova triumphed 6-7 (3) 6-3 6-2.

“She was playing great from the beginning and I just tried to stay in the game,” said Vondrousova.

“She is a very dangerous player, she has a great future ahead of her and it was a very tough match.

“I’m very happy. I didn’t expect this, after Wimbledon there was a lot of pressure but I’m feeling good and we’ll see what happens next.”

What happens next is a meeting with Madison Keys, a former Flushing Meadows runner-up who sprung a mild surprise against fellow American Jessica Pegula, the third seed.

Keys, seeded 17, is emulating the form which swept her to the final in 2017 and sunk the highly-fancied Pegula 6-1 6-3.

The 28-year-old said: “It’s always tough having to play a friend but we’ve been doing it all our lives. On court it’s all business but then we go back to being friends.”

Jack Draper is determined to finally put his injuries behind him and prove he can become one of the top players in the world.

Draper’s thrilling run at the US Open came to an end in the fourth round after a four-set defeat by Russian Andrey Rublev.

The British number four, in the second week of a grand slam for the first time, fell 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-4 to eighth seed Rublev.

But Draper’s performances this week will hopefully point to an upward curve in such a promising career hindered by fitness issues.

The 21-year-old has endured an injury-hit year and slipped from a ranking of 38, in January, to outside the top 100.

A shoulder problem saw him miss Wimbledon and also threatened his participation at Flushing Meadows.

Yet despite serving well within himself in a bid to manage the problem, Draper was the only British player to reach the last 16, and he gave combustible Russian Rublev plenty of reasons to vent his spleen in a see-saw contest.

“With the amount of injuries I’ve had and the amount of times I’ve not been able to compete, and I’ve had difficult times in my career, it has honestly been tough to believe I can go all the way in a grand slam right now,” he said.

“It’s not my tennis which is something that is holding me back, it’s my physicality and being able to staying on court consistently.

“Once I do that I think I will prove to myself I will be able to be one of the best players in the world.

“My tennis is right there. I’ve barely played in the last couple of months and I’ve come here, made the fourth round and pushed a top-10 player today.

“If I just can get things right, still be being able to compete and train, I think I can go all the way in this sport, 100 per cent.”

Draper took time to settle as the first set raced away from him; Rublev does not only serve at 125mph but he seems to play at that pace as well.

But he played a brilliant set to level the match and broke again early in the third, only for the lack of court time this year to begin to tell as Rublev eventually triumphed in two hours and 45 minutes.

“The first couple of sets were a battle and I started to struggle physically after I broke him in the third set,” added Draper.

“I gave it all I had mentally, but I was pretty drained. That’s where, now that I’m fit, we can go back to base and try and work each day to be better with that intensity.

“It’s tough when you’ve been out so long and have no feedback. I can train with more intensity now remembering that match and how knackered I was after it.”

Steve Borthwick insists England will persist with their current tactics despite entering the World Cup with a losing run that has seen them installed as underdogs for their opener against Argentina.

Five defeats in six Tests have reduced expectations from outside the camp that they will make an impact in the tournament.

Argentina are positioned two places higher in the world rankings and England knows that if they fall again to the side that stormed Twickenham in November, they will have no room for manoeuvre in their remaining Pool D fixtures.

Borthwick’s team have been criticised for their statistics-based gameplan that places a high emphasis on kicking but the head coach insists there is no time to change the approach.

“We always study the tactical elements of what we do. I said when I came in, we need to build a way of playing and to have a consistent base,” Borthwick said.

“You can’t change everything from one week to another week. You need to have a way of playing you can build upon.

“Ideally you start building that post the last World Cup, as most other teams have. You have seen the growth of Ireland and France – these teams who have started building since then. We’re not one of them.

“We’ve been trying to build it over the past six months and in many ways, because the coaching team only came together 10 or 11 weeks ago, we’ve been trying to do this for 10 or 11 weeks.

“What I’ve been trying to do is strengthen the direction we’re going in and trying to get better at it. For us it’s continuing the growth and making the foundations stronger.”

Borthwick is convinced England have the firepower to make an impact at the World Cup.

“I look at this team and see the likes of Ellis Genge, Joe Marler, Owen Farrell, Courtney Lawes, Maro Itoje…the list could go on,” Borthwick said.

“We’ve got players who know how to perform on the biggest occasions and that’s one of the central things we need to do this Saturday – perform together.”

“We’re going against a really good Argentina side, potentially the best Argentinian side in their history.

“So we know that’s a challenge but it’s one the boys can’t wait to get involved in.

“I can’t stress enough, coming to Le Touquet, being here – the World Cup’s really now begun. This is it. We are in it.”

Jack Draper’s breakthrough run at the US Open came to an end in the fourth round after a four-set defeat by Russian Andrey Rublev.

The British number four, in the second week of a grand slam for the first time, fell 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-4 to eighth seed Rublev.

But Draper’s performances this week will hopefully point to an upward curve in such a promising career hindered by fitness issues.

The 21-year-old has endured an injury-hit year and slipped from a ranking of 38, in January, to outside the top 100.

A shoulder problem saw him miss Wimbledon and also threatened his participation at Flushing Meadows.

Yet despite serving well within himself in a bid to manage the problem, Draper was the only British player to reach the last 16, and he gave combustible Russian Rublev plenty of reasons to vent his spleen in a see-saw contest.

Draper took time to settle as the first set raced away from him; Rublev does not only serve at 125mph but he seems to play at that pace as well.

He then had to save five break points, punctuating the rallies with complaints to the umpire about the air-conditioning under the Louis Armstrong Stadium roof and the net sensor, to stay on serve at 2-1 in the second.

Then, from out of nowhere at 3-2, Draper cracked a backhand winner down the line to end a fierce rally and bring up break point.

Rublev promptly sent down a double-fault, and was visibly furious with himself, as he gifted Draper a 4-2 lead and, consequently, the second set.

With Rublev now the agitated party, Draper took advantage and broke again at the start of the third with a walloping forehand winner, only to follow it up with a poor service game to let his opponent back in.

The momentum was back with Rublev and he won six of the next seven games to motor away with the third set.

Draper had never won a four-set match until he beat Michael Mmoh on Saturday, and his exertions – as well as his lack of court time this year – seemed to have caught up with him in the fourth.

Rublev took advantage of a weary service game to lead 3-2 and, although Draper saved two match points on serve, and another on his opponent’s, he was unable to avoid slipping to defeat in two hours and 45 minutes.

France lock Bastien Chalureau has denied accusations he is racist following his controversial call-up for the Rugby World Cup.

The 31-year-old Montpellier player is appealing against a suspended six-month prison sentence for a racially-motivated attack in 2020.

Chalureau, who has six Test caps, was added to Les Bleus’ 33-man squad by head coach Fabien Galthie following the injury withdrawal of Paul Willemse.

“I am not a racist, I do not have those values,” he told a press conference on Monday.

“What I want to say to you is that I confessed to my mistakes, that I paid my debts and I deny all claims about racist remarks.”

While visiting the squad on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron was recorded telling head coach Galthie: “We don’t want the controversy getting out of hand.”

Chalureau, who at times was tearful during his press conference, said France’s coaching staff and management were fully aware of the assault, which led to him leaving former club Toulouse.

“We discussed the matter with the French team staff,” he said.

“They knew from the start, it is an old case and known by a lot of people.

“I wanted to come out in public and address all my team-mates, my family as it does not just affect me.

“I am not a racist, I bring people together. The beauty of rugby is it brings together people from all communities.”

Chalureau made his international debut in November as a late replacement in a 30-26 win over reigning world champions South Africa in Marseille.

Former national team captain Thierry Dusautoir, a friend of one of the victims of the attack, said he has never supported the second-row forward playing for France.

“I’ve always had a problem with him being in the French national team,” Dusautoir told Canal Plus. “I’m aware that I’m not objective in this.”

France begin their home World Cup on Friday evening by hosting New Zealand in Paris.

Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Julio Urias was arrested Sunday night and faces felony domestic violence charges, the Los Angeles police told ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

Urias was also arrested on suspicion of domestic battery in 2019 and given a 20-game suspension by Major League Baseball despite not being charged.

“We are aware of an incident involving Julio Urias,” the Dodgers said Monday. “While we attempt to learn all the facts, he will not be traveling with the team.

“The organization has no further comment at this time.”

Urias, 27, is 11-8 with a 4.60 ERA in 2023 after going a combined 37-10 with a 2.57 ERA in the previous two seasons.

His 48 wins since the beginning of the 2021 campaign are the most in MLB, while Urias’ .727 win percentage over that span is the fifth-best in baseball.

Los Angeles entered Monday with an 84-52 record and a 14 ½-game lead in the NL West.

The Dodgers visit the Miami Marlins and Washington Nationals during a six-game road trip that runs from Tuesday through Sunday.

Middlesex’s Josh de Caires took career-best figures of seven for 105 as Essex were reduced to 303 for nine on day one of their LV= Insurance County Championship Division One clash.

Nick Browne (59) and Sir Alastair Cook (58) put on a century stand before De Caires, the 21-year-old son of Michael Atherton, took centre stage.

His efforts saw Essex reduced to 169 for five inside 16 overs en route to 303 for nine at the close.

Surrey are set to extend their lead at the top of Division One after taking 17 wickets on the second day at the Oval.

The hosts were all out for 396 and Warwickshire were subsequently bowled out for 161 thanks to Kemar Roach (four for 64) and Dan Worrall (three for 34).

Surrey then enforced the follow-on and the Bears quickly fell to 35 for five as Worrall and Jordan Clark took three wickets each.

Dan Mousley remains at the crease with an unbeaten 60, but Warwickshire closed on 126 for seven, still trailing by 109.

Keith Barker’s five-wicket haul saw Hampshire take control as Somerset were all out for 137.

Kyle Abbott’s dismissal saw Jack Brooks earn his first five-wicket haul of the season as the hosts were all out for 308 in the morning.

Barker then got off to a flying start to dismiss Sean Dickson in the third over and Andrew Umeed top-scored for Somerset with 43, leaving Hampshire to resume on day three on 45 without loss.

Josh Bohannon’s mammoth knock put Lancashire in the driving seat as they lead Northamptonshire by 160 runs.

The 26-year-old batted nearly the entire day to hit 175, his highest score of the season, and shared a partnership of 150 with George Balderson.

Alex Lees and Graham Clark both put on centuries as Durham took advantage against Sussex in Division Two.

Lees earned his fifth Championship century of the season with 103, putting on a 146-run partnership with Scott Borthwick, who scored 56.

The hosts lead by 158 with five wickets remaining and Clark (102*) and De Leede (71*) remained unbeaten at stumps.

A vital final session saw Leicestershire regain control over Gloucestershire on an eventful day two.

From a position of relative comfort overnight, Colin Ackermann’s dismissal saw the hosts collapse from 150 for three to 204 all out with top-scorer Rishi Patel earning 73.

Patel became Luke Charlesworth’s maiden first-class victim and the bowler took three wickets in total alongside Zaman Akhter’s four for 46.

Gloucestershire posted 95 for three at tea, but Leicestershire regained the upper hand through Tom Scriven (three for 43) as the visitors closed on 179 for eight, with a lead of 134.

Jamie McIlroy’s four wickets helped Glamorgan fightback as Worcestershire closed day two on 127 for eight in their second innings.

Eighteen wickets fell on the second day, including Logan van Beek’s four wicket-haul as Glamorgan were reduced to 170 all out, as wicketkeeper Chris Cooke top-scored with 38, but Worcestershire still held the advantage with a first-innings lead of 114.

However, McIlroy returned career-best figures of four wickets for 27 runs as the hosts reached stumps on 127 for eight.

Wayne Madsen missed out on a century in his 200th first-class appearance for Derbyshire as Yorkshire took a 229-run lead at Scarborough.

Madsen hit 93 for the visitors along with opener Mitch Wagstaff, who also posted 52, but they were soon reduced from 173 for three to 247 all out.

Seam duo Matthew Fisher and Jordan Thompson both claimed three wickets each for Yorkshire, who built on their lead in the second innings finishing the day on 179 for two.

Openers Fin Bean and Adam Lyth put on a century stand before James Wharton and captain Shan Masood scored an unbroken half-century partnership to close.

Sports stars and clubs across the world continue to provide an insight into their lives on social media.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the best examples from September 4.

Evan Ferguson was still celebrating his hat-trick.

Happy birthday.

There is a new world number one.

Luke Donald named his six wild card picks for the Ryder Cup in Rome.

Shane Lowry will play his first home Ryder Cup.

Justin Rose was grateful.

Robert MacIntyre is heading to Rome.

Carlos Sainz was celebrating after a great birthday weekend at Monza.

10 out of 10 for Max Verstappen.

Good mates George Russell and Alex Albon.

Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova moved a step closer to back-to-back grand slam titles by beating Peyton Stearns to reach the US Open quarter-finals.

The 24-year-old Czech, seeded ninth here two months after becoming the first unseeded woman to win at SW19, fell a set behind to Stearns.

But the American youngster, whose powerful forehand accounted for Britain’s Katie Boulter in round three, won just five more games as Vondrousova triumphed 6-7 (3) 6-3 6-2.

“She was playing great from the beginning and I just tried to stay in the game,” said Vondrousova.

“She is a very dangerous player, she has a great future ahead of her and it was a very tough match.

“I’m very happy. I didn’t expect this, after Wimbledon there was a lot of pressure but I’m feeling good and we’ll see what happens next.”

What happens next is a meeting with Madison Keys, a former Flushing Meadows runner-up who sprung a mild surprise against fellow American Jessica Pegula, the third seed.

Keys, seeded 17, is emulating the form which swept her to the final in 2017 and sunk the highly-fancied Pegula 6-1 6-3.

The 28-year-old said: “It’s always tough having to play a friend but we’ve been doing it all our lives. On court it’s all business but then we go back to being friends.”