Cardinals fire manager Matheny after loss to Reds

ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Cardinals have fired manager Mike Matheny during his seventh season with the team hovering around .500.

The Cardinals announced Matheny’s firing after an 8-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday night, a defeat that dropped St. Louis to 47-46 and seven games back of the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs.

Matheny went 591-473 as manager, and his tenure included a loss to the Boston Red Sox in the 2013 World Series. Matheny was a Gold Glove Awardwinning catcher with St. Louis from 2000-2004 before getting his first managerial job with the club prior to the 2012 season.

The Cardinals made the playoffs in Matheny’s first four seasons before missing the past two postseasons.

Hitting coach John Mabry and assistant hitting coach Bill Mueller were also fired, and bench Coach Mike Shildt was named the team’s interim manager.

Kate Upton, Justin Verlander expecting baby: Supermodel Kate Upton and Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander are expecting their first child.

Upton announced the pregnancy on Instagram on Saturday in a post with the hashtag “pregnant in Miami.”

The picture of her in a red, highwaisted suit and white top revealed a slight baby bump.

Upton is 26 and Verlander 35. They married in November in Italy, just after Verlander helped the Astros win their first World Series.

Braves closer Vizcaino returns to DL with sore shoulder: The Atlanta Braves have placed closer Arodys Vizcaino on the 10-day disabled list with right shoulder inflammation.

It is Vizcaino’s second stint on the DL with the shoulder problem in four weeks.

He was activated on July 3 after missing eight games.

Vizcaino has 15 saves in 17 chances, but has been unavailable at times because of soreness in the shoulder. He has thrown three scoreless innings since coming off the DL.

A.J. Minter, who has four saves in a more prominent role this season, could be the primary replacement for Vizcaino.