Baseball: Cardinals win opener

Reggie Sanders hit a grand slam homer and drove in six runs to lead the St Louis Cardinals to an 8-5 win over the San Diego Padres in the opening game of the National League baseball playoffs at Busch Stadium in St Louis yesterday.

In American League action, the Chicago White Sox trounced defending World Series champions Boston Red Sox 14-2 and the New York Yankees beat the LA Angels 4-2 in Anaheim.