LAWRENCE—Jordan Webb hit B.J. Beshears with a 6-yard touchdown pass on fourth down with 9 seconds to go and Kansas escaped with a wild, back-and-forth 45-42 victory over Northern Illinois on Saturday night.After Jasmin Hopkins’ 1-yard run put the Huskies on top 42-38 with 5:03 left in the seesaw slugfest, Beshears broke a 51-yard kickoff return to the 47. Then, facing a fourth-and-two from the 7 at the 1:19 mark, James Sims plowed to the 5 for a first-and-goal.Two running plays lost yardage, setting up the last-second drama that resulted in Kansas’ first two-game winning streak under second-year head coach Turner Gill. The touchdown on the goal line was so close, it was reviewed as the crestfallen Huskies, who won 11 games last season and are bidding to become the next mid-major upstart, looked on hopefully.Everyone expected an offensive shootout from two teams that combined for more than 950 total yards in winning their openers the week before, and everyone was right. It was tied 35-35 tie at the end of the third quarter. Kansas (2-0) totaled 534 yards and NIU had 462.Chandler Harnish, Huskies senior quarterback closing in on a raft of team records, was 27 for 33 for 315 6yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 89 yards and three TDs.The Jayhawks also had touchdown runs of 72 yards by Tony Pierson and 31 by James Sims called back by holding penalties. Sims wound up with 110 yards rushing and two touchdowns while Jordan Webb was 21 for 30 for 281 yards and three touchdowns.After Harnish hit Da’Ron Brown with a 6-yard TD pass to tie it 35-all near the end of the third quarter, the Jayhawks swept right back down the field but were stopped on third-and-goal from the 5 and Alex Mueller kicked a 27-yard field goal for a 38-35 lead.The first half ended with a wild flourish and Kansas locked in a 21-21 tie. With less than two minutes to play and Northern Illinois facing a fourth-and-six from the 30, Harnish lifted a perfectly thrown pass to Martel Moore, who appeared to come down with the ball just one yard short of the goal line.The Huskies hurriedly lined up to run a play and seize a 28-14 lead. But a review resulted in a reversal, so the Jayhawks took over on their 30 at the 1:46 mark.On third-and-eight, Webb hit Sims out of the backfield, he got a couple of good blocks and went 39 yards to the 29. A moment later, Webb was sacked, putting Kansas beyond field-goal range. But with 17 seconds left, on third-and-17, the Huskies blew coverage and left Kale Pick completely alone down field. He hauled in Webb’s 36-yard touchdown pass, making it 21-21.Each team scored two touchdowns in a third quarter that was almost devoid of defense. Harnish tallied on a 26-yard run and connected with Brown on a 10-yard TD pass. Kansas got two TD runs from Sims of 8 and 1 yard. Webb started sharp, hitting Beshears with a TD pass on third-and-goal from the 15. Harnish found Brown for 18 yards on fourth-and-three from the 28 on the Huskies’ next possession and Harnish ran it in from the 7.After Sims’ TD run was wiped out by a penalty, Northern Illinois took over on its own 32 and Harnish was 3 for 3 for 53 yards in a five-play, 68-yard drive he capped with a 12-yard scoring run.Northern Illinois tackle Ron Newcomb fell on a Kansas fumble after Webb and Sims bobbled a handoff and Harnish needed nine plays to move 53 yards for a 21-7 lead. On third-and-goal from the 8, the senior quarterback fired into the end zone for Martel Moore and a 21-7 lead.JaCory Shepherd’s 20-yard reception on third-and-10 a few minutes later kept Kansas’ drive alive and Darrian Miller, one of several fleet freshmen who have enlivened what used to be a ponderous offense, made it 21-14 with an 18-yard dash around right end. NIU ‘hosts’ Wisconsin next Saturday at Soldier Field.

After faltering with the bases loaded all game, Alex Rios wouldn’t let the White Sox come up empty again. Rios hit a game-ending grand slam in the 10th inning to lift soon to be eliminated Sox to a 7-3 win over the Cleveland Indians on Saturday. Rios’ one out, first-pitch shot off Chris Perez (3-7) was the Sox first game-ending home run this season and his first career grand slam.The blast came after the White Sox loaded the bases with one out for the fifth time in the game. In each of the first four occasions, the Sox didn’t score, leaving the bases full.The White Sox squandered bases-full situations in the first, sixth, eighth and ninth, and stranded 15 runners during the first nine innings before Rios snapped the streak in the 10th.Rios struck out with the bases full in the first inning and has struggled to a .222 average this season, making Saturday’s triumph that much better. The Sox had plenty of baserunners all day, with 10 hits and a season-high 11 walks but went just 3 for 15 with runners in scoring position.Alejandro De Aza doubled twice, walked and scored two runs.Gordon Beckham had a double, two walks and two RBI.Sergio Santos (4-4) threw a scoreless inning to get the win in relief. Santos combined with Chris Sale to strike out six straight batters during the late innings. Shelley Duncan doubled, homered and scored two runs for Cleveland. Matt LaPorta added a two-run double and Jim Thome singled twice.Indians starter Fausto Carmona allowed six hits and three runs in 5 1/3 innings, lowering his ERA to 9.14 ERA in four starts against the White Sox this season. Perez took the loss and wasn’t too happy about the circumstances that led up to it, especially the walks.

“Very rarely you see major-league pitchers one through five have to struggle throwing strikes,” Perez said. “We’ll have our off-days here and there, but not our whole bullpen.”

Phil Humber was sharp in his six innings, holding Cleveland to two runs and striking out seven, but settled for a no-decision on Saturday after throwing just 73 pitches.The Indians went ahead on LaPorta’s two-run double in the fifth, snapping Humber’s streak of 13 1/3 scoreless innings. LaPorta was making his first start for the Indians since Aug. 29, the day before he was sent down to Triple-A Columbus.Adam Dunn singled in the sixth, ending a string of 18 hitless at-bats, and started the rally. De Aza doubled off the center-field wall, sending Dunn to third and Carmona to the showers after 103 pitches. Chad Durbin replaced Carmona and walked Brent Morel and Beckham, forcing in Dunn with the tying run. Juan Pierre singled in De Aza, giving Chicago a 3-2 lead. Duncan greeted reliever Jesse Crain with a homer to left-center in the seventh, tying the score 3-all. Duncan has with five homers and 10 RBI in seven games over the last week.But the hero was Rios, not a title he’s been able to claim often this season.

NOTES—First base umpire Ed Rapuano had to leave the game in the fourth inning because of sore neck. Indians RHP Josh Tomlin (elbow) is doing “very well” with his throwing program and the team is leaning toward not shutting him down, manager Manny Acta said. … DH Travis Hafner (foot) ran the bases on Saturday but Acta said there is still no timetable on his return. 3B Jack Hannahan (calf strain) will rejoin the Indians in Texas, though Acta is not sure when he’ll return to game action. The Indians will send Ubaldo Jimenez to the mound for Sunday’s series finale against Zach Stewart. Jimenez is 2-1 with a 5.56 ERA since he was acquired from Colorado on July 31. Stewart is coming off a one-hit shutout of Minnesota on Sept. 5 in which he carried a perfect game into the eighth inning.

NEW YORK—Aramis Ramirez hit a two-run single with two outs in the ninth inning, rallying the Cubs past the New York Mets 5-4 after blowing a three-run lead in the eighth Saturday.Jason Bay had given the Mets a 4-3 lead in the eighth with a two-out, two-run single. But some more sloppy play by New York in the ninth and another meltdown by Bobby Parnell (3-6) helped the Cubs even a three-game series that will culminate with a ceremony Sunday to mark the 10-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 9/11. The Mets are offering free tickets to New York City first responders and their families for that game. The Mets won the opener Friday night in the ninth after blowing a lead in the top half.The Cubs built an early 2-0 lead with help from two errors by Jose Reyes in a dog of a game through seven innings on Bark in the Park day, a benefit for the North Shore Animal league.David Wright made New York’s fourth error of the game when he couldn’t handle Geovany Soto’s grounder leading off the ninth. Pinch-hitter Bryan LaHair doubled to put runners at second and third. Parnell then got two outs before Ramirez lined an opposite-field single to right for the go-ahead runs. Kerry Wood (3-5) earned the win even though he gave up two runs in the eighth in relief of Randy Wells, who pitched neatly into the eighth inning. Carlos Marmol gave up a one-out walk in the ninth but finished for his 34th save in 43 opportunities.Trailing 3-0 in the eighth and having wasted several opportunities against Wells, the Mets scored four times after pinch-hitter Willie Harris walked leading off, the third time they had the leadoff batter reach in four innings. Reyes followed with an RBI double to end Wells’ day. Wood entered and gave up a hit to Ruben Tejada and an RBI single to Wright after striking out Lucas Duda. Angel Pagan struck out and Wright stole second without a throw when the count was 0-2 to Bay. Bay then lined a hit over leaping shortstop Starlin Castro for two runs, wasting another strong effort by Wells.Most of the dogs were gone by the time the Mets mounted their eighth-inning rally to take a 4-3 lead. Marlon Byrd had an RBI double in the eighth inning off Ryota Igarashi after Chris Capauno pitched seven impressive innings for New York to make it 3-0.Reed Johnson doubled and scored in the first when Reyes jumped to catch Jeff Baker’s sharp line drive right at him but dropped the ball. Johnson then added an RBI fielder’s choice in the fifth a batter after Reyes fumbled Starlin Castro’s grounder before he tried to make a throw to second for a forceout. Wells has not lost since July 28 when his ERA was 6.16. In eight starts since then, he has lowered it to 4.73. The right-hander didn’t allow a baserunner until Mike Nickeas singled with one out in the third. Duda and Wright had consecutive hits in the fourth but Jason Bay grounded out to shortstop to end the inning. The Mets also wasted opportunities in the fifth and sixth innings against Wells, who walked one and struck out three. Capuano rebounded from his worst start of the year in which he gave up six runs in four innings against the Marlins on Monday with seven solid innings. He gave up five hits and two runs, striking out six. Castro had two hits to up his NL-leading total to 186.

NOTES—Johan Santana will make another rehab start, either in the minors or in a simulated game in New York. Manager Terry Collins said “we have no plans to see him here” this season. …Mike Quade said the “medical people will decide what’s best for” Andrew Cashner, who was activated from the 60-day DL on Monday. Cashner (strained right rotator cuff) hasn’t pitched in the majors since being injured on April 5, his only outing of the season. … Matt Garza (8-10) faces RHP Miguel Batista (4-2) on Sunday.

CHAMPAIGN—Freshman running back Donovonn Young introduced himself to Illinois fans with a pair of touchdowns and Nathan Scheelhaase ran for two more on Saturday in a 56-3 blowout over South Dakota State.Illinois (2-0) rolled up 519 yards of offense and allowed just 96.Young scored on a 2-yard run to give the Illini a 7-0 lead. The Houston native showed speed and strength on a 41-yard second-quarter touchdown that put the Illini up 35-3 over the Jackrabbits (1-1) at the half.Scheelhaase took a seat in the third quarter with 93 yards rushing and 102 passing yards on six completions.Illinois’ defense picked off South Dakota State quarterback Thomas O’Brien twice. One was returned for a touchdown by linebacker Trulon Henry and the other set up a scoring pass by Reilly O’Toole to Evan Wilson.O’Brien finished with 37 yards on 8-of-18 passing for South Dakota State.

GROBBER’S 2011 NFL PICKS.

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 NFC NORTH

 Green Bay 12-4

 BEARS 9-7

 Detroit 7-9

 Minnesota 6-10

 NFC WEST

 Arizona 9-7

 San Francisco 7-9

 St.Louis 7-9

 Seattle 6-10

 NFC South

 Atlanta 13-3

 New Orleans 11-5

 Tampa Bay 9-7

 Carolina 5-11

 NFC East

 Philadelphia 10-6

 NY Giants 9-7

 Washington 8-8

 Dallas 8-8

 NFC Wild Cards

 New Orleans

 BEARS

 AFC North

 Pittsburgh 12-4

 Baltimore 11-5

 Cleveland 8-8

 Cincinnati 6-10

 AFC West

 Kansas City 11-5

 San Diego 9-7

 Denver 6-10

 Oakland 4-12

 AFC South

 Houston 10-6

 Tennessee 8-8

 Indianapolis 7-9

 Jacksonville 6-10

 AFC East

 New England 13-3

 NY Jets 11-5

 Miami 9-7

 Buffalo 4-12

 AFC Wild Cards

 NY Jets

 San Diego

 SUPER BOWL

 NY Jets vs Atlanta

Brent Morel hit two homers and Paul Konerko had a grand slam, lifting the White Sox to an 8-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Thursday night. Morel hit a solo shot off Indians starter David Huff (2-4) in the third and a three-run homer off Frank Herrmann in the seventh — both on the first pitch. It was Morel’s first career multi-homer game and his four RBI were a career-high. Konerko’s 10th career grand slam tied Robin Ventura’s White Sox record and capped a seven-run seventh.Gavin Floyd struck out four and held Cleveland to one run and five hits in 5 2/3 innings. Matt Thornton (1-4) retired all four batters he faced, striking out three.Huff gave up three runs and five hits in 6 1/3 innings, striking out five, as the Indians lost their fourth straight.Both clubs were recently swept by first-place Detroit, giving the Tigers a commanding lead in the AL Central and virtually reducing this weekend’s series into a battle for second place.Putting a further damper on a matchup that had lost its once-anticipated luster, a misty rain began to blow across the field during the top of the third and fell for much of the game. The small, subdued crowd at U.S. Cellular Field saved its biggest cheers for Cleveland’s Jim Thome, whose RBI single in the first scored Asdrubal Cabrera for the game’s first run. The White Sox honored Thome in a ceremony before the game in recognition of his 600th career homer, which he hit on Aug. 15. Thome, who played for the Sox from 2006 to 2009, also received a standing ovation before his first plate appearance.Morel tied the game with a homer to left-center in the bottom of third. Later in the inning, Juan Pierre singled for his 2,000th career hit, also earning a nice ovation as he tipped his cap. Pierre, 34, became the 268th big-leaguer to reach the milestone.Despite holding the Indians to one run, Floyd fell behind a number of hitters working from a slippery mound, running up his pitch count. At one point in the sixth, he requested that the field crew come out and apply sand around the pitching rubber. Floyd departed after throwing 112 pitches, giving way to Will Ohman, who got Thome on an inning-ending grounder with a runner on first. Huff pitched into the seventh, when he allowed a walk and a single to begin the inning. He struck out Tyler Flowers before giving way to Herrmann, whose first pitch Morel hammered into the left-field bleachers.Herrmann allowed a walk and a single before being replaced by Josh Judy, who hit Brent Lillibridge with a pitch and gave up Konerko’s grand slam. The White Sox scored seven runs on just four hits in the inning. Lillibridge broke his hand and will miss the rest of the season.

NOTES—Ozzie Guillen said that RF Carlos Quentin (sprained left shoulder) will likely return to the lineup over the weekend. … Cleveland rookie 2B Jason Kipnis, a Northbrook, Ill., native, singled in his first big-league game in his hometown. He was injured the last time the Indians were in Chicago. … Indians manager Manny Acta said 1B Matt LaPorta would likely be back with the club in the “next couple of days.” The former first-round pick was sent to Triple-A Columbus on Aug. 29 after struggling to a .238 average in 97 games. … Cleveland’s Jeanmar Gomez will square off against Mark Buehrle on Friday. Buehrle allowed a season-high eight runs in his last outing.

MINNEAPOLIS — Danny Valencia’s two-run single snapped Minnesota’s 20-inning scoreless streak and rookie Chris Parmelee added a two-run double to help the Twins avoid a sweep with a 5-4 win over the White Sox on Wednesday.Carl Pavano (8-11) pitched 5 1/3 innings, giving up three runs — one earned — and 10 hits as Minnesota snapped a five-game losing streak. Joe Nathan closed the game with his 13th save in 16 chances.Minnesota had been shutout in back-to-back games and scored just one run in the first three games of the four-game series.White Sox starter John Danks (6-11) lost his second straight start, allowing five runs on six hits and two walks, while striking out four.It had been a while since the Twins had a clutch hit. Prior to Valencia’s RBI single, Minnesota was 0 for 24 hitting with runners in scoring position dating back to Sept. 3 and had scored two runs total in the past 42 innings over that stretch.The Twins had Valencia up in the perfect position.With two runners on, Joe Mauer was hit by a Danks’ pitch to load the bases for Valencia. Valencia — who had the team’s only hit in the second game of Monday’s doubleheader — is 12 for 22 with 27 RBI in his career with the bases loaded.Parmelee, playing in his second career game, followed with a two-run double, over centerfielder Alex Rios’ head for his first RBI.This time, the sox were the team struggling for the big hit. The White Sox left 13 runners on base, and failed to captalize in the sixth when they had runners at second and third with one out. After Alexei Ramirez grounded out back the pitcher, Paul Konerko was intentionally walked and A.J. Pierzynski hit into fielder’s choice, leaving the bases loaded.Konerko had three hits and an RBI after getting a rare day off on Tuesday. The Sox squandered another prime opportunity in the eighth against Minnesota reliever Glen Perkins. Juan Pierre walked to start the inning and Ramirez followed with a double to right. Pierre scored on an RBI groundout by Pierzynski, but the tying run was left at third base when Alex Rios struck out. Rios then snapped his bat over his knee following the strikeout, which continues a disappointing season for the former All-Star outfielder.Danks’ struggles on the road continued. The left-hander is 2-8 on the road this season with a 5.09 ERA, and was coming off an 8-run, 4 2/3 inning outing at Detroit his last time With the Tigers’ 8-6 win against Cleveland on Wednesday, the White Sox are nine games back of Detroit in the American League Central and have just three games remaining with the Tigers.

NOTES—The White Sox have never swept a four game series in Minnesota. The last time they swept four on the road from this franchise,they were the Old Washington Senators,who moved to the Twin Cities in 1961…..Minnesota 1B Justin Morneau took batting practice before the game and could travel with the team to Detroit on Friday. Morneau isn’t on the disabled list, but will have to get approval from Major League Baseball before returning to play after experienced concussion symptoms. …Ozzie Guillen said OF Carlos Quentin could possibly return to action later this week, even though there is no possibility for a rehab stint. Quentin has taken batting practice the past two days as he recovers from a sprained shoulder suffered on Aug. 20. … Injured Minnesota pitchers Francisco Liriano (shoulder), Brian Duensing (oblique) and Scott Baker (elbow) will each throw off a mound on Thursday to determine if they will be able to return this season. Duensing could slot back into the rotation and give Minnesota six starting pitchers, but Liriano and Baker likely won’t start again this season. … Gavin Floyd (12-10, 4.45 ERA) will start Thursday for the Sox, who open a four-game series against Cleveland. Floyd received a no-decision while allowing four runs in five innings on Sept. 3 against Detroit, but has won his last three decisions. … After an off day, Minnesota will send Kevin Slowey (0-4, 5.31 ERA) to the mound at Detroit. Slowey has given up two runs and pitched seven innings in each of his past two starts. The Twins have scored just one run total in the two games and three runs total in Slowey’s four starts. He is 5-0 with a 4.93 ERA lifetime against the Tigers.