Andrew Gutman scored the go-ahead goal in the second half to help the host Chicago Fire beat Toronto FC 2-1 on Saturday for their third straight victory in the final match before the MLS break for the World Cup.

The Fire (8-4-2, 26 points) have allowed just two goals over their past three matches.

Toronto (3-6-5, 14 points) has lost three straight and is winless in its past eight (0-5-3).

Toronto had the momentum early and forced Chicago goalkeeper Chris Brady into an early save when Josh Sargent came up the middle to put a feed from Malik Henry on target in the fifth minute.

The hosts started to find their game as the first half progressed and finally converted to take a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute. Hugo Cuypers sent a centering pass to Maren Haile-Selassie, who put a one-touch short feed up for Robin Lod. The Finnish forward maintained possession as he headed into the box and, with Toronto goalkeeper Luka Gavran off his line, fired the ball into the right corner.

That gave the Fire life, and they started to control the play.

But Toronto pulled even in the 34th minute, courtesy of Josh Sargent, in his return after missing three matches with a thigh injury. On a rush up to the final third, Alonso Coello put the ball ahead for Sargent, who split two Chicago defenders before collecting it in the box and delivering a right-foot strike that went bar down.

Sargent nearly had his second two minutes later when his shot from the top of the box went just over the crossbar.

The second half started much like the first, with the visitors controlling play and generating an early opportunity. In the 49th minute, Derrick Etienne Jr. collected a loose ball along the left side of the box and fired it far side, but his shot rolled just wide of the post.

Gutman put Chicago ahead 2-1 in the 65th minute. Philip Zinckernagel gathered the rebound of his corner attempt by the right-side touchline and sent it toward a crowd of bodies by the spot, where Gutman jumped for the header, directing it inside the right post.

–Field Level Media

Jorge Ruvalcaba scored a pair of first half goals on Saturday night to help the visiting New York Red Bulls earn a 2-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City.

Ethan Horvath made seven saves for New York (6-5-4, 22 points), which extended its unbeaten streak to four (3-0-1).

Calvin Harris scored a second-half goal for Kansas City (3-9-2, 11 points), which had won its previous two matches. Stefan Cleveland had two saves for Sporting, who sit at the bottom of the Western Conference standings.

Saturday marked the last game for both sides before the nearly two-month break for the World Cup.

New York struck first in the fourth minute, as Ruvalcaba netted his sixth goal of the season. Gustav Berggren found Ruvalcaba, who made two dribbles to the left of the box and scored past to the left of Cleveland.

Sporting had a pair of early chances to pull even, but Horvath saved attempts from Taylor Calheira and Harris.

Ruvalcaba and Berggren each had missed attempts in the 32nd minute, but New York doubled its lead just before halftime, as Ruvalcaba scored again, this time off a fast-break assist from Julian Hall.

New York had just two shots on target in the first half, scoring on both. Three of Kansas City’s eight first-half shots were on goal.

Kansas City cut its deficit in half in the 64th minute, as Manu Garcia assisted Harris on a right-footed connection from the center of the box. The goal was Harris’ second strike of the season.

Stephen Afrifa had a chance to tie the game in the 78th minute, but missed wide right.

Sporting had another opportunity in the 86th minute, but Dejan Joveljic’s left-footed attempt from outside of the box was saved by Horvath.

The hosts dominated the final stats, controlling over 57% of the possession time, attempting more shots (15-10), corners (6-1) and crosses (14-1).

–Field Level Media

Blake Dunn’s infield grounder drove in the winning run in the 11th inning to help the Cincinnati Reds defeat the visiting St. Louis Cardinals 7-6 on Saturday and earn a split of their doubleheader.

St. Louis won the first game 8-1 and rallied to score twice in the ninth inning to force extra innings in the nightcap.

In the 11th, with runners on the corners and one out, Dunn looped a ball behind the bag. Shortstop Masyn Winn fielded and threw home, but he was unable to get a sliding Spencer Steer.

Pierce Johnson (2-1) pitched two scoreless innings to earn the win. Riley O’Brien (3-2) was the loser.

The Cardinals opened the scoring in the second inning on Wynn’s sacrifice fly that scored Jordan Walker, who led off the inning with a walk.

Cincinnati scored five times in the fifth with Elly De La Cruz and Nathaniel Lowe both going deep. De La Cruz had been 1-for-17 and had struck out in his first two at-bats. But with runners on the corners, he hit a fastball from Leahy into the seats in left-center field for his 12th homer.

After Sal Stewart drew a walk on a successful ABS challenge, Lowe hit a towering 435-foot homer to center field. It was the eighth home run for Lowe, who also went deep in the first game.

The Reds recalled Chase Petty from Triple-A Louisville to make the start. He surrendered a 427-foot three-run homer to Walker, his 15th. Walker also homered in the first game. Petty allowed four runs on six hits and one walk, striking out one, in five innings.

The Reds added a run in the sixth off Justin Bruihl for a 6-4 lead. Steer doubled and scored on a double by Dane Myers.

The Cardinals rallied for two runs the ninth to tie the game against closer Tony Santillan. He gave up a pinch-hit solo homer to Jose Fermin and a pair of walks to set up Walker’s run-scoring single.

Leahy pitched five innings and allowed five runs on seven hits and two walks, striking out a career-high eight.

–Field Level Media