Coming off a troubling season Nolan Cromwell Jersey , New York Giants cornerback Eli Apple seemingly has grown up.

A bad attitude led to a suspension for the final game of the 2017 season and a couple of benchings earlier in the campaign has been replaced by a business-like approach.

That's rapid progression for a soon-to-be 23-year-old who appeared to have worn out his welcome two years after the Giants drafted him with the 10th pick overall.

The change didn't just come. It's been coming since Pat Shurmur was named coach and Dave Gettleman took as general manager. They met with Apple after a 3-13 season and told him he would be starting with a clean slate.

"It is definitely important for me, first impressions," Apple said. "I just wanted to show that I was a hard worker and just continue to show that even now as we continue to go on with these practices, staying on top of that and trying to get better every day."

Apple is going to be a key piece for the Giants in James Bettcher's 3-4 system. He has the talent to be a lock-down cornerback, which would give the Giants two. Janoris Jenkins is on the other side of the field.

"They have a lot of confidence in me," Apple said of the coaching staff. "They told me that they feel I am a really good player and as long as I listen to them, I can get better and become a Pro Bowl player. I see that as well. With my athleticism, I see myself, especially in this defense, I see myself as excelling in it and I am looking forward to the season.is"

Apple started 11 of 14 games as a rookie and finished with two interceptions, 49 tackles, and a fumble recovery, playing on a team that went 11-5 and earned a playoff berth. Last year was a horror. He started seven of 11 games, didn't have an interception, and was suspended for the final game of the season for getting into an argument with coaches about playing on a scout team. The Giants called it conduct detrimental to the team.

Safety Landon Collins didn't hesitate to say last season that Apple needed to grow up.

Apple won't say what caused the turnaround, but it's obvious something has changed.

On the field now Nathan Peterman Jersey , Apple is all smiles and ready to work. The former Ohio State product frequently goes over to Jenkins and picks his brain.

"Like when I see Jackrabbit make a play on the other side, I think to myself, 'OK, it's time for me to make a play if the quarterback comes my way,'" Apple said of Jenkins. "But it's always fitting that I'm trying to pick his brain because he was All-Pro, Pro Bowl corner, so he's definitely one of the best in the game. So, if I can learn as much as I can from him, that'll make me a better player."

Apple also is taking no downs off. Early in Saturday's workout, he hounded first-year receiver Amba Etta-Tawo on a pass over the middle. Later on the Giants' first day in pads, he gave second-overall draft pick Saquon Barkley a good bump on a running back.

Shurmur certainly has been impressed by the new version of Apple.

"With my eyes, just a few months into this, I'm seeing a guy that's all about his business," Shurmur said. "He is very business-like and he is covering really well, which is a good attribute for a corner. I like the way he is working. He's out there challenging but he is also being smart. Based on what I have seen, there are very few mistakes that he is making when we move the coverage around and I like the way he is functioning in the building."

Carlos Correa and the Houston Astros won their 11th straight game Luke Kuechly Jersey , finishing off a 10-0 trip by rallying past the Kansas City Royals 7-4 on Sunday.

The World Series champion Astros swept their swing through Texas, Oakland and Kansas City, outscoring opponents 74-35. Last season, Houston had an 11-game winning streak end in Kansas City. This time, the Astros trailed 4-3 in the eighth inning before Correa led off with a tying homer. Evan Gattis, who had three hits, then put them ahead during a three-run burst.

Correa has three home runs and eight RBIs in six games after missing four games with discomfort in his right side. He had a first-inning single and added a sacrifice fly in the ninth.

Gattis hit .366 with five home runs and 19 RBIs on the Astros’ trip. He singled home Yuli Gurriel in the eighth, and Marvin Gonzalez added an RBI single in the inning.

The Royals have lost six straight and 12 of 13. They have dropped 26 of 36 home games.

Brandon Maurer (0-3) took the loss, facing two batters and having both score. Tony Sipp (2-0) picked up the victory. Hector Rondon closed for his fourh save.

RAYS 3, YANKEES 1

NEW YORK (AP) – Wilmer Font held the high-scoring Yankees in check in the latest Tampa Bay game ”started” by a reliever, and the Rays held off New York to avoid a sweep.

Matt Duffy drove in two runs with a second-inning single for his first multi-RBI game in over a month. Carlos Gomez had an RBI double as Tampa Bay scored all three runs in the second against CC Sabathia (4-2).

Tampa Bay beat New York for the first time this season. The Yankees opened the season with five straight wins, outscoring the Rays 31-10 over the games, and was trying for a four-game sweep.

Font turned in his best performance of the year in any role, allowing just one run in 4 2-3 innings with five strikeouts. Tampa Bay used a reliever to open for the 15th time in 29 games. Entering the day, relievers working as starters had allowed 13 earned runs in 18 innings.

Chaz Roe (1-1) pitched two scoreless innings for the victory. Sergio Romo, who has also drawn five starts this season Joe Looney Jersey , closed for his third save.

Aaron Hicks homered off Font in the fifth – it was actually the second homer of the day. Hours earlier, the Yankees held the 72nd Old-Timers’ Day and Nick Swisher hit a long drive to right field. Hall of Famers Whitey Ford and Reggie Jackson were joined by the likes of Don Larsen, Willie Randolph, Andy Pettitte and Jason Giambi. Current New York manager Aaron Boone took part for the first time.

CARDINALS 5, CUBS 0

ST. LOUIS (AP) – Jack Flaherty and four relievers combined on a four-hitter, Matt Carpenter homered and St. Louis snapped a season-high four-game skid.

Flaherty allowed just two hits while striking out seven in five innings, but he walked three and hit two batters and was pulled after throwing 97 pitches.

John Brebbia (1-1) worked around two hits in a scoreless sixth inning to earn his first major league win. Austin Gomber, Jordan Hicks and Bud Norris each pitched a hitless inning to finish the shutout and prevent the Cubs from getting their first series sweep in St. Louis since Sept. 13-15, 2010.

Harrison Bader, Tommy Pham, and Marcell Ozuna strung together singles to open the sixth inning. Pham’s single extended his hitting streak to a National League-best 11 games to chase Jose Quintana (6-5) from the game.

Bader scored the game’s first run when Yadier Molina grounded into a double play and Jedd Gyorko’s RBI single drove in Pham to make it 2-0. Carpenter hit his 10th home run of the season and second of this series in the seventh off Brian Duensing.

METS 5, DIAMONDBACKS 3

PHOENIX (AP) – Brandon Nimmo and Asdrubal Cabrera homered off Brad Boxberger in a four-run ninth inning and New York rallied to beat Arizona.

The Diamondbacks led 3-1 entering the ninth and Boxberger (1-3), with his third blown save in 20 tries, struck out the first two batters.

Jose Reyes reached on a bunt single and scored on Jose Bautista’s pinch-hit double to cut the lead to 3-1. Nimmo, who doubled and scored in the first inning, followed with a two-run shot to right field to put New York ahead 4-3 and Cabrera’s solo shot made it 5-3.

The Mets split the four-game series in Arizona and won consecutive games for the first time since May 20-21. The Diamondbacks were 4-3 on the homestand.

Jeurys Familia (3-3) Devon Kennard Jersey , just off the disabled list, allowed a run in an inning of relief to get the victory. Robert Gsellman pitched the ninth for his third save in seven tries.

RANGERS 13, ROCKIES 12

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) – Jose Trevino blooped a two-run single, capping a four-run rally in the ninth inning that sent Texas past Colorado.

Rockies closer Wade Davis (0-2) retired only one batter while walking four and allowing singles to Rougned Odor and Trevino. A rookie catcher, Trevino entered his third major league game in the top of the ninth. He is 2 for 8 for Texas, including a tying single in Saturday’s 5-2 victory.

Colorado took a 5-1 lead in the seesaw game. The Rangers scored five runs to take a 6-5 lead in the sixth, including Jurickson Profar’s three-run homer off starter Jon Gray.

The Rockies responded with a five-run seventh to go ahead 10-6. Colorado’s Gerardo Parra drove in four runs, three on a bases-clearing double in the seventh.

Texas pulled to 10-9 with three runs in the seventh. Trevor Story hit a two-run homer in the Colorado ninth against Jesse Chavez (3-1).

RED SOX 9, MARINERS 3

SEATTLE (AP) – Rafael Devers, Jackie Bradley Jr., and Xander Bogaerts homered to help Boston rout Seattle.

Devers’ 1 Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk Jersey ,