95.7 & 1400 WSJM Sports @wsjmsports wsjmsports.com Wednesday, July 27, 2016
MLB – Major League Baseball
Last Night
Detroit Tigers 9, Boston Red Sox 8
Chicago White Sox 3, Chicago Cubs 0
Tigers 9, Red Sox 8 – Cabrera homers, Tigers outlast Red Sox in slugfest 9-8
Miguel Cabrera hit a two-run home run, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Tyler Collins each had a pair of RBIs and the Detroit Tigers roughed up knuckleballer Steven Wright to beat the Boston Red Sox 9-8 on Tuesday night. With the game tied in the sixth, Collins drew a bases-loaded two-out walk, which allowed Justin Upton to score the deciding run. On a night when both starting pitchers struggled to string together outs, Detroit and Boston combined for 22 hits. Alex Wilson (1-0) got the victory, and Francisco Rodriguez closed for his 29th save. David Ortiz had a three-run home run, but Boston’s offense didn’t have enough to offset a rare poor outing by Wright, who gave up nine hits and eight runs over 4 2/3 innings. Wright was leading the AL in ERA entering Tuesday. Robbie Ross Jr. (1-2) got the loss.
White Sox 3, Cubs 0 – White Sox avoid Chapman, down Cubs 3-0 behind Shields
James Shields allowed four singles in 7 2/3 innings, Adam Eaton homered and the White Sox stayed unbeaten since Chris Sale’s suspension by beating the Cubs 3-0 Tuesday night in Chicago’s crosstown rivalry. The Cubs lost their second straight and never got to use new closer Aroldis Chapman hours after he joined the team and struggled answering questions related to an altercation last year with his girlfriend. Shields (5-12) struck out five and continued an impressive turnaround from a terrible first three starts after being acquired from San Diego last month. Nate Jones finished the eighth and David Robertson worked the ninth for his 24th save in the White Sox’s fourth straight win since their ace was sent home for destroying throwback jerseys. Jose Abreu had two hits, including an RBI single in the first off Kyle Hendricks (9-7) that ended his streak of 22 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run.
Today
Detroit (Michael Fulmer 9-2) at Boston (Eduardo Rodriguez 2-4), 1:35 p.m. WSJM Sports/Cosy-FM 1:10
Chicago White Sox (Anthony Ranaudo 1-0) at Chicago Cubs (Jason Hammel 9-5), 8:05 p.m.
MLB – New Cubs closer Aroldis Chapman arrives
Star closer Aroldis Chapman joined the Cubs on Tuesday, arriving to a mixed reaction in Chicago. Chapman had an awkward-at-times news conference, telling reporters he couldn’t remember what management told him about off-field expectations and behavior. Afterward, Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein insisted Chapman understands what the Cubs expect of him after an offseason domestic violence incident. When the Cubs announced the trade with the New York Yankees on Monday, the team released a statement from Chairman Tom Ricketts saying they were aware of his 29-game suspension to begin the season under MLB’s new domestic violence policy. The case caused the Los Angeles Dodgers to back out of an offseason trade for Chapman. Cincinnati eventually traded him to the Yankees, and after his suspension, the 28-year-old Cuban converted 20 of 21 save chances for New York.
MLB – Ventura insists he can work with Sale after uniform flap
Robin Ventura insists he can work with Chris Sale despite the suspended ace’s critical comments about the White Sox manager. Sale is serving a five-day, unpaid ban after he destroyed throwback uniforms the team was supposed to wear for his start Saturday. Sale told MLB.com in a story published Monday that he doesn’t regret standing up for what he believed and said Ventura should have stood up for his players. Ventura shook off the comments Tuesday and supported general manager Rick Hahn’s decision to send the left-hander home after the incident. Ventura says Sale went “over the line,” adding that “everything that happened in (the clubhouse) I’m going to keep it in there.”
NFL – Boldin joining Lions via free agency
Anquan Boldin is joining the Detroit Lions, according to messages on the free-agent receiver’s Twitter account Tuesday. Boldin tweeted that he’s excited to reunite with Detroit coach Jim Caldwell, and he hopes he can help the Lions reach the postseason. Boldin played the past three seasons for the San Francisco 49ers, but prior to that he was with Baltimore for three seasons. In Boldin’s final season with the Ravens, they won the Super Bowl with Caldwell as offensive coordinator. Boldin caught 69 passes for 789 yards and four touchdowns last season for the 49ers. The Lions have had to add to their receiving group this offseason, with Calvin Johnson now retired. ESPN, citing unidentified sources, reported earlier Tuesday that Boldin and the Lions were finalizing a one-year deal.
Big Ten – Delany does not see Rose Bowl move to accommodate playoffs
Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany does not envision the Rose Bowl moving from its New Year’s Day spot in order to accommodate the College Football Playoff semifinals. Delany says there might be “some movement from the bowls” but doesn’t see those changes impacting the Rose Bowl. The College Football Playoff is considering moving future semifinals off New Year’s Eve after ratings for last season’s games dropped in a big way. Playoff head Bill Hancock told reporters two weeks ago at the SEC Media Days that the commissioners who comprise the playoff management committee are open to adjusting future schedules.
NHL – Red Wings sign DeKeyser to $30M, 6-year deal
The Detroit Red Wings have avoided arbitration and signed defenseman Danny DeKeyser to a $30 million, six-year contract. DeKeyser will count $5 million against the salary cap throughout the length of the deal. Agent Don Meehan confirmed the terms of the contract Tuesday, including modified no-trade protection beginning in the 2017-18 season. The restricted free agent and the club were scheduled to have their arbitration hearing on Thursday in Toronto. Instead, the 26-year-old has a long-term deal. The Western Michigan product has 14 goals and 61 assists in 234 regular-season NHL games and has averaged over 21 minutes of ice time.
NBA – Pistons announce 1-year deal with guard Ray McCallum
The Detroit Pistons officially announced their one-year deal with guard Ray McCallum on Tuesday. McCallum averaged 3.3 points per game last season in 41 appearances for San Antonio and Memphis. He played the previous two seasons for Sacramento. McCallum played college basketball at Detroit, averaging 18.7 points during his final season there in 2012-13 and winning Horizon League player of the year honors.
Sailing – Flying Buffalo, Natalie J overall winners of boat race
The sailboat Flying Buffalo has won the annual 333-mile Chicago to Mackinac boat race for a fourth time. The Chicago Yacht Club says the boat finished the race in a corrected time of 46 hours 52 minutes. Natalie J won the Mackinac Cup Division and Turbo Section while Windquest was the first yacht to actually cross the finish line on Monday.
Olympics – Russians banned so far
By not backing up the recommendation of the World Anti-Doping Agency the International Olympic Committee put the onus of detecting dirty Russian athletes onto to the individual sports federations. So far those federations are doing just that as at least 105 athletes from the 387-strong Russian Olympic team announced last week have been barred from the Rio Games in connection with the country’s doping scandal. The vast majority of the Russian athletes who miss out are in track and field, where 67 athletes were ruled out when a ban on the Russian team was upheld at the Court of Arbitration for Sport last week. The International Rowing Federation has rejected 22 of Russia’s 28 athletes.
MWL – Midwest League Baseball
Tonight
South Bend Cubs at Lake County Captians, 11:00 a.m.
Great Lakes Loons at Dayton Dragons, 7:00 p.m.
West Michigan Whitecaps at Fort Wayne Tin Caps, 7:05 p.m.
Lansing Lugnuts at Bowling Green Hot Rods, 7:35 p.m.
