Weekday Morning Sports – Monday 5/8/17

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sportsreport-204

95.7 & 1400 WSJM Sports     @wsjmsports     wsjmsports.com     Monday, May 08, 2017

MLB – Major League Baseball
Yesterday
Oakland A’s 8, Detroit Tigers 6
Baltimore Orioles 4, Chicago White Sox 0
New York Yankees 5, Chicago Cubs 4 – 18 Innings

A’s 8, Tigers 6 – A’s get to K-Rod in 9th inning again, rally past Tigers 8-6
Ryon Healy hit a two-run homer to cap a three-run ninth inning against Francisco Rodriguez, and the Oakland Athletics rallied for the second straight day to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-6 Sunday.  Rajai Davis drew a leadoff walk from Rodriguez (1-4), and Jed Lowrie lined a tying double to the gap in left-center. After Khris Davis lined out to left field, Healy hit a towering home run to left on a 1-0 pitch. Healy’s game-ending heroics came less than 24 hours after Adam Rosales hit a two-out, two-run single off Rodriguez in the ninth inning to beat the Tigers. Yonder Alonso homered for the fifth time in six games for Oakland. It was Alonso’s ninth home run this season, tying his career high set in 155 games in 2012. Trevor Plouffe added two hits and an RBI to snap a 3-for-30 funk. Santiago Casilla (1-1) retired three batters for the win.

Orioles 4, White Sox 0 – Tillman has triumphant return as Orioles beat White Sox 4-0
Chris Tillman pitched five sharp innings in his season debut, and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Chicago White Sox 4-0 Sunday to complete a three-game sweep. Trey Mancini had three hits and drove in a run for the Orioles, who took an early 4-0 lead against Jose Quintana (2-5) and coasted to their fourth straight victory. Sidelined since March with right shoulder bursitis, Tillman came off the disabled list to join an unstable rotation in need of another arm. After walking the first two batters, Tillman bounced back nicely in his first appearance since the 2016 AL wild-card game. Tillman (1-0) gave up three singles, walked three and struck out four. The right-hander was lifted after throwing 93 pitches, but not before proving he’s still got the stuff that enabled him to go 16-6 last season. Alec Asher followed, and Brad Brach got two outs for his seventh save.

Yankees 5, Cubs 4 – F/18 – Let’s play two: Yankees beat Cubs 5-4 in 18 innings
Starlin Castro drove in Aaron Hicks with a fielder’s choice in the 18th inning, and the New York Yankees beat the Chicago Cubs 5-4 early Monday morning in the majors’ longest interleague game ever by innings. The teams combined for a major league-record 48 strikeouts in baseball’s longest game of the season by innings, wrapping up in 6 hours, 5 minutes.  Hicks struck out four times, but he came up with a huge play in the final inning. He led off with a bunt single against Pedro Strop (0-2) and advanced to second when catcher Willson Contreras threw it into right field for an error. With one out and Hicks on third, Castro hit a bouncer up the middle. Shortstop Addison Russell tried to throw home, but it was wide and Hicks scored easily. Chasen Shreve (1-0) pitched three scoreless innings, striking out pinch-hitting pitcher Kyle Hendricks with runners on first and second for the final out in New York’s fifth straight win. The Yankees (20-9) improved to 19-5 since they opened the season with four losses in five games. They also matched their high-water mark from last season at 11 games over. 500.

Tonight
Chicago Cubs (Arrieta 4-1) at Colorado (Senzatela 4-1), 8:40 p.m.
Tigers and White Sox are off

MLB – Cubs place Anderson on DL with back injury
The Chicago Cubs have placed left-hander Brett Anderson on the 10-day disabled list with a lower back strain. The Cubs also recalled reliever Justin Grimm and infielder Tommy La Stella from Triple-A Iowa before Sunday night’s game against the New York Yankees. Rob Zastryzny was optioned to Chicago’s top farm club. Anderson’s back started bothering him in the first inning of Saturday night’s 11-6 loss to New York. He recorded just one out and was charged with five runs and six hits. The Cubs are off Thursday and next Monday, and it’s unclear what they might do with Anderson’s spot in the rotation. If they go with a fifth starter, Mike Montgomery could move into the rotation, or Eddie Butler could come up from the minors.

NHL – 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs – Round 2 (Best of 7)
Last Night
Nashville Predators 3, St. Louis Blues 1                                                (NAS wins 4-2)
Edmonton Oilers 7, Anaheim Ducks 1                                                      (Series tied 3-3)

Predators 3, Blues 1 – Predators advance to first conference final in franchise history
The Nashville Predators have advanced to the NHL’s Western Conference finals for the first time by downing the Blues, 3-1 in Nashville. The game was knotted at one until Ryan Johansen scored with 3:15 remaining. Roman Josi had a goal and an assist, and Calle Jarnkrok added an empty-netter with 60 seconds left.

Oilers 7, Ducks 1 – Oilers blowout Ducks and force game 7
The Edmonton Oilers crushed the visiting Anaheim Ducks, 7-1 to force a seventh game in their second-round, Stanley Cup series on Wednesday. Leon Draisaitl delivered three goals and two assists, while Mark Letestu scored twice and collected four points. They each provided two goals before the Oilers skated off the ice with a 5-0 lead after one period.

Tonight
Washington Capitals at Pittsburgh Penguins, 7:30 p.m.                         (PIT leads 3-2)

NBA – 2017 NBA Playoffs – Round 2 (Best of 7)
Last Night
Cleveland Cavaliers 109, Toronto Raptors 102                                      (CLE wins 4-0)
Washington Wizards 121, Boston Celtics 102                                       (Series tied 2-2)
Houston Rockets 125, San Antonio Spurs 104                                        (Series tied 2-2)

Cavaliers 109, Raptors 102 – Cavaliers remain undefeated in playoffs, advance to eastern finals
LeBron James poured in 35 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers advanced to the NBA’s Eastern Conference finals by completing their second consecutive four-game sweep, 109-102 in Toronto. James also had nine rebounds and six assists for the Cavs, who shot 16-for-41 from 3-point range in ending the Raptors’ season. Kyrie (KY’-ree) Irving contributed 27 points and nine assists in helping Cleveland earn its 11th consecutive postseason win since last year’s finals.

Wizards 116, Celtics 89 – Wizards and Celtics head to Boston tied at 2-2
Washington and Boston are tied at two games apiece in the NBA’s Eastern Conference semifinals after the Wizards scored 26 straight points in the third quarter of a 121-102 pounding of the Celtics. John Wall had seven points, three assists and two steals during the spurt, which also featured eight Boston turnovers. Wall finished with 27 points and 12 assists for the Wizards, who also got a game-high 29 points from fellow guard Bradley Beal.

Rockets 125, Spurs 104 – Texas showdown knotted at 2
James Harden scored 28 points and Eric Gordon chipped in 22 to lead the Houston Rockets’ 125-104 romp over San Antonio. Gordon drained six 3-pointers for the Rockets, who were 19 of 43 from beyond the arc in evening the Western Conference semifinal series at two games apiece. Jonathan Simmons had a team-high 17 points for the Spurs, but Kawhi (kah-WY’) Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge each added just 16 points after scoring 26 apiece in Game 3.

Tonight
Golden State Warriors at Utah Jazz, 9:00 p.m.                                       (GSW leads 2-0)

NBA – Kerr’s latest back procedure goes well
It appears Mike Brown will be running the Golden State Warriors for at least a few more days. General manager Bob Myers says there’s no timetable for head coach Steve Kerr’s return following surgery Friday at Duke University. Kerr had a procedure to repair a leak in his spinal cord, the latest surgery on his back. He had back surgery about two years ago and has been dealing with complications.

NASCAR – Stenhouse scores 1st career Cup victory with last-lap pass
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. earned his first NASCAR Cup victory by using a strong Ford engine to blow past Kyle Busch in overtime at Talladega Superspeedway. It was the first win for Roush Fenway Racing since Carl Edwards at Sonoma in 2014. Stenhouse started from the pole and won in his 158th Cup start.  Runner-up Jamie McMurray was followed by Busch, Aric Almirola and Kasey Kahne.

Golf – PGA – Harman’s clutch birdie denies Johnson 4th straight win
Brian Harman made a 30-foot birdie putt on the final hole to win the Wells Fargo Championship and deny Dustin Johnson a fourth straight victory.  Harman closed with a 4-under 68 for his second PGA Tour victory. Johnson went from making the cut on the number to a 67-67 weekend and had the lead until Harman birdied the last two holes. Johnson was playing for the first time since missing the Masters due to a fall in his rental home at Augusta.

Golf – Champions – John Daly holds on for 1st PGA Tour Champions win
John Daly held on to win the Insperity Invitational for his first PGA Tour Champions title. Daly bogeyed the final three holes for a 3-under 69 and a 14-under total, one-stroke better than Kenny Perry and Tommy Armour III.

Golf – LPGA – Sei Young Kim wins LPGA Tour’s Lorena Ochoa Match Play
Sei Young Kim held off Ariya Jutanugarn 1 up to win the Lorena Ochoa Match Play.  Kim closed with a birdie on 18 to retain the lead and capture her sixth LPGA Tour title. She had advanced with a 5-and-4 win over Mi Jung Hur in Sunday’s semifinals while Jutanugarn topped Michelle Wie 4 and 3.

MWL – Midwest League Baseball
Last Night
West Michigan 2, Kane County 0
Lansing 9, Burlington 4
Clinton 11, South Bend 9
Great Lakes 2, Peoria 1

Tonight
Great Lakes at Kane County, 7:30 p.m.
Lansing at Clinton, 7:30 p.m.
South Bend at Burlington, 7:30 p.m.
West Michigan at Peoria, 7:30 p.m.

AHL – 2017 Calder Cup Playoffs – Division Finals (Best of 7)
Tonight
Chicago Wolves at Grand Rapids Griffins, 7:00 p.m.                              (GR leads 2-1)

MHSAA – High School Sports
Tonight
Girls Soccer
Kalamazoo Central at St. Joseph, 6:45 p.m.
Lakeshore at Matawan, 6:45 p.m.
Lake Michigan Catholic at Michigan Lutheran, 4:30 p.m.
Niles at Battle Creek Central, 5:30 p.m.
Gull Lake at Portage Northern, 6:45 p.m.
Portage Central at BC Lakeview, 6:45 p.m.
Plainwell at Allegan, 6:45 p.m.
South Haven at Paw Paw, 6:45 p.m.
Edwardsburg at Dowagiac, 5:00 p.m.
Three Rivers at Otsego, 6:45 p.m.
Vicksburg at Sturgis, 6:45 p.m.
Watervliet at Bangor, 6:00 p.m.
Kalamazoo Hackett at Coloma, 6:00 p.m.
Saugatuck at Hartford, 5:00 p.m.
Delton-Kellogg at Lawton, 6:00 p.m.

Girls Tennis
Sturgis at Lakeshore, 4:00 p.m.
Niles at Edwardsburg, 4:00 p.m.
St. Joseph at Zeeland East, 4:30 p.m

Baseball
Benton Harbor at Lake Michigan Catholic, 4:30 p.m.
Mishawaka Penn (IN) at Niles, 4:30 p.m.
Fennville at Bangor, 4:30 p.m. (DH)
Eau Claire at Bloomingdale, 4:30 p.m. (DH)
Hartford at Gobles, 4:30 p.m. (DH)
Decatur at Lawrence, 4:30 p.m. (DH)
Constantine at Lawton, 4:30 p.m. (DH)
Marcellus at Martin, 4:30 p.m. (DH)
Coloma at Saugatuck, 4:30 p.m. (DH)

Softball
Benton Harbor at Lake Michigan Catholic, 4:30 p.m.
Fennville at Bangor, 4:30 p.m. (DH)
Eau Claire at Bloomingdale, 4:30 p.m. (DH)
Hartford at Gobles, 4:30 p.m. (DH)
Decatur at Lawrence, 4:30 p.m. (DH)
Constantine at Lawton, 4:30 p.m. (DH)
Marcellus at Martin, 4:30 p.m. (DH)
Coloma at Saugatuck, 4:30 p.m. (DH)