95.7 & 1400 WSJM Sports @wsjmsports wsjmsports.com Tuesday, June 06, 2017
MLB – Major League Baseball
Last Night
Chicago Cubs 3, Miami Marlins 1
Tigers and White Sox were off
Cubs 3, Marlins 1 – Butler, Bryant lead Cubs past Marlins 3-1 for 4th straight
Eddie Butler and Mike Montgomery combined on a six-hitter, Kris Bryant hit a two-run homer and the Cubs beat the Miami Marlins 3-1 on Monday night for their fourth straight victory. Butler (3-1) allowed one run and three hits in 5 2/3 innings, bouncing back nicely from a shaky start at San Diego last Tuesday. With closer Wade Davis on paternity leave, manager Joe Maddon then gave the ball to Montgomery and the left-hander went the rest of the way for his second save in his first appearance since May 28. Butler and Montgomery also teamed up for a 5-1 win against San Francisco on May 25, with Montgomery pitching the final four innings. Albert Almora Jr. added a solo shot as Chicago remained perfect on its 10-game homestand after going winless on a six-game West Coast trip. Almora and Willson Contreras finished with two hits apiece.
Tonight
L.A. Angels (Chavez 4-6) at Detroit (Norris 2-3), 7:10 p.m. WSJM Sports/Cosy-FM 6:45
Chicago White Sox (Quintana 2-7) at Tampa Bay (Archer 4-3), 7:10 p.m.
Miami (Locke 0-0) at Chicago Cubs (Arrieta 5-4), 8:05 p.m.
MLB – Cubs place closer Wade Davis on paternity leave
The Chicago Cubs have placed closer Wade Davis on paternity leave and recalled right-hander Dylan Floro from Triple-A Iowa. Davis and his wife, Katelyn, are expecting their second child. The 31-year-old Davis is 2-0 with a microscopic 0.89 ERA and 12 saves in his first season with Chicago after he was acquired in an offseason trade with Kansas City.
MLB – Verlander gets clean MRI
The Detroit Tigers say an MRI on Justin Verlander was clean after the pitcher left Sunday’s game against the Chicago White Sox in the third inning with tightness in his right groin. The team says the test revealed no structural damage. Verlander is 4-4 with a 4.63 ERA.
NHL – 2017 Stanley Cup Final (best of 7) – Game 4
Last Night
Nashville Predators 4, Pittsburgh Penguins 1 (Series tied 2-2)
Predators 4, Penguins 1 – Predators even series
The Stanley Cup final is now a best-of-3 after the Nashville Predators evened the series at two games apiece. Frederick Gaudreau scored the game-winner and Pekka Rinne stopped 23 shots as the Predators earned a 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Nashville. The game was tied 1-1 until Gaudreau beat Matt Murray 3:45 into the second period. Viktor Arvidsson made it 3-1 later in the middle period. Calle Jarnkrok and Filip Forsberg also tallied to support Rinne, who blanked the Penguins after Sidney Crosby’s goal tied the game late in the first period. The Predators outscored the Penguins 9-2 in the two games at Nashville after Pittsburgh picked up 5-3 and 4-1 wins at home. Game 5 is Thursday in Pittsburgh.
NHL – Wrongful death lawsuit from ex-NHL player’s parents tossed
A federal judge has dismissed a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the parents of a former NHL player who blamed the league for their son’s brain damage and addiction to prescription painkillers. Derek Boogard was a feared enforcer with the New York Rangers and Minnesota Wild. He died of an accidental overdose of pain medications and alcohol in 2011. His parents sued in 2013, alleging the NHL knew or should have known Boogard wasn’t complying with treatment at a treatment center. U.S. District Judge Gary Feinerman dismissed the lawsuit on Monday in a 20-page opinion. The Chicago-based judge wrote that Boogaard’s parents didn’t prove the NHL was negligent. The judge also noted the parents weren’t appointed trustees of their son’s estate, a requirement to sue on its behalf.
NBA – Finals ratings best since ’98
The first two games of the NBA Finals have been blowout wins by the Golden State Warriors over the Cleveland Cavaliers, but they’ve drawn plenty of television viewers. The Nielsen company says the games have averaged 19.6 million viewers, a five percent increase over last year’s finals and the most since Michael Jordan’s last title with the Chicago Bulls against the Utah Jazz in 1998. Sunday’s game averaged 20.1 million viewers and peaked at 23.1 million. The Warriors opened the series with a 113-91 rout of the Cavaliers on Thursday and pulled away for a 132-113 victory on Sunday. The finals shift to Cleveland for Game 3 on Wednesday.
NCAAFB – Attorney: 3 Michigan St players being charged with assault
An attorney says three Michigan State football players are being charged in an alleged campus sexual assault in January. Ingham County prosecutor Carol Siemon said Monday that "three persons" were being charged in the incident, but she didn’t release details or names. Karen Truszkowski, an attorney for the alleged victim, tells The Associated Press that the three are football players. They’re not expected to appear in court until Tuesday. Earlier Monday, Michigan State released a report from an external law firm that investigated the football program’s handling of the allegations. The investigation found no evidence that coach Mark Dantonio violated the school’s policy on relationship violence and sexual misconduct. The report says Dantonio "took prompt and decisive action" with respect to the January incident that has now led to criminal charges.
NCAAMBB – Big Ten – Thad Matta out as Ohio State coach
Thad Matta is out as Ohio State’s basketball coach, with the Buckeyes having missed the last two NCAA Tournaments amid an exodus of players. Matta coached the team for 13 seasons and led them to two Final Fours. Ohio State went 17-15 this year. Matta cited his health at a news conference Monday. He has been troubled for years by chronic back problems that sometimes prevented him from taking off his shoes after a game. He will be part of the search for a new coach.
NCAAMBB – ND’s Hoge transfers to BYU
BYU has signed Notre Dame transfer Tristen Hoge. The 6-foot-4, 303-pound center played six games for the Fighting Irish in 2016. He will have three years of eligibility remaining after sitting out the 2017 season per NCAA rules. Hoge is the nephew of former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Merril Hoge.
NFL – Hernandez case brings effort to keep convictions intact
Massachusetts lawmakers are re-examining a legal custom that allows for criminal convictions to be erased when a defendant dies before an appeal can be heard. The scrutiny follows Aaron Hernandez’s prison death. A judge dismissed the former NFL player’s murder conviction in a 2013 killing after Hernandez was found hanging in his cell in April. His death was ruled a suicide. Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan asked a legislative committee on Monday to endorse a bill that would end the practice of automatically dismissing convictions when a defendant dies before appeal. Under Ryan’s proposal, convictions would stand but family members or defense attorneys could continue pursuing appeals. Another bill, filed by Democratic Rep. Evandro Carvalho, would eliminate automatic dismissals when defendants kill themselves.
NFL – Are you ready? Hank Williams Jr. returning to ‘MNF’
Hank Williams Jr. is bringing his rowdy friends back to "Monday Night Football" six years after ESPN dropped the country singer for his comments about President Barack Obama. ESPN executive Stephanie Druley tells USA Today Network-Tennessee that a new version of Williams’ longtime "MNF" theme and its "are you ready for some football" catchphrase will debut before the first regular-season Monday night game — a Sept. 11 matchup between the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings. USA Today reports Williams filmed a new show opener in Nashville on Sunday. ESPN dropped Williams in 2011 after he compared Obama golfing with then-House Speaker John Boehner to Adolf Hitler golfing with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Druley says she’s not concerned about any backlash.
Tennis – French Open – Murray into French Open QF with 650th career win
Top seed Andy Murray and No. 3 Stan Wawrinka have advanced to the French Open quarterfinals with straight-sets victories. Murray posted a 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 triumph over Karen Khachanov, and Wawrinka was a 7-5, 7-6, 6-2 winner against Gael Monfils. No. 8 Kei Nishikori knocked out Fernando Verdasco in four sets despite losing love-6 in the first. Seventh seed Marin Cilic was leading his fourth-round match, 6-3, 3-0 when Kevin Anderson had to retire due to injury.
NASCAR – Wallace to become fourth black driver in NASCAR’s top circuit
Darrell Wallace Jr. will replace the injured Aric Almirola at Pocono Raceway this weekend, making him the first black driver since 2006 to race in NASCAR’s top circuit. Richard Petty Motorsports said Wallace will continue to drive the No. 43 car until Almirola returns. Almirola fractured a vertebra during a fiery wreck last month at Kansas Speedway and is out indefinitely. Bill Lester was the last black to start a Cup event. Wendell Scott raced from 1961-73, and Willy T. Ribbs competed in three races in 1986.
MWL – Midwest League Baseball
Last Night
No Games Last Night
Tonight
Great Lakes at West Michigan, 11 a.m.
Bowling Green at South Bend, 7:05 p.m.
Dayton at Lansing, 7:05 p.m.
MWL – Midwest League Standings Eastern Division W L Pct GB West Michigan (Tigers) 38 18 .679 _ Dayton (Reds) 36 20 .643 2 South Bend (Cubs) 35 21 .625 3 Lansing (Blue Jays) 30 24 .556 7 Great Lakes (Dodgers) 28 28 .500 10 Bowling Green (Rays) 26 29 .473 11 ½ Lake County (Indians) 19 36 .345 18 ½ Fort Wayne (Padres) 19 38 .333 19 ½
MHSAA – High School Sports
Tonight
Girls Soccer – Regional Semifinals
Division 2 at Plainwell
Marshall vs. Middleville Thornapple Kellogg, 5:00 p.m.
Lakeshore vs. Holland Christian, 7:00 p.m.
Division 3 at Grand Rapids South Christian
Grand Rapids Catholic Central vs. Howard City Tri-County, 5:00 p.m.
Paw Paw vs. Hudsonville Unity Christian, 7:00 p.m.
Division 4 at Kalamazoo College
Grand Rapids Covenant Christian vs. Kalamazoo Christian, 4:30 p.m.
Michigan Lutheran vs. Holland Black River, 6:00 p.m.
Division 1 at Portage Central
Portage Central vs. Brighton, 5:00 p.m.
Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central vs. Muskegon Mona Shores, 7:00 p.m.
