95.7 & 1400 WSJM Sports @wsjmsports wsjmsports.com Wednesday, June 28, 2017
MLB – Major League Baseball
Last Night
Detroit Tigers 5, Kansas City Royals 3
Chicago White Sox 4, New York Yankees 3
Washington Nationals 6, Chicago Cubs 1
Tigers 5, Royals 3 – Cabrera, Martinez homer to help Tigers beat Royals 5-3
Tigers ace Justin Verlander had allowed hits to the first five batters, including three straight bloopers, and found himself down 3-0 without recording an out. He got out of the inning without further damage, then settled down with six scoreless innings where the Royals were limited to four singles and a walk. The Tigers then rallied behind homers from J.D. Martinez and Miguel Cabrera for a 5-3 victory. Three relievers finished for the Tigers, with Justin Wilson pitching the ninth for his seventh save. The win was Detroit’s second straight after an 8-game losing streak
White Sox 4, Yankees 3 – Abreu helps White Sox rally for 4-3 win over Yankees
Jose Abreu hit a game-ending, two-run single off Dellin Betances, and the Chicago White Sox stopped a four-game losing streak with a 4-3 victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday night. Kevan Smith sparked the winning rally with a one-out walk. Betances (3-2) then walked Alen Hanson and hit Yolmer Sanchez, loading the bases. After Melky Cabrera fouled out, Abreu hit a grounder into left field. Brett Gardner’s throw to the plate was high, and Hanson scored easily. Abreu also had an RBI double in the third. Dan Jennings (3-1) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings for the win. The Yankees have dropped three of four and 11 of 14 overall.
Nationals 6, Cubs 1 – Nats, Scherzer beat Cubs, Arrieta in Cy Young showdown
Neither of the past two NL Cy Young Award winners had his best stuff, though Max Scherzer handled things much better than Jake Arrieta. Scherzer allowed one run and two hits as the Washington Nationals knocked Arrieta out in the fifth inning on the way to a 6-1 victory Tuesday night. While Arrieta was slow to the plate and allowed seven stolen bases, Scherzer (9-5) threw a strong six innings, striking out six with no walks and retiring 16 of the final 17 batters he faced. Arrieta (7-6), on the other hand, struggled with his control as he issued a season-high six walks and allowed five earned runs, getting the hook two batters into the fifth inning. The 2015 Cy Young winner hadn’t walked more than three batters in a game this season.
Tonight
Chicago Cubs (Lackey 5-8) at Washington (Strasburg 8-2), 7:05 p.m.
Kansas City (Kennedy 1-6) at Detroit (Norris 4-5), 7:10 p.m. WSJM Sports/Cosy-FM 6:45
N.Y. Yankees (Tanaka 5-7) at Chicago White Sox (Rodon 0-0), 8:10 p.m.
MLB – Maddon says Cubs making informal trip to White House
Manager Joe Maddon and some of the Chicago Cubs will visit the White House on Wednesday, though it’s not an official visit with President Donald Trump. Maddon said Tuesday that he was going out of respect for the Ricketts family, which owns the Cubs and donated to Trump’s campaign. Maddon said it was voluntary for players and not an official trip. The Cubs are in Washington to play the Nationals. The White House visit is so unofficial that Maddon said it’s only “a possibility” that he and the Cubs will see Trump. The team visited President Barack Obama at the White House as World Series champions in January before the end of his term. Amid questions about whether the NBA champion Golden State Warriors will visit Trump, Maddon said he isn’t making a political statement by going.
MLB – Anthony Young, RHP who lost record 27 in a row, dies at 51
Anthony Young pitched way better than his record showed. Working as a starter or reliever, whether at home or on the road, he often threw well enough to win. But for the longest time, he never did. Young, who set a major league record with 27 straight losses for the New York Mets, died Tuesday. He was 51. Young joined the Chicago Cubs in 1994 and finished with Houston in 1996. He was 15-48 with a 3.89 ERA in his career.
NCAA Baseball – College World Series – Best of three
Last Night
Florida 6, LSU 1 (Florida wins 2-0)
Florida 6, LSU 1 – Gators beat LSU
Florida scored four runs in the eighth inning to pull away from LSU, and the Gators beat their Southeastern Conference rival 6-1 Tuesday night to complete a two-game sweep in the College World Series finals for their first national title in baseball. The Gators (52-19) posted the eighth sweep in the 15 years of the best-of-three finals format, and first since 2013.
NHL – Blackhawks announce 1-year deal with D Ville Pokka
The Chicago Blackhawks have agreed to a one-year contract with defenseman Ville Pokka. Pokka spent last season with Rockford of the American Hockey League, finishing with six goals and 24 assists, but he could get a longer look from the NHL club this year. The Blackhawks traded defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson to Arizona last week, and Brian Campbell and Johnny Oduya are free agents. The Blackhawks announced the deal on Tuesday. Chicago acquired the 23-year-old Pokka when it traded Nick Leddy to the New York Islanders in October 2014. Chicago announced Monday it had agreed to a two-year contract with goaltender Anton Forsberg and a one-year extension with forward Tomas Jurco that runs through the 2017-18 season.
NHL – Red Wings sign Street to 1-year contract extension
The Detroit Red Wings have signed center Ben Street to a one-year contract extension. The 30-year-old Street played six games for the Red Wings in 2016-17 after signing with Detroit as an unrestricted free agent last offseason. He also appeared in 62 games for Grand Rapids of the AHL., helping the team to the AHL’s league championship. He signed the extension Tuesday. Street previously played for the Calgary Flames and Colorado Avalanche. In 35 career NHL games, he has no goals and three assists.
NBA – Bulls: No decision yet on Rondo’s future with team
The Chicago Bulls are not ready to say whether veteran point guard Rajon Rondo will be back for a second season. Vice president of basketball operations John Paxson says that “is still to be determined.” The Bulls can pay Rondo $13.4 million or buy him out for $3 million by Friday’s deadline. Paxson spoke Tuesday during a news conference to introduce newcomers Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and rookie Lauri Markkanen, who were acquired from Minnesota for Jimmy Butler on draft night. The Bulls were planning to meet Tuesday with Rondo’s agent Bill Duffy, who represents LaVine. Paxson also says a buyout on Dwyane Wade after he exercised his $23.8 million option “has not been broached.” Paxson says the Bulls, at least for now, assume Wade will play for Chicago.
NBA – For Bulls, blockbuster trade is all about direction
The Chicago Bulls set a clear direction by trading All-Star Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves on draft night last week. As for whether they got enough in return? Vice president of basketball operations John Paxson will let others debate that. The Bulls had plenty of people talking after they traded one of the NBA’s top two-way players for Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and No. 7 overall pick Lauri Markkanen. The three newcomers were introduced at a news conference on Tuesday. Paxson says debating which team got the better end of the deal is “the wrong way to look at it” at the moment. He says Chicago “defined a direction” and that he’s “not worried about perception.”
NFL – Former Packer RB Green charged after punching 15 year old daughter
Former Green Bay Packers running back Ahman Green was charged with felony child abuse after his 15-year-old daughter told police he punched her in the face. Green, 40, is also charged with disorderly conduct in the incident late Sunday in the Green Bay suburb of Ledgeview. According to a criminal complaint, Green’s daughter told police that he struck her in the face in a dispute over getting her to do the dishes.
Supreme Court – Justices to review New Jersey bid for legal sports betting
The Supreme Court will take up New Jersey’s bid to allow sports betting at its casinos and racetracks. The justices say Tuesday they will review a lower court ruling against the state. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and supporters in the state Legislature have tried for years to legalize sports gambling to bolster the state’s casino and horse racing industries. The casino industry, after a period of job losses and closings, has lately been doing better. The court jumped into the case even after the Trump administration urged the justices not to get involved. The case will be argued in the fall.
NCAA – Eastern Michigan hires Scott Wetherbee as new AD
Eastern Michigan has hired Scott Wetherbee as its new athletic director. The school announced the move Tuesday. Wetherbee has been a deputy athletic director at Mississippi State. His official start date has not been announced by EMU. The 42-year-old Wetherbee is a native of Kalamazoo. He has spent 17 years on senior or executive staffs at four athletic departments, including Mississippi State, East Carolina, San Diego State and Fresno State. Heather Lyke, Eastern Michigan’s previous AD, left to take the same position at Pittsburgh in March.
NCAA – Oakland athletic director Jeff Konya signs new 5-year deal
Oakland University has signed athletic director Jeff Konya to a new five-year contract through 2022. The school announced the move Tuesday. The Golden Grizzlies have won three straight McCafferty Trophies, awarded to the Horizon League’s all-sports champion, under Konya’s guidance. Konya became Oakland’s athletic director in 2014. He was previously the AD at Cal State Bakersfield.
Review: USA Gymnastics needs `culture change’
A former federal prosecutor says USA Gymnastics needs a “complete cultural change” to better protect athletes from sexual abuse. The review released Tuesday by Deborah Daniels recommends that all USA Gymnastics members be required to immediately report suspected sexual misconduct to legal authorities and the U.S. Center for SafeSport. Daniels also suggested that USA Gymnastics prohibit adults from being alone with minor gymnasts “at all times.” She says unrelated adults should not share or be alone in a sleeping room with gymnasts. She also recommended preventing adult members from having “out of program” contact with gymnasts through email, text or social media. USA Gymnastics ordered the review last fall following a series of civil lawsuits filed against the organization and a former team doctor by a pair of gymnasts who claim the physician sexually abused them during their time on the U.S. national team. Daniels says USA Gymnastics “inadvertently suppressed” reporting of abuse because of several factors, including that athletes are taught to follow instructions and obey coaches and trainers.
NCAAMBB – Hoosier’s coach to make $24 million over length of 7 year contract
New Indiana men’s basketball coach Archie Miller will make $24 million under his seven-year contract and potentially even more in bonuses. He will receive a base salary of $550,000 per year and $1 million in deferred income each season. Miller also will receive an additional $1.85 million in outside marketing and promotional income. Miller also could earn a $250,000 bonus for winning a national championship and $125,000 for winning a Big Ten regular-season title or the Final Four.
NCAA – Man damages Mizzou basketball court
A 23-year-old man has been arrested after authorities say he smashed through two gates and drove his car onto the basketball court at the University of Missouri over the weekend, causing an estimated $100,000 in damage. Police were called early Sunday after a Volkswagen Passat was driven through a closed gate at Mizzou Arena. The driver then went through a garage door and damaged several golf carts before steering onto the court, then leaving the same way before smashing through another gate.
MWL – Midwest League Baseball
Last Night
West Michigan 3, Dayton 2 – 12 innings
Lake County 4, Great Lakes 3
Lansing 4, Bowling Green 2
Fort Wayne 11, South Bend 10
Tonight
Great Lakes at Lake County, 11 a.m.
Dayton at West Michigan, 7 p.m.
Bowling Green at Lansing, 7:05 p.m.
South Bend at Fort Wayne, 7:05 p.m.
