Weekday Morning Sports – Wednesday 4/25/18

sportsreport-423
sportsreport-423

MLB – Major League Baseball
Yesterday
Detroit Tigers at Pittsburgh Pirates, PPD Rain
Seattle Mariners 1, Chicago White Sox 0
Chicago Cubs 10, Cleveland Indians 3

Tigers at Pirates, PPD – Pirates-Tigers become 28th postponement in majors this year
Steady rain forced the Pittsburgh Pirates and Detroit Tigers to postpone the opener of their three-game interleague series on Tuesday. The game was the 28th postponement in the majors this season, the most related to weather through April since the commissioner’s office started keeping those records in 1986. Baltimore and Tampa Bay were also rained out on Tuesday. Detroit and Pittsburgh will make up the game with a straight doubleheader on Wednesday starting at 4:05 p.m. This is the second time the teams will play a doubleheader this season and the third time they’ve had to reschedule due to weather. Wintry conditions pushed back opening day at Comerica Park on March 29 and their game on March 31 was also postponed. Pittsburgh swept a doubleheader from the Tigers on April 1.

Mariners 1, White Sox 0 – Gonzales, Mariners edge sagging White Sox 1-0
Marco Gonzales and four relievers combined on a five-hitter, Mitch Haniger singled home the only run and the Seattle Mariners edged the Chicago White Sox 1-0 Tuesday. At 5-15, the rebuilding White Sox are off to their worst start since the 1950 season. That year they opened 5-20 en route to a 60-94 finish. Gonzales (2-2) was in control almost from the start, allowing five hits and one walk while striking out eight in six-plus innings. The left-hander snapped a run of three starts in which he lasted no more than 4 2/3 innings. Seattle broke out on top against fill-in starter Chris Volstad (0-1) in the fourth when Kyle Seager doubled and scored on Haniger’s base hit, both with two outs.  Volstad was effective for 4 1/3 innings. The veteran allowed one run and four hits and didn’t walk a batter as a replacement for Miguel Gonzalez, who is on the 10-day disabled list with an inflamed right rotator cuff.

Cubs 10, Indians 3 – Schwarber hits 2 HRs as Cubs beat Indians in Series rematch
Kyle Schwarber hit two of Chicago’s four solo home runs and the Cubs defeated the Cleveland Indians 10-3 on Tuesday night in the first meeting between the teams since their classic 2016 World Series. The Cubs won Game 7 of that Series in Cleveland for their first championship since 1908. Tyler Chatwood (1-3) won for the first time with the Cubs, allowing one run in six-plus innings. He was pulled after a leadoff single in the seventh. Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant was out of the lineup two days after being hit in the head by a pitch. Chicago manager Joe Maddon said before the game that the 2016 NL MVP has a cut above his left eye but no concussion after being drilled Sunday by Colorado’s German Marquez.

Today
Seattle (Hernandez 2-2) at Chicago White Sox (Shields 1-2), 2:10 p.m.
Detroit (Zimmermann 1-0) at Pittsburgh (Kuhl 2-1), 4:05 p.m. – Game 1           WSJM Sports/Cosy-FM 3:40
Detroit (Boyd 0-1) at Pittsburgh (Taillon 2-1), 7:05 p.m. – Game 2            WSJM Sports/Cosy-FM
Chicago Cubs (Lester 2-0) at Cleveland (Bauer 1-2), 7:10 p.m.

MLB – White Sox put Avisail (hamstring) on 10-day disabled list
The Chicago White Sox have placed outfielder Avisail Garcia on the 10-day disabled list because of a strained right hamstring. Garcia was hurt Monday night while running out a grounder in the second inning of a 10-4 victory over Seattle. He attempted to pull up a few steps short of first base then fell. He was assisted off the field and left the game. White Sox manager Rick Renteria says the injury is considered “mild to moderate” and will be reassessed in a few days. Garcia was an All-Star a year ago but is off to a sluggish start, hitting .233 with one homer and four RBIs in 18 games. To take his roster spot, the White Sox called up outfielder Daniel Palka from Triple-A Charlotte. He’s hitting .286 with seven RBIs in 17 games.

NBA – 2018 NBA Playoffs – Round 1 – (Best of 7)
Last Night
Boston Celtics 92, Milwaukee Bucks 87                                        BOS leads 3-2
Philadelphia 76ers 104, Miami Heat 91                                          PHI wins 4-1
Golden State Warriors 99, San Antonio Spurs 91                        GWS wins 4-1

Tonight
Washington Wizards at Toronto Raptors, 7:00 p.m.                     Series tied 2-2
Indiana Pacers at Cleveland Cavaliers, 7:00 p.m.                         Series tied 2-2
Minnesota Timberwolves at Houston Rockets, 9:30 p.m.               HOU leads 3-1
Utah Jazz at Oklahoma City Thunder, 9:30 p.m.                             UTA leads 3-1

NHL – 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs – Round 1 – (Best of 7)
Last Night
No games last night

Tonight
Toronto Maple Leafs at Boston Bruins, 7:30 p.m.                         Game 7

NFL – Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski says he’ll play in 2018
Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski says he is returning for his ninth NFL season.  Gronkowski made the announcement in a post on Instagram Tuesday . Gronkowski said he met with coach Bill Belichick to inform him of his intention to return, adding he’s “been working out, staying in shape and feel great.”  Gronk previously hinted at considering retirement following New England’s Super
Bowl loss to the Eagles in February.  He appeared in 14 games during the 2017 season and led the team in receiving with 69 catches for 1,084 yards and eight touchdowns. Gronkowski was knocked out of last season’s AFC championship game with a concussion, but was able to return in time for the Super Bowl. He missed the Patriots’ 2017 Super Bowl win over Atlanta after undergoing back surgery.

NFL – Colts set November date to induct Wayne into Ring of Honor
The Colts will induct former receiver Reggie Wayne into the team’s Ring of Honor during a Nov. 18 game against Tennessee. Wayne spent 14 seasons and played in a franchise record 211 games, finishing his career with 1,070 receptions for 14,345 yards and 82 touchdowns.

NCAAFB – Moos tells AP his jab at Meyer, Harbaugh ‘tongue in cheek’
Nebraska athletic director Bill Moos says his comment about coaches Urban Meyer of Ohio State and Jim Harbaugh of Michigan “running a little bit scared” following coach Scott Frost’s arrival in Lincoln was “a bit tongue in cheek.” In an appearance at an Omaha Press Club luncheon earlier Tuesday, Moos said Frost would need time to turn around the Cornhuskers, who were 4-8 last season, but better days are ahead. Moos added, according to the Omaha World-Herald, “You’ve got Urban Meyer and Jim Harbaugh thinking, `We better put a little more into that Nebraska game coming up.’ And that’s the way we want it. They’re running a little bit scared right now. And they won’t admit it. We’ll leave that at that.” Asked in the evening if he stood by his comment, Moos wrote in a text to The Associated Press, “A bit tongue in cheek. Meant to point out that the competition is aware that there’s a renewed energy at Nebraska and we aim to get back in the hunt.”

AHL – American Hockey League – 2018 Calder Cup Playoffs – Round 1 – (best of 5)
Tonight
Manitoba Moose at Grand Rapids Griffins, 7:05 p.m.                    Series tied 1-1

MWL – Midwest League Baseball
Last Night
Bowling Green 9, South Bend 2 – Game 1
Bowling Green 2, South Bend 1 – Game 2
Great Lakes 5, Fort Wayne 0
West Michigan at Lake County, ppd.
Lansing 7, Dayton 0

Tonight
West Michigan at Lake County, 5 p.m. (DH)
Fort Wayne at Great Lakes, 6:05 p.m.
Dayton at Lansing, 7:05 p.m.
South Bend at Bowling Green, 7:35 p.m.

MHSAA – High School Sports
Yesterday
Baseball
Portage Northern 10, St. Joseph 8 – Game 1
Game 2 – Suspended (Darkness)
Lakeshore 5, Portage Central 3 – Game 1
Portage Central 3, Lakeshore 0 – Game 2
Gull Lake 7, Mattawan 2 – Game 1
Gull Lake 1, Mattawan 0 – Game 2
South Haven 6, Paw Paw 5 – Game 1
Paw Paw 3, South Haven 1 – Game 2
Edwardsburg 10, Dowagiac 1 – Game 1
Edwardsburg 12, Dowagiac 3 – Game 2
Buchanan 12, Bridgman 5
Lake Mich. Catholic 12, Brandywine 0 – Game 1
Lake Mich. Catholic 9, Brandywine 1 – Game 2
Mich. Lutheran 8, Howardsville Christian 4
Game 2 – Suspended (Darkness)
Watervliet 12, Benton Harbor 2 – Game 1
Watervliet 16, Benton Harbor 1 – Game 2

Softball
Portage Northern 7, St. Joseph 5 – Game 1
Portage Northern 4, St. Joseph 2 – Game 2
Lakeshore 6, Portage Central 2 – Game 1
Portage Central 12, Lakeshore 5 – Game 2
Mattawan 3, Gull Lake 0 – Game 1
Gull Lake 11, Mattawan 0 – Game 2
South Haven 12, Paw Paw 1 – Game 1
South Haven 12, Paw Paw 6 – Game 2
Edwardsburg 13, Dowagiac 1 – Game 1
Edwardsburg 11, Dowagiac 9 – Game 2
Buchanan 5, Bridgman 0 – Game 1
Buchanan 5, Bridgman 1 – Game 2
Howardsville Christian 15, Mich. Lutheran 14
Game 2 – Suspended (Darkness)
Brandywine 9, Berrien Springs 2 – Game 1
Brandywine 6, Berrien Springs 2 – Game 2

Track and Field
Battle Creek Central, Battle Creek Lakeview at Lakeshore
Girls
Battle Creek Lakeview 115, Lakeshore 48
Lakeshore 125, Battle Creek Central 35

Boys
BC Lakeview 121.5, Lakeshore 41.5
Lakeshore 103, Battle Creek Central 60

Yesterday
Girls Soccer
Portage Central at St. Joseph, 6:30 p.m.
Portage Northern at Lakeshore, 6:30 p.m.
Mattawan at Kalamazoo Central, 6:30 p.m.
Lake Michigan Catholic at New Buffalo, 5:00 p.m.
Dowagiac at South Haven, 6:30 p.m.
Allegan at Three Rivers, 6:30 p.m.
Vicksburg at Edwardsburg, 5:30 p.m.
Sturgis at Otsego, 6:30 p.m.
Buchanan at Bridgman, 5:00 p.m.
Brandywine at Covert, 5:00 p.m.
Fennville at Lawton, 6:00 p.m.
Kalamazoo Christian at Coloma, 6:00 p.m.
Kalamazoo Hackett at Watervliet, 6:00 p.m.

Baseball
Paw Paw at Kalamazoo Hackett, 4:00 p.m. (DH)

Softball
Lakeshore at Kalamazoo Central, 4:00 p.m. (DH)
Niles at Coloma, 4:15 p.m.
Paw Paw at Kalamazoo Hackett, 4:00 p.m. (DH)

Girls Tennis
Lake Michigan Catholic at Lakeshore, 4:00 p.m.
Niles at St. Joseph, 4:00 p.m.
Coloma at New Buffalo, 4:00 p.m.
Paw Paw at South Haven, 4:00 p.m.

Boys Golf
SMAC Conference at Gull Lake (Stonehedge North), 10:00 a.m.
Wolverine Conference at South Haven (Hawkshead), 4:00 p.m.