Weekday Morning Sports Report – Friday 8/17/18

sportsreport-497
sportsreport-497

MLB – Major League Baseball
Last Night
Minnesota Twins 15, Detroit Tigers 8
Chicago Cubs 1, Pittsburgh Pirates 0
White Sox were off

Twins 15, Tigers 8 – Forsythe gets 5 hits, Twins outslug Tigers in 15-8 win
Logan Forsythe had a career-high five hits and Jorge Polanco drove in four runs as the Minnesota Twins outslugged the Detroit Tigers 15-8 on Thursday night. The teams combined for seven homers, with Polanco’s three-run shot accounting for one of three by the Twins. Miguel Sano and Ehire Adrianza also went deep for Minnesota, which broke the game open with a seven-run sixth inning. Forsythe raised his batting average to .449 (22 for 49) since joining the Twins in a trade that sent Brian Dozier to the Dodgers. Minnesota chased Tigers lefty Francisco Liriano (3-8) in the second. A two-run, opposite-field homer by Sano ended Liriano’s night after he allowed eight runs, four earned. Twins starter Ervin Santana wasn’t particularly sharp, either, in his fifth start after missing most of the year rehabbing a finger injury. Santana was pulled in the fifth after loading the bases with nobody out. He gave up seven runs and seven hits. Mikie Mahtook and James McCann hit consecutive homers off Santana in the fourth to trim Minnesota’s lead to 8-5. It was the first time all season the Tigers connected for back-to-back shots.

Cubs 1, Pirates 0 – Lester, Happ combine to lead Cubs to 1-0 win over Pirates
Jon Lester pitched six innings to win for the first time in just over a month and Ian Happ homered as the Chicago Cubs beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 1-0 on Thursday night. Lester (13-5) allowed five hits, struck out eight and had no walks while improving to 3-1 against the Pirates this season. His previous victory came July 15 at San Diego and he had gone 0-3 with a 10.32 ERA in five starts since the All-Star break. Steve Cishek, Carl Edwards Jr. and Pedro Strop each pitched one inning to complete the six-hitter. Strop hit David Freese with a pitch with two outs in the ninth but converted his 10th save in 13 opportunities. Happ connected with one out in the fourth inning off Ivan Nova (7-7) for his 13th home run, a drive deep into the right-center seats that was the game’s only extra-base hit. There was a fair share of cheers while Happ rounded the bases as he is from suburban Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania. Chicago (70-50) increased its lead in the NL Central to 31/2 games over idle Milwaukee while moving a season-high 20 games over .500. Pittsburgh (61-61) lost its fourth straight to fall to .500.

Tonight
Chicago Cubs (Hamels 7-9) at Pittsburgh (Williams 10-8), 7:05 p.m.
Detroit (Boyd 7-10) at Minnesota (Gibson 6-9), 8:10 p.m.            WSJM Sports/Cosy-FM 7:45
Kansas City (Junis 6-11) at Chicago White Sox (Shields 4-14), 8:10 p.m.

MLB – Marlins Urena suspended
Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Urena has been given a six-game suspension for intentionally hitting Ronald Acuna Jr. of the Atlanta Braves with a pitch. Urena plunked Acuna on the left arm with his first pitch in the Marlins’ 5-2 loss in Atlanta on Wednesday. The suspension will begin Friday unless he appeals.

NFL – National Football League – Preseason week 2
Last Night
New England Patriots 37, Philadelphia Eagles 20
Green Bay Packers 51, Pittsburgh Steelers 34
Washington Redskins 15, New York Jets 13

Tonight
New York Giants at Detroit Lions, 7:00 p.m.
Kansas City Chiefs at Atlanta Falcons, 7:00 p.m.
Buffalo Bills at Cleveland Browns, 7:30 p.m.
Miami Dolphins at Carolina Panthers, 7:30 p.m.
Arizona Cardinals at New Orleans Saints, 8:00 p.m.

Saturday
Jacksonville Jaguars at Minnesota Vikings, 1:00 p.m.
Oakland Raiders at Los Angeles Rams, 4:00 p.m.
Cincinnati Bengals at Dallas Cowboys, 7:00 p.m.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Tennessee Titans, 8:00 p.m.
San Francisco 49ers at Houston Texans, 8:00 p.m.
Chicago Bears at Denver Broncos, 9:05 p.m.
Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Chargers, 10:00 p.m.

Golf – PGA – Snedeker shoots 59 at Wyndham Championship
Brandt Snedeker has become the 10th player in PGA history to break 60. Snedeker opened the Wyndham Championship with an 11-under 59, one short of the tour record set by Jim Furyk (FYOOR’-ihk) in the 2016 Travelers Championship. He closed with a 20-foot putt on his final hole for a four-stroke advantage over Ryan Moore and John Oda.  Snedeker actually began his round with a bogey on No. 10 before carding 10 birdies and an eagle. He played the front nine in 27, including an eagle 2 on the par-4 sixth hole when he holed out from 176 yards.
 
NASCAR – Kasey Kahne retiring after 15 Cup seasons
NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne (kayn) says he is retiring from full-time racing and plans to focus on the sprint car team he owns.   The 38-year-old Kahne has 18 victories in 15 years in the Cup Series, including a playoff-clinching one last season at famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Kahne signed on with Leavine Family Racing for 2018 after ending his relationship with Hendrick Motorsports. He has one top-five finish in 23 starts for Leavine.

NCAAFB – Jordan McNair’s dad: Maryland should fire suspended coach
The parents of offensive lineman Jordan McNair say suspended University of Maryland coach DJ Durkin should be fired. McNair collapsed during a preseason conditioning drill May 29 and died two weeks later. Durkin was placed on administrative leave Saturday after ESPN reported that coaches had been bullying the players. Martin McNair told ABC’s “Good Morning America” that Durkin “shouldn’t be able to work with anyone else’s kid.” The university said Tuesday that it takes “legal and moral responsibility” for the death.

NCAAFB – Alabama planning extensive renovations to stadium, coliseum
Alabama is planning extensive renovations to Bryant-Denny Stadium and Coleman Coliseum, reducing capacity at both venues but adding premium seating. The university announced the plans Thursday, including a 10-year, $600 million fundraising campaign. Athletic director Greg Byrne said renovations at Bryant-Denny Stadium are targeted to begin after the 2019 season with a total estimated cost of $288 million. The changes include adding 3,826 premium seats with three new club areas and new video boards. They’re also adding 10 Founders boxes. Byrne says Alabama already has commitments for eight of them at $5 million apiece. Football coach Nick Saban and wife Terry pledged $1 million toward the campaign. Byrne says Coleman Coliseum renovations are projected at $115 million and could begin after the 2021-22 season.

NCAA – Feds to review Ohio State response to claims of abuse by doc
Federal officials will investigate Ohio State University’s response to allegations against a team doctor now accused of sexual misconduct against scores of athletes and other male students in the 1980s and 1990s. The school says the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights will investigate whether Ohio State has responded “promptly and equitably” to students’ complaints, including claims that school officials knew about misconduct by Dr. Richard Strauss but didn’t stop him. The university’s chief compliance officer says it responded appropriately when allegations were made this year about Strauss, who killed himself in 2005.

Nassar – Ross and Kocian come out against Nassar
Olympic gold-medal winning gymnasts Kyla Ross and Madison Kocian say they are among the sexual abuse victims of disgraced former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. Ross won gold with the “Fierce Five” at the 2012 Olympics, four years before Kocian captured gold. Ross tells The Associated Press the abuse began when she was 13 and continued throughout her career. Kocian says she was in denial for a long time but opted to come forward after watching so many of her former teammates detail their abuse at the hands of Nassar. Nassar is serving an effective life sentence after being convicted of federal child pornography and state sexual abuse charges.

MWL – Midwest League Baseball
Last Night
Fort Wayne 5, South Bend 1 – Game 1
South Bend at Fort Wayne – Game 2, PPD Rain
Lansing 3, West Michigan 2
Great Lakes 4, Bowling Green 3 – 10 Innings

Tonight
South Bend at Fort Wayne, 5:30 p.m. (DH)
Lansing at West Michigan, 7:05 p.m.
Bowling Green at Great Lakes, 7:05 p.m.