MLB – Major League Baseball
Yesterday
Pittsburgh Pirates 3, Detroit Tigers 2 – Game 1 (7 Innings)
Detroit Tigers 5, Pittsburgh Pirates 2 – Game 2 (7 Innings)
Chicago White Sox at Cleveland Indians, PPD
Chicago Cubs 16, New York Mets 4
Pirates 3, Tigers 1 – Gm.1 – Tigers 5, Pirates 2 – Gm.2 – Tigers beat Pirates 5-2 to gain doubleheader split
Tyler Anderson’s five strong innings helped Pittsburgh move to 8-9 with a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers in the first game of Wednesday’s doubleheader, but Detroit rallied for a 5-2 win in the nightcap. Pittsburgh has won five of its last eight games after a 1-6 start. The Pirates and Tigers were playing a doubleheader because Tuesday night’s game was postponed on a snowy day in the Detroit area. There was still a white dusting on top of the bushes beyond the wall in center field Wednesday, plus some flurries late in the game.
Cubs 16, Mets 4 – Báez hits slam, Cubs get boost from Mets errors in 16-4 romp
Javier Báez hit a grand slam and the Chicago Cubs took advantage of a season-high four errors by the New York Mets in a 16-4 romp on a chilly night at Wrigley Field. Báez scored three runs and hit his sixth career slam off reliever Trevor Hildenberger in the sixth inning. The Cubs posted their most runs since they scored 16 against Pittsburgh on Sept. 15, 2019. Francisco Lindor hit his first homer for the Mets, and Pete Alonso added a mammoth drive that sailed out of the ballpark.
White Sox at Indians, PPD – White Sox, Indians postponed by snow, cold weather
The Indians have postponed Wednesday night’s game against the Chicago White Sox because of snow and cold weather. Up for four inches of snow fell overnight in the Cleveland area, and there were more than two inches on the infield tarp at Progressive Field when then game was called about five hours before the first scheduled pitch. The AL Central teams will make up the postponement on Chicago’s next visit to Cleveland by playing a traditional doubleheader on May 31. The White Sox won Tuesday night’s game 8-5 in frigid conditions.
Today
Pittsburgh Pirates at Detroit Tigers, 1:10 p.m. 94.9 WSJM/103.7 Cosy-FM 12:50
New York Mets at Chicago Cubs, 7:40 p.m.
White Sox are off
NHL – National Hockey League
Last Night
Chicago Blackhawks 5, Nashville Predators 4 – OT
Blackhawks 5, Predators 4 – OT – Hagel scores in OT as Blackhawks beat Predators 5-4
Brandon Hagel scored 3:00 into overtime, and the Chicago Blackhawks rallied to beat the Nashville Predators 5-4. Hagel also had two assists as Chicago beat Nashville for the first time in seven games this season. Pius Suter and Vinnie Hinostroza each had a goal and an assist, and Malcolm Subban made 35 saves. The Blackhawks trailed 4-1 after Luke Kunin scored 58 seconds into the third. But Hagel capped their impressive comeback when he beat Juuse Saros for his seventh of the season.
Tonight
Dallas Stars at Detroit Red Wings, 7:30 p.m.
NHL – NHL: Virus protocols not ‘relaxed’ for vaccinated players
The NHL says it has not told players virus protocols would be relaxed when a team reaches a certain threshold of vaccination. That differs from the vaccinnation standards set by the NFL, NBA and Major League Baseball. Vegas goaltender Robin Lehner criticized the NHL for its position. A league spokesman says the league has not promised relaxed protocols for vaccinated players. Unlike the other sports leagues, the NHL has seven of its teams playing entirely in Canada this season.
NBA – National Basketball Association
Tonight
Cleveland Cavaliers 121, Chicago Bulls 105
Indiana Pacers 122, Oklahoma City Thunder 116
Dallas Mavericks 127, Detroit Pistons 117
Cavaliers 121, Bulls 105 – Sexton scores 30 points, Cavs beat Bulls 121-105
Collin Sexton scored 30 points, Darius Garland added 25 and the Cleveland Cavaliers never trailed in a 121-105 win over the Chicago Bulls, snapping a five-game home losing streak. Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff was not at the game for personal reasons, but is expected to return to the bench Friday. Assistant coach Greg Buckner filled in for his longtime friend and colleague. Lauri Markkanen scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half and Thaddeus Young had 14 points and eight rebounds for Chicago.
Pacers 122, Thunder 116 – Pacers’ small ball comes up big in 122-116 win over Thunder
Malcolm Brogdon scored 29 points and Caris LeVert added 28 to help the severely short-handed Indiana Pacers snap a three-game losing streak with a 122-116 victory over the reeling Oklahoma City Thunder. Indiana was missing three starters and four backups but still managed to hold off the Thunder. Darius Bazley matched his career high with 26 points and Svi Mykhailiuk finished with 20 to lead Oklahoma City, which lost its 12th straight overall and its seventh straight road game. LeVert broke open the game by scoring five straight points midway through the fourth quarter after Oklahoma City pulled to 105-104. Brogdon sealed it at the free-throw line in the final seconds.
Mavericks 127, Pistons 117 – Doncic, Mavs beat Pistons 127-117 to stop 4-game home skid
Luka Doncic had 30 points and 10 rebounds, Kristaps Porzingis added 19 points and seven boards and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Detroit Pistons 127-117 to stop a four-game home losing streak. Jalen Brunson scored 18 of his 20 points in the first half. The game was supposed to be played Feb. 17 but was postponed because of severe winter weather in Texas. Jerami Grant scored 26 points and Cory Joseph added 24 for the Pistons. Mason Plumlee had 13 points and 16 rebounds.
Tonight
Detroit Pistons at San Antonio Spurs, 8:30 p.m.
Charlotte Hornets at Chicago Bulls, 9:00 p.m.
NFL – NFL eliminates preseason OTs, Combine changes considered
NFL owners approved eliminating overtime in preseason games and expanded selection of jersey numbers for receivers, running backs and defensive backs. The league also will allow on-field officials to get certain “objective information” from the replay official and designated members of the officiating department “when clear and obvious video evidence is present.” The NFL is also exploring changes to the annual NFL scouting combine to improve the professional and medical experience for draft prospects, a person familiar with those discussions told The Associated Press. The combine in Indianapolis was canceled this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, so prospects displayed their talents for scouts, coaches and general managers at their college pro days instead. Teams interviewed players virtually and most medical and psychological testing was done by video. About 150 draft prospects did in-person medical evaluations in Indianapolis earlier this month.
IndyCar – Indy 500 to host 135,000 in largest sports event in pandemic
The Indianapolis 500 plans to host 135,000 spectators next month, which would make it the largest sporting event in the world since the pandemic. The attendance figure is roughly 40% of what the grandstands hold at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The number was determined after Indianapolis held the NCAA men’s tournament without a significant spike in COVID-19 cases in the city. The race ran without fans last year for the first time in history. Most of the seating will be in socially-distanced grandstands. The viewing mounds in the infield will not be offered.
Olympics – Tokyo Games delay decision until June on fans — or no fans
Japanese residents with tickets to the Tokyo Olympics may not know until weeks before the games open if they’ll be allowed to attend. Fans from abroad have already been barred. Organizing committee president Seiko Hashimoto says a decision on venue capacity may not be made until June. She had previously promised that decision for this month. Hashimoto says “we are still studying the timing.” Hashimoto spoke after she and CEO Toshiro Muto took part in an online briefing with the IOC executive board in Switzerland. She says “I guess we need a little more time to make a proper judgment.”
Olympics – Athlete protests remain banned at Tokyo Olympics, IOC says
The IOC says athlete protests and political messages will remain banned at the Olympics after a survey found that a majority of competitors were in favor of keeping the ban in place. That means raising a fist on the podium or taking a knee would still risk punishment at the Tokyo Games this year. The IOC said it surveyed more than 3,500 athletes over the past year and that 70% said it was “not appropriate to demonstrate or express their views” on the field of play or at the opening or closing ceremony.
Olympics – US women to face Sweden in group stage in Olympic soccer
The United States will open the women’s Olympic soccer tournament on July 21 against Sweden. The Swedes beat the World Cup champion Americans in the quarterfinals at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games. The two teams will also play Australia and New Zealand in their group. Defending champion Germany did not qualify. Olympic champion Brazil will face silver medalist Germany on July 22 in the men’s tournament. The group that also includes Ivory Coast and Saudi Arabia. The men’s tournament is for under-23 players but teams can select three overage players.
UEFA – Super League backer says breakaway competition is on standby
Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez says the Super League is far from dead and its clubs have not given up on the idea of the breakaway competition even though they had to abandon the project just a few days after it was announced. Pérez would have been the new league’s founding chairman and was overseeing the proposed competition. He says the clubs behind the Super League will continue working on a way to make it work even if changes have to be made to its format. He says the Super League is on “standby." Pérez spoke to Spanish radio network SER.
AHL – American Hockey League
Last Night
Grand Rapids Griffins 2, Cleveland Monsters 1
MCCAA – Junior College Sports
Yesterday
Women’s Soccer
Ancilla College 1, Lake Michigan College 0
Today
Women’s Softball
Lake Michigan College at Ancilla College, 3:00 p.m./5:00 p.m. (DH)
MHSAA – High School Sports
Yesterday
Girls Soccer
St. Joseph 6, Battle Creek Lakeview 1
Gull Lake 3, Lakeshore 1
Lake Michigan Catholic 6, Berrien Springs 0
Bridgman 6, Brandywine 1
South Haven 8, New Buffalo 0
Allegan 5, Edwardsburg 0
Delton-Kellogg 5, Watervliet 0
Otsego 6, Paw Paw 2
Plainwell 5, Three Rivers 2
Vicksburg 8, Dowagiac 0
Portage Central 3, Mattawan 0
Kalamazoo Christian 5, Kalamazoo Hackett 1
Parchment 3, Constantine 0
Fennville 0, Schoolcraft 0 – TIE
Girls Tennis
Lakeshore 5, Battle Creek Lakeview 3
Allegan 7, Otsego 1
Track and Field
Cassopolis, Bangor at Bloomingdale
Boys: Bloomingdale 62 Cassopolis 49 Bangor 22
Girls: Bloomingdale 81 Cassopolis 23 Bangor 19
Edwardsburg, Otsego, South Haven, Comstock, at Vicksburg
Boys
Edwardsburg 70, Otsego 63
Vicksburg 67, Edwardsburg 62
Vicksburg 74, Otsego 54
South Haven 80, Comstock 36
Girls
Otsego 95, Edwardsburg 41
Vicksburg 84, Edwardsburg 48
Otsego 81, Vicksburg 65
South Haven 54, Comstock 33
Today
Baseball
Portage Northern at St. Joseph, 4:00 p.m.
Mattawan at Lakeshore, 4:00 p.m.
South Haven at Buchanan, 4:15 p.m.
Allegan at Vicksburg, 4:00 p.m.
Marcellus at Bangor, 4:30 p.m.
Centreville at Cassopolis, 4:00 p.m.
Hartford at Decatur, 4:00 p.m.
Fennville at Saugatuck, 4;30 p.m.
Delton-Kellogg at Parchment, 4:30 p.m.
Constantine at Lawton, 4:30 p.m.
Schoolcraft at Kal. Christian, 4:30 p.m.
Gull Lake at Battle Creek Lakeview, 4:00 p.m.
Portage Central at Kalamazoo Central, 4:00 p.m.
Kal. Loy Norrix at Lake Odessa Lakewood, 4:00 p.m.
Softball
Portage Northern at St. Joseph, 4:00 p.m.
Mattawan at Lakeshore, 4:00 p.m.
South Haven at Buchanan, 4:15 p.m.
Edwardsburg at Niles, 4:00 p.m.
Berrien Springs at Paw Paw, 4:15 p.m.
Gobles at Coloma, 4:30 p.m.
Martin at Watervliet, 4:30 p.m.
Fennville at Saugatuck, 4;30 p.m.
Delton-Kellogg at Parchment, 4:30 p.m.
Constantine at Lawton, 4:30 p.m.
Schoolcraft at Kal. Christian, 4:30 p.m.
Otsego at Zeeland East, 4:00 p.m.
Burr Oak at Howardsville Chr., 4:00 p.m.
Marcellus at Bangor, 4:30 p.m.
Centreville at Cassopolis, 4:00 p.m.
Hartford at Decatur, 4:00 p.m.
White Pigeon at Mendon, 4:00 p.m.
Gull Lake at Battle Creek Lakeview, 4:00 p.m.
Portage Central at Kalamazoo Central, 4:00 p.m.
Kal. Loy Norrix at Lake Odessa Lakewood, 4:00 p.m.
Girls Soccer
Michigan Lutheran at Paw Paw, 5:00 p.m.
Three Rivers at Niles, 5:00 p.m.
Lawton at Saugatuck, 5:00 p.m.
Girls Tennis
Lakeshore at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, 4:00 p.m.
