MLB – Major League Baseball
Yesterday
San Diego Padres 6, Detroit Tigers 4 – 10 Innings
Chicago White Sox 2, Colorado Rockies 1
Chicago Cubs 4, Pittsburgh Pirates 2
Padres 6, Tigers 4 – F/10 – Alfaro gets key 10th-inning hit as Padres beat Tigers 6-4
Jorge Alfaro capped San Diego’s three-run 10th inning with a two-run single, and the Padres beat the Detroit Tigers 6-4. Luke Voit finished with three RBIs for San Diego after he was hit by a bases-loaded pitch from All-Star Gregory Soto in the 10th. After Matthew Batten struck out swinging for the second out, Alfaro drove in Jake Cronenworth and Manny Machado with a single to right. Detroit got one back on Jeimer Candelario’s RBI double in the bottom half. But Nick Martinez retired Willi Castro on a fly ball to center, earning his fourth save.
White Sox 2, Rockies 1 – Kopech stars as Chicago White Sox top Colorado Rockies 2-1
Michael Kopech pitched shutout ball into the sixth inning, and the Chicago White Sox topped the Colorado Rockies 2-1. Yasmani Grandal had three hits in Chicago’s third straight win. Yoán Moncada doubled home Adam Engel in the seventh. All-Star closer Liam Hendriks worked a rocky ninth for his 19th save, surrendering Ryan McMahon’s leadoff homer. Colorado wasted a stellar performance by Germán Márquez, who permitted one run and seven hits in six innings.
Cubs 4, Pirates 2 – Contreras salutes fans, helps Cubs win 6th in row, top Bucs
Willson Contreras drew a standing ovation in perhaps his last home game at Wrigley Field, then keyed an early burst as the Chicago Cubs beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-2 for their season-high sixth straight win. Contreras, one of three members left from the 2016 World Series title team, tipped his cap after being cheered at the plate his first time up. He hit a soft single in a three-run first inning. Contreras, an All-Star catcher who can become a free agent after this season, has acknowledged this might be his last homestand as a member of the Cubs before the Aug. 2 trade deadline. He saluted the fans with a fist in his last at-bat in the seventh. Representatives from the Blue Jays and White Sox were in attendance.
Today
San Diego (Darvish 9-4) at Detroit (Skubal 7-8), 1:10 p.m. WSJM/WCSY 12:50
Chicago White Sox (Giolito 6-6) at Colorado (Senzatela 3-5), 3:10 p.m.
Cubs are off
WNBA – Women’s National Basketball Association
Last Night
Las Vegas Aces 93, Chicago Sky 83
Aces 93, Sky 83 – Plum’s 3’s lead Aces over Sky in WNBA Commissioner’s Cup.
Kelsey Plum scored 12 of her 24 points in the first quarter as the Las Vegas Aces raced to an early 23-point lead, then held on for a 93-83 victory over the Chicago Sky to win the second WNBA Commissioner’s Cup championship mid-season tournament. Plum, who won the All-Star MVP in Chicago a few weeks ago, hit six of her nine 3-point attempts. Chelsea Gray had 19 points — including nine pivotal ones in the third quarter — and earned MVP of the game. A’ja Wilson had 17 points, 17 rebounds and six blocks as the Aces dominated early, then repelled several Sky runs in the second half. Jackie Young had 18 points. Candace Parker led Chicago with 20 points and Kahleah Copper and Emma Meesseman each added 18.
WNBA – Russian expert at Griner’s trial discusses medical cannabis
The latest Russian court hearing in the drug trial of American basketball star Brittney Griner has focused on testimony about countries that regard cannabis as having legitimate medicinal uses. Griner has acknowledged she was carrying vape canisters containing cannabis oil when she was arrested in February at a Moscow airport. But she contends she had no criminal intent and that the canisters ended up in her luggage inadvertently because of hasty packing. Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist who plays for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of transporting drugs. Griner’s trial began July 1. Tuesday’s session lasted about 90 minutes before the case was adjourned until Wednesday.
NCAAFB – Big Ten – Bold, aggressive Big Ten leaves door open for more expansion
Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren says the conference will be bold and aggressive as college sports goes through a period of sweeping change. He left the door open for more expansion after the league added Southern California and UCLA for the 2024 season. Warren says the future could involve more expansion. He says the Big Ten will be strategic and look for schools that add value to the conference. The Big Ten’s big moves came less than a year after Texas and Oklahoma announced plans to leave the Big 12 for the SEC.
NCAAFB – Big Ten – Big Ten coaches relying heavily on revamped defenses
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh has a new defensive coordinator for the second straight year. Ohio State coach Ryan Day also made a coaching change. Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz and seemingly everyone else in the Big Ten need to plug defensive holes, too. Relying on revamped defenses has become a trend in the traditionally rough-and-tumble Big Ten. It often becomes the definitive line between success or failure.
NCAAFB – Big Ten – Big Ten’s expansion further damages Rose Bowl’s status
Former Wisconsin football coach Barry Alvarez says the Rose Bowl will always be important to the Big Ten, but making the College Football Playoff is the priority for today’s players. The future of the Rose Bowl as a showcase game, mostly featuring teams from Big Ten and Pac-12 on New Year’s Day, was already murky as the College Football Playoff creeps toward expansion. Now that the Big Ten has poached Southern California and UCLA from the Pac-12, it remains to be seen if the West Coast’s Power Five conference will still be an important part of the Rose Bowl.
NCAAFB – Lakeshore grad suits up for Crimson Tide
Athletes in Southwest Michigan are no strangers to continuing their athletic careers at the collegiate level, but it’s rare that they continue on at a Division 1 university, and even more rare when a local football player suits up for one of the top football teams in the nation. Lakeshore’s Logan Mooney earned one of 16 preferred walk-on roster spots for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Mooney, who just graduated from Lakeshore High School, played as a middle linebacker and quarterback for the Lancers team that went 7-4 last season. Mooney was named SMAC All-Conference as a linebacker with 73 tackles, 10 for loss, and 2 sacks. Mooney is learning a new defensive position for Nick Saban’s squad, as Mooney is moving over to the strong safety position. Alabama finished last season at 13-2 and lost to Georgia in the college football playoff championship game. The Crimson Tide are currently ranked number 2 in the preseason AP college football poll and will open the season on Saturday September 3rd at home against Utah State. Mooney’s Lakeshore Lancers open up the season on Thursday, August 25th at home against Zeeland West, which will be heard live on 97.5 Y-Country.
NFL – NFL teams open camp with biggest question still unanswered
Training camps opened across the NFL and the biggest offseason question remains unanswered. The Cleveland Browns still don’t know how many games they’ll be without Deshaun Watson, who is still waiting for retired judge Sue L. Robinson to issue a ruling following his disciplinary hearing that concluded nearly four weeks ago. The league and the NFL Players’ Association requested a decision by the start of training camp, according to a person familiar with the process who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the discussions are private. Robinson, who was jointly appointed by the league and the union, had no obligation to meet that deadline. Representatives are hopeful a decision comes this week.
Bears’ Smith, Quinn report, unclear if they’ll practice
Star linebacker Roquan Smith and defensive end Robert Quinn are on time for the Chicago Bears’ first training camp under general manager Ryan Poles and coach Matt Eberflus. Whether they’ll choose to participate when practices begin Wednesday remains to be seen. The Bears could have a big issue on their hands if two of their best defensive players decide not to practice. Smith and Quinn could opt instead to “hold in” by simply attending meetings while not participating in on-field activities. Smith wants an extension as he enters the fifth and final season of his rookie deal, while the 32-year-old Quinn’s future with a rebuilding team is unclear. Poles said he hadn’t seen either player. But he was told they had reported.
NASCAR – NASCAR slams McDowell and team for illegally modified part
NASCAR has levied another round of massive penalties, this time against Michael McDowell and Front Row Motorsports, for illegal modifications discovered after McDowell’s sixth-place finish at Pocono Raceway. NASCAR fined crew chief Blake Harris $100,000 and suspended him for four races. McDowell was docked 100 driver points, and Front Row docked 100 owner points. If the No. 34 team wins one of the five remaining regular-season races to qualify for the playoffs, McDowell will be docked 10 playoff points. The penalty was issued for an illegal modification of a single source supplied part.
Golf – LIV in New Jersey, PGA has more top-20 players in Detroit
The Saudi-funded LIV Golf series is back in action in the United States, this time on a New Jersey course owned by former President Donald Trump. The rival league has added three more players in their 40s with Paul Casey, Henrik Stenson and Charles Howell III. The PGA Tour is holding its own this week. The Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit has Patrick Cantlay at No. 4 in the world. He’s among five players from the top 20 in the world at Detroit Golf Club. The LPGA Tour goes to Scotland for the first of two weeks.
Jackie Robinson Museum opens after 14 years of planning
The Jackie Robinson Museum has opened in Manhattan with a gala ceremony attended by the 100-year-old widow of the barrier-breaking ballplayer and two of his children. Rachel Robinson watched the half-hour outdoor ceremony from a wheelchair in the 80-degree heat, then cut a ribbon to cap a project launched in 2008. Her 72-year-old daughter, Sharon, also watched from a wheelchair and 70-year-old son David spoke to the crowd of about 200 sitting on folding chairs arrayed on a closed-off section of the major New York thoroughfare where the museum is located. It opens to the public on Sept. 5.
Men abused by Ohio State doctor ask court to revive lawsuits
Attorneys for some of the men who sued Ohio State University over decades-old sexual abuse by team doctor Richard Strauss argue a federal appeals court should overturn a judge’s dismissal and let the lawsuits continue. A three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments Tuesday. Ohio State’s lawyers contend the claims were years too late. They argue that the students knew enough that, legally speaking, they should have started looking into further recourse back then if the late doctor’s behavior and Ohio State’s inaction were as egregious as alleged. The plaintiffs argue the clock didn’t start until allegations came to light in 2018.
Judge halts horse racing authority enforcement in La., W.Va.
A federal judge says a national horse racing authority cannot enforce its rules in Louisiana and West Virginia while a lawsuit challenging the organization is in court. Western District of Louisiana Judge Terry Doughty in granting a preliminary injunction said the Horseracing Integrity & Safety Authority likely went beyond its bounds on three rules that went into place July 1. State and racing officials in those jurisdictions sued to prevent the new federal authority’s regulations from going into effect. HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus says the judge’s ruling does not question the organization’s constitutionality or validity.
MILB – Midwest League Baseball
Yesterday
West Michigan Whitecaps 3, Dayton Dragons 2
South Bend Cubs 8, Lake County Captains 4
Lansing Lugnuts 6, Great Lakes Loons 0
Tonight
Dayton Dragons at West Michigan Whitecaps, 6:35 p.m.
Lake County Captains at South Bend Cubs, 7:05 p.m.
Lansing Lugnuts at Great Lakes Loons, 7:05 p.m.
