MLB – Major League Baseball
Last Night
Detroit Tigers 3, Kansas City Royals 2
Washington Nationals 7, Chicago Cubs 5
White Sox were off
Tigers 3, Royals 2 – Vierling’s 2-run double lifts Tigers to 3-2 win, Royals’ 9th loss in 11 games
Matt Vierling capped a three-run eighth inning with a two-run double that lifted the Detroit Tigers over Kansas City 3-2 and sent the Royals to their ninth loss in 11 games. Taylor Clarke gave up Akil Baddoo’s leadoff double, hit Riley Greene with a pitch with two outs and walked Spencer Torkelson. José Cuas relieved and walked Kerry Carpenter on four pitches, forcing in a run and ending Detroit’s 20-inning scoreless streak. Vierling sliced a sinker to the opposite field in right. Kansas City-area native Alex Lange struck out two in a perfect ninth for his 15th save in 18 chances. Detroit’s Matt Manning gave up two runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings. Detroit has won five of their last six road games.
Nationals 7, Cubs 5 – Ruiz and Candelario power the Nationals to a 7-5 victory over the Cubs
Keibert Ruiz hit a two-run homer and went 3 for 3 with a double to lead the Washington Nationals past the Chicago Cubs 7-5. Jeimer Candelario also launched a two-run drive in his return to the lineup, and Stone Garrett doubled twice among his three hits. Luis Garcia added two RBIs for last-place Washington. Ian Happ and Patrick Wisdom each had a two-run homer for the Cubs, who have lost three of four. MacKenzie Gore went 6 1/3 innings to win for only the second time since April. Kyle Finnegan got four outs for his 12th save and first since May 27. Drew Smyly dropped his third straight decision.
Tonight
Chicago White Sox (Giolito 6-5) at N.Y. Mets (Carrasco 3-3), 7:10 p.m.
Washington (Corbin 6-10) at Chicago Cubs (Taillon 3-6), 8:05 p.m.
Detroit (Skubal 0-0) at Kansas City (Lynch 2-4), 8:10 p.m. News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM 7:45
MLB – Hall of Famer Johnny Bench apologizes for antisemitic remark at Reds event
Hall of Famer Johnny Bench apologized for an antisemitic comment made at an event to honor former Cincinnati Reds general manager Gabe Paul, who was Jewish, and others. Bench made the remark Saturday at an event attended by Paul’s daughter, Jennie Paul. Paul, who died in 1998, and former Reds pitchers Danny Graves and Bronson Arroyo were being inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame. When Jennie Paul joked about the “cheap” contract her dad negotiated with Pete Rose, Bench responded: “He was Jewish.” He issued a statement the next day to apologize and said his comment was insensitive.
NHL – Blackhawks and No. 1 overall draft pick Connor Bedard agree to 3-year contract
The Chicago Blackhawks and forward Connor Bedard have agreed to terms on a three-year, entry-level contract for the No. 1 overall draft pick. The team said the deal through the 2025-26 season will mean a $950,000 salary cap hit, the maximum allowed. It was announced on Bedard’s 18th birthday. Bedard became the second No. 1 pick in Blackhawks history, joining Patrick Kane, who went first overall in 2007 and helped form the core of a team that won three Stanley Cups from 2010 to 2015. The native of North Vancouver, British Columbia, was the WHL’s first player — and seventh in Canadian Hockey League history — to be granted exceptional status, allowing Bedard to play in the major junior ranks at 15. In 2021-22, he became the youngest WHL player to score 50 goals, finishing with 51 in 62 games. Last season, his 143 points (71 goals, 72 assists in 57 games) were the most in the league since 1995-96.
WNBA – Aces look to maintain historic pace in 2nd half, repeat as WNBA champions
The Las Vegas Aces are on a historic pace heading into the second half of the season. With 19 wins in their first 21 games, the Aces sit atop the WNBA standings and have the top offense and defense in the league. Las Vegas is seeking to become the league’s first repeat champion since Los Angeles in 2001 and ’02. The Aces can also make a run at the best record in league history. New York is second in the standings and Connecticut is third. The Liberty are still building cohesiveness with offseason additions Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Courtney Vandersloot.
NCAAWBB – NCAA to operate a 2nd women’s tourney for teams that don’t make the NCAA’s
The NCAA has announced it is creating another women’s basketball tournament that it will operate like the men’s NIT as a second option for 32 teams that do not make the NCAA Tournament. The Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament will debut in the upcoming season. It brings the men’s and women’s NCAA postseason opportunities to an equal number. An NCAA-operated second option for women was one of the key focuses of an external gender equity report on the NCAA. Women’s teams that didn’t make the NCAA Tournament in the past had the opportunity to play in an independently operated WNIT. The WNIT says the tournament will continue with 48 teams.
NCAAFB – Former Northwestern football players hire attorney to investigate hazing
Eight former Northwestern football players have retained attorneys following a hazing scandal that led to the firing of coach Pat Fitzgerald. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump and the Chicago-based Levin & Perconti personal injury law firm announced they have “uncovered a vast array of incidents of abuse in the Northwestern football program.” They also said more athletes are expected to join the legal action and it will expand beyond Northwestern football to other college athletic programs.
Tennis – Alcaraz’s Wimbledon title shows he is exactly who everyone thought he was
Carlos Alcaraz is the first man since 2002 other than Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Andy Murray to win Wimbledon. It is the latest proof that Alcaraz is every bit as terrific a tennis player as folks have thought. He is just 20 and the third-youngest man to claim the championship at the All England Club in the Open era. And the No. 1-ranked Alcaraz’s victory Sunday adds to his U.S. Open triumph last September that marked him as the sport’s newest star. Djokovic said Alcaraz shares qualities with himself, Nadal and Federer. That sort of comparison is high praise.
FIFA – Parity, bigger field mean there could be surprises at the Women’s World Cup
An expanded field of 32 teams at the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand means more players and teams will see the international spotlight — and they no doubt want to prove they belong. The United States is still considered dominant, and those elite European teams have developed even more with the rise of competitive clubs. And Brazil always seems on the verge of a breakout. But there’s plenty of teams aiming to make noise in the tournament, including first timers Ireland, Vietnam, Zambia, Haiti, Morocco, Panama, Portugal and Philippines.
Golf – Smith returns claret jug ahead of the British Open and reflects on his long year
Cameron Smith never gets emotional about anything. That changed Monday when he had to return the claret jug as the defending British Open champion. Now it’s about winning it back, and Smith knows that won’t be easy. He says it’s still hard to believe it’s been a year since he won at St. Andrews. So much has changed, starting with his defection to LIV Golf. Golf is more chaotic than ever with the PGA Tour striking a deal lacking many details with Saudi Arabia’s golf interests. Smith feels confident about LIV Golf’s future. For now, he wants that jug back.
NASCAR – Truex Jr. wins at New Hampshire for 1st time in 30 races
Martin Truex Jr. mastered another Monday matinee to win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the first time in 30 career Cup races at the track. Joey Logano finished second. Kyle Larson, Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski rounded out the top five. Truex won his 2nd Monday race of the season and fourth of his career. He dominated in the No. 19 Toyota en route to his 3rd win of the season.
Olympics – Men to compete in artistic swimming at Olympics for first time
Men will compete in artistic swimming at next year’s Paris Olympics. Men have competed at the lower levels in a sport formerly known as synchronized swimming. But next year for the first time they will have the Olympic stage. American artistic swimmer Bill May says “there has always been that misconception that it’s a female-only sport, or that it’s for wimps, or that it’s not a difficult sport.” This is not the synchronized swimming that your parents or grandparents watched. The acrobatic team event is physical with flips and throws and swimmers diving off the shoulders of teammates below.
MWL – Midwest League Baseball
Last Night
No games last night
Tonight
West Michigan Whitecaps at South Bend Cubs, 7:05 p.m.
Great Lakes Loons at Lansing Lugnuts, 7:05 p.m.
