MLB – Major League Baseball
Last Night
Toronto Blue Jays 5, Detroit Tigers 3
San Francisco Giants 4, Chicago Cubs 2
White Sox were off
Blue Jays 5, Tigers 3 – Chapman 2 HRs, Kikuchi wins in return as Jays top Tigers 5-3
Matt Chapman hit two home runs, Yusei Kikuchi came off the injured list to pitch five solid innings and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Detroit Tigers 5-3 for their 10th victory in 12 games. Chapman hit a two-run homer off left-hander Tyler Alexander in the fourth and a solo shot off Angel De Jesus in the sixth, the ninth multi-homer game of his career and first this season. The home runs were his 17th and 18th of the year. Jonathan Schoop and Willi Castro hit solo home runs for the Tigers.
Giants 4, Cubs 2 – Wood takes no-hitter into 7th, Giants beat Cubs to stop skid
Alex Wood took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and the San Francisco Giants beat the Chicago Cubs 4-2 to stop a seven-game slide. Yermín Mercedes hit an early two-run single, and four Giants pitchers combined on a three-hitter to snap Chicago’s six-game winning streak. An umpire’s ruling that appeared to give the Cubs a break instead contributed to San Francisco’s three-run third. Wood allowed two hits in 6 2/3 innings, striking out two and walking two. His no-hit bid ended in the seventh on Ian Happ’s leadoff single. Two outs later, Patrick Wisdom belted his 18th homer of the season.
Tonight
Detroit (Garcia 0-0) at Toronto (Manoah 11-4), 7:07 p.m. WSJM/WCSY 6:45
Oakland (Kaprielian 1-5) at Chicago White Sox (Lynn 1-3), 8:10 p.m.
Chicago Cubs (Stroman 2-5) at San Francisco (Cobb 3-4), 10:15 p.m.
MLB – Unvaccinated Chafin misses Tigers’ series at Blue Jays
The Detroit Tigers put unvaccinated left-hander Andrew Chafin on the restricted list before the opener of a four-game series in Toronto and selected right-hander Bryan Garcia from Triple-A Toledo as a substitute player. Detroit also added right-hander Derek Law and shortstop Zack Short to its taxi squad. Chafin signed a $13 million, two-year contract in March. He will lose $142,857 from his $6.5 million salary this season.
MLB – Blue Jays announce $230 million stadium renovation plan
The Blue Jays announced plans Thursday for a $230 million renovation of Rogers Centre, their downtown home since 1989 when it was knows as SkyDome, but said the change will not involve replacing the artificial turf surface with grass. The renovation, to be undertaken in stages over the next two or three winters, will begin with the team adding raised bullpens in left and right field, adjusting the dimensions and heights of the current outfield wall, and adapting the outfield seating areas to add bars and patios. Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro did not disclose the outfield dimensions and fence heights, saying they have not been finalized.
WNBA – Women’s National Basketball Association
Tonight
Las Vegas Aces at Indiana Fever, 7:00 p.m.
New York Liberty at Chicago Sky, 8:00 p.m.
WNBA – Kremlin poker-faced on US swap offer to free Griner, Whelan
The Kremlin has warned that a possible prisoner swap with the United States involving American basketball star Brittney Griner needs to be negotiated quietly without fanfare. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that Washington had offered Russia a deal that would bring home Griner and another jailed American, Paul Whelan. Asked Thursday about the U.S. offer, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov replied that prisoner swaps are typically negotiated discreetly behind the scenes. He emphasized that “no agreements have been finalized” and refused to provide further details. Griner has been detained in Russia since inspectors at a Moscow airport found vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage.
NFL – Cardinals remove Kyler Murray’s independent-study addendum
The Arizona Cardinals have removed an addendum to quarterback Kyler Murray’s $230.5 million, five-year contract that mandated at least four hours of “independent study” during game weeks. In a statement Thursday, the team said: “After seeing the distraction it created, we removed the addendum from the contract. It was clearly perceived in ways that were never intended. Our confidence in Kyler Murray is as high as it’s ever been and nothing demonstrates our belief in his ability to lead this team more than the commitment reflected in his contract.” Earlier in the day, Murray declared that there have been no “shortcuts” to success during his football career, no matter what provisions the Cardinals included in his new contract.
NFL – QB Ryan challenges Colts to keep up with quick-paced tempo
Matt Ryan has seen and done just about everything other than winning a Super Bowl in his 14-year NFL career. He’s been the league MVP. He’s won a conference title. He’s steadily climbed the league’s career passing charts. But now, for the first time since his rookie season, Ryan is settling into a whole new world. The Indianapolis Colts new quarterback is getting acclimated to a new playbook, new teammates, a new training camp facility and a new routine.
NFL – Rodgers says Packers offense can grow from early adversity
Aaron Rodgers says he expects the Green Bay Packers offense to face plenty of adversity during the preseason as it lines up against a defense that seems far more settled. The four-time MVP quarterback believes that could prove beneficial in the long run. Rodgers says that taking some lumps early is “going to build some character.” The two-time reigning MVP is in a much different situation than last year. He’s smoothed over his relationship with team management and is dealing with a new group of receivers now that All-Pro wideout Davante Adams is with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Golf – PGA – Finau, Pendrith share Rocket Mortgage lead at 8-under 64
Tony Finau, coming off his third career victory on the PGA Tour, and Taylor Pendrith shared the first-round lead at 8-under 64 on Thursday in the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Former U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson, Michael Thompson, Cameron Champ, Lee Hodges and Matt Wallace were two shots back. Si Woo Kim and Kurt Kitayama, both ranked among the top 70 in the world, were in the pack at 67 at Detroit Golf Club. The leaderboard was filled with players who took advantage of favorable scoring conditions with morning tee times. In the afternoon, the wind picked up and the scores did as well. Finau rallied from a five-shot deficit with 11 holes left to win the 3M Open by three shots Sunday in Minnesota.
Golf – Trump says Saudi-funded tour creates ‘gold rush’ for players
Former President Donald Trump says the Saudi-funded LIV Golf circuit has created a “gold rush” for players. Trump played a round Thursday on his home course at Trump National Bedminster. This one was the LIV Golf Invitational pro-am. He played with Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau. Trump says what the Saudi-backed league is doing is good for golf because it gives players an alternative. It’s been a disruptor for more than the PGA Tour. Now the Ryder Cup is involved. Henrik Stenson signed with LIV and was stripped of his captaincy for Europe. Reports indicated Luke Donald will be replacing him.
Nassar – FBI open to settling claims by gymnasts abused by Nassar
The FBI has reached out to attorneys representing Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and other women who say they were sexually assaulted by Larry Nassar to begin settlement talks in the $1 billion claim they brought against the federal government. That’s according to three people familiar with the matter. The FBI’s general counsel contacted the lawyers for Olympic gold medalists Biles, Aly Raisman and McKayla Maroney and dozens of other women on Wednesday. The people say the FBI’s attorneys told the lawyers for the women that they had received the federal tort claims and to say the agency was “interested” in a resolution, including discussions about a potential settlement.
MILB – Midwest League Baseball
Last Night
Dayton 8, West Michigan 7
Lake County 4, South Bend 2
Great Lakes 7, Lansing 2
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.
