Tigers end 6 game slide with 3-1 win at Toronto – Friday Morning Sports Update

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MLB – Major League Baseball
Yesterday
Detroit Tigers 3, Toronto Blue Jays 1
Cubs and White Sox were off

Tigers 3, Blue Jays 1 – Báez benched as Tigers beat Jays 3-1, end 6-game skid
Javier Báez was benched after a baserunning gaffe and Spencer Turnbull pitched five solid innings as the Detroit Tigers avoided a three-game sweep by beating the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1. Zach McKinstry drove in the go-ahead run and Jake Rogers had two hits and an RBI as Detroit snapped a six-game skid. Turnbull allowed one run on six hits and one walk with six strikeouts. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch removed Báez from the game in the third, one inning after Báez appeared to lose track of the outs and ran into a double play. Chris Bassitt took the loss for the Blue Jays, allowing two runs in six innings.

Tonight
San Francisco (Manaea 0-0) at Detroit (Wentz 0-2), 6:40 p.m.    News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM 6:15
Baltimore (Wells 0-1) at Chicago White Sox (Clevinger 2-0), 7:10 p.m.
Chicago Cubs (Steele 1-0) at L.A. Dodgers (Syndergaard 0-1), 10:10 p.m.

Saturday
San Francisco at Tigers, 1:10 p.m. 94.9 WSJM 12:15
Baltimore at White Sox, 2:10 p.m.
Cubs at LA Dodgers, 9:10 p.m.

Sunday
San Francisco at Tigers, 1:10 p.m. 94.9 WSJM 12:15
Baltimore at White Sox, 2:10 p.m.
Cubs at LA Dodgers, 4:10 p.m.

MLB – Tigers’ Báez removed from game after baserunning gaffe
Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Báez was removed from Thursday’s game against the Blue Jays forgetting how many outs there were and running into a double play. Facing Blue Jays right-hander Chris Bassitt, Báez doubled off the left-field wall with one out in the second inning. It was Báez’s first extra-base hit of the season, but he didn’t run hard out of the box, apparently thinking he had homered. Báez broke for third and rounded the base on Akil Baddo’s liner to center, and was easily doubled off to end the inning.

NHL – National Hockey League
Last Night
Tampa Bay Lightning 5, Detroit Red Wings 0
Philadelphia Flyers 5, Chicago Blackhawks 4 – OT
End Regular Season for Detroit and Chicago

Lightning 5, Red Wings 0 – Point gets 50th, 51st goals, Lightning beat Red Wings 5-0
Brayden Point scored his 50th and 51st goals, backup Brian Elliott made 32 saves,and the Tampa Bay Lightning stopped a four-game losing streak with a 5-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings. It was the regular-season finale for both teams. Point joined Steven Stamkos and Vincent Lecavalier as the only Lightnning players to reach the 50-goal mark. Alex Killorn, Brandon Hagel and Michael Eyssimont also scored for the playoff-bound Lightning. The Red Wings, despite ending the season 0-4-1, finished with their most points since their last playoff team in 2015-16.

Flyers 4, Blackhawks 3 – OT – Toews, Blackhawks lose 5-4 to Flyers in finale
Jonathan Toews scored in his final game with the Chicago Blackhawks, but Ivan Provorov scored 3:09 into overtime to lift the Philadelphia Flyers to a 5-4 victory in the season finale for each team. Toews won three Stanley Cup titles in 15 seasons with Chicago, but general manager Kyle Davidson announced earlier in the day that the team would not re-sign its longtime captain. Toews turns 35 on April 29, and the lowly Blackhawks are rebuilding. Toews had a chance to win the game in overtime, but he was denied by Felix Sandstrom on a breakaway with about 2:15 remaining. Provorov then closed it out for Philadelphia, beating Alex Stalock for his 6th goal of the season.

NHL – Blackhawks say Toews will not return to team next season
Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews will not return to the team next year, ending a wildly successful run that included three Stanley Cup championships in 15 seasons. General manager Kyle Davidson says the team will not re-sign its longtime center, who turns 35 on April 29. Toews was selected by Chicago with the No. 3 pick in the 2006 draft. He was just 20 years old when he became the 34th captain in team history in July 2008. Toews could decide to retire after missing a chunk of this season with what he described as symptoms of long COVID-19 and chronic immune response syndrome.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Tonight
NBA Play In Tournament
Chicago Bulls at Miami Heat, 7:00 p.m.
Oklahoma City Thunder at Minnesota Timberwolves 9:30 p.m.

NBA – The losing is done, NBA teams now await 7-foot-3 Wembanyama
There are very specific rules that NBA teams must follow right now when it comes to mentioning the name of 7-foot-3 French star Victor Wembanyama. He’s got big-man height and elite guard skills and will be the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft. But because he isn’t officially in the draft yet, teams can’t discuss him publicly. So they don’t. And they don’t have to, either. Everyone knows what the teams who’ll be in the NBA lottery next month are hoping to have happen. They want the No. 1 pick and the right to select Wembanyama.  The Detroit Pistons have the best odds to win the number one pick.

NFL – AP sources: Snyder agrees to $6.05B sale of NFL’s Commanders
Two people with knowledge of the situation tell The Associated Press that a group led by Josh Harris and Mitchell Rales and including Magic Johnson has an agreement in principle to buy the Washington Commanders from longtime owner Dan Snyder. Harris and Rales are set to pay $6.05 billion for the storied NFL franchise. It’s the most money a professional sports franchise in North American has been sold for, topping the $4.65 billion paid by Walmart heir Rob Walton’s group for the Denver Broncos last year. The sale of the Commanders is pending approval from the rest of the league’s owners. That could happen as soon as their next meeting in Minnesota in May.

NFL – First QB helmet designed to help reduce concussions approved
The first quarterback-specific helmet designed to help reduce concussions has been approved for use by the NFL and NFLPA, the AP has learned. The helmet, manufactured by Vicis, reduces severity of helmet-to-ground impacts, which league data says account for approximately half of quarterback concussions, including the one suffered by Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa last season when his head slammed violently against the turf during a Thursday night game against Cincinnati. The helmet performed 7% better than the most popular helmet worn by quarterbacks last season, the league said in a memo sent to team executives on Thursday.

Golf – PGA – Hovland leads RBC Heritage; Masters champ Rahm struggles
Viktor Hovland shot a 7-under 64 to take the first-round lead at the rain-delayed RBC Heritage. Masters champion Jon Rahm was eight shots back after a frustrating 1-over 72 and acknowledged the fatigue from his win at Augusta National affected him. Hovland also shared the first-round lead at the Masters and finished tied for seventh. He led Brian Harman by one shot at Harbour Town. Aaron Rai and Jimmy Walker were also 6 under but did not finish their rounds before darkness halted play. The RBC Heritage is a designated event on the PGA Tour this year, giving it a $20 million purse and a strong field.

Boston Marathon – Survival diaries: Decade on, Boston Marathon bombing echoes
In the decade since the Boston Marathon bombing, the streets and sidewalks have been repaired, and memorials stand at the site of the explosions to remember the three who died. But the healing continues. And, for many, the race itself is an important part. Bombing survivors with no previous interest in distance running made it a bucket-list goal. For others, friends and family entered on their behalf. Doctors and first responders and others affected by the attacks on April 15, 2013, have also been drawn back to the race on the Massachusetts holiday of Patriots’ Day. The 127th Boston Marathon is Monday.

MWL – Midwest League Baseball
Last Night
West Michigan Whitecaps 6, Lansing Lugnuts 0
Great Lakes Loons 15, Dayton Dragons 3
Beloit Sky Carp 9, South Bend Cubs 1

Tonight
West Michigan Whitecaps at Lansing Lugnuts, 6:05 p.m.
Great Lakes Loons at Dayton Dragons, 7:05 p.m.
Beloit Sky Carp at South Bend Cubs, 7:05 p.m.

ECHL – ECHL Hockey League
Tonight
Toledo Walleye at Kalamazoo Wings, 7:00 p.m.

AHL – American Hockey League
Tonight
Rockford IceHogs at Grand Rapids Griffins, 7:00 p.m.

MCCAA – Junior College Sports
Yesterday
Baseball
Kalamazoo Valley C.C. 6, Lake Michigan College 5- Game 1
Kalamazoo Valley C.C. 11, Lake Michigan College 8 – Game 2

Today
Softball
Lake Michigan College at Jackson College, 3:00 p.m./5:00 p.m. (DH)

MHSAA – High School Sports
Last Night
Baseball
St. Joseph 11, Battle Creek Central 1 – Game 1
St. Joseph 18, Battle Creek Central 3 – Game 2
Lakeshore 7, Gull Lake 1 – Game 1
Lakeshore 12, Gull Lake 0 – Game 2
Mattawan 3, Portage Central 2 – Game 1
Portage Central 3, Mattawan 2 – Game 2
B.C. Lakeview 6, Portage Northern 1 – Game 1
B.C. Lakeview 12, Portage Northern 2 – Game 2
Paw Paw 15, Allegan 3 – Game 1
Paw Paw 11, Allegan 4 – Game 2
Marcellus 21, Bangor 5 – Game 1
Marcellus 10, Bangor 0 – Game 2
Decatur 18, Lawrence 1 – Game 1
Decatur 18, Lawrence 3 – Game 2
Kalamazoo Hackett 9, Constantine 6 – Game 1
Constantine 5, Kalamazoo Hackett 4 – Game 2
Parchment 10, Lawton 0 – Game 1
Parchment 15, Lawton 0 – Game 2
Watervliet 11, Coloma 4 – Game 1
Watervliet 2, Coloma 1 – Game 2

Girls Tennis
St. Joseph 4, Lakeshore 4 – TIE

Softball
St. Joseph 19, Battle Creek Central 0 – Game 1
St. Joseph 16, Battle Creek Central 0 – Game 2
Lakeshore 3, Gull Lake 2 – Game 1
Lakeshore 8, Gull Lake 3 – Game 2
Mattawan 7, Portage Central 6 – Game 1
Mattawan 7, Portage Central 4 – Game 2
Decatur 15, Lawrence 0 – Game 1
Decatur 20, Lawrence 0 – Game 2
Constantine 10, Kalamazoo Hackett 0 – Game 1
Constantine 10, Kalamazoo Hackett 6 – Game 2
Parchment 15, Lawton 0 – Game 1
Parchment 16, Lawton 3 – Game 2
Watervliet 4, Coloma 3 – Game 1
Watervliet 10, Coloma 9 – Game 2

Girls Soccer
Berrien Springs 5, Bangor 0
Harper Creek 6, Three Rivers 0
Paw Paw 1, Dowagiac 0
East Kentwood 2, Plainwell 1
Lansing Catholic 2, Kalamazoo Hackett 1

Today
Girls Soccer
St. Joseph at Zeeland West, 6:30 p.m.
Michigan Lutheran at Comstock, 6:30 p.m.
Constantine at Bridgman, 5:00 p.m.
Watervliet at Allegan, 6:30 p.m.
Schoolcraft at Coloma, 5:00 p.m.
Holland Black River at Lawton, 6:00 p.m.
Saugatuck at Parchment, 6:00 p.m.
Delton-Kellogg at Wyoming-Lee, 6:00 p.m.
Gull Lake at Hudsonville Unity Christian, 6:30 p.m.
Coldwater at Kalamazoo Central, 5:00 p.m.
Sturgis at Mattawan, 6:00 p.m.
Otsego at Kalamazoo Christian, 5:00 p.m.
Battle Creek Pennfield at Three Rivers, 5:00 p.m.

Baseball
Our Lady of the Lake at River Valley, 4:15 p.m.
New Buffalo at Eau Claire, 4:15 p.m.
Vicksburg at Otsego, 4:00 p.m.
Traverse City West at Plainwell, 4:00 p.m.

Softball
Our Lady of the Lake at River Valley, 4:15 p.m.
Michigan Lutheran at Howardsville Chr. 4:15 p.m.
Cassopolis at Eau Claire, 4:15 p.m.
Vicksburg at Otsego, 4:00 p.m.
Comstock at Allegan, 4:30 p.m.