Weekday Morning Sports Report – Thursday 10/18/18

sportsreport
sportsreport

MLB – Major League Baseball – League Championship Series (Best of 7)
Last Night
Los Angeles Dodgers 5, Milwaukee Brewers 2                                        (LAD leads 3-2)
Boston Red Sox 8, Houston Astros 6                                                     (BOS leads 3-1)

Dodgers 5, Brewers 2 – Kershaw leads Dodgers
Clayton Kershaw worked seven strong innings and the Los Angeles Dodgers took a three-games-to-two lead in the National League Championship Series by beating the Milwaukee Brewers, 5-2. Kershaw struck out nine and held the Brewers to three hits, including Lorenzo Cain’s RBI double in the second. Justin Turner and Yasiel Puig provided two hits and an RBI for the Dodgers, who allowed just three runs in winning the last two games.

Red Sox 8, Astros 6 – Red Sox beat Astros
Jackie Bradley Jr. smacked a go-ahead, two-run homer in the sixth inning as the Boston Red Sox knocked off the Houston Astros, 8-6 to take a three-games-to-one lead in the American League Championship Series. Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers also had two RBIs for the Bosox, who can wrap up the series on Thursday. Astros second baseman Jose Altuve had a home run taken away by fan interference in the first inning.

Tonight
Boston (TBD) at Houston (Verlander 16-9), 8:09 p.m.                           (BOS leads 3-1)

NBA – National Basketball Association – Season Opener
Last Night
Detroit Pistons 103, Brooklyn Nets 100
Indiana Pacers 111, Memphis Grizzlies 83

Pistons 103, Nets 100 – Casey wins debut with Pistons, 103-100 over Nets
Andre Drummond had 24 points and 20 rebounds, and the Detroit Pistons won their opener under new coach Dwane Casey, 103-100 over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night. Blake Griffin added 26 points for the Pistons, who were without two potential starters but still managed to hold off Brooklyn. Caris LeVert equaled a career high with 27 points for the Nets, and he drove to the basket in the final seconds with Brooklyn down one. LeVert lost the ball, and it went out of bounds to Detroit. Reggie Jackson made two free throws for the Pistons with 6.2 seconds remaining, and Joe Harris missed from near the top of the key at the other end. Detroit opened a 13-point lead in the third quarter, but Brooklyn rallied. The Pistons led 101-96 when Spencer Dinwiddie went to the line for the Nets. Dinwiddie made a free throw but missed the second. Brooklyn came up with the rebound, and Harris made a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to one.  Dinwiddie had 23 points.

Pacers 111, Grizzlies 83 – Bogdanovic scores 19 points, Pacers rout Grizzlies 111-83
Bojan Bogdanovic scored 19 points and Victor Oladipo added 16 to help the Indiana Pacers rout the Memphis Grizzlies 111-83 on Wednesday night. It was the largest-opening night victory margin in the franchise’s NBA era, breaking the mark of 27 set against the then New Jersey Nets in 1985.  Domantas Sabonis finished with 14 points and 15 rebounds as Indiana earned its seventh opening-night win eight years. The Pacers also have won eight of their last nine home openers. Marc Gasol scored 13 points and Garrett Temple had 12 _ all on 3-pointers _ for the Grizzlies.

Tonight
Chicago Bulls at Philadelphia 76ers, 8:00 p.m.

NBA – Pistons play recording of Aretha Franklin singing anthem
The Detroit Pistons honored Aretha Franklin before their season opener Wednesday night by playing a recording of her singing the national anthem. Former Pistons star Isiah Thomas spoke briefly, asking for a moment of silence for Franklin, who died in August. After the moment of silence, and with no additional announcement, a recording of Franklin singing the anthem at the 2004 NBA Finals began playing while pictures scrolled on the scoreboard screen.  A microphone was left unattended at midcourt while the anthem played.

NFL – National Football League – Week 7
Tonight
Denver Broncos at Arizona Cardinals, 8:20 p.m.                95.7 & 1400 WSJM Sports 8:00

NFL – Bears pass rusher Khalil Mack day to day with ankle injury
Chicago Bears star pass rusher Khalil Mack is day to day because of an ankle injury, coach Matt Nagy said on Wednesday. Mack was hurt early in last week’s overtime loss at Miami and his 2018 streak of at least one sack and one forced fumble in each game ended. Playing without the two-time All-Pro would be a huge blow, particularly with Tom Brady and the New England Patriots visiting on Sunday. “We’re just going to continue to keep an eye on it and make sure whatever we do, we’re more cautious than anything,” Nagy said. “I believe in that and I think it’s important to go that route.”

NFL – Dolphins QB Tannehill ruled out Sunday against Lions
Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill has been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions because of an injury to his throwing shoulder. Tannehill also missed Sunday’s overtime win against the Chicago Bears. Brock Osweiler threw for a career-high 380 yards and three touchdowns as Tannehill’s replacement and will start against Detroit. Tannehill was on the field in shoulder pads during practice Wednesday but didn’t throw. Coach Adam Gase said Tannehill’s status remains day to day. The coach said he doesn’t know whether Tannehill will be able to play Oct. 25 at Houston, but said Tannehill is still expected to return at some point this season.

NHL – National Hockey League
Tonight
Detroit Red Wings at Tampa Bay Lightning, 7:30 p.m.
Arizona Coyotes at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m.

NHL – Red Wings claim winger de la Rose off waivers from Montreal
The Detroit Red Wings have claimed winger Jacob de la Rose off waivers from Montreal. Detroit made the move Wednesday.  The 23-year-old de la Rose has an opportunity to get plenty of ice time with the Red Wings if he’s cleared to play after having a cardiac episode earlier this month. The 6-foot-3, 216-pound Swede had four goals and a career-high 12 points in 55 games for the Canadiens last season. He has eight goals and 19 career points in 119 NHL games with Montreal. The Canadiens drafted him in the second round, No. 34 overall, in 2013. Detroit has lost its first six games for the first time in franchise history. The Red Wings play at Tampa Bay on Thursday night.

NASCAR – Larson facing playoff elimination after NASCAR penalty
Kyle Larson has been docked 10 points by NASCAR for a rules violation that could bring an end to his championship chances. Chip Ganassi Racing was penalized for breaking NASCAR’s policy on damaged vehicles during the race at Talladega Superspeedway. The points deduction announced Wednesday drops Larson to 36 points below the cutoff for the final transfer position to the third round of the playoffs. NASCAR will cut the playoff field from 12 to eight drivers following Sunday’s race at Kansas. Larson crew chief Chad Johnston was fined $25,000 for the infraction and car chief David Bryant was suspended one race.

AHL – American Hockey League
Last Night
Texas Stars 6, Grand Rapids Griffins 3

MCCAA – Junior College Sports
Last Night
Women’s Volleyball
Grace Christian University 3, Lake Michigan College 2

Tonight
Women’s Volleyball
Ancilla College at Lake Michigan College, 6:30 p.m.

MHSAA – High School Sports
Last Night
Boys Soccer – Districts
Division 3 (Berrien Springs)
Dowagiac 4, Berrien Springs 0
Schoolcraft 5, Constantine 0

Division 4 (Marcellus)
Lake Michigan Catholic 5, New Buffalo 2 – OT
Howardsville Christian 3, Cassopolis 1

Girls Volleyball – Regular Season
Michigan Lutheran 3, River Valley 1
Niles 3, Kalamazoo Central 0
Lakeshore 3, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 1
New Buffalo 3, Lawrence 0
Mattawan 3, Gull Lake 0

Tonight
Boys Soccer – Districts
Division 2 (Lakeshore)
Sturgis vs. Vicksburg, 5:00 p.m.
St. Joseph vs. Lakeshore, 6:30 p.m.

Division 3 (South Haven)
Fennville vs. South Haven, 6:00 p.m.
Paw Paw at Otsego, 6:00 p.m.

Division 4 (Saugatuck)
Covert vs. Bangor, 5:00 p.m.
Hartford vs. Bloomingdale, 7:00 p.m.

Girls Volleyball – Regular Season
Howardsville Christian at Lake Michigan Catholic, 6:00 p.m.
Vicksburg at Three Rivers, 6:30 p.m.
Edwardsburg at Sturgis, 6:30 p.m.
Dowagiac at Paw Paw, 6:30 p.m.
Allegan at South Haven, 6:30 p.m.
Plainwell at Otsego, 6:30 p.m.
Delton-Kellogg at Coloma, 6:30 p.m.