MLB – Major League Baseball
Last Night
Philadelphia Phillies 4, Detroit Tigers 0
Miami Marlins 2, Chicago White Sox 0
Chicago Cubs 4, San Francisco Giants 1
Phillies 4, Tigers 0 – Velasquez sharp as Phillies blank Tigers 4-0
Vince Velasquez pitched impressively into the sixth inning and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Detroit Tigers 4-0 Wednesday to finish a quick two-game sweep. The Phillies won the series opener 3-2 in 15 innings in a game that ended shortly after midnight Wednesday morning. The teams returned to the field for an afternoon game, and Velasquez (3-5) outdueled Jordan Zimmermann. J.T. Realmuto and Nick Williams homered for Philadelphia, which has won five of six. Bryce Harper had the day off for the Phillies, but they didn’t need much offense. Velasquez allowed four hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out nine. Zimmermann (0-8) allowed four runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. Detroit is 8-35 since the start of June.
Marlins 2, White Sox 0 – Gallen earns 1st big league win, Marlins top ChiSox 2-0
Rookie Zac Gallen pitched seven innings of two-hit ball for his first major league win and César Puello hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning as the Miami Marlins won their second straight game, beating the Chicago White Sox 2-0 on Wednesday night. Puello launched his fourth homer deep to left on the first pitch from Reynaldo López, making a winner out of Gallen (1-2) in his sixth start since joining the Marlins rotation on June 20. The 23-year-old Gallen struck out nine, walked one and hit two batters in his longest outing to date. Gallen threw 95 pitches, 68 strikes, before being replaced by Nick Anderson in the eighth. Jon Jay singled off Anderson with two outs before Jose Abreu sent a deep drive to center that Puello caught at the wall. Sergio Romo worked around two singles in the ninth for his 17th save in 18 chances.
Cubs 4, Giants 1 – Báez, Bryant power Cubs past Giants 4-1; Lester scratched
Javier Báez homered in the first inning, Kris Bryant and Albert Almora Jr. also went deep, and the Chicago Cubs beat the San Francisco Giants 4-1 Wednesday after starter Jon Lester was scratched with an illness. Báez hit his 25th homer and Bryant his 21st to help Chicago avoid a three-game sweep. The Cubs bounced back from a 5-4, 13-inning loss Tuesday night to give manager Joe Maddon his 442nd win with Chicago, tying Joe McCarthy for fifth in franchise history. Bryant left in the fifth inning because of soreness in his right knee. Kyle Ryan (3-1), the second of six pitchers used by the Cubs in place of Lester, retired five batters. Craig Kimbrel allowed two singles in the ninth but got Brandon Belt to fly out for his seventh save.
Today
Minnesota (Berrios 8-5) at Chicago White Sox (Giolito 11-4), 8:10 p.m.
Detroit (VerHagen 1-0) at Seattle (TBD), 10:10 p.m. WSJM Sports/Cosy-FM 9:45
Cubs are off
MLB – Alcantara heads to IL
Detroit right-hander Victor Alcantara has a right middle finger contusion that has landed him on the 10-day IL retroactive to Sunday. The Tigers recalled right-hander Jose Cisnero from Triple-A Toledo.
MLB – Cubs send Russel to Iowa
The Cubs have optioned shortstop Addison Russell to Triple-A Iowa about two months after he completed a suspension for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy. Russell was sent down to make room for catcher Willson Contreras, who was activated from the 10-day injured list.
NFL – Lions begin training camp with Slay and Harrison reporting
Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni says cornerback Darius Slay and defensive tackle Damon "Snacks" Harrison have reported to camp. They showed up Wednesday with their teammates, the day before Detroit’s first practice. Both players did not to attend the Lions’ mandatory minicamp last month, hoping their absences would help them get new contracts. Slay is in the third year of his $50 million, four-year deal. Harrison has two years left on the $46 million contract he signed with the New York Giants. Detroit drafted Slay 36th overall in 2013 and he earned All-Pro honors in 2017. Harrison played with the Jets as an undrafted rookie in 2012 and was an All-Pro in 2016. Detroit acquired him from the Giants last season.
NFL – Titans tackle announces suspension
Tennessee Titans three-time Pro Bowl left tackle Taylor Lewan says the NFL has suspended him for the first four games of the season for violating the league’s policy on performance enhancers. In a video he posted to Twitter, Lewan says he received a letter from the NFL a few weeks ago informing of his suspension. He says he has taken a polygraph test and had the supplements tested but knows he’s responsible under the league’s collective bargaining agreement for what goes into his body. Lewan says he’s never taken anything that would cheat the game and apologized to the Titans and also to fans.
NFL – Sanchez retires, will join ESPN
Former USC star and New York Jets first-round pick Mark Sanchez is retiring from the NFL and joining ESPN as a college football analyst. Sanchez played quarterback for Southern California from 2005-08, earning Rose Bowl MVP honors in his final college game. He was selected fifth overall in the 2009 NFL draft by the Jets and led them to the AFC championship game in each of his first two seasons. This season, Sanchez will join anchor Kevin Negandhi and analyst Jonathan Vilma, another former Jets player, on ABC’s studio show. Sanchez replaces Mack Brown, who returns to coach at North Carolina.
NCAA – Pac-12 to move football title game to Las Vegas in 2020
The Pac-12 will move its football championship game to Las Vegas in 2020 and 2021. Commissioner Larry Scott announced the decision Wednesday at the start of Pac-12 media day in Hollywood. The league title game has been played at Levi’s Stadium in suburban Santa Clara, California, since 2014. The event has struggled for solid attendance in the past half-decade, including a noticeably empty stadium for Washington’s win over Utah last year. After the upcoming season, the game will move to party-friendly Las Vegas and the Raiders’ new stadium, which is still under construction just west of the Strip. The Pac-12 men’s basketball tournament has been played in Las Vegas since 2013, and conference leaders have credited the move with boosting attendance.
Cycling – 2 riders kicked out of Tour de France after altercation
Two riders, including a teammate of defending Tour de France champion Geraint Thomas, have been kicked out of the race after they got into an altercation. Cycling governing body UCI and race organizers said on Wednesday that Thomas’ teammate Luke Rowe and Tony Martin, who rides in support of Jumbo-Visma leader Steven Kruijswijk, were disqualified. The decision is a blow for both Thomas and Kruijswijk, who were respectively second and third in the overall standings behind race leader Julian Alaphilippe ahead of three tough Alpine stages where they will need strong support. Martin and Rowe appeared to shove each other close to the finish of the 200-kilometer Stage 17 to Gap in the Col de la Sentinelle. Rowe said it was just a battle for position, adding that he "shook hands" with Martin at the end of the stage.
MWL – Midwest League Baseball
Last Night
Great Lakes 2, Dayton 0 – 10 innings
South Bend 8, Lake County 2
West Michigan 4, Lansing 3
Tonight
Great Lakes at Dayton, 7:00 p.m.
Lake County at South Bend, 7:05 p.m.
Lansing at West Michigan, 7:05 p.m.
