95.7 & 1400 WSJM Sports @wsjmsports wsjmsports.com Thursday, April 07, 2016
MLB – Major League Baseball
Yesterday
Detroit Tigers 7, Miami Marlins 3
Oakland A’s 2, Chicago White Sox 1
Cubs were off
Tigers 7, Marlins 3 – Saltalamacchia’s 4 RBIs lift Tigers over Marlins 7-3
Jarrod Saltalamacchia homered and drove in four runs and Francisco Rodriguez struck out Giancarlo Stanton to end the game with the bases loaded as the Detroit Tigers beat Miami 7-3 Wednesday and sent Marlins ace Jose Fernandez his first loss in 27 career starts at home. Victor Martinez hit a two-run homer and Nick Castellanos had an RBI double in the sixth that chased Fernandez (0-1), who allowed five runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings with one walk and 13 strikeouts, one shy of his big league high. Fernandez had been 17-0 with a 1.40 ERA at Marlins Park, the most consecutive home wins to start a career in major league history. Anibal Sanchez (1-0) allowed two runs and four hits in five innings for Detroit, which completed an opening two-game sweep.
A’s 2, White Sox 1 – Gray goes 7 innings as Athletics beat White Sox 2-1
Sonny Gray pitched seven strong innings, Mark Canha homered and the Oakland Athletics beat the Chicago White Sox 2-1 Wednesday night. Gray, scratched from the opening-day start because of a stomach flu, gave up a run on three hits, walking four and striking out five. John Axford pitched a scoreless eighth and Ryan Madsen got the final three outs for his first save. Madsen’s last four saves have come against the White Sox. Chicago starter Carlos Rodon gave up two runs on seven hits over seven innings. He walked one and stuck out six. Jed Lowrie also had an RBI for the A’s and Jimmy Rollins drove in a run for Chicago. Adam Eaton singled twice and walked, reaching base safely in 25 consecutive games dating to last Sept. 9.
Tonight
Chicago White Sox (Latos 0-0) at Oakland (Graveman 0-0), 3:35 p.m.
Chicago Cubs (Lackey 0-0) at Arizona (R.De La Rosa 0-0), 9:40 p.m.
Tigers are off
NBA – National Basketball Association
Last Night
Detroit Pistons 108, Orlando Magic 104
Indiana Pacers 123, Cleveland Cavaliers 109
Pistons 108, Magic 104 – Pistons use strong second half to get past Magic 108-104
Reggie Jackson scored 24 points and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 18 to help lead the Detroit Pistons to a 108-104 win over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night. The win kept the Pistons (42-37) in contention in the Eastern Conference playoff race. They remained a half-game behind Indianapolis, which beat Cleveland, for the No. 7 spot. The Magic’s three-game home winning streak ended. They held a 96-92 lead late in the fourth quarter, but then saw it slip away. After going back and forth for much of the first three quarters, the Pistons took control late in the fourth quarter. Tobias Harris, Caldwell-Pope and Jackson all hit big shots in the final five minutes to rally the Pistons. Caldwell-Pope gave the Pistons 97-96 lead late in the fourth quarter on a 3-pointer following a turnover by Orlando’s Victor Oladipo. Evan Fournier led five Orlando players in double figures with 19 points. The Pistons magic number to clinch a playoff spot is down to one, losses by the Wizards and the Bulls will clinch a postseason berth for Detroit
Pacers 123, Cavaliers 109 – With James on bench, Pacers roll past Cavaliers 123-109
Paul George scored 29 points to help the Indiana Pacers blow out the Cleveland Cavaliers 123-109 on Wednesday night. The Cavaliers played without four-time MVP LeBron James. He rested after playing Tuesday in Milwaukee. Kyrie Irving had 26 points and six assists. Kevin Love scored 23.
Tonight
Chicago Bulls at Miami Heat, 8:00 p.m.
NHL – National Hockey League
Last Night
Detroit Red Wings 3, Philadelphia Flyers 0
Red Wings 3, Flyers 0 – Detroit shuts out Flyers 3-0 as playoff race winds down
Jimmy Howard made 30 saves, Darren Helm, Andreas Athanasiou and Kyle Quincey scored for Detroit, and the Red Wings took a step toward a 25th consecutive playoff appearance with a 3-0 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday night. The Red Wings (93 points) lead Boston (91) in the race for third place in the Atlantic Division. Philadelphia (91) is tied with the Bruins for the second wild card. The Flyers have three games remaining, while Detroit and Boston each have two. The Bruins host the Red Wings on Thursday night. Helm scored in the first period and Athanasiou added a short-handed goal in the second for Detroit, which hasn’t missed the postseason since 1990. Quincey’s goal was an empty-netter.
Tonight
Detroit Red Wings at Boston Bruins, 7:00 p.m.
St. Louis Blues at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m.
NHL – Blackhawks recall F Bryan Bickell from minors
The banged-up Chicago Blackhawks have recalled forward Bryan Bickell from Rockford of the American Hockey League. The 30-year-old Bickell has spent much of this season with the IceHogs after helping Chicago win the Stanley Cup last year. The rugged winger, who signed a $16 million, four-year deal in 2013, has 65 goals and 70 assists in 382 NHL games, all with the Blackhawks. Forwards Andrew Shaw and Marian Hossa missed Chicago’s 6-2 victory over Arizona on Tuesday night due to injuries, and center Artem Anisimov left in the second period after taking a big hit. The Blackhawks did not practice on Wednesday, so the next update on Anisimov’s status likely will be Thursday morning’s skate before their game against St. Louis.
NHL – Blackhawks sign Wolverines Motte
Chicago announced it had signed forward Tyler Motte to a three-year contract that begins at the start of next season. Motte, a fourth-round pick in the 2013 draft, had 32 goals and 24 assists in 38 games this season with the University of Michigan.
NCAA Basketball – Michigan’s Dawkins transferring to play for father at UCF
Michigan sophomore Aubrey Dawkins is transferring to Central Florida to play for his father. Johnny Dawkins was hired as UCF’s coach last month after being fired by Stanford. Aubrey Dawkins started 22 games in two seasons at Michigan. He averaged 6.5 points a game this season.
NCAA Basketball – Louisville announces more sanctions for men’s basketball
The University of Louisville has announced additional self-imposed sanctions on its men’s basketball program in the wake of an escort’s allegations. In a statement the school has announced a reduction in scholarships for the 2017-19 seasons and the restricting of official recruiting visits and recruiting opportunities for staff. The school announced in February a postseason ban for the Cardinals after its investigation into allegations a former staffer hired an escort and other dancers to entertain recruits and players determined that violations did occur.
NCAA Football – Kelly: Notre Dame won’t let QB competition hamper offense
Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly says he won’t let the competition for the starting quarterback job between DeShone Kizer and Malik Zaire keep Notre Dame’s offense from establishing an identity. Kelly said after practice Wednesday that he will avoid the problem that plagued Ohio State last season, when they struggled to find an identity behind Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett. Kelly says he will make sure that doesn’t happen with the Irish, saying the offense will have an identity. Kelly says it’s been hard to evaluate the competition because Zaire is still learning some of the offense that was installed after he sustained a broken ankle in the second game last season. Kelly says no matter what happens, he knows someone isn’t going to be happy.
Golf – First major coming up
The opening round of the 80th Masters starts this morning. There’s a forecast for some overnight rain which would help slow down the fast greens. Defending champ Jordan Spieth is back as part of an 89-man field, the smallest since 2002. Spieth will defend his Masters title with a new driver. Spieth says his driver cracked yesterday.
Golf – Palmer will be at first tee for opener
Arnold Palmer will be on the first tee for the ceremonial opening shot of the Masters. He just won’t be swinging a club. The 86-year-old Palmer said his health wasn’t good enough to join Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player when they hit tee shots at the first hole to open the first major of the year. “We are looking forward to having Arnold … for many, many years to come,” Augusta National chairman Billy Payne said.
NFL – Fans sue NFL
A group of New England Patriots fans has sued the NFL in an effort to recover the first-round draft pick that was taken from the team as punishment for the Deflate-gate scandal. The complaint says the league and Commissioner Roger Goodell relied on “false premises and biased investigations to reach their decision to take away the team’s first-round draft pick in this month’s draft.”
USA Soccer – Team USA blanks Colombia 7-0 in friendly
Allie Long scored her first two international goals, and the United States routed Colombia 7-0. It’s the Americans’ first exhibition since five players filed a wage-discrimination action against the U.S. Soccer Federation. Crystal Dunn, Mallory Pugh, Carli Lloyd, Tobin Heath and Christen Press also scored for the Americans, who are preparing for this summer’s Olympics, where they will try to win their fourth straight gold medal.
Indy500 – Early test leaves Indy 500 drivers confident cars are safer
Ed Carpenter and James Hinchcliffe left Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Wednesday more confident about the cars they’ll race in May. A new rear-wing flap should prevent cars from going airborne, as Carpenter experienced 11 months ago. New suspension parts should prevent drivers from getting gouged, which happened to Hinchcliffe last year at Indy and left him with a life-threatening injury. And as everyone tries to figure out what impact the new aerodynamic package might make, Carpenter and Hinchcliffe believe the racing will be safer. Hinchcliffe was on the track for the first time since his frightening crash last May. A quick-acting medical team saved his life after a broken part pierced his upper leg.
ECHL – East Coast Hockey League
Last Night
Kalamazoo Wings 4, Brampton Beast 3
