Weekday Morning Sports – Thursday 5/14/15

Sports Radio 1400 WSJM     @wsjmsports     wsjmsports.com     Thursday, May 14, 2015

MLB – Major League Baseball
Yesterday
Minnesota 6, Detroit 2
Chicago White Sox 4, Milwaukee 2
Chicago Cubs 2, N.Y. Mets 1

Twins 6, Tigers 2 – Hunter, Mauer lead Twins past Tigers 6-2
Torii Hunter homered and Joe Mauer hit a bases-loaded triple, leading the Minnesota Twins past the Detroit Tigers 6-2 on Wednesday night. Ricky Nolasco (3-1) allowed two unearned runs in 5 1/3 innings for the win. Nolasco came in with a 9.00 ERA, but gave up only four hits and three walks while striking out seven. Kyle Lobstein (3-3) allowed six runs and seven hits and a walk while only recording seven outs. The Tigers lost outfielder J.D. Martinez to a back injury. He singled in his first two at-bats, but Rajai Davis hit for him in the sixth. The team announced he had lower back tightness and is day-to-day. Hunter got things started for the Twins in the first, homering against his former teammates. Minnesota blew it open in the third, highlighted by Mauer’s three-run triple.

White Sox 4, Brewers 2 – Quintana stars, White Sox hold on for 4-2 win over Brewers
Jose Quintana struck out 10 in seven solid innings, and Avisail Garcia and Adam LaRoche hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning to lead the Chicago White Sox past the Milwaukee Brewers 4-2 on Wednesday night. Chicago, which had a major-league worst three road wins entering the game, won their first road series of the season after taking two of three from last-place Milwaukee. The Brewers made things interesting in the ninth after Carlos Gomez hit a solo homer off David Robertson. Adam Lind then walked to put the tying run at the plate with one out. Martin Maldonado lined out before Robertson got Hector Gomez to strike out on a 1-2 curveball for his seventh save. Quintana (2-3) allowed four hits, benefiting from the solo shots from Garcia and LaRoche with two outs to make it 3-0 in the first off starter Jimmy Nelson (1-4).

Cubs 2, Mets 1 – Cubs walk off with win over Mets
Chris Coghlan drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Chicago Cubs a 2-1 victory over the New York Mets on Wednesday night. The Cubs, who have won three straight, scored twice in the final two innings after being shut out for seven innings by Mets ace Matt Harvey. Harvey allowed only three hits and struck out nine. Harvey blended a blistering fastball with a heavy dose of off-speed pitches. Mets reliever Carlos Torres (1-2), however, couldn’t close the deal. Torres gave up back-to-back hits to Anthony Rizzo and Starlin Castro to start the ninth inning before intentionally walking Miguel Montero. After Mets manager brought in Jeurys Familia with the bases loaded and no one out, Coghlan drew a walk to give the Cubs the win. Hector Rondon (2-0) earned the win for the Cubs after pitching a scoreless ninth.

Today
Minnesota (Pelfrey 3-0) at Detroit (An.Sanchez 2-4), 1:08 p.m.  WSJM-AM/WCSY-FM 12:40
N.Y. Mets (Niese 3-2) at Chicago Cubs (T.Wood 2-2), 2:20 p.m.
White Sox have the day off (Sox are at Oakland starting Friday)

NHL – 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs – Round 2 (Best of 7)
Last Night
New York Rangers 2, Washington Capitals 1 – OT    (NYR Wins 4-3)

Rangers 2, Capitals 1
Derek Stepan scored 11:24 in overtime, lifting the New York Rangers past the Washington Capitals 2-1 and into the Eastern Conference finals against Tampa Bay. Henrik Lundqvist was huge in goal for the Rangers with 35 saves.

NBA – 2015 NBA Playoffs – Round 2 (Best of 7)
Last Night
Atlanta Hawks 82, Washington Wizards 81    (ATL Leads 3-2)
Golden State Warriors 98, Memphis Grizzlies 78    (GSW Leads 3-2)

Tonight
Cleveland Cavaliers at Chicago Bulls, 8:00 p.m.(CLE Leads 3-2)
Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Clippers, 10:30 p.m.   (LAC Leads 3-2)

NBA – Bulls’ Gasol plans to play in Game 6 against Cleveland
Chicago Bulls forward Pau Gasol plans to play in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The five-time All-Star has missed the past two games because of a strained left hamstring. But with Chicago down 3-2 and facing elimination at home on Thursday, Gasol says “I’ll be out there.” He says he’s not sure “what percentage I’ll be able to play.” The Bulls went through a film session on Wednesday. Gasol did some running and was seen taking free throws and jumpers. He has been receiving treatment and exercising his leg, which started to bother him in Game 2. He left Game 3 after playing about 22 minutes.

NFL – Lions sign draft pick RB Abdullah, free agents Owens, Salas
The Detroit Lions signed running back Ameer Abdullah, their second-round pick out of Nebraska, to a four-year contract Wednesday. Terms were not disclosed. The Lions also added a pair of free agents, cornerback Chris Owens and wide receiver Greg Salas, to one-year contracts. Owens played in 11 games for Kansas City last season, finishing with 30 tackles, 0.5 sacks and a fumble recovery. He spent his first four seasons with Atlanta before splitting 2013 between Cleveland and Miami. Salas spent the 2012 season with the New England Patriots before playing the past two seasons with the New York Jets. In 25 games over four NFL seasons, he has 43 receptions for 574 yards. Receiver Skye Dawson was released.

NCAA – Michigan’s Minick suspended indefinitely after arrest
Michigan associate athletic director for football Jim Minick was suspended indefinitely Wednesday, four days after he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol in Pittsfield Township. “Jim Minick made a regrettable decision last week and was arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated,” Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh said in a statement. “Jim makes no excuses, regrets this decision and understands the consequences for his actions. Due to the serious nature of this event, Jim Minick has been suspended indefinitely and we ask for your understanding while we address the situation.” The 50-year-old Minick joined Harbaugh’s staff in January. Minick is a retired Marine officer.

NCAA Basketball – Illini to host Irish in first meeting since 2003
Illinois plans to reopen the renovated State Farm Center on Dec. 2 against Notre Dame as part of the annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Illinois and Notre Dame haven’t played a basketball game since the 2003 NCAA Tournament and that was the first time they’d met in 30 years. The Fighting Irish won that game, but the Illini hold the series edge, 27-13. The State Farm Center work will keep Illinois out of the on-campus arena for its five November home games this fall. Illinois and Notre Dame were regular opponents from their first meeting in 1922 through the 1970s. According to a news release from the Illinois basketball program, those games were often played at Chicago Stadium. A Notre Dame men’s basketball team hasn’t been to Champaign since 1963.

IndyCar – Castroneves walks away from scary crash at Indy 500 practice
Helio Castroneves has been cleared and released from Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s infield medical center after his car went airborne in a spectacular crash Wednesday. His car wiggled as it went through the first turn early in practice for the Indianapolis 500, then spun into the outer wall and started rolling backward in the short chute between the first and second turns. A gust of wind caught car and flipped it over. The car landed upside down before rolling back over on its wheels. Castroneves, a three-time 500 winner for Team Penske, climbed out of the car without ssistance. He completed one lap at 219.183 mph. The crash happened shortly after IndyCar officials docked the Brazilian eight points for violating a rule about avoidable contact in Saturday’s Grand Prix of Indianapolis.

MWL – Midwest League Baseball
Last Night
Great Lakes 2, Dayton 1 – 11 innings
West Michigan 10, Bowling Green 2
Lansing 6, South Bend 4

Today
Dayton at Great Lakes, 10:35 a.m.
Lansing at South Bend, 10:35 a.m.
Bowling Green at West Michigan, 11 a.m.

AHL – American Hockey League – 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs – Round 2 (Best of 7)
Last Night
Rockford Ice Hogs 4, Grand Rapids Griffins 1    (GR Leads 2-1)

ECHL – East Coast Hockey League – 2015 Kelly Cup Playoffs – Round 2 (Best of 7)
Last Night
Toledo Walleye 5, Fort Wayne Komets 2(TOL Wins 4-3)

MHSAA – High School Sports
Last Night
Girls Soccer
Lakeshore 8, Battle Creek Central 0
Lakeshore got a hat trick from Lindsay Ebeling and single goals from Carley Dubbert, Caroline Blommel, Sydney Cason, Miranda Shindledecker, and Avery Bauer in the Lancers 8-0 win over Battle Creek Central.

St. Joseph 1, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 0
Dominique Thomas’ goal 4:05 into the game was the only goal of the game, but the only one St. Joe would need as the Bears beat Loy Norrix 1-0.  Loy Norrix and St. Joe will meet again on Monday night in Kalamazoo in the first round of the SMAC Tournament.

Battle Creek Lakeview 8, Niles 0

Girls Soccer – Wolverine Conference Tournament
Plainwell 4, Edwardsburg 0
Vicksburg 6, South Haven 1
Paw Paw 4, Allegan 0
Sturgis 8, Dowagiac 0

Baseball
Lakeshore 4, Kalamazoo Central 0
Lakeshore 6, Kalamazoo Central 1
Gobles 5, Fennville 4 – Game 1
Fennville 9, Gobles 2 – Game 2
Sparta 6, Watervliet 5   (Game at 5/3 Ballpark, Grand Rapids)
Brandywine 11, Newaygo 7  (Game at 5/3 Ballpark, Grand Rapids)

Tonight
Baseball
Bridgman at Benton Harbor, 4:00 p.m. (DH)
Edwardsburg at Niles, 4:00 p.m. (DH)
Lake Mich. Cath. at Howardsville Chr., 4:30 p.m. (DH)
Eau Claire at White Pigeon, 4:15 p.m. (DH)
Lawrence at Fennville, 4:30 p.m.

Softball
Lake Michigan Catholic at Benton Harbor, 4:00 p.m.
Niles at Dowagiac, 4:00 p.m.
South Haven at Buchanan, 4:00 p.m. (DH)
Bridgman at Three Rivers, 4:00 p.m.
Berrien Springs at Wtvl Grace Chr., 4:30 p.m.
Eau Claire at White Pigeon, 4:15 p.m. (DH)
Decatur at Fennville, 5:30 p.m.

Girls Soccer
Cassopolis at Brandywine, 4:00 p.m.
River Valley at New Buffalo, 4:15 p.m.
Michigan Lutheran at Granger Christian, 5:00
Buchanan at Lake Michigan Catholic, 6:00 p.m.
Bridgman at Dowagiac, 5:00 p.m.
Battle Creek Central at Niles, 5:30 p.m.
Mattawan at Gull Lake, 6:45 p.m.
Parchment at Bangor, 6:00 p.m.
Kalamazoo Christian at Hartford, 5:00 p.m.
Comstock at Lawton, 4:00 p.m.
Schoolcraft at Watervliet, 5:00 p.m.