Sports Radio 1400 WSJM @wsjmsports wsjmsports.com Thursday, October 02, 2014
MLB – Major League Baseball
Last Night- National League Wild Card Playoff
San Francisco Giants 8, Pittsburgh Pirates 0
Giants 8, Pirates 0 – Giants clobber Bucs to earn meeting with Nats
The San Francisco Giants have advanced to the National League Division Series against Washington by clobbering the Pirates 8-0 in the wild card game at Pittsburgh. Madison Bumgarner struck out 10 while going the distance on a four-hitter to help the Giants earn a trip to Washington against the Nationals. Brandon Crawford opened the scoring in the fourth inning with a grand slam before Brandon Belt added two hits and three RBIs.
Tonight- AL Division Series
Detroit (Scherzer 18-5) at Baltimore (Tillman 13-6), 5:37 p.m. WSJM-AM/WCSY-FM 5:10
Kansas City (Vargas 11-10) at Los Angeles Angels (Weaver 18-9), 9:07 p.m.
MLB – Tigers hope starters can outdo Orioles bullpen
The Detroit Tigers’ starting pitchers in the first three games of the AL Division Series have a combined 329 wins, three Cy Young Awards and 35 games of postseason experience. Baltimore’s starters have less impressive credentials, yet they don’t necessarily have to outpitch their counterparts for the Orioles to advance. All they have to do is keep games close, then hand the baseball over to among the best bullpens in major leagues. Although the Orioles have home-field advantage and a better record than Detroit, the Tigers have been installed as a slight favorite in the series that starts Thursday, mainly because of their formidable rotation. Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander and David Price won the last three AL Cy Young.
NFL – National Football League – Week 5
Tonight
Minnesota Vikings (2-2) at Green Bay Packers (2-2), 8:25 p.m.
NFL – NFC North – Bridgewater update
The Minnesota Vikings have listed quarterback Teddy Bridgewater as questionable for their game at Green Bay Thursday night. Bridgewater sprained his left ankle in the fourth quarter of his first NFL start Sunday, a victory over Atlanta. He was back on the sideline before the end of the game without crutches, and an MRI showed no major damage. The NFL’s definition of the questionable designation is a 50 percent chance of playing.
NFL – Bills’ Kyle Orton focused solely on beating Lions
Buffalo Bills quarterback Kyle Orton has no time to reflect back on being out of work for most of August. Orton is too busy focusing on preparing to face the Detroit Lions on Sunday, in taking over as the Bills starter after EJ Manuel was benched Monday. Saying the Bills (2-2) have a game to win, Orton sidestepped questions about his recent past. He was out of football after being cut by Dallas in mid-July before signing with Buffalo on Aug. 29. And the 10-year journeyman, playing for his fourth team in four years, declined to speculate whether the game at Detroit (3-1) represents a chance to re-establish himself. Orton is being asked to provide a spark to a sluggish offense that contributed to Buffalo losing its past two games.
NFL – Allen confident he’ll be ready for Bears this week
Jared Allen is confident he will be ready to play this week for the Chicago Bears after missing a game because of pneumonia. The five-time Pro Bowl defensive end is feeling “much better” after sitting out Sunday’s loss to the Green Bay Packers. He returned to practice Wednesday on a limited basis and hopes to be ready when the Bears visit the Carolina Panthers this week. There was more good news on the illness and injury front for the Bears. Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall went through a full practice, as did safety Chris Conte. Center Roberto Garza and left guard Matt Slauson, sidelined since the opener by ankle injuries, were limited as was defensive tackle Jeremiah Ratliff.
NHL – National Hockey League Preseason
Last Night
Pittsburgh Penguins 2, Detroit Red Wings 0
Montreal Canadiens 3, Chicago Blackhawks 1
Penguins 2, Red Wings 0 – Crosby makes preseason debut, Pens blank Wings 2-0
Sidney Crosby made his exhibition debut in Pittsburgh’s final preseason game, and Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 25 shots to lead the Penguins past the Detroit Red Wings 2-0 Wednesday night. Blake Comeau and Oskar Sundqvist scored for Pittsburgh (3-3), and Nick Spaling had two assists. Crosby, the reigning NHL MVP, did not have a point. He has missed time in training camp because of a wrist injury and his grandmother’s death. Jimmy Howard stopped 31 shots for Detroit (3-2-1). Comeau scored in the second period and Sundqvist got his goal in the third. Red Wings left wing Tomas Tatar was groggy as he was helped to the locker room late in the game after getting cross-checked from behind by Comeau.
Canadiens 3, Blackhawks 1 – Canadiens, Price beat Blackhawks 3-1
Rene Bourque and Nathan Beaulieu scored 1:54 apart early in the third period to snap scoreless tie and Carey Price made 31 saves in the Montreal Canadiens’ 3-1 exhibition victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night. Michael Bournival added an empty-net goal for Montreal with 59 seconds left. Andrew Shaw ended Price’s shutout bid with 5:53 left on a breakaway on Chicago’s 29th shot. Price was sharp for a second straight complete game as he recovers from a knee injury sustained in the Eastern Conference finals. The Canadiens lost 2-0 to Washington 2-0 on Sunday, but Price didn’t allow a goal until 1:29 was left. Antti Raanta, expected to back up Corey Crawford again this season, made 16 saves for Chicago (2-3-0).
NCAA Football – Hoke says Gardner will start against Rutgers
After leaving sophomore quarterback Shane Morris on the field following a hit to the head last weekend, Michigan coach Brady Hoke took responsibility for the program’s breakdown in communication Wednesday. Hoke did not elaborate on discrepancies between his news conference Monday and athletic director Dave Brandon’s statement on Morris’ injuries early Tuesday morning. Brandon said Morris suffered a high-ankle sprain and “probable, mild concussion.” Hoke said fifth-year senior Devin Gardner will start at quarterback at Rutgers this weekend. Both Brandon and school President Mark Schlissel issued statements in the aftermath of Morris’ injuries, citing a “serious lack of communication” on the field. Hoke says his relationship with Brandon remains “a relationship that’s built on trust, that’s built on integrity and built on character.”
Golf – PGA – No surprise who gets top player award
Rory McIlroy has been voted the PGA Tour player of the year for the second time in three years. He hit his stride in the summer and won the British Open and the PGA Championship, with a World Golf Championship in between to climb to No. 1 in the world. McIlroy finished the PGA Tour season with three victories and also led the tour with 12 finishes in the top 10 without finishing worse than 25th this year. McIlroy also won the PGA Tour money title with $8.2 million and captured the Vardon Trophy for the lowest adjusted scoring average. Chesson Hadley was voted as the rookie of the year.
Olympics – Police report on Phelps intoxication
Police documents indicate that Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps registered .14 percent on a breathalyzer test after he was stopped on a speeding violation. The legal limit for intoxication in Maryland is .08. The statement of probable cause by the Maryland Transportation Authority police also says Phelps’ eyes were red, bloodshot, and “his speech was mush mouth.” The 29-year-old Phelps was charged Tuesday with driving under the influence, excessive speed and crossing double lane lines in the Fort McHenry Tunnel on Interstate 95 in his native Baltimore, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority.
MCCAA – Junior College Sports
Last Night
Men’s Soccer
Lake Michigan College 3, Ancilla 1
Today
Women’s Volleyball
Lake Michigan College at Ancilla, 6:30 p.m.
MHSAA – High School Sports
Yesterday
Boys Soccer
Wolverine Conference Tournament – Round 1
Edwardsburg 3, Otsego 1
Sturgis 1, South Haven 1
Paw Paw 6, Allegan 1
Coloma 2, Three Rivers 1
Vicksburg 3, Berrien Springs 2
Girls Volleyball
Lakeshore 3, St. Joseph 2 (18-25, 25-23, 25-23, 20-25, 15-10)
Portage Central 3, Benton Harbor 0
Lake Michigan Catholic 3, Bridgman 0 (25-22, 25-16, 26-24
Girls Golf
SMAC Championship at Gull Lake
St. Joseph won the 2014 SMAC Championship with a two round score of 663. The Bears Courtney Rooker was the medalist with a score of 79 (+7). Her teammate Hannah Grall shot an 81 for second place. Casey Singler (SJ) was 6th at 85, Yuna Yang (SJ) was 7th with a score of 88.
| 1. St. Joseph 663 2. Gull Lake 729 3. BC Lakeview 812 4. Portage Northern 823 5. Niles 899 6. Lakeshore 905 7. Mattawan 922 No scores for Kalamazoo Central, Portage Central, Benton Harbor, Loy Norrix, BC Central |
Boys Tennis
St. Joseph 4, Portage Northern 4 – TIE
Portage Central 8, Lakeshore 0
Bridgman 7, South Haven 1
Cross Country
SMAC West Division at St. Joseph
Boys
1. Portage Central 29
2. St. Joseph 35 (Skyler Arthur 16:36-2nd place)
3. Portage Northern 67
4. Niles 106
5. Lakeshore 137
St. Joe clinches 2nd place West Division
Girls
1. St. Joseph 15 (SJ had top 5 Finishers)
2. Portage Northern 57
3. Portage Central 78
4. Lakeshore 78
5. Niles 154
St. Joe clinches West Division Championship
| St. Joe Top 5 1. Kaitlin Newton 19:26 2. Vanessa Veersma 19:35 3. Jessie Armstrong 19:52 4. Abigail Tschetter 20:05 5. Anna Fischer 20:13 |
Today
Boys Soccer
Kalamazoo Loy Norrix at St. Joseph
Battle Creek Central at Lakeshore
Buchanan at Lake Michigan Catholic
Dowagiac at Plainwell (Wolverine Conf. Tournament – Round 1)
Girls Volleyball
Michigan Lutheran at Eau Claire
South haven at Edwardsburg
Girls Golf
Wolverine Conference Tournament at Sturgis
Girls Swimming
Bridgman/Lakeshore at Sturgis
