MLB – Major League Baseball
Yesterday
Detroit Tigers 17, Minnesota Twins 14
Kansas City Royals 3, Chicago White Sox 2 – F/10 Innings
Cincinnati Reds 8, Chicago Cubs 2
Tigers 17, Twins 14 – Lions-Vikings? Naw, Tigers top Twins by NFL-like 17-14 final
Jeimer Candelario and Eric Haase each drove in three runs and the Detroit Tigers, despite giving up seven homers and not hitting any, outlasted the Minnesota Twins 17-14. Detroit led 10-0 in the fourth in an MLB game that wound with a score more fitting for an NFL matchup between the Lions and Vikings. After the Tigers scored eight times in the top of the fourth, Minnesota got six runs in the bottom half, highlighted by Ryan Jeffers’ grand slam. Down 13-6, the Twins scored six more in the eighth on Miguel Sanó’s second homer of the game and drives by Max Kepler, Brent Rooker and Jeffers. Haase’s three-run double in the ninth gave the Tigers another cushion. Jorge Polanco hit a two-run homer in the Twins ninth.
Royals 3, White Sox 2 – F/10 – Royals beat White Sox 3-2 on Taylor’s 2-out single in 10th
Michael A. Taylor’s two-out single in the bottom of the 10th inning drove Hunter Dozier home from second base as the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 3-2. The Royals had tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth when Salvador Perez hit his 24th homer, a solo shot to left-center off AL saves leader Liam Hendriks. Scott Barlow, who took over in the 10th as the fifth Royals pitcher, struck out two and walked one. Ryan Burr pitched the final inning for Chicago.
Reds 8, Cubs 2 – Votto extends power surge, Reds roll past Cubs 8-2
Joey Votto homered twice for the second consecutive day, going deep in his fifth straight game to match a Cincinnati record as the Reds beat the Chicago Cubs 8-2. Tyler Mahle tossed six scoreless innings for the Reds, who beefed up their bullpen again by acquiring right-hander Mychal Givens from Colorado before the game. Tyler Stephenson and Shogo Akiyama each had two RBIs, and Jesse Winker doubled twice and drove in a run. The 37-year-old Votto is the ninth hitter in Reds history, dating to 1900, to homer in five straight games. It was his 15th career multi-homer game.
Today
Chicago White Sox at Kansas City Royals, 2:10 p.m.
Cincinnati Reds at Chicago Cubs, 2:20 p.m.
Baltimore Orioles at Detroit Tigers, 7:10 p.m. 94.9 WSJM/103.7 Cosy-FM 6:50
NFL – Lions coach Dan Campbell was sleepless before 1st practice
Dan Campbell was so fired up on the eve of his first practice with the Detroit Lions that he did not get any rest. Campbell says he didn’t sleep at all, but said he has plenty of energy. The former New Orleans Saints assistant head coach was emotionally charged six-plus months ago when he was introduced as the new Lions coach after signing a six-year contract. He said the team would be tough, kicking teeth and biting kneecaps off in an eyebrow-raising news conference. Campbell was 5-7 as an interim coach with the Miami Dolphins in 2015.
NFL – Bears see Eddie Goldman’s return as defensive key
The Chicago Bears want to increase the number of takeaways they force this year and improve both the pass rush and run defense, and they think the return of Eddie Goldman could help make this happen after their nose tackle returned to practice from a COVID-19 opt-out last year.
NFL – Rodgers works out with Packers, then details his concerns
Aaron Rodgers has returned from a tumultuous offseason of uncertainty eager to get the Green Bay Packers to the Super Bowl after falling a step short each of the last two years. But nobody’s making any promises regarding his future beyond 2021. The reigning MVP participated in the Packers’ first training-camp workout Wednesday and made it clear in a news conference afterward that some of the issues that caused him to skip the team’s organized team activities and mandatory minicamp remain unresolved. Rodgers says he doesn’t know whether he’ll still be playing for the Packers next season.
NFL – Stafford makes quick connections during first Rams practice
Matthew Stafford said he felt like a rookie at the end of his first training camp practice with the Los Angeles Rams. But the quarterback still made some throws on Wednesday that show he is entering his 13th season in the league. Even though Stafford is still getting up to speed with the offense, he hit DeSean Jackson on a deep ball up the left sideline during 11-on-11 drills that drew large applause from the crowd. He also got the other receivers involved, including a nice completion on a ball to Cooper Kupp up the far sideline.
NCAAFB – Big 12 accuses ESPN of trying to ‘destabilize’ conference
Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby accused ESPN of encouraging other conferences to pick apart the league so Texas and Oklahoma can move to the Southeastern Conference more quickly and without paying a massive buyout. The Big 12 sent a cease-and-desist letter to ESPN. The letter said the conference had become aware the network had taken actions “to not only harm the Big 12 Conference but to result in financial benefits for ESPN.” Bowlsby says ‘ESPN is incentivizing other conferences to destabilize the Big 12.’ Texas and Oklahoma had asked the SEC to join the conference in 2025. To do so sooner could cost the schools tens of millions dollars.
NCAAFB – NCAA won’t re-evaluate penalties for Bush, other cases
The NCAA says it will not re-evaluate penalties handed down for infractions cases, a decision that will keep former Southern California running back Reggie Bush from having his 2005 Heisman Trophy victory restored. Earlier this month, the Heisman Trust said it would return the Heisman to Bush if the NCAA were to reinstate him for the 2005 season. The NCAA released a statement saying that recent changes to rules regarding how athletes can be compensated for their names, images and likenesses still do not permit “pay-for-play type arrangements.” The association added that previous penalties would not be reconsidered based on the recent changes to NIL rules.
FIFA – US to play World Cup qualifier against Mexico in Cincinnati
The United States will play its home World Cup qualifier against Mexico in Cincinnati, ending a streak of five straight in Columbus, Ohio. The U.S. Soccer Federation says the Nov. 12 match will be at TQL Stadium, the 26,000-capacity venue that opened in May as home of the city’s Major League Soccer team. The U.S. beat Mexico in World Cup qualifiers at Columbus Crew Stadium in 2001, 2005, 2009 and 2013, all by 2-0 scores, and lost 2-1 in 2016.
NHL – Free Agency – Kraken land Grubauer, 2 forwards
The expansion Seattle Kraken bolstered their netminding on the first day of the NHL’s free agent signing period, inking former Colorado Avalanche netminder Philipp Grubauer to a six-year package worth $35.5 million. Grubauer was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender after going 30-9-1 with a 1.95 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage. Seattle also added to its forwards by signing Jaden Schwartz and Alexander Wennberg.
Winter Olympics – Mike Sullivan would coach US hockey team for Winter Olympics
Mike Sullivan of the Pittsburgh Penguins has been named U.S. men’s hockey coach for the 2022 Olympics in Beijing should the NHL participate. There is not a deal currently in place to send NHL players to the Olympics. Negotiations are ongoing.
MILB – Minor League Baseball – High-A Central
Yesterday
Great Lakes Loons 16, West Michigan Whitecaps 9
Fort Wayne Tin Caps 15, Lansing Lugnuts 5
South Bend Cubs 11, Quad Cities River Bandits 4
Tonight
West Michigan Whitecaps at Great Lakes Loons, 7:05 p.m.
Fort Wayne Tin Caps at Lansing Lugnuts, 7:05 p.m.
South Bend Cubs at Quad Cities River Bandits, 7:30 p.m.
Tokyo 2020 – Summer Olympic Games – Games of the XXXII Olympiad
Swimming – Living up to the hype: Dressel wins 1st individual gold
In an Olympics where many of the U.S. favorites have faltered, Caeleb Dressel lived up to the hype. Dressel claimed the first individual Olympic gold medal of his career with two furious laps of the pool, winning the 100-meter freestyle over defending champion Kyle Chalmers. As is his style, Dressel dove into the pool and came up with the lead. He was still ahead at the lone flip, and turned away the Aussie’s bid for a second straight gold. Dressel’s winning time was a mere six-hundredths of a second ahead of Chalmers. The bronze went to Russia’s Kliment Kolesnikov.
3-on-3 Basketball – First gold in 3-on-3 basketball to USA
The U.S. team of Stefanie Dolson, Allisha Gray, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young has won the first women’s gold medal in the new Olympic sport of 3-on-3 basketball. Plum scored all five of her points early to help the Americans take the lead, and they held on for an 18-15 win over the team representing the Russian Olympic Committee. Plum, the all-time leading scorer in NCAA history, led all scorers in this tournament, as well.
Gymnastics – How Biles’ withdrawals impact US gymnastics team
American gymnast Simone Biles’ decision to withdraw from two key Olympics competitions to focus on her mental well-being changes the landscape somewhat dramatically for the U.S. gymnastics team in coming days. Biles pulled out of the women’s team finals, saying she felt she wasn’t mentally ready. A day later, she withdrew from Thursday’s all-around competition to focus on her mental well-being. Jade Carey, who finished ninth in qualifying, will take Biles’ place in the all-around. Carey initially did not qualify because she was the third-ranking American behind Biles and Sunisa Lee. International Gymnastics Federation rules limit countries to two athletes per event in the finals.
Cycling – Team USA’s cycling program off to rocky Olympics start
The new CEO of USA Cycling made it perfectly clear the Americans were targeting seven medals at the Tokyo Games. But through six events, they’ve yet to win one. They’ve had disappointing rides on the road and the mountain bike course. And now the pressure moves to BMX and track cycling. The Americans are favored to win a medal in both BMX racing and the freestyle competition, which is new to the Olympic program. They also have a shot at gold in the women’s team pursuit next week. But at this point, a medal of any color would be a massive confidence boost.
Rugby – US women open rugby 7s with win over China
The self-described rugby TikToker Ilona Maher finally got a taste of Olympic competition after bringing the world into the athletes village via social media. She has been urging viewers to check it out with posts about life, food and other athletes behind the scenes. The women’s rugby sevens competition got underway with Maher and the U.S. team beating China 28-14 in the morning session. Defending champion Australia started with a 48-0 victory over Japan and top-ranked New Zealand had a 29-7 win over Kenya. The top-ranked New Zealanders are favorites to win gold five years after losing the final to Australia in Rio de Janeiro.
Beach Volleyball – US men’s duo moving on
Phil Dalhausser and Nick Lucena are moving on in the Olympic beach volleyball tournament. The Americans beat Julian Azaad and Nicolas Capogrosso of Argentina 21-19, 18-21, 15-6 to improve to 2-1 in the round-robin. That’s good for at least one more match in Tokyo. In all, the American teams are 8-1 in the preliminary stage. Three other teams still have one match to play.
