Tigers futility against AL East teams continues – Friday Morning Sports Update

MLB – Major League Baseball
Yesterday
Baltimore Orioles 7, Detroit Tigers 4
Tampa Bay Rays 14, Chicago White Sox 5
Chicago Cubs 5, San Diego Padres 2

Orioles 7, Tigers 4 – Santander’s 2-run homer icing on Orioles’ rally over Tigers
Anthony Santander’s two-run homer capped a five-run seventh inning in which the Baltimore Orioles rallied for a 7-4 win over the Detroit Tigers. Joey Ortiz became the first Orioles player to drive in three runs in his MLB debut since Don Baylor on Sept. 18, 1970. Baltimore improved to 9-1 in its last 10 games. Detroit left 15 runners on base. The Tigers’ Chasen Shreve took the loss. Bryan Baker got the win with 1 1/2 scoreless innings of relief. Felix Bautista pitched the ninth for his sixth save.

Rays 14, White Sox 5 – Paredes drives in 5 as Rays pound Cease, White Sox 14-5
Isaac Paredes had a career-high five RBIs, and the Tampa Bay Rays handed the Chicago White Sox their eighth straight loss with a 14-5 victory. Brandon Lowe homered and drove in three runs for Tampa Bay in the opener of a four-game series. Lowe, Yandy Díaz, Luke Raley and Josh Lowe each had three hits as the AL East leaders bounced back nicely after they were shut out in back-to-back home games by Houston. Tampa Bay finished with 16 hits. White Sox ace Dylan Cease was tagged for seven runs, six earned, and nine hits in four-plus innings.

Cubs 5, Padres 2 – Hosmer, Velázquez, Swanson hit HRs, Cubs beat Padres 5-2
Eric Hosmer and Nelson Velázquez hit back-to-back homers and Dansby Swanson added his first of the season to help the Chicago Cubs top the San Diego Padres 5-2. Manny Machado homered for the Padres, who had won five of seven. Hayden Wesneski got the win. Hosmer and Velázquez gave the Cubs the lead for good with consecutive homers off Seth Lugo in the bottom of the second. San Diego’s Matt Carpenter had a sacrifice fly in the eighth to create a save situation for Brad Boxberger, who worked the ninth for his second in as many chances.

Tonight
Baltimore (Rodriguez 0-0) at Detroit (Rodriguez 1-2), 6:40 p.m.           News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM 6:15
Chicago Cubs (Stroman 2-2) at Miami (Luzardo 2-1), 6:40 p.m.
Tampa Bay (Eflin 3-0) at Chicago White Sox (Giolito 1-2), 7:10 p.m.

MLB – Hendriks, 4 others closer to return for slumping ChiSox
Chicago White Sox closer Liam Hendriks could go out on a rehab assignment next week in a big step in his recovery from non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Hendriks announced his diagnosis in January and completed his final round of chemotherapy three weeks ago. The 34-year-old right-hander announced last week on Instagram that he was cancer-free. White Sox general manager Rick Hahn says Hendriks will return to Chicago during the team’s upcoming series against Minnesota for “a pre-rehab assignment check-in,” and then his assignment could start “potentially immediately after that series.”

NHL – National Hockey League – 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs – Round 1 (Best of 7)
Last Night
Tampa Bay Lightning 4, Toronto Maple Leafs 2                          (TOR leads 3-2)
New Jersey Devils 4, New York Rangers 0                                (NJD leads 3-2)
Vegas Golden Knights 4, Winnipeg Jets 1                                (VGK wins 4-1)

Tonight
Carolina Hurricanes at New York Islanders, 7:00 p.m.               (CAR leads 3-2)
Boston Bruins at Florida Panthers, 7:30 p.m.                           (BOS leads 3-2)
Dallas Stars at Minnesota Wild, 9:30 p.m.                              (DAL leads 3-2)
Colorado Avalanche at Seattle Kraken, 10:00 p.m.                    (SEA leads 3-2)

NBA – National Basketball Association Playoffs – Round 1 (Best of 7)
Last Night
Boston Celtics 128, Atlanta Hawks 120                                  (BOS wins 4-2)

Tonight
Sacramento Kings at Golden State Warriors, 8:00 p.m.              (GSW leads 3-2)
Memphis Grizzlies at Los Angeles Lakers, 10:30 p.m.                  (LAL leads 3-2)

NFL – NFL draft dominated early by QBs
Quarterbacks dominated the first part of the NFL draft. Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson were among the top four picks Thursday night, an expected result in a league where teams know finding a franchise QB is the quickest path to success. The Carolina Panthers selected Young, the slender and dynamic Alabama quarterback, with the No. 1 pick, seven weeks after making a blockbuster trade with Chicago to move up to get their choice of potential franchise players. The Panthers chose the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner over Ohio State’s Stroud, Florida’s Richardson and Kentucky’s Will Levis. New coach Frank Reich said earlier in the week that the organization reached a consensus Monday after several weeks of deliberation.

NFL – Lions take RB Gibbs No. 12, LB Campbell at No. 18
The Detroit Lions traded down to select Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs with the No. 12 pick overall in the NFL draft on Thursday night, making a relatively surprising selection. The Lions gave up their first pick and a third-rounder to Arizona for a first-round selection and the 34th spot overall. They drafted Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell at No. 18 overall. Detroit is hoping to make the most of an opportunity to improve its on-the-rise franchise in the draft after addressing needs on both sides of the ball in free agency.

NFL – Chicago Bears draft Tennessee OT Darnell Wright at No. 10
The Chicago Bears selected Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright with the No. 10 overall pick in the NFL draft. The move should give quarterback Justin Fields more protection. The Bears traded back one spot with the Philadelphia Eagles and got a fourth-round pick in 2024. The 6-foot-5, 330-pound Wright was first-team, All-SEC as a right tackle last season. He played left tackle in 2021. The Bears finished with the worst record in the league last year at 3-14.

NFL – Colts select QB Anthony Richardson at No. 4 in NFL draft
The Indianapolis Colts followed their draft plan by selecting quarterback Anthony Richardson with the fourth pick of the NFL draft. The highly anticipated move had been expected even before the Colts finished last season with seven straight losses and a 4-12-1 mark, the bigger debate was over who to draft. But when the Carolina Panthers took Bryce Young with the top overall pick and C.J. Stroud went No. 2 to Houston, general manager Chris Ballard stood pat at No. 4 and selected Richardson instead of former Kentucky star Will Levis.

NFL – Cowboys get Michigan DT Mazi Smith 26th overall in NFL draft
The Dallas Cowboys have drafted Michigan defensive tackle Mazi Smith with the 26th pick in the first round of the NFL draft. Dallas picked Smith after Buffalo moved a spot ahead of the Cowboys and drafted Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid. Tight end was a popular position with pundits after Dalton Schultz left in free agency a year after playing on the franchise tag. The Cowboys could use more offensive firepower around quarterback Dak Prescott. But the run defense was the weakest part of an an otherwise solid unit in a second consecutive playoff season for Dallas in 2022.

WNBA – Brittney Griner gets emotional discussing Russian detainment
Brittney Griner got emotional quickly while speaking to reporters for the first time since her nearly 10-month detainment in Russia on drug-related charges. The WNBA star had to take a moment to compose herself after being asked about her resiliency through the ordeal. Griner’s first news conference drew more than 100 people, including Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, members of the Phoenix Mercury organization and Griner’s wife, Cherelle. Griner was arrested in February 2022 at a Moscow airport after Russian authorities said a search of her luggage revealed vape cartridges containing cannabis oil. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to nine years but was released in a prisoner swap in December.

NCAAFB – Notre Dame transfer QB Buchner commits to Alabama and Rees
Notre Dame transfer Tyler Buchner has committed to Alabama, where he will be reunited with former Fighting Irish offensive coordinator Tommy Rees. Buchner announced his decision in a Twitter post. Entering his third college season, Buchner began last year as Notre Dame’s starting quarterback. He hurt shoulder in Week 2 and missed the rest of the regular season. He returned to lead the Fighting Irish to a Gator Bowl victory against South Carolina. Alabama completed spring practice last weekend with no clear front-runner in a quarterback competition that include third-year player Jalen Milroe, redshirt freshman Ty Simpson and two freshmen.

NCAAFB – Harbaugh leaves spring with ‘best version’ of Wolverines yet
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh says he came out of spring practice with the best team he’s had since taking over in 2015. The two-time defending Big Ten champion Wolverines bring back 84% of their offensive production. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy and running backs Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards will work behind the nation’s best offensive line. The defense is loaded, especially in the front seven, and linebackers Ernest Hausmann (Nebraska) and Josaiah Stewart (Coastal Carolina) are transfers who showed this spring they’re capable of making big impacts.  There’s much less clarity elsewhere in the conference. Ohio State still hasn’t determined the successor to C.J. Stroud. Purdue’s Ryan Walters is finding his way in his first head coaching job. Wisconsin’s move to coordinator Phil Longo’s Air Raid offense under Luke Fickell had a bumpy start. Matt Rhule’s building project at Nebraska is just beginning. As many as six quarterback competitions will go into the fall.

NCAAVB – Nebraska sells 83,000 tickets for outdoor volleyball event
Almost 83,000 tickets have been sold for Nebraska’s outdoor college volleyball doubleheader at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln on Aug. 30. The event starts with a Division II exhibition between Wayne State and Nebraska-Kearney and will be followed by a regular-season match between the Cornhuskers and Omaha. Athletic director Trev Alberts said the goal has gone from setting the NCAA volleyball attendance record to breaking the U.S. women’s one-day record for any sport. The record is 90,185 for the 1999 Women’s World Cup final between the United States and China at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

MWL – Midwest League Baseball
Last Night
Lansing 6, Quad Cities 5
Great Lakes 6, Fort Wayne 4
South Bend 3, Peoria 1
Cedar Rapids 5, West Michigan 1

Tonight
Quad Cities River Bandits at Lansing Lugnuts, 6:05 p.m.
Great Lakes Loons at Fort Wayne Tin Caps, 7:05 p.m.
Peoria Chiefs at South Bend Cubs, 7:05 p.m.
West Michigan Whitecaps at Cedar Rapids Kernels, 7:35 p.m.

MCCAA – Junior College Athletics
Yesterday
Baseball
Kellogg Community College 13, Lake Michigan College 1 – Game 1
Kellogg Community College 15, Lake Michigan College 2 – Game 2

Softball
Lake Michigan College 7, Glen Oaks C.C. 1 – Game 1
Lake Michigan College 9, Glen Oaks C.C. 7 – Game 2

MHSAA – High School Sports
Yesterday
Girls Soccer
St. Joseph 4, South Haven 0
Buchanan 6, Bangor 1
Calhoun Christian 3, Delton-Kellogg 1
Comstock 6, Constantine 5
Lawton 2, Parchment 2 – TIE
Saugatuck 4, Fennville 1

Baseball
St. Joseph 5, Kalamazoo Central 1 – Game 1
Kalamazoo Central 9, St. Joseph 3 – Game 2
Buchanan 2, Berrien Springs 1 – Game 1
Berrien Springs 3, Buchanan 2 – Game 2
Watervliet 14, Dowagiac 0 – Game 1
Watervliet 10, Dowagiac 0 – Game 2
Cassopolis 16, Bangor 9 – Game 1
Bangor 9, Cassopolis 7 – Game 2 Suspended, 4th
Decatur 15, Marcellus 0 – Game 1
Decatur 14, Marcellus 0 – Game 2
Edwardsburg 4, Otsego 3 – Game 1
Otsego 4, Edwardsburg 1 – Game 2
Parchment 6, Allegan 2 – Game 1
Parchment 11, Allegan 0 – Game 2

Softball
Kalamazoo Central 2, St. Joseph 1 – Game 1
St. Joseph 9, Kalamazoo Central 5 – Game 2
Brandywine 7, Bridgman 3 – Game 1
Bridgman 10, Brandywine 8 – Game 2
Watervliet 6, Dowagiac 0 – Game 1
Watervliet 9, Dowagiac 3 – Game 2
Lawrence 19, Fennville 7 – Game 1
Lawrence 24, Fennville 8 – Game 2
Schoolcraft 7, South Haven 1 – Game 1
South Haven 12, Schoolcraft 2 – Game 2
Mishawaka Penn (IN) 3, Edwardsburg 1
Bangor 10, Cassopolis 2 – Game 1
Cassopolis 5, Bangor 4 – Game 2
Parchment 17, Allegan 0 – Game 1
Parchment 14, Allegan 0 – Game 2

Girls Tennis
Brandywine 7, Berrien Springs 1

Today
Baseball
Benton Harbor at New Buffalo, 4:15 p.m.
Coloma at Fennville, 4:30 p.m.
River Valley at Decatur, 4:30 p.m.
South Haven at Galesburg-Augusta, 4:00 p.m.
Sturgis at Niles, 4:00 p.m.
Otsego at Marshall, 4:00 p.m.
Constantine at Parchment, 4:30 p.m.

Softball
St. Joseph at Hamilton, 4:15 p.m.
Benton Harbor at Our Lady of the Lake, 4:15 p.m.
River Valley at Decatur, 4:30 p.m.
Sturgis at Niles, 4:00 p.m.
Marcellus at Centreville, 5:00 p.m.

Girls Soccer
Lawton at Our Lady of the Lake, 5:00 p.m.
Berrien Springs at Edwardsburg, 5:30 p.m.
Covert at Watervliet, 5:00 p.m.
Coloma at New Buffalo, 6:00 p.m.
Hartford at Brandywine, 5:30 p.m.
Dowagiac at Fennville, 6:00 p.m.
Mattawan at Plainwell, 6:30 p.m.
Portage Northern at Byron Center, 6:45 p.m.
Otsego at Kalamazoo Central, 6:30 p.m.
DeWitt at Gull Lake, 6:30 p.m.
Hudsonville at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, 6:30 p.m.
Saugatuck at GR Covenant Christian, 6:00 p.m.
GR South Christian at Kal. Christian, 5:00 p.m.
Marcellus at Schoolcraft, 5:00 p.m.

Track and Field
Don Lukens Invitational at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, 10:00 a.m.
Lakeshore, Benton Harbor, Dowagiac, Constantine, Mattawan, Niles, Three Rivers, Battle Creek Lakeview, Battle Creek Central, East Kentwood, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, Kalamazoo Phoenix, Lansing Everett, Lansing Sexton, Portage Central, Portage Northern, Schoolcraft.