Sports: Griffins Advance in Hockey; Tigers Lose 5-1

The Grand Rapids Griffins finished off their first series sweep in 13 years on Tuesday with a 4-1 win over the Milwaukee Admirals in Game 3 of the Central Division Semifinals at Van Andel Arena. Anthony Mantha scored twice, and Brian Lashoff and Colin Campbell each scored once.  The Griffins advance to the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs for the fourth straight season.  Their next opponent will be Lake Erie.

Tigers

The Tigers lost to the A’s 5-1 last night in Detroit. Mike Pelfrey started and took the loss to fall to 0-4. Pelfrey allowed five runs and nine hits in 6 2/3 innings and remains winless since signing with Detroit this past offseason. He allowed three runs in the fourth inning and then gave up Semien's two-run shot with two out in the seventh.  A’s veteran lefty Rich Hill allowed four hits in seven scoreless innings and struck out 8 Tigers.  Detroit didn’t do much until the 9^th. Justin Verlander starts for the Tigers tonight against Oakland.  Broadcast time is 6:45 on WBCK.

Tyler Collins Won’t Be Suspended

Tiger’s outfielder Tyler Collins will not be suspended by Major League Baseball for directing an obscene gesture at booing home fans in Detroit after losing a ball in the lights Monday night.

NBA

The Toronto Raptors and Atlanta Hawks have taken three-games-to-two leads in the NBA's Eastern Conference quarterfinals. Toronto won, 102-99 over Indiana. DeMar DeRozan poured in 34 points and the Raptors erased a 13-point, fourth-quarter deficit.

Mike Scott finished with 17 points and the Hawks beat the Celtics, 110-83. Kent Bazemore hitting a series of 3’s to get the Hawks back in the game.

The Charlotte Hornets are in Miami tonight.  The series with the Heat is tied at two games each.

Houston is at Golden State tonight.  The Warriors are up 3 games to 1.

Portland and the L.A. Clippers are even at 2-2.  The Clippers host game 5 tonight, without two of their starters.   Blake Griffin will miss the rest of the playoffs after aggravating his left quadriceps tendon during Game 4 on Monday. Chris Paul has undergone surgery after breaking his right hand in Monday's loss to the Trail Blazers.

NHL

Nashville and Anaheim play game 7 is tonight in Anaheim.

EMU Football Rumors

Eastern Michigan says it has "absolutely no plans" to drop football or move to another division or conference.  The school released an open letter Tuesday affirming support for the Mid-American Conference program after the Detroit Free Press reported that there have been calls for EMU to stop playing Division I football. The paper cited a report by faculty and students that advocated dropping out of D-I in football to save money for students.

Detroit Soccer?

Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores and Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert are teaming up to try to bring a Major League Soccer team to downtown Detroit.  MLS says Commissioner Don Garber will be in Detroit on Wednesday for meetings with the potential ownership group, and there's a news conference scheduled for that day. Garber recently said Detroit was a candidate to get a team.

NBA Coach of the Year

Golden State's Steve Kerr is the NBA coach of the year after the Warriors set a single-season record with 73 victories. Kerr received the honor despite missing the team's first 43 games due to back problems that caused Luke Walton to serve as acting coach.

Manziel Indicted

Former Heisman Trophy winner and ex-Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel has been indicted by a grand jury in Dallas on a misdemeanor domestic violence charge stemming from a complaint by his ex-girlfriend. Manziel is accused by Colleen Crowley of hitting her and threatening to kill her during a night out on Jan. 30. Manziel faces up to one year in jail and a $4,000 fine.