Sports: Tigers Blow It

The Tigers let a late lead slip away as they lost to the White Sox 7-6 last night in Chicago.

(Source: Michigan Radio Network, Associated Press)  Joba Chamberlain was tagged with the loss. Chamberlain had a chance to get out of the 8-th inning jam, but third baseman Nick Castellanos wasn’t able to get to a ball hit his way.  The Tigers had a 9^th inning rally cut down when rookie catcher James McCann was thrown out rounding first after a base hit.  Starting pitcher Alfredo Simon got a no decision, giving up three runs on five hits over five innings while. Victor Martinez had four RBI, including a two run homer in the third inning.  The Tigers try to avoid the sweep in this afternoon's series finale. Detroit sends Kyle Lobstein to the mound, while Chicago gives the start to Jose Quintana.  Broadcast time is 1:45 on WBCK.

Tigers Injuries

Tigers’ Justin Verlander has been given the green light to begin throwing again.   Doctors say a 3^rd MRI found the inflammation in his arm had subsided enough for him to start a rehab assignment in the Minors.

NHL

Tyler Johnson scored the winning goal with just 1.1-seconds left in regulation lifting the Lightning to a 2-1 victory over Montreal.   Tampa leads the best-of-seven set 3-0 and can close out the series at home tonight.  Washington edged the Rangers 2-1 to grab a three-games-to-one series lead.  Caps’ goalie Braden Holtby shut down Carl Hagelin on a penalty shot.  Game Five of that series is Friday.  The Blackhawks look to complete a four-game sweep in Minnesota tonight.  The Anaheim Ducks hold a 2-1 edge heading into Friday's Game Four in Calgary.

Griffins Win Game 1

The Grand Rapids Griffins opened their second round Calder Cup playoff series with a 5-3 win over the Rockford IceHogs at Van Andel Arena last night.   Teemu Pulkkinen led the Griffins with a hat trick.  Grand Rapids goalie Tom McCollum turned aside 34 shots on goal in the win.   The Griffins remain at home for Game Two tomorrow night.

NBA

The Cavaliers and Rockets evened up their respective semifinal series' with wins on Wednesday.   LeBron James scored 33 points as Cleveland cruised past Chicago 106-91 to tie the series at a game apiece.

James Harden had 32 as Houston beat the Clippers 115-109 to knot that best-of-seven set.

The NBA Playoffs take a night off Thursday.

KCC Softball

The KCC softball team lost to Sinclair Community College 3-2 in a District tournament game at Abbott Park in East Lansing.   Holly Van Tilberg pitched 7 innings, giving up 3 unearned runs to take the loss.  The Bruins will take on Muskegon today at noon.

KCC Baseball

KCC beat Glen Oaks 8-0 and 5-4 to raise their record to 30-14 and 21-3 in the conference.  Travis Bolin went 2-4  with 2 RBI in game 1, and Tyler Bradner struck out 11 in pitching a 1-hitter.   In game 2, Jason Mueller of Harper Creek went 2-3 with an RBI.

Girls’ Soccer

The Lansing Area Dragons beat Calhoun Christian/St. Philip, 5-2.

Gull Lake 4, Lakeview 2.

Parma Western 1, Harper Creek 0.

Marshall 4, Charlotte 0.

Girls’ Tennis

B.C. Central 4, St. Philip 4

Galesburg-Augusta 4, Comstock 4

Softball

Loy Norrix swept Lakeview, Pennfield split with Jackson Northwest, Harper Creek and Parma Western split two, and Charlotte took two from Marshall.

Boys ‘Track

At the SCAA West Championships….St. Philip boys won, followed by Colon, Climax-Scotts, Tekonsha/Marshall Academy and Bellevue.

The Girls’ meet was won by Colon, with St. Philip second.

Boys Golf

Lakeview won the Gull Lake Jamboree on Wednesday, as Matt Alderink fired a school-record 5-under par 31 on the front nine at Stonehedge North

Lumen Christi won the eight-team jamboree at Marshall Country Club with a 156 team total. Coldwater was second with 160, Marshall was fourth with 177, Harper Creek was sixth with 181 and Pennfield was eighth with 188.

Baseball

Lakeview swept Loy Norrix 2-0 and 6-2.   In Game 1, Lakeview's Jake Herbers threw a complete-game two-hitter with 11 strikeouts and hit a home run. Herbers had three hits including a home run and two RBIs in game 2.

Pennfield split with Jackson Northwest, winning game two 2-0 after a game one loss.

Parma Western swept Harper Creek, 11-1 and 7-6.

Marshall took two at Charlotte, 6-2 and 6-0.  Alex Walton h

Deflategate

The NFL says some of the New England Patriots are probably guilty in the "Deflategate" scandal.  Independent investigator Ted Wells released his report Wednesday, and concluded that it's likely that locker room attendants deliberately released air from Patriots game balls in the AFC Championship Game and that quarterback Tom Brady was at least generally aware this was going on.  The report concludes owner Robert Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick did not know what was happening.

Twins Player Gets Hit on First Swing

The Minnesota Twins played  the Oakland A's in Minneapolis yesterday, and Twins player Eddie Rosario hit a home run on the first pitch . . . on the first swing . . . of his first EVER Major League Baseball at-bat.  So he got a standing ovation from the crowd.