Sports: Tigers hit 6 Homers; Beat KC 10-4

The Tigers beat the Kansas City Royals 10-4 Thursday night to open their four-game series, but lost their starting right-fielder J.D. Martinez for four to six weeks.  The Tigers were without Cameron Maybin, who has had wrist problems and now a right quad problem.  That meant Justin Upton started in center and Mike Aviles in left.  With Upton in unfamiliar territory, J.D. was shading a bit toward center and had a long run to make a play on a ball hit in the second inning.  A broken elbow will sideline Martinez until sometime in August.   The Royals jumped off to a two-run lead against Justin Verlander, but the Tigers battled back.   Victor Martinez matched a career-best with three home runs.  Nick Castellanos, James McCann and Miguel Cabrera all homered as the Tigers scored 10 runs in the game.  Verlander (7-5) allowed four runs on eight hits over seven innings.  He is 13-5 in 22 starts in the Royals’ ballpark. The Tigers play in Kansas City tonight. Michael Fulmer gets the start. Broadcast time is 7:50 on WBCK.

Bombers

The Battle Creek Bombers fell to the Madison Mallards 5-4 at Warner Park Thursday Night.  Down two runs in the 5^th, the Bombers battled back as Cody Sporrer hit a home run and the Bombers took a 4-2 lead. But the Mallards hit a 3-run homer to take the lead for good.  The Bombers are 9-8 on the season and will look to split the two-game series tonight against the Madison Mallards, before heading back to Battle Creek.

NBA

LeBron James had his second straight 41-point game and the Cleveland Cavaliers won their second straight must-win game, beating Golden State 115-101 to force a decisive Game 7 Sunday night in Oakland. No team has come back from a 3-1 deficit to win an NBA championship series, but the Cavs are giving it their best shot.   Stephen Curry had 30 to lead the Warriors before getting ejected with 4:22 left. It's the first ejection in the NBA MVP's career. Game 7 will be Sunday back in Oakland.

US Open

They're getting an early start to Day 2 of the U.S. Open with just nine players able to finish their round yesterday due to rainy conditions at Oakmont.  Rookie Andrew Landry tops the leader board after limited play on Thursday.

LPGA

Defending champion Lexi Thompson shot a 6-under 65 for a share of the Meijer LPGA Classic lead.  Thompson is tied with 52-year-old Laura Davies, Sei Young Kim, Carlota Ciganda and Paula Reto.  Women's PGA Championship winner Brooke Henderson and top-ranked Lydia Ko are two off the pace.

Wings sign Sheahan, Lashoff

The Detroit Red Wings have signed center Riley Sheahan to a two-year, $4.15 million contract.  Sheahan had 14 goals and 25 points in a career-high 81 games last season. Detroit drafted him in the first round out of Notre Dame in 2010.

Detroit also signed defenseman Brian Lashoff to a two-way contract. He will make $650,000 if he plays in the NHL and $275,000 if he is in the AHL again with the Grand Rapids Griffins. The 24-year-old Lashoff played for the Griffins all of last season after playing in 117 games for the Red Wings the previous three years.

Soccer

The United States soccer team has reached the semifinals of the Copa America tournament by beating Equador 2-1. Clint Dempsey and Gyasi Zardis scored for the Americans, who now await the winner of the Argentina-Venezuela quarterfinal.  It's the best The U-S has done in that tournament since 1995.

Ron Mason Remembered

More than 1,000 family members, friends, former players, fans, colleagues and peers turned out to East Lansing’s Munn Arena on Thursday to remember Ron Mason.  The 76 year old former MSU Hockey Coach and Athletic Director died Monday.  Among the former players and MSU coaches who spoke was Coach Tom Izzo, who said he owes Mason a lot for his career, “because he taught me how to do it, as he says, the right way.”