Sports: Tigers start big 9-game home stand

The Tigers were off on Thursday and have won five of seven.  The Tigers play nine straight home games, against the Astros, White Sox and Mets. Detroit is 4 ½ behind Cleveland in the Central division.  The Tigers send Matt Boyd to the mound tonight against the Houston Astros at Comerica Park. The Tigers are a game and a half behind Houston in the Wild Card race in the American League.  If the season ended today, both teams would be out of the playoffs, but both teams are hot on the heels of Boston and Toronto.

Tigers on Rehab at Toledo

­­Jordan Zimmerman will make his second rehab start for Toledo tonight and could rejoin the Tigers soon.   Right-fielder J.D. Martinez is expected to play his third rehab game for the Mud Hens.   So far, Martinez has not played in the outfield.

Trade Deadline

Monday is baseball’s trade deadline.   GM Al Avila has said the Tigers would not be making any deals, but they have scouted some relievers and even Milwaukee catcher Jonathon Lucroy, one of the top hitting catchers in the game. Speculation is that the Tigers don’t have enough prospects to land Lucroy, while the Indians and Mets might have a better chance.

Bombers

The Battle Creek Bombers topped the Kenosha Kingfish, 6-2. The game was scoreless for the first four innings, but Bombers finally broke it open in the fifth on Daniel Patzlaff’s bases loaded single.  Malcolm Grady pitched 5 1/3 innings for the Bombers in his sixth start of the year for his third win.   Grady allowed two runs on five hits while striking out a season-high five batters.  In the bottom of the sixth, the Bombers gave Grady a 5-2 lead.   With the win, the Bombers move back to .500 on the season, 27-27 overall and 9-9 in the second half. The Bombers will go for the sweep of the Kingfish tonight at 7:05 at C.O. Brown Stadium as Cody Puckett will get the start for Battle Creek.

Sadler Scholarship Fund

Michigan State University will hold an event to celebrate the life of Mike Sadler on Sunday, at Spartan Stadium beginning at 3 p.m. The event is open to the public and parking is free. Gates C and J at Spartan Stadium will open at 2 p.m. A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Sadler was tragically killed in a car accident Saturday, July 23 in Waukesha, Wisconsin. He was 24.  In lieu of flowers and donations, the Sadler family asks that contributions may be sent to the Mike Sadler Legacy Football Scholarship Fund.

MAC-Satellite Camps

Mid-American Conference Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher is calling for some limits on when and where football satellite camps can be held. Steinbrecher suggested a 15-day window to hold the camps and a requirement that they take place on the ground of another four-year college. Steinbrecher spoke Thursday at the MAC's annual media day at Ford Field in Detroit.

Golf

Jimmy Walker is the leader through one round of the PGA Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club in New Jersey. Walker carded six birdies on his way to a 5-under 65 and a one-shot lead.

NABF Series

HBC/Behnke will be the host team in the NABF World Series, which starts next Wednesday and goes through Sunday at Battle Creek’s Bailey Park.  HBC/Behnke defeated Battle Creek Merchants to clinch the city title to host the series.