Sports: Tigers’ Zimmerman Pitcher of the the Month

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann has been voted American League Pitcher of the Month for April.  Zimmermann compiled a 5-0 record with a 0.55 ERA in 33.0 innings.   It’s his first career Pitcher of the Month Award, and the first for the Tigers since Justin Verlander in September 2012. Zimmermann, who signed as a free agent this past offseason, became the first Tigers pitcher to win each of his first five starts of a season since Frank Tanana did so in 1988.  The right-hander’s 0.55 ERA in April is the lowest by a Tiger since reliever John Hiller logged a 0.36 ERA in 1974.  That was the year that Hiller set an American League record by winning 17 games in relief.

Tigers

The Tigers have won 5 straight and head to Cleveland for tonight’s game.  Justin Verlander will pitch for Detroit.  Broadcast time is 5:45 on WBCK.

Cubs Win

The Chicago Cubs have the best record in baseball. The Cubs are 18-6 after they beat the Pirates 7-2 in Pittsburgh.

NBA

The Cleveland Cavaliers blew an 18-point lead but still beat Atlanta 104-93 in Game 1 of the NBA's Eastern Conference semifinals. LeBron James had 25 points, nine assists and seven rebounds for the Cavaliers, while Kyrie Irving added 21 points. James converted a key 3-point play that put the Cavaliers ahead 95-88 with 2:09 remaining.

Russell Westbrook delivered 29 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds as the Oklahoma City Thunder held off the Spurs 98-97 in San Antonio to even the NBA's Western Conference semifinal series at a game apiece. Kevin Durant scored 10 of his 28 points in the final period, including a jumper that gave the Thunder a five-point cushion in the final minute.

Tonight, Miami plays at Toronto in game 1.   Portland is at Golden State with the Warriors up 1-0.  Coach Steve Kerr said Monday that Steph Curry wouldn't be available tonight. Golden State hopes to have star guard Stephen Curry back for Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals Saturday at Portland. Curry has been sidelined since spraining a knee ligament during Game 4 of Golden State's opening round series against Houston.

NHL

Matt Murray made 19 of his 47 saves in the third period to lead the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 3-2 victory over Washington and a two-games-to-one lead in the NHL second-round series.

Tonight, Tampa Bay plays at the NY Islanders, with the series at 1-1.  Dallas at St. Louis, with that series tied at 1. San Jose looks to go up 3-0 at Nashville tonight.

Lions Extend Ansah

The Detroit Lions have exercised the fifth-year option for 2017 on defensive end Ziggy Ansah.  The Lions drafted Ansah with the fifth overall pick in 2013, and he's been one of the top young pass rushers in the game. He had 14½ sacks last season and earned second-team All-Pro honors from The Associated Press. He also became the first Lions defensive end to be selected to the Pro Bowl since 2002.  Ansah has 30 sacks in three seasons.

The Lions also announced Monday that they have signed free agent linebacker Zaviar Gooden.

Rudock to Lions

(AP) After his first game at Michigan last season, it was hard to tell if Jake Rudock would even make it through the year as the starting quarterback, much less play his way into an NFL opportunity. A lot changed during his brief stint with the Wolverines.  Rudock was drafted in the sixth round Saturday by the Detroit Lions, an impressive accomplishment for a player who took a while to win over Michigan fans but ended up making significant strides under coach Jim Harbaugh. The Lions hadn't drafted a quarterback since taking Matthew Stafford No. 1 overall in 2009.  Rudock transferred from Iowa to Michigan for his final college season. After a rough start, Rudock completed 64 percent of his passes on the season for 3,017 yards with 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions. In his final college game, he threw three TD passes in Michigan's 41-7 rout of Florida in the Citrus Bowl

PGA

Brian Stuard has earned his first PGA Tour victory by beating Jamie Lovemark on the second playoff hole at the waterlogged Zurich Classic. Stuard was 15-under through regulation that was cut from 72 to 54 holes because of wet weather. He never bogeyed a hole throughout the tournament.

Softball

Harper Creek swept Delton-Kellogg, 9-1 and 10-0.

Baseball

Harper Creek swept Delton-Kellogg 7-6 and 7-1.

Girls’ Soccer

Pennfield beat Harper Creek, 2-0.

K-Central beat Battle Creek Central, 9-0.

Boys Golf

The Division 1, 7^th ranked Lakeview golf team won a SMAC Jamboree.

Girls’ Tennis

St. Phillip 4, Lansing Christian 4.

Galesburg-Augusta 8, Eau Claire 0.