Sports: Cabrera Goes 4-4 with two home Runs in Tigers’ win

Tigers

Miguel Cabrera hit two home runs and the Detroit Tigers snapped a skid with a 7-3 win over the Oakland Athletics on Monday night.  Cabrera, who took Sunday off after starting the season with a .205 batting average, upped his average by about 50 points on Monday going 4 for 4. Victor Martinez had two hits, including a home-run as the Tigers built a 6-0 lead.  Mike Aviles also had two hits after starting at second for Ian Kinsler, who was scratched with the flu.  Starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann is now 4-0, but gave up a run for the first time with the Tigers following 24 1/3 scoreless innings.  Zimmerman went 7 innings, giving up one earned run.  His ERA is 0.35.  Mike Pelfrey looks for his first Tiger win tonight against the A’s.  Broadcast time is 6:45 on WBCK.

Collins Flips off the Home Crowd at Comerica Park

Tiger’s center fielder Tyler Collins lost a ball in the lights, allowing the first run of the season to score on starting pitcher Zimmerman.   When Justin Upton failed to back him up cleanly, the fans booed.   Collins responded by giving the fans the finger and swearing at them.  Collins said after the game, "To be at home and to hear boos after that play hit a trigger inside of me and I lashed out completely inappropriately.  I'm absolutely embarrassed it happened and I'm very sorry to everybody in Detroit."

Pistons

The NBA says Reggie Jackson was not fouled on the final play of Detroit's loss to Cleveland, when the point guard complained after the game that referees should be penalized for mistakes. The League says Irving maintained legal guarding position and made no contact with Jackson as he initially reached in for the steal, and that Jackson initiated the contact on the shot attempt by jumping sideways.

NBA

The Charlotte Hornets have squared their first round series with Miami at two games apiece with an 89-85 victory over the Heat.

The Oklahoma City Thunder eliminated the Dallas Mavericks in five games, with a 118-104 win.  The Thunder will meet the Spurs in the next round.

Portland beat the L.A. Clippers 98-84 at home to even that series at 2-2.

Tonight:

Indiana at Toronto, 6 p.m.

Boston at Atlanta, 8:30 p.m.

Curry Out for a While

That slip on the floor the other night will sideline Golden State superstar Stephen Curry two weeks with a sprained knee ligament. Curry will miss the rest of the first round of the playoffs and likely at least four games in round two if the Warriors advance.

NHL

In the first Game 7 of the Stanley Cup playoffs, the St. Louis Blues eliminated the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks 3-2. The Blues' Troy Brouwer  tapped in his own rebound to snap a third-period tie.  Brouwer played for the Blackhawks Stanley Cup-winning team in 2010.

Nashville beat Anaheim 3-1 to knot that series at 3. Game 7 is Wednesday in Anaheim.

AHL

The Grand Rapids Griffons look to clinch the AHL’s Central Division semi-finals tonight at home against Milwaukee.  The Griffons won the first two games on Friday and Saturday.

Mike Tirico leaving ESPN this summer for NBC

There will be a new voice on ESPN’s Monday Night Football this Fall.  Reports say Mike Tirico is leaving ESPN and ABC Sports this summer when his contract expires to work for NBC.  The Ann Arbor resident has worked for ESPN for 25 years.