MLB – Major League Baseball Playoffs – Wild Card Round – Best of 3
Yesterday
Detroit Tigers 5, Houston Astros 2 (DET wins 2-0)
Kansas City Royals 2, Baltimore Orioles 1 (KCR wins 2-0)
Milwaukee Brewers 5, New York Mets 3 (Series tied 1-1)
San Diego Padres 5, Atlanta Braves 4 (SDP wins 2-0)
Detroit Tigers’ Andy Ibanez follows through on a bases-clearing double against the Houston Astros in the eighth inning of Game 2 of an AL Wild Card Series baseball game Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
Tigers 5, Astros 2 – Gritty Tigers close out playoff sweep of Astros with 5-2 victory in Game 2 of Wild Card Series
Andy Ibáñez hit a tiebreaking three-run double in Detroit’s four-run eighth inning, and the Tigers swept the Houston Astros with a 5-2 victory in Game 2 of their AL Wild Card Series. Parker Meadows homered as Detroit ended Houston’s run of seven consecutive appearances in the AL Championship Series. It was a sweet moment for Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, who led Houston to a championship in 2017 and was fired in the aftermath of the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal. Next up for the wild-card Tigers is a trip to Cleveland to take on the AL Central champions in a best-of-five AL Division Series. Game 1 is on Saturday. Kerry Carpenter sparked Detroit’s eighth-inning rally with a one-out single off Ryan Pressly (0-1), who converted his first 14 postseason save opportunities. Carpenter advanced to third on a single by Matt Vierling and scored on a wild pitch, tying it at 2. Pressly departed after Colt Keith reached on a two-out walk, and closer Josh Hader walked Spencer Torkelson to load the bases. Hinch then sent Ibáñez up to hit for Zach McKinstry, and he lined a 1-2 sinker into the corner in left for a 5-2 lead. Ibáñez hadn’t driven in a run since Sept. 10. He hit just .167 in September.
Tonight
New York Mets (Quintana) at Milwaukee (Myers), 7:00 p.m.
MLB – Bally Sports owner could have rights to only Atlanta in baseball next season
Diamond Sports Group could be down to broadcasting only one Major League Baseball team’s games next season. The operator of the Bally Sports regional sports networks said during a hearing that it will cut loose the seven teams it has under contract for the 2025 season. Diamond plans to void the contracts of the Detroit Tigers and Tampa Bay Rays and to attempt to rework the deals with the five franchises that are partial owners of their RSNs — the Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals. That would leave the Atlanta Braves as the only franchise whose contract would be unchanged.
MLB – Second fan files lawsuit claiming ownership of Shohei Ohtani’s 50-50 baseball
The claim to Shohei Ohtani’s potentially lucrative 50th home run ball grew more complicated this week, with a second fan filing a lawsuit asserting he had possession of the historic baseball. According to online records, the latest suit was filed by Joseph Davidov in Florida’s 11th Judicial Circuit Court. The defendants are Chris Belanski, Kelvin Ramirez, Max Matus and Goldin Auctions. Belanski is the man who left the stadium with the baseball. Matus — who filed the first lawsuit last week — and Ramirez have also claimed ownership of the ball. Ohtani became the first player in baseball history to hit 50 homers and steal 50 bases, reaching the mark on Sept. 19 with his homer in Miami against the Marlins. The bidding for the baseball through Goldin Auctions is currently at $1.464 million.
NFL – National Football League – Week 5
Tonight
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons, 8:15 p.m.
NFL – Sore hip limits Richardson at practice; Flacco could start for Colts
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson was too sore to do much at Wednesday’s practice. So 39-year-old Joe Flacco could make his first start of the season Sunday at Jacksonville. A decision won’t be made until later this week. Flacco replaced Richardson in last weekend’s 27-24 victory over Pittsburgh and played well enough to not give up the lead. Richardson left the game after first injuring his hip, returned three plays later and left again and did not return. Coach Shane Steichen is leaving the door open for Richardson to play, but will use Flacco if needed.
NHL – National Hockey League Preseason
Tonight
Toronto Maple Leafs at Detroit Red Wings, 7:00 p.m.
NHL – Blackhawks send F Frank Nazar and D Kevin Korchinski to the minors
The Chicago Blackhawks have assigned forward Frank Nazar and defenseman Kevin Korchinski to their top minor league affiliate. Defenseman Louis Crevier also was assigned to Rockford of the American Hockey League. Forward AJ Spellacy, who had an impressive training camp after he was selected in the third round of this year’s NHL draft, was sent to Windsor of the Ontario Hockey League. Nazar and Korchinski were selected by Chicago in the first round of the 2022 draft.
NHL – The NHL is shooting for another “best season ever”
The Stanley Cup has found a home in South Florida after the Panthers finished on top at the end of what some considered the best NHL season in history. With the defending champions looking for a third consecutive trip to the final and the West loaded with contenders from Edmonton to Dallas, there’s plenty of reason to think 2024-25 can be even better. It’s a tough act to follow after the league broke its attendance record and the Panthers-Oilers final went the distance to seven games. Alex Ovechkin chasing Wayne Gretzky, Connor McDavid pursuing the Cup and Auston Matthews shooting for another 60 goals is just a bit of what to look forward to.
NCAAWBB – USC’s Juju Watkins ready to take college torch with Caitlin Clark in WNBA
Southern California’s Juju Watkins has a chance to grab the torch that Caitlin Clark carried the past few years as the standard bearer for women’s college basketball. Watkins and USC come into their first season in the Big Ten with soaring expectations. The Trojans made the Elite Eight last season in their deepest NCAA Tournament run in 30 years and were picked by both the coaches and a media panel to win the conference championship. Watkins was voted Preseason Player of the Year coming off a record-setting season as a freshman. The possibilities for her seem endless at a time when interest in the sport has never been higher.
WNBA – Dream fire Tanisha Wright in WNBA’s 3rd coach firing since playoffs began
The Atlanta Dream have fired coach Tanisha Wright. The franchise announced the move on Wednesday. Wright took over the team in 2021 and helped them reach the playoffs the last two seasons. The Dream lost both years in the opening round of the postseason, including to New York last month. Atlanta went 15-25 this year and had to win its last few games to qualify for the playoffs. There’s a strong young nucleus with Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray leading the way along with veteran center Tina Charles.
Golf – 4-time major champion while raising 2 daughters, Susie Maxwell Bernie, dies at 83
Hall of Fame golfer Susie Maxwell Berning has died at age 83 after a battle with lung cancer. The LPGA says it lost a great ambassador and a pioneer for women raising children on tour. Berning won the U.S. Women’s Open three times and the Western Open when it was a major. She played a limited schedule while trying to raise two daughters. Berning was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2022. She was part of the class that included Tiger Woods. Berning became a respected teaching professional later in life.
MCCAA – Michigan Community College Athletic Association
Tonight
Women’s Volleyball
Southwestern Michigan College at Glen Oaks Community College, 6:30 p.m.
MHSAA – Michigan High School Athletic Association
Last Night
Girls Volleyball
Mattawan 3, St. Joseph 0
Portage Central 3, Lakeshore 1
Gull Lake 3, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 0
Battle Creek Lakeview 3, Kalamazoo Central 1
Portage Northern 3, Battle Creek Central 0
Our Lady of the Lake 3, Michigan Lutheran 0
New Buffalo 3, River Valley 2
Kalamazoo Hackett 3, Bridgman 0
Girls Golf
SMAC Conference at Kalamazoo CC
1. Portage Central 175
2. Gull Lake 180
3. St. Joseph 182
4. (TIE) Battle Creek Lakeview 194
4. (TIE Lakeshore 194
6. Portage Northern 198
7. Mattawan 200
8. Kalamazoo United 217
Boys Soccer
Paw Paw 3, Niles 2
Otsego 4, Three Rivers 0
Edwardsburg 1, Sturgis 1 – TIE
Plainwell 3, Vicksburg 2
Berrien Springs 7, Dowagiac 0
Buchanan 3, Brandywine 1
Constantine 7, Coloma 1
Delton-Kellogg 2, Bridgman 0
Fennville 2, Allegan 1
Kalamazoo Christian 5, Watervliet 2
Parchment 2, Kalamazoo Hackett 1
Saugatuck 7, Lawton 0
Bloomingdale 3, Eau Claire 1
Today
Boys Soccer
SMAC Tournament
Kalamazoo Loy Norrix at Portage Central, 6:30 p.m. Championship Game
Kalamazoo Central at Mattawan, 6:30 p.m. 3rd place game
Lakeshore at St. Joseph, 6:30 p.m. 5th place game
Gull Lake at Portage Northern, 6:30 p.m. 7th place game
Battle Creek Lakeview 9th place
Battle Creek Central 10th place
Other games
Our Lady of the Lake at Buchanan, 5:00 p.m.
Constantine at Edwardsburg, 5:30 p.m.
Wyoming Potter’s House at Allegan, 6:00 p.m.
Watervliet at Bangor, 6:30 p.m.
Kalamazoo Hackett at South Haven, 6:30 p.m.
Kalamazoo Christian at Battle Creek Pennfield, 6:30 p.m.
Battle Creek Lakeview at Coldwater, 6:30 p.m.
B.C. Calhoun Christian at Howardsville Christian, 5:00 p.m.
Quincy at Comstock, 6:30 p.m.
Volleyball
Niles at Vicksburg, 6:00 p.m.
Edwardsburg at Paw Paw, 6:00 p.m.
Three Rivers at Plainwell, 6:00 p.m.
Sturgis at Otsego, 6:00 p.m.
Dowagiac at Berrien Springs, 6:30 p.m.
Benton Harbor at Brandywine, 6:00 p.m.
Coloma at Constantine, 6:30 p.m.
Gobles at Galesburg-Augusta, 6:30 p.m.
Colon at Kalamazoo Hackett, 6:30 p.m.
Allegan at Lawton, 6:30 p.m.
South Haven at Schoolcraft, 6:30 p.m.
Fennville at Parchment, 6:30 p.m.
Lawrence at Eau Claire, 6:30 p.m.
Watervliet Grace Christian at Howardsville Christian, 6:00 p.m.
Decatur at Bangor, 7:00 p.m.
Climax-Scotts at White Pigeon, 6:30 p.m.
Boys Tennis
Buchanan at Lakeshore, 4:00 p.m.
