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MLB – Major League Baseball Playoffs – Wild Card Round – Best of 3
Yesterday
Detroit Tigers 3, Houston Astros 1                                       (DET leads 1-0)
Kansas City Royals 1, Baltimore Orioles 0                              (KCR leads 1-0)
New York Mets 8, Milwaukee Brewers 4                                  (NYM leads 1-0)
San Diego Padres 4, Atlanta Braves 0                                     (SDP leads 1-0)

Tigers 3, Astros 1 – Skubal sensational, Tigers jump on Valdez early to get 3-1 win over Astros in AL Wild Card
Tarik Skubal kept up his stellar season with a sensational playoff debut and the Detroit Tigers got to Framber Valdez early in a 3-1 win over the Houston Astros in their AL Wild Card Series opener. The Tigers got their first postseason win since Game 4 the 2013 AL Championship Series. Down 3-0 entering the ninth, Houston scored on Yanier Diaz’s RBI single and had the bases loaded when Jason Heyward hit a game-ending lineout against Beau Brieske. Skubal, the AL pitching Triple Crown winner, allowed just four singles and walked one in six innings. About the only hard hit by the Astros off him was one that hit him — the left was struck on his right wrist by Diaz’s second-inning comebacker.  Detroit pounced on Valdez in the second. Wenceel Pérez singled with one out before, Spencer Torkelson walked and Parker Meadows grounded into a forceout that left runners at the corners.  Jake Rogers, Trey Sweeney and Matt Vierling hit RBI singles for a 3-0 lead.

Today
Detroit (Holton) at Houston (Brown), 2:30 p.m.                      News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM 2:05
Kansas City (Lugo) at Baltimore (Eflin), 4:00 p.m.          
NY Mets (Manaea) at Milwaukee (Montas), 5:30 p.m.                 
Atlanta (Fried) at San Diego (Musgrove), 8:30 p.m.                           

MLB – Skubal shines in playoff debut in Tigers first playoff win in more than a decade
Tarik Skubal added perhaps his most important accomplishment to date to an already sparkling resume Tuesday. The AL pitching Triple Crown winner gave the Detroit Tigers their first postseason victory in more than a decade with a sensational playoff debut in a 3-1 victory over the Houston Astros. Skubal, who had had 228 strikeouts to go with 18 wins and 2.39 ERA, allowed just four singles and walked one in six innings.

MLB – Cubs president Jed Hoyer optimistic about team’s future after disappointing season
Chicago Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer was frustrated the team fell far short of expectations. He’s also optimistic about the future. Hoyer says the Cubs “put ourselves in a terrific position” as an organization and are in good shape going forward. The Cubs came into the season expecting to contend for the NL Central championship. Instead, they finished 10 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers at 83-79 and missed the playoffs for the fourth year in a row. Manager Craig Counsell likely isn’t going anywhere anytime soon after the Cubs lured him from Milwaukee with a $40 million, five-year contract and fired David Ross in a pair of surprising moves last November. Hoyer’s long-term future is in question because his contract expires after next season.

NFL -Campbell still believes in Lions defense despite poor performance against Seahawks
Dan Campbell strongly believes the Detroit Lions still have the strong defense they showed in the first three games of the season. He admits, though, it didn’t show up in Monday night’s 42-29 win over the Seattle Seahawks. “I don’t believe what we saw yesterday is our defense,” Campbell said. “It was not our best performance, I don’t think anybody’s saying that. I thought Geno (Smith) played a hell of a game, but we can be much better. We need to be much better.”

NFL – Goff’s perfect game is a rare feat because many factors prevent QBs from doing it
Jared Goff’s perfect game is so rare for an NFL quarterback that only one other player ever threw double-digit passes without an incompletion. Goff was 18 for 18 on Monday night in Detroit’s 42-29 victory over Seattle, topping Kurt Warner’s 10 for 10 with Arizona on Dec. 18, 2005. Only 10 other QBs have thrown as many passes as Goff with only one incompletion. Just five of those QBs attempted 20 passes and one threw 30. That was Drew Brees, who was 29 of 30 for the Saints against the Colts on Dec. 16, 2019.

WNBA – Women’s National Basketball Association Playoffs – Round 2 (Best of 5)
Last Night
New York Liberty 88, Las Vegas Aces 84                                  (NYL leads 2-0)
Minnesota Lynx 77, Connecticut Sun 70                                  (Series tied 1-1)

NHL – National Hockey League Preseason
Last Night
Detroit Red Wings 2, Pittsburgh Penguins 1
Minnesota Wild 7, Chicago Blackhawks 2

NHL –Blackhawks surround Bedard with more offensive talent for his second NHL season
The Chicago Blackhawks look like a much better team ahead of Connor Bedard’s second season. The Blackhawks finished last in the Central Division in each of the previous two years. Following an active offseason, it’s a much deeper roster in almost every area. Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravainen should provide more scoring punch after Chicago finished with an NHL-low 178 goals last season. Veteran forward Taylor Hall also should help in his return from a knee injury. Alec Martinez gives the team another experienced defenseman. Laurent Brossoit is a significant upgrade behind Petr Mrazek in goal.

NCAAFB – Big Ten revises officials alignment on onside kicks after call on Gophers
The Big Ten has received approval from the NCAA to change the way it officiates onside kicks after Minnesota was penalized for offside when it recovered an onside kick late in its game at Michigan. Effective immediately, the line judge and head line judge will be positioned on the kicking team’s restraining line. The Big Ten said in a statement that the new alignment would put multiple officials in the best position to consistently make the correct judgment. The restraining line is typically the kicking team’s 35, and its coverage players aren’t allowed to cross it until the ball is kicked.

MCCAA – Michigan Community College Athletic Association
Last Night
Women’s Volleyball
Lansing Community College 3, Lake Michigan College 0

MHSAA – Michigan High School Athletic Association
Last Night
Boys Soccer
SMAC Tournament
1 Portage Central 2, 4 Kalamazoo Central 0
3 Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 3, 2 Mattawan 1
5 St. Joseph 3, 8 Gull Lake 0
6 Lakeshore 1, 7 Portage Northern 0
St. Joe will host Lakeshore Thursday at 6:30 for the SMAC Silver Division Championship.

Other Games
Andrews Academy 8, Michigan Lutheran 0
Saugatuck 7, Our Lady of the Lake 0
South Haven 1, Covert 0
Hartford 5, Bloomingdale 0

Girls Golf
MHSAA Pre-Regionals, Division 2 at Gull Lake

  1. Gull Lake                            349
  2. St. Joseph                            358
  3. Grand Rapids Christian         364
  4. Plainwell                            377
  5. Lakeshore                            379
  6. Mattawan                            392
  7. St. Joseph 2                        395
  8. Portage Northern                404
  9. Thornapple-Kellogg              422
  10. Gull Lake 2                         443

Girls Volleyball
South Haven 3, Watervliet 1
Constantine 3, Parchment 0
Kalamazoo Hackett 3, Schoolcraft 0
Centreville 3, Bloomingdale 0
Decatur 3, Cassopolis 0

Tonight
Girls Volleyball
Mattawan at St. Joseph, 6:30 p.m.
Lakeshore at Portage Central, 6:30 p.m.
Gull Lake at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, 6:30 p.m.
Battle Creek Lakeview at Kalamazoo Central, 6:30 p.m.
Portage Northern at Battle Creek Central, 6:30 p.m.
Our Lady of the Lake at Michigan Lutheran, 6:00 p.m.
Eau Claire at Covert, 5:00 p.m.
New Buffalo at River Valley, 6:00 p.m.
Bridgman at Kalamazoo Hackett, 6:30 p.m.

Girls Golf
SMAC Conference at Kalamazoo CC, 3:30 p.m.

Boys Soccer
Paw Paw at Niles, 6:30 p.m.
Three Rivers at Otsego, 6:30 p.m.
Edwardsburg at Sturgis, 6:30 p.m.
Plainwell at Vicksburg, 6:30 p.m.
Berrien Springs at Dowagiac, 5:00 p.m.
Buchanan at Brandywine, 5:00 p.m.
Constantine at Coloma, 6:00 p.m.
Bridgman at Delton-Kellogg, 6:00 p.m.
Allegan at Fennville, 5:30 p.m.
Watervliet at Kalamazoo Christian, 5:00 p.m.
Kalamazoo Hackett at Parchment, 6:00 p.m.
Lawton at Saugatuck, 5:30 p.m.
Eau Claire at Bloomingdale, 6:30 p.m.

MHSAA – High School Football AP Rankings
Division 1
1.     Belleville (5)                      (5-0)     50         1
2.     Macomb Dakota                    (5-0)     43         2
3.     Detroit Catholic Central      (5-0)     41         3
4.     Saline                                (5-0)     32         5
5.     Utica Eisenhower                 (5-0)     29         6
6.     Hudsonville                        (4-1)     20         8
7.     Howell                               (5-0)     17         9
8.     Lake Orion                          (4-1)     13         NR
9.     Davison                             (4-1)     12         10
10.   Rochester Adams                 (4-1)     11         4
Others receiving votes: 11, Clarkston 6. 12, Detroit Cass Tech 1.

Division 2
1.     Muskegon Mona Shores (3)    (5-0)     48         2
2.     Birmingham Groves (2)          (5-0)     46         1
3.     Byron Center                      (4-1)     31         5
4.     Warren De La Salle              (3-2)     27         3
5.     Grosse Pointe South            (5-0)     26         T6
6.     G. R. Northview                   (5-0)     23         8
7.     Orchard Lake St. Mary’s        (3-2)     20         T6
8.     Gibraltar Carlson               (5-0)     18         NR
9.     Dexter                               (4-1)     9          NR
10.   Allen Park                          (5-0)     8          NR
(tie)  Caledonia                           (3-1)     8          T9
Others receiving votes: 12, East Lansing 7. 13, Birmingham Seaholm 3. 14, Portage Northern 1.

Division 3
1.     DeWitt (3)                          (5-0)     48         3
2.     Walled Lake Western (2)       (5-0)     47         1
3.     Detroit King                       (4-1)     35         5
4.     St. Joseph                          (5-0)    32        4
5.     G. R. Forest Hills Central     (4-1)     25         10
6.     Zeeland West                      (4-1)     24         2
7.     Riverview                            (5-0)     20         T7
(tie)  Fenton                               (5-0)     20         T7
9.     St. Johns                            (5-0)     12         9
10.   Mason                                (4-1)     6          NR
Others receiving votes: 11, Petoskey 5. 12, Cedar Springs 1.

Division 4
1.     Hudsonville Unity Chr. (4)    (5-0)     49         2
2.     Freeland (1)                        (5-0)     37         3
3.     Paw Paw                            (5-0)    36        6
4.     Portland                            (5-0)     33         4
5.     Hastings                             (5-0)     31         5
6.     G. R. South Christian           (4-1)     26         1
7.     Goodrich                            (4-1)     14         9
8.     Parma Western                    (4-1)     12         10
9.     Holland Christian                (5-0)     11         NR
10.   Edwardsburg                    (4-1)    9          NR
Others receiving votes: 11, Harper Creek 7. 12, Big Rapids 4. 13, Ludington 3. 14, Madison Heights Lamphere 3.

Division 5
1.     Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (4)   (5-0)     48         1
2.     Frankenmuth (1)                  (5-0)     45         2
3.     Corunna                             (5-0)     33         T3
(tie)  G. R. Catholic Central         (4-1)     33         T3
5.     West Branch Ogemaw Hts.     (5-0)     30         7
6.     Kingsford                           (5-0)     24         5
7.     G. R. West Catholic              (3-2)     23         8
8.     Armada                               (5-0)     14         9
9.     Clare                                 (4-1)     13         6
10.   Kalamazoo-United             (4-1)    4          NR
Others receiving votes: 11, Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard 3. 12, Flat Rock 2. 13, Gladwin 2. 14, Belding 1.

Division 6
1.     Jackson Lumen Christi (5)      (4-1)     50         1
2.     Almont                               (5-0)     45         2
3.     Constantine                      (5-0)    34        3
4.     Ovid-Elsie                           (5-0)     31         4
5.     Reed City                            (4-1)     28         T5
6.     Negaunee                            (4-1)     26         T5
7.     Chesaning                           (5-0)     22         8
8.     Marine City                         (5-0)     17         T10
9.     Olivet                                (4-1)     5          NR
10.   Warren Michigan Collegiate (4-1)     4          NR
(tie)  Newaygo                             (4-1)     4          T5
(tie)  Lansing Catholic                  (3-2)     4          T10
Others receiving votes: 13, Kingsley 2. 14, Ida 2. 15, Mason County Central 1.

Division 7
1.     Millington (4)                     (5-0)     49         T1
2.     Ithaca                                (5-0)     42         3
3.     Menominee (1)                     (5-0)     41         T1
4.     McBain                               (5-0)     33         4
5.     Pewamo-Westphalia              (5-0)     30         5
6.     Monroe St. Mary’s Catholic   (5-0)     19         7
7.     Traverse City St. Francis       (4-1)     18         6
8.     Hanover-Horton                  (5-0)     11         10
9.     North Muskegon                  (4-1)     10         8
10.   Schoolcraft                      (4-1)    7          9
Others receiving votes: 11, Harrison 6. 12, Leslie 5. 13, Hudson 2. 14, Lawton 1. 15, Union City 1.

Division 8
1.     Fowler (3)                          (5-0)     47         1
2.     Iron Mountain                     (5-0)     41         2
3.     Riverview Gabriel Richard (2) (5-0)     38         T3
4.     Beal City                            (4-1)     37         T3
5.     Harbor Beach                      (5-0)     26         5
(tie)  Clarkston Everest Catholic   (5-0)     26         6
7.     Saginaw Nouvel                   (5-0)     19         7
8.     White Pigeon                     (5-0)    15        8
9.     Maple City Glen Lake             (4-1)     14         9
10.   Springport                          (5-0)     9          NR
Others receiving votes: 11, East Jordan 2. 12, Decatur 1.

Division 1 (8-player)
1.     Martin (5)                         (5-0)    50        1
2.     Indian River-Inland Lakes      (5-0)     43         2
3.     Pickford                             (5-0)     40         3
4.     Gobles                              (5-0)    35        5
5.     Deckerville                         (5-0)     31         4
6.     Mendon                             (5-0)    24        6
7.     Munising                             (5-0)     15         9
8.     Lincoln-Alcona                    (5-0)     13         NR
9.     Brown City                         (4-1)     10         NR
10.   Norway                              (5-0)     5          NR
Others receiving votes: 11, Atlanta 3. 12, Kingston 3. 13, Bay City All Saints 2. 14, Climax-Scotts 1.

Division 2 (8-player)
1.     Marion (3)                          (5-0)     48         1
2.     Portland St Patrick (1)         (5-0)     45         2
3.     Crystal Falls Forest Park (1) (5-0)     42         3
4.     G. R. Sacred Heart               (5-0)     30         4
5.     Morrice                              (4-1)     25         5
5.     Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart     (4-1)     25         T6
7.     Au Gres-Sims                      (4-1)     18         8
8.     Gaylord St. Mary                 (4-1)     16         9
9.     Powers North Central          (4-1)     13         10
10.   Burr Oak                            (4-1)     7          NR
Others receiving votes: 11, Britton-Deerfield 3. 12, Onekama 3.