Jones’ HR Completes Tigers’ Comeback – Thursday Sports Wrap

MLB

JaCoby Jones’ solo home run in the seventh inning lifted the Detroit Tigers to a 5-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals last evening. KC started strong, scoring four runs off Matthew Boyd in the first three innings. Detroit got one back in the bottom of the third, then tied the game with help from a Jonathan Schoop homer in the fifth.

The Tigers host the Royals again tonight. Ivan Nova will start against Brady Singer. Pregame coverage begins at 6:45 on 99.3 The Lift.

Brandon Woodruff and three relievers held the Pittsburgh Pirates to just one hit, as the Milwaukee Brewers claimed a 3-0 victory last night. Woodruff pitched into the seventh inning, and struck out 10. Ben Gamel and Keston Hiura homered.

The Brewers have today off, and host the Cardinals in their home opener tomorrow.

Milwaukee catcher Manny Piña will miss some time after taking a foul ball off his hand. Catcher Jacob Nottingham has been activated off the taxi squad to fill in. Piña has not been placed on the injured list, so reliever Bobby Wahl has been sent down to make room on the roster.

Finlandia

The Finlandia University baseball team has added another new player. Outfielder Bobby Sains from Rock Springs, Wyoming becomes the 24th player in this year’s recruiting class.

CCHA

As expected, the University of St. Thomas in the Twin Cities will become the eighth member of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. The Tommies men’s program will begin competition next fall, as the reconstituted league debuts. St. Thomas will jump from NCAA Division III to Division I.

GLIAC

Northern Michigan University has hired a new assistant men’s basketball coach. Charlie Walrapp comes from NAIA Clarke University, where he was an assistant on a team that won a school-record 24 victories last season.

NFL

The Detroit Lions have placed five players on the COVID-19 list. They include tight end T.J. Hockenson, and Kenny Golladay, last year’s leading receiver. The list is for those who have either been diagnosed with COVID-19, or been in close contact with someone who is infected. Lions defensive tackle John Atkins has become the first member of the team to opt out of the season because of COVID-19 concerns.

NBA

National Basketball Association play resumes tonight at the unified location in Orlando. Each of the 22 teams that qualified to play out the season will play eight games, before the playoffs begin August 17th. The Detroit Pistons did not make the cut, and will not be playing. Tonight, the Jazz meet the Pelicans at 6:30, and the Clippers face the Lakers at 9:00.

The Pistons will switch their minor league affiliation. The Detroit organization has purchased the G-League Northern Arizona Suns, and plans to move it to Detroit. Play will begin in the fall of 2021 at a new facility being built on the Wayne State University campus. That will end the Pistons’ affiliation with the Grand Rapids Drive, which declined the opportunity to relocate to the Motor City.

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