Turnbull Shines as Tigers Win – Saturday Sports Wrap

MLB

The Detroit Tigers rode five doubles and a strong start by Spencer Turnbull to a 7-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds last night. JaCoby Jones, Christin Stewart, Andrew Romine, C.J. Cron and Travis Demeritte each hit two-baggers. Demeritte was making his season debut, after being called up from Toledo to fill in for the injured Cameron Maybin. Turnbull threw six innings, giving up two runs on just three hits, all in the fifth.

The Tigers will host the Reds again today. Because of anticipated rain in the Motor City, the start time has been moved up to 1:10. Pregame coverage will begin at 12:45 on 99.3 The Lift. Michael Fulmer will start against Trevor Bauer.

The Milwaukee Brewers’ home opener against the Cardinals was postponed last night, after two Saint Louis players tested positive for COVID-19. If Saint Louis is cleared to take the field, the series will open tonight, with Brett Anderson facing Jack Flaherty. Last night’s game will be made up as part of a doubleheader tomorrow. Tomorrow’s games, if played, will be just seven innings long, under an agreement reached yesterday between team owners and the players union. The seven-inning doubleheader rule applies to this season, only.

If the Cardinals’ outbreak worsens, it could idle the Tigers next week. Saint Louis and Detroit are scheduled to play a four-game, home-and-home series beginning Monday.

The Miami Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies remain idled because of COVID-19 outbreaks. That also leaves their scheduled opponents, the Washington Nationals and the Toronto Blue Jays, without games this weekend.

Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said that the season could be called off, if players don’t adhere strictly to COVID-19 protocols. Some players have been high-fiving and violating social distancing guidelines on the field, and others have violated off-field quarantine requirements. Manfred had a discussion with players union leader Tony Clark yesterday, which included a warning that play could be shut down as early as Monday, if no improvement takes place.

Finlandia

Finlandia University has canceled all of its fall sports schedules. In a release yesterday, athletic director Curtis Wittenberg said he knows this will disappoint the school’s student athletes, but noted that the college has a responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of not only their student-athletes, but the campus community and the surrounding local community. Students who do not get to play fall sports will retain another year of eligibility.

NHL

The NHL begins its expanded Stanley Cup playoffs today, with all of the Eastern Conference games in Toronto, and the Western Conference tilts in Edmonton. The top four teams in each conference will play a three-game round-robin schedule to determine seeding for the playoffs. That section of the playoffs starts tomorrow. The remaining eight teams in each conference will meet in best-of-five play-in matches to determine who moves to the next round.

Today in Toronto…
• The Rangers face the Hurricanes at noon.
• The Panthers take on the Islanders at 4:00.
• The Canadiens meet the Penguins at 8:00.
• The play-in between the Maple Leafs and Blue Jackets starts tomorrow.

In Edmonton…
• The Blackhawks face the Oilers at 3:00.
• The Jets take on the Flames at 10:30.
• The play-ins between the Coyotes and Predators, and the Wild and Canucks, begin tomorrow.

NFL

Detroit Lions’ safety Jayron Kearse has been suspended for three games by the NFL Friday for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Kearse was cited for drunk driving and carrying a firearm without a permit last October. He signed a free agent contract with Detroit earlier this year, after four seasons as a Minnesota Viking.

The Detroit Lions’ COVID-19 list is growing. Yesterday, cornerback Justin Coleman and tight end Isaac Nauta joined five of their teammates in quarantine. The COVID-19 list includes players who have tested positive, and those who have had close contact with someone who is infected.

ORV

A 15-mile stretch of ORV trail in Keweenaw County has been closed. B Route between Lac La Belle Road and Keystone Bay Road will be off-limits because of logging operations. That section of trail runs over private property. DNR officials say no alternate route was available. The closure takes effect immediately. Barricades have been placed at both ends, and DNR conservation officers and Keweenaw County sheriff’s deputies will be patrolling. The shutdown means that ORV riders will not be able to travel back and forth between Copper Harbor and Delaware. No estimate as to how long the closing will be in effect was provided.

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