MLB – Major League Baseball

Last Night

Chicago Cubs 5, Pittsburgh Pirates 3

Cleveland Indians 5, Detroit Tigers 2

Chicago White Sox 5, Baltimore Orioles 1

Cubs 5, Pirates 3 – Wait what? Bizarre sequence helps Cubs top Pirates 5-3

The Chicago Cubs took advantage of some heads-up baserunning by Jose Baez to edge the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-3. Baez got in a rundown between home and first after a routine grounder, buying time for Willson Contreras to score all the way from second. Baez reached second on the play then scored on a single by Ian Happ to help the Cubs win for the ninth time in 11 games. Gregory Polanco, Bryan Reynolds and Michael Perez homered for Pittsburgh. who lost 8 of 9.

Indians 5, Tigers 2 – Bieber allows 1 hit in 7 innings, Indians top Tigers 5-2

Shane Bieber struck out 12 in seven one-hit innings, and the Cleveland Indians beat the Detroit Tigers 5-2. Bieber took a no-hitter into the seventh before Jonathan Schoop led off the bottom of that inning with a home run to left. The Cleveland right-hander then struck out three more hitters before leaving after 103 pitches. Eddie Rosario homered for the Indians, who helped Terry Francona to his 700th victory as Cleveland’s manager. Matthew Boyd allowed four runs and six hits in five innings for the Tigers, who have lost five of six.

White Sox 5, Orioles 1 – Cease, Mercedes lift White Sox over slumping Orioles 5-1

Dylan Cease struck out 10, Yermín Mercedes homered and drove in three, and the Chicago White Sox handed the Baltimore Orioles their 10th straight loss, 5-1. Cease threw a career-high 111 pitches and allowed one earned run over six innings. He stumbled following a 19-minute rain delay before first pitch, allowing a single and hitting a batter before retiring his next eight and 15 of the next 18. Baltimore’s Trey Mancini was hit by a pitch in the first inning and left with a bruised right elbow. X-rays were negative. The first baseman entered Thursday second in the majors with 42 RBIs a year after being diagnosed with colon cancer.

Today

Cincinnati Reds at Chicago Cubs, 2:20 p.m.

New York Yankees at Detroit Tigers, 7:10 p.m.                  94.9 WSJM/103.7 Cosy-FM 6:50

Baltimore Orioles at Chicago White Sox, 8:10 p.m.

NBA – National Basketball Association Playoffs – Round 1 – Best of 7

Last Night

Milwaukee Bucks 113, Miami Heat 84                                          (MIL leads 3-0)

Los Angeles Lakers 109, Phoenix Suns 95                                   (LAL leads 2-1)

Denver Nuggets 120, Portland Trail Blazers 115                       (DEN leads 2-1)

Tonight

New York Knicks at Atlanta Hawks, 7:00 p.m.                              (Series tied 1-1)

Brooklyn Nets at Boston Celtics, 8:30 p.m.                                (BKN leads 2-0)

Los Angeles Clippers at Dallas Mavericks, 9:30 p.m.                    (DAL leads 2-0)

NBA – Knicks, 76ers ban fans for unruly behavior

The New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers each banned a fan and issued apologies for actions directed at opposing players during playoff games last night. The Knicks said they have barred a fan from Madison Square Garden for spitting on Atlanta guard Trae Young, and the Sixers banned the fan who threw popcorn on Washington guard Russell Westbrook. In addition, the Utah Jazz said three of their fans were banned indefinitely following a verbal altercation during last night’s win over Memphis.

NHL – 2021 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs – Round 1 – Best of 7

Last Night

Montreal Canadiens 4, Toronto Maple Leafs 3 – OT                     (TOR leads 3-2)

Carolina Hurricanes 4, Nashville Predators 3 – OT                     (CAR wins 4-2)

Tonight

Minnesota Wild at Vegas Golden Knights, 9:00 p.m.