MLB-SCHEDULE
Game 2 in the big KC/Detroit series
UNDATED (AP) β Without doubt the marquee game of the night in baseball is being played in Detroit as the Tigers face the Royals. The Royals enter the game with just a one-game lead over the Tigers in the American League Central. The Tigers closed the gap yesterday with a 9-5 win.
Each team has 79 wins on the season with the Royals having lost 63 and the Tigers 65. The pitching matchup shows the Tigers using their ace, 15-game winner Max Scherzer, and the Royals countering with Jason Vargas, who has 11 wins.
Following this evening’s game the teams will square off again tomorrow night.
The next-closest divisional race is in the National League West, where the Dodgers top the Giants by 3 Β½ games. Tonight the Dodgers are home to San Diego while the Giants are playing host to Arizona.
As far as the wild card races are concerned the Athletics and Mariners currently hold down the two American League spots while in the National circuit the Giants and Pirates have a hold on the two berths. The Pirates currently hold the second spot in the NL, 1 Β½ games in front of the Braves and Brewers. Atlanta is playing in Washington tonight while the Brewers are home to Miami and the Pirates are in Philadelphia. The Mariners’ lead in the AL for the second wild card spot is just a half game over the Tigers. Tonight the Mariners are entertaining the Astros.
The remaining games tonight have the Twins in Cleveland against the Indians, the Yankees at home to Tampa Bay, the Cubs in Toronto, the Rockies in New York playing the Mets, Cincinnati home to the Cardinals, Baltimore at Boston, the Rangers entertaining the Angels and Oakland in Chicago to face the White Sox.
NFL-RICE
Former NFL star loses shoe and game contracts
NEW YORK (AP) β Nike and video game publisher Electronic Arts have severed business ties to Ray Rice. The moves come a day after Rice was let go by the Baltimore Ravens and suspended indefinitely by the NFL following the release of a video showing him striking his then-fiancee in February.
On Monday TMZ Sports released a grainy video showing Rice and Janay Palmer in an elevator at an Atlantic City casino. Each hits the other before Rice knocks Palmer off her feet and into a railing. Months ago, a TMZ video showed Rice dragging Palmer, now his wife, from the elevator at the Revel casino.
The Baltimore Ravens have said on Twitter that they’re planning to offer an exchange for Rice jerseys
Electronic Arts says it is removing Rice from its recently released Madden NFL 15 title via an online update.
NFL-BILLS
Report: Tentative sale of club
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) β The estate of late Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson has reached “a definitive agreement” to sell the franchise to the owners of the Buffalo Sabres, Terry and Kim Pegula. The sale is subject to being approved by a three-quarters majority of the NFL’s 31 owners, which is expected to come at league meetings on Oct. 8.
OBIT
Former Broncos’ star dies
BEAUMONT, Texas (AP) β Former Pro Bowl safety Austin “Goose” Gonsoulin of the Denver Broncos and a member of the team’s Ring of Fame, has died. He was 76. A spokeswoman at a funeral home in Groves, Texas, says Gonsoulin died Monday while in hospice care in nearby Beaumont.
Gonsoulin was a member of the first Broncos team, fielded in 1960. The team said on its website that he still holds the Broncos record for single-season interceptions with 11. He was a five-time Pro-Bowler. He also was named to the second-team AFL All-Time Team.
NBA-CAVALIERS
Cavs ink another new player
CLEVELAND (AP) β The Cavaliers have signed free agent forward Shawn Marion, adding more postseason experience to a team targeting an NBA title. Marion agreed to a one-year contract with the Cavs last month. A 15-year veteran, Marion won a championship with Dallas in 2011. Last season, the 6-foot-7 Marion averaged 10.4 points and 6.5 rebounds in 76 starts for the Mavericks.
A four-time All-Star, Marion has also played for Phoenix, Miami and Toronto.
NBA-HAWKS
Ferry disciplined for racist comments
ATLANTA (AP) β Atlanta Hawks general manager Danny Ferry has been disciplined by CEO Steve Koonin for making racially charged comments about Luol Deng (LOO’-ul dehng) when the team considered pursuing him as a free agent this year. Atlanta’s WSB-TV reported it obtained a letter from Hawks co-owner Michael Gearon Jr. which cites Ferry telling the ownership group that Deng “has a little African in him” and was “a two-faced liar and cheat.”
Ferry apologized for “repeating comments that were gathered from numerous sources” about Deng.
NBA-PISTONS
Detroit center suspended
NEW YORK (AP) β Detroit Pistons center Greg Monroe has been suspended for two games without pay for pleading guilty to driving while visibly impaired in Michigan. The NBA made the announcement a day after the Pistons signed the restricted free agent to a $5.48 million, one-year qualifying offer.
Monroe’s suspension will begin with the first game of the regular season.
The 24-year-old player averaged 15.2 points and 9.3 rebounds last season.
FORMULA 1-SCHUMACHER
Former world champ recovering
GLAND, Switzerland (AP) β Former Formula One champion Michael Schumacher (SHOO’-mah-kur) has left a Swiss hospital to continue his recovery at home. You might recall he suffered a severe head injury in a skiing accident last December in France. Schumacher’s manager, Sabine (suh-BEEN’) Kehm, says the seven-time champion from Germany has made “progress” since the accident put him in a coma.
