Hometown Broadcasting Sports Tuesday 9/3/19
3 September 2019 Sports
Sports for September 3rd
George Springer was just trying to get a hit in the 10th inning to start a rally. He did a lot more than that. Springer homered to start the inning and lifted the Houston Astros to a 3-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday. Springer’s 30th homer came off reliever Junior Guerra (8-5) and put the Astros ahead. Milwaukee had a chance to tie it in the bottom of the inning, but reliever Josh James struck out Christian Yelich looking and Hernán Perez swinging to end the game with runners on first and second for his first save. The strikeout call on Yelich by umpire Ben May upset manager Craig Counsell. “It’s two awful calls,” Counsell said, as Yelich had also been called out on strikes in the sixth inning. Yelich had tied the game in the ninth hitting a solo homer off reliever Roberto Osuna (4-3). Houston has won 12 of its last 15 games. Milwaukee trails four teams for one of the two NL wild card slots. The late long balls overshadowed a stellar performance by Astros starter Gerrit Cole. Cole’s 14 strikeouts, recorded in just six innings, matched his season high for the third time this season. He had won 11 straight starts. Cole’s outing came one day after teammate Justin Verlander threw a no-hitter against the Blue Jays. Cole gave up a solo home run to Yasmani Grandal on his seventh pitch of the game, a 97 mph fastball. Grandal’s opposite-field shot to left, his 22nd homer of the season, gave the Brewers a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Besides Grandal’s homer, only one ball struck by Brewers batters left the infield. Cole struck out four Milwaukee batters two times each, including Yelich. Yordan Alvarez also homered for Houston, moments after hitting a line-drive foul ball that made his teammates scatter in the dugout. It was his 22nd home run of the year, tying the franchise rookie record set by Carlos Correa in 2015. The homer was off of Milwaukee left-hander Brent Suter, who was making his first appearance since having Tommy John surgery on July 31, 2018. Milwaukee starter Adrian Houser gave up just one earned run for the fifth straight start. He was lifted after his 98th pitch with the game tied at 1 in the fifth inning. Third-baseman Mike Moustakas (left palm, wrist) returned to the starting lineup. He had missed five starts. The teams finish their two-game series with Astros RHP Zack Greinke (14-4, 2.99 ERA) facing Brewers RHP Jordan Lyles (9-8, 4.55 ERA). First pitch is at 6:40 and the game can be heard on AM1100/98.3FM, WISS.
Elsewhere in the N.L. Central on Monday, the Cubs beat the Mariners 5-1, the Phillies over the Reds 7-1 and the Cardinals beat the Giants 3-1.
The Packers continue to get ready for Thursday night’s league opener against the Bears in Chicago. The Packers offensive front line will have to deal with edge rusher Khalil Mack. In two games last season, Mack had 3.5 sacks, a pick six, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery to boot. Head coach Matt LaFleur said stopping him is going to be a challenge. The Bears also have other challenges in Leonard Floyd and Akeem Hicks. Thursday night’s game will be the 199th meeting between the two teams. The Packers hold a 97-95-6 edge in the series, which includes two playoff games (1-1). It marks the first time the Packers have opened the season against the Bears in back-to-back seasons since playing them three years in a row in openers from 1979-81 Six of the last seven games between the two teams at Soldier Field have been decided by single digits.
Meanwhile, the Packers have a new inside linebacker after making a trade with the New York Giants. This according to multiple reports. The trade which was first reported by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, has the Giants sending ILB B.J. Goodson to the Packers. The Packers and Giants conditionally agreed to swap 2020 7th-round picks.
The Green Bay Packers also released LB James Crawford. General Manager Brian Gutekunst announced the transaction Monday. Crawford signed with Green Bay as an undrafted free agent on Aug. 8, 2018, and went on to play in all 16 games last season, leading the team with 13 tackles on special teams.
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