7/26/23 Hometown Broadcasting Sports Wednesday
26 July 2023 Sports
From Wayne Mausser
The Reds evened up their series with the Brewers last night, winning 4-3 and moving within a half-game of Milwaukee in the Central Division. Cincinnati scored twice in the 4th and added two more in the 9th on Will Benson’s two-run homer. Christian Yelich made it close in the bottom of the ninth with his 15th homer, a three-run shot. Yelich was 3-for-5 on the night. Left-hander Andrew Abbot scattered seven hits over six innings, while striking out nine and walking one and notched the win to improve to 6-2. Corbin Burnes gave up wo runs on 3 hits over six innings, while striking out six and walking one and took the loss and drops to 9-6.
The teams close out their series today. The Reds will send right-hander Ben Lively (4-5, 3.88 ERA) against Brewers righty Freddy Peralta (6-8, 4.72). First pitch is at 1:10.
Elsewhere in the NL Central on Tuesday the Cubs beat the White Sox 7-3, the Padres downed the Pirates 5-1 and the Diamondbacks over the Cardinals 3-1.
In the Midwest League Tuesday night Cedar Rapids beat the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 4-1 at Fox Cities Stadium. The T-Rats managed just one hit. The teams play again this afternoon with the first pitch at 1:10.
Brewers’ pitcher Brandon Woodruff will make a rehab start Thursday for the Timber Rattlers, who play Cedar Rapids at 6:40pm.
Woodruff, who was placed on the 15-day Injured List on April 11 with right shoulder inflammation, was diagnosed with a Grade 2 subscapular strain shortly after going on the IL and was transferred to the 60-day IL on May 15.
Woodruff is 1-0 with a 0.79 ERA in two starts for Milwaukee this season, and he last pitched for the Brewers on April 7 when his pitched 5-1/3 scoreless innings against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Packers open training camp today and for the first time in 15 times will not have Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. Fourth year player Jordan Love will take over under center.
Coach Matt LaFleur enters his fifth year at the helm. He and General Manager Brian Gutekunst answered questions from the media Tuesday.
“It feels like Year 1, quite frankly,” LaFleur said.”It feels like we’re right back where we started when I first got hired here.”
LaFleur said the biggest obstacle heading into camp is all the unknowns now that Rodgers has moved on.
“Every year has its own unique set of challenges,” said LaFleur, who led the Packers to three straight 13-win seasons before they slipped to 8-9 last season. “But I think it’s going to be how quickly we can acclimate these young players and get them ready to roll and how we come together as a team. So there’s a lot of excitement today.”
Green Bay’s top two returning wideouts are Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, who were rookies last season. The Packers gave Love a few more options by drafting Oregon State tight end Luke Musgrave and Michigan State wide receiver Jayden Reed in the second round as well as South Dakota State tight end Tucker Kraft in the third.
The Packers passed up on adding a veteran receiver after the departure of Allen Lazard whose 60 catches for 788 yards led Green Bay in both categories last season. Lazard and Rodgers are now teammates with the Jets.
The past two years, the Packers didn’t play most of their starters in any exhibition games. They already essentially knew what they had and figured the reps the first-team players got in joint practices during training camp would suffice.
Now that this team is less experienced in key areas, LaFleur said he hasn’t decided on how he might use his starters in the preaseason games.
Gutekunst said he has mixed emotions about using Love in preseason games, and he said that applied to all the young players on Green Bay’s roster.
“It’s a little bit of that double-edged thing,” Gutekunst said. “You’d like to see him play a lot if you could promise me we could protect him and keep him healthy, you know. I think that will probably be something Matt, as he goes through it, it’s a feel thing for what he feels he needs. I go back and forth.” Bronny James, the eldest son of Los Angeles Lakers star Lebron James, suffered cardiac arrest Monday and is in stable condition.
“Yesterday while practicing Bronny James suffered a cardiac arrest,” a James family spokesperson said in a statement. “Medical staff was able to treat Bronny and take him to the hospital. He is now in stable condition and no longer in ICU. We ask for respect and privacy for the James family and we will update media when there is more information.
“LeBron and Savannah wish to publicly send their deepest thanks and appreciation to the USC medical and athletic staff for their incredible work and dedication to the safety of their athletes.”
James, 18, is entering his freshman year at USC and is ranked 20th in the 2023 ESPN 100 rankings. He is the sixth-rated point guard in the class of 2023.
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